As a business we’re moving from a core part of our business being focused on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) learning and moving towards STEAM (STEM + Art). STEAM like STEM focuses on developing a child’s critical thinking, problem-solving and creativity skills.
STEM education focuses on the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and maths. It encourages children to develop both their analytical and technical skills, as well as helping them to solve real-world problems using scientific and mathematical principles.
STEAM learning on the other hand, adds art into the mix. STEAM focuses on using creativity and design thinking to help solve problems. STEAM recognises and values that art and design can enhance innovation and creativity and that incorporating art into STEM can lead to more innovative and well-rounded solutions.
Both STEM and STEAM learning have their benefits. STEM learning helps to prepare children for careers in science, technology, engineering and maths, which are all in very high demand. It also helps develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are useful in many fields.
STEAM education, adds an artistic and creative element to STEM learning, allowing children to explore different ways of thinking as well as encouraging them to use their imagination. It can also lead to more diverse and innovative solutions to problems. This is because art and design thinking can offer unique perspectives that may not be immediately apparent through traditional STEM approaches.
Incorporating art into education has a lot of benefits for children. It can help children develop their imagination, creativity and self-expression, as well as empathy and their emotional intelligence. Art and design can also provide a form of therapy and stress relief, and can be a source of joy and fulfilment for children.
If you would like to introduce STEAM learning to your children. We have a great pack of STEM activity cards. The 32 activities and experiments are simple and fun and can be created with everyday items from around the home and the supermarket. The cards are double sided with illustrated instructions and key learnings for each activity/ experiment. You can shop our STEM activity cards here.
Overall, both STEM and STEAM education have their benefits, and incorporating art into education can have a lot of positive effects on children’s development and well-being. As a business we will be launching an art prints range in May and we will be talking a lot more about art. Natalie is the illustrator for the business and a qualified web and app designer, so she has lots of creative experience.
What are your thoughts about STEAM learning? Let us know in the comments below.
Natalie is the co-founder and illustrator at Little Scholars Playground. She is passionate about literacy, learning, illustrating, black women in STEM and Montessori.
When it comes to education, visual aids can be a powerful tool to enhance learning and engagement, especially for children. One type of visual aid that has proven to be effective are educational posters. Educational posters are specifically designed to display information and concepts in an engaging and visually appealing way, which can help children learn and retain information more effectively.
Here are some of the benefits of educational posters for children:
Enhancing learning: Educational posters can help to reinforce educational concepts in a visually compelling way, making them more memorable and easier to understand. Posters can also help spark curiosity and interest in learning.
Encouraging engagement: Children are often drawn to colourful and visually appealing posters, which can encourage them to engage with the material and spend more time exploring and learning. The posters can create a fun and interactive learning environment, which helps to keep children interested and engaged.
Improving retention: Educational posters can help to improve retention of material by presenting information in a clear and visually stimulating way. Children may be more likely to remember what they have learned when it is presented in a way that is easy to understand and engaging.
Supporting language development: Educational posters can also support language development by introducing new vocabulary and concepts. By seeing and hearing new words in context, children may be more likely to remember and use them in their own language.
Promoting independent learning: Educational posters can be used to create independent learning opportunities, allowing children to explore and discover new information on their own. This can help to develop critical thinking skills and foster a love of learning.
Overall, educational posters can be a valuable tool for supporting children’s learning and development, and can help to make learning more engaging, memorable, and fun. These posters can be used in a variety of settings, including classrooms, homes, and libraries, and can benefit children of all ages and backgrounds.
When selecting educational posters for children, it is important to choose posters that are age-appropriate and relevant to the child’s interests and learning goals. Additionally, it is important to display the posters in a prominent location where they can be easily seen and accessed by the child.
In summary, educational posters can offer many benefits for children, including enhancing learning, encouraging engagement, improving retention, supporting language development, and promoting independent learning. By using educational posters as part of a comprehensive approach to learning, children can develop a lifelong love of learning and a solid foundation for academic success.
Natalie is the co-founder and illustrator at Little Scholars Playground. She is passionate about literacy, learning, illustrating, black women in STEM and Montessori.
Ok, Mums and Dads, Let’s get to the nitty gritty of independent play. There is a lot of pressure to be able to constantly entertain our children without the use of a screen. There is a famous quote from Maria Montessori that “Play is the work of the child.” But what does this mean? Children learn and grow through play. She said that “the satisfaction which they find in their work has given them a grace and ease like that which comes from music.” Independent play is important for children’s development, it can boost their confidence, creativity and much more. So how do you start giving your child time to explore and learn more about themselves?
7 ways to encourage independent play
Support your child rather than lead
Make independent play part of their daily routine
Avoid too many rules
Be mindful that a child’s attention span is short
Make sure their toys are age appropriate
Let your child be fully engaged and avoid too much commenting and expectations
Start with time together and then move onto independent play
Children as young as 2 months can show signs of beginning to engage with some independent play, simply by observing different texture and colours.
What are the benefits of independent?
Enhances problem-solving skills
Boosts creativity
Forms a child’s interests
Reduces over-stimulation
Enhances brain development
Enhances a child’s confidence as they explore and master different things
Helps a child to feel relaxed and in turn calms their nervous system
So take this time as an opportunity to sit back and relax a little.
What are some of your favourite independent play activities? Let’s start a conversation in the comments below.
Natalie is the co-founder and illustrator at Little Scholars Playground. She is passionate about literacy, learning, illustrating, black women in STEM and Montessori.
Children are very aware of what’s going on around them. They’re so much like sponges, absorbing and taking in everything. With the stress and talk of the cost of living crisis, it’s important to ensure that we’re meeting our children’s wellbeing needs. So we wanted to share some daily mindful activities we do with our own daughter.
4 daily mindful activities
1) Affirmations poster Positive affirmations helps children to gain confidence, contributes to a growth mindset, and helps children to truly believe in themselves. Children need to hear what makes them special and strong over and over again. You can purchase our alphabet affirmations poster as part of our bundle of 6 posters here.
2) Yoga Yoga improves children’s emotional regulation, it also helps to boost their self-estem, concentration, memory, strength and flexibility. There are classes for kids as well as good yoga for kids videos on Youtube.
3) Watering plants Looking after plants can help to reduce stress in children, it promotes a relaxed and natural state.
4) Magnifying nature walk We often use our STEM activity cards magnifying nature walk card. Playing outdoors allows children to develop self-confidence, independence and self-esteem and promotes positive well being. Our STEM activity cards can be purchased here.
What are some your favourite mindful activities? Let’s start a conversation in the comments below.
Natalie is the co-founder and illustrator at Little Scholars Playground. She is passionate about literacy, learning, illustrating, black women in STEM and Montessori.
Monday was World Mental Health Day. This year’s theme is ‘Make mental health and wellbeing for all a global priority’. World Mental Health Day works to ensure mental health is treated the same as physical health. Mental health problems is growing amongst our children. We feel it is important to do as much as possible to prevent mental ill-health amongst young people from an early age, so our children grow into thriving adults.
World Mental Health Day is also a chance to talk about mental health, how we need to look after it, and how important it is to talk about things and get help if you are struggling.
Our emotions poster is a great way to encourage children to have a conversation about how they feel and talk about their different emotions.
At the end of everyday we ask our daughter how she was feeling today and she points to the relevant emotion on the poster.
This poster can be bought as part of our bundle of 6 posters here.
Natalie is the co-founder and illustrator at Little Scholars Playground. She is passionate about literacy, learning, illustrating, black women in STEM and Montessori.
