Does your child go full STEAM ahead? STEAM is an acronym used to describe science, technology, engineering, art, and math content taught in preschools and other learning environments. If your child is ready to start pre-K, take a look at how STEAM can help them to succeed.
Creativity and Imagination
Your preschooler may already seem like the king or queen of creativity. But that doesn't mean they should skip activities that actively enhance this area. While art has its obvious ties to creativity and imagination-building, science, math, and even technology play into these areas too.
Think about the greatest scientific minds. There are researchers who develop cures for diseases, vaccines, or new technology. These science-minded individuals all needed creativity to make discoveries and change the world for the better. Through STEAM-rich activities, your child can explore, create, and experiment in new and imaginative ways.
Problem Solving
As your child moves from pre-K into kindergarten and beyond, they'll need to solve increasingly more complex problems. From math equations to puzzles, your child needs to think critically if they want to succeed in school. Problem-solving can translate into multiple areas of your child's life, including other classroom content areas and everyday activities.
Science, technology, and the other STEAM areas provide opportunities for your child to practice problem-solving skills. This could include the exploration of the scientific method (hypothesizing, testing, making observations, and coming to conclusions), learning basic early math concepts, or experimenting with art materials.
Technology Use
How does your preschooler use technology? If their tech-time pursuits primarily include video games and TV shows, STEAM can expand their repertoire into something more educational. Your child can explore the basics of coding (even at the pre-K level) and learn how to interact with technology in positive ways.
Not only can these technology skills help your child now, but they also provide benefits for years to come. The technology education your child gets in the early years sets a stage for later learning. Beyond future school success, your child may even use these skills in a more complex way when they enter the workforce.
STEAM is a staple in the early childhood classroom. From science experiments and computer use to building with blocks, art activities, and counting everyday objects, preschools help young children to develop and use these science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics skills almost every day. If you're not sure what STEAM activities your child does in school, ask the teacher for a list or description.
For more information, contact a preschool like Small World Early Learning & Development Center.
When you have kids, it is crucial to do everything you can to teach them as much as you can. Unfortunately, many people underestimate just how much their little one needs to know to move proactively throughout the world, which can cause problems. However, if you spend the time to really focus on your children's education, you can make the world a brighter, more interesting place for them, which can dramatically improve their experience. Use this website to check out great information about how to make education a priority in your household, and learn what you can do to encourage your kids to learn as much as possible.