Over the last ten years, there's been a significant push to get more children into STEM subjects, especially girls, and shake up STEM lessons in schools to make them more attractive. However, you don't have to leave it up to the teachers to foster a love of STEM in your little one.
We have a few helpful ways to get your kids interested in learning through play, but first thing's first...
STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths. They're four of the subjects that make up the cornerstone of much of the world today, from video games to the making of cleaning products, to computers, transport, and beyond. It's anticipated that more STEM-related careers and skills will be needed in the future with the rise of the Digital Age and changing infrastructures.
We could not exist in the world as we do today without these four crucial fields, and unfortunately, there has been a drastic drop in people with STEM skills, leading to a skills shortage in the workplace. This is due to several factors, including a 'boys only' stereotype where girls and women are left out or aren't taken seriously, a lack of funding in schools to engage young minds, and more, leading to fewer people with the relevant skills and experience once grown up.
But not only do STEM subjects impact the workforce, but they also have an essential role to play in your child's development. STEM skills aid in problem-solving abilities, giving kids a bigger pool of opportunities, increasing confidence, and improving analytical skills.
Learning through play is often more engaging than sitting at a desk and listening to the lessons being told. When children play, they learn more about the world around them, cause and effect, and discover more about themselves too. They also connect what they find through play to their experiences in the real world. For example, suppose children are pretending to be animals in a jungle. In that case, they're considering how each animal might behave around different species and what their behaviour is like alone or with others of the same species. Their roleplay correlates to real life as they consider and study animal behaviour.
LEGO - Your kids might already have boxes of LEGO around their bedroom, so you may be way ahead here already. Building with LEGO is excellent for fostering an interest in engineering. Kids will love piecing together the bricks to see what fits together and how you'll need to arrange blocks and wheels for certain types of builds. You can let your child use their imagination to create or use the booklet in your LEGO set to help them learn how to read and follow instructions.
Science Kits - There is a variety of science kits available these days. Whether you want something traditional like a volcano kit, a solar system set, or want to try making your own perfume or slime, science kits are the ideal way to get children interested in scientific theories and methods.
Remote Contol Toys - Remote control toys are one of the easiest and most fun ways to get kids into mechanics, technology, design, and robotics. Each toy comprises different components, which, in some RC toys, can be taken apart and put back together again. Not only are toy cars or animals great fun to play with, but they can offer valuable lessons in the inner workings of mechanical products and parts.
Chess - Although chess might not be something kids would ordinarily gravitate towards as a fun activity, if you can get them interested in learning how to play, it's a great way to encourage their mathematical ability. Chess can cultivate analytical, mathematical and logical thinking as you consider your next move and can aid in understanding probability. i.e., what's the probability of my opponent's next move if I make this one, and how will that affect the game when it's my turn?
Coke and Mentos - You may remember experimenting with this yourself at school or home. Adding mentos to coke is a brilliant way to get children's scientific thinking into action as they consider why these two products might create such a violent reaction. Plus, kids love mess, and it's easier to understand the science when contextualising it with products they already know.
Make a Parachute - Grab one of your child's toys and challenge them to make a parachute for it out of things like paper, cloth, and string. Ideal for helping little ones understand wind resistance, design, and more, they'll also love throwing their toys in the air to see how their parachutes work!
Oobleck - Oobleck is made from cornstarch and water and is an example of a Non-Newtonian Fluid. This means that when you apply pressure to the liquid, it becomes a solid. You can pick it up like a solid too, but it will flow through your fingers like a liquid. You can also place some oobleck on a piece of cling film over a speaker and see how it reacts when music is played. All you need to make it is 75g of cornflour and between 50 and 60ml of water mixed together in a bowl.
If you're ready to explore more STEM subjects through play with your eager scientist or mathematician, then you can browse our full Toys collection to find the ideal activities.
