Children always have fun taking part in science experiments. They help to stimulate curious minds and offer a great introduction for young children to the wonders of the world around them. The early years is an important time to encourage curiosity and exploration and science experiments can help to do that.
Engaging children in science activities offers a plethora of benefits. Here are some of the fabulous benefits of science experiments in the early years.
Curiosity and exploration
Science activities helps to nurture children’s natural curiosity about the world around them. Taking part in science activities and experiments encourage children to ask questions, explore, investigate and helps to foster a lifelong love for learning.
Critical thinking and problem solving
Through hands-on challenges and experiments, children learn to think critically and solve problems creatively. Science activities and experiments helps young children to develop analytical skills by observing, hypothesising, experimenting and coming up with a conclusion.
Develops STEM skills and prepares children for future careers
Science activities integrate concepts from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). They help children develop foundational skills in these areas, preparing them for future academic and career pursuits. Engaging in science activities lays the groundwork for future career paths in STEM fields. It exposes children to various scientific concepts and disciplines, helping them explore their interests and passions from an early age.
Creativity and innovation
Science activities often involve designing and building, which helps to encourage creativity and innovation. Children learn to get creative and think outside of the box, experiment with different ideas and find unique solutions to the problem.
Teamwork and collaboration
Many science activities are group-oriented. This helps to promote teamwork and collaboration. Children learn to communicate effectively, share ideas, and work together towards common goals.
Resilience and perseverance
Science experiments don’t always go as planned, teaching children the importance of resilience and perseverance. They learn to embrace failure as a natural part of the learning process and to persist in the face of challenges.
Environmental awareness
Many science activities focus on topics such as sustainability, conservation, and environmental science, fostering an appreciation for the natural world.
Confidence building
Successfully completing science activities boosts children’s confidence and self-esteem. They feel a sense of accomplishment and empowerment, motivating them to take on new challenges.
Start your child’s science journey with our STEM activity cards or our ABC activity flashcards. Both include simple science activities and experiments using items from around the home or from the supermarket. Get your little scientist started today and shop our STEM activity cards.
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.
This week is National Coding Week here in the UK and we often get asked by parents how to get their kids into coding. There are many benefits of coding for kids, including improving their; logical thinking, problem solving skills, resilience and their maths skills. Natalie is a coder/developer, so below are her 3 tips to get your kids started with coding.
Our STEM Activity Cards are a great way to introduce coding to your child early on. The pack includes some coding activities. You can buy the pack here.
3) Our STEM Leaders: Black inventors and innovators who changed the world
Our STEM Leaders book includes inspirational leaders in tech and has useful links to help you introduce coding to your child. You can buy the book here.
We hope you found these three coding tips for kids useful. 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.
Black History Month is only a few weeks away (where is the time going? It will be Christmas soon, eek!) Our STEM Leaders: Black inventors and innovators who changed the world book would be a great resource. We all know schools will not be teaching children about these amazing people. So it’s for us all to do this at home.
STEM Leaders will introduce children to important Black inventors and innovators who changed the world. This vibrantly illustrated book is a stimulating reference source; it is educational and includes; Q&A’s, useful links, fun facts and activities to get children started with STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Maths) experiments. You can buy the book here.
We’re so excited about this book. We both work in the STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Maths) industry and we don’t see many people that look like us. So we want to inspire the next generation to embrace STEM subjects. An industry which creates the inventors, innovators and leaders of tomorrow. You can buy the book 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.
Rain Rain go away, Come again another day! The heatwave seems to be over here in the UK and we’re forecasted to have some heavy rain. Heavy rain poses some challenges for parents. Kids have a shorter attention span than us adults, which means cabin fever can set in quickly. Minimise the number of times you hear ‘I’m booored!’ with our top 20 rainy day activities to do with kids that are on their summer holidays.
1)indoor play/ soft play. This is always fun for kids, there are many indoor soft play in the UK.
2) Fashion show. Kids love to dress up in their parents clothes and shoes. So why not let the kids choose some clothes from your wardrobe, so they can create a fun fashion show!
3)Our STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Maths) activity cards are great for entertaining the kids and can help to reduce screen time. Our unique pack of 32 cards are simple and fun and can be created with everyday items from around the home or the supermarket. The pack of cards can be bought here.
4) Cook or bake together. Kids enjoy cooking and baking (especially licking the bowl at the end!).
5) Visit your local library. Let the kids choose a book they want and then get cosy in the reading corner. If the weather is too bad to get out. Then create a cosy area at home and read their favourite books. We have a great selection of books. You can shop our books here.
6) Visit a museum. There are many free fun museums in the UK. Going to the museum is a fun adventure for kids.
7) Play board games. Board games are a fun way to get the family together and helps to reduce screen time.
8) Our STEM inventors journal. Our STEM inventors journal will show kids how new inventions are created. It includes prompts to get your budding inventor started on their inventor journey. This journal will be sure to keep kids occupied on those rainy days. It can be bought here.
9) Build a blanket and cushion fort.
10) Watch a movie. Dim the lights and pop some popcorn and create a cinema at home.
11) Indoor picnic. Too rainy to have a picnic outside? Why not bring it indoors. Eating on a blanket is always fun for kids.
12) Create a puppet show. Grab some socks and paper and create a puppet show.
13) Open ended play. Get your children’s imagination going with some open ended play, with things like wooden blocks or a sensory activity.
14) Get the puzzles out. Puzzles are a good alternative to screen time for kids, they’re both fun and educational. We have a great wooden solar system puzzle, which can be bought here.
15) Play some musical instruments. You can even create a mini concert.
16) Do some yoga. The cabin fever has kicked in, so now the kids are bouncing off the walls, eek! There are lots of yoga videos for kids on YouTube, which can help to calm them down.
17) Create an indoor scavenger hunt. Get the kids to hunt for the objects all over the house.
18)Arts and crafts is always fun. Create a crafting station at home. It can occupy kids for a long time and it is both entertaining and educational for them.
19) Create an indoor obstacle course using unbreakable objects.
20) Splash in some puddles. As Peppa pig says “I’m jumping up and down in muddy puddles.” Once the rain has stopped, get your wellies on and go outside and splash about in some puddles!
We hope you found this blog useful. If you did, please share it with your friends and family who may find it useful too.
Natalie is the co-founder and illustrator at Little Scholars Playground. She is passionate about literacy, learning, illustrating, black women in STEM and Montessori.
We’re very happy to launch our NEW STEM activity cards today! The cards include 32 fun and easy Science Technology Engineering and Maths activities and experiments made with everyday items. Our unique pack of 32 cards makes learning STEM fun and accessible to all. Beautifully illustrated by us, with illustrated instructions and key learnings for each activity/ experiment. This product makes learning STEM fun for toddlers!
– Introduce STEM in a hands on way – Create a love for STEM subjects early on – Enhance a child’s collaborative learning, as STEM often encourages children to work together – Amplify a child’s problem solving skills, which is a critical skill in the early years – Enhance a child’s memory through experimental learning – Help to reduce screen time
The STEM Activity cards are great for:
– At home; homeschooling, screen free time, fun experiments and activities – In the classroom; station or whole class activities, after school activities, summer club activities
What is STEM?
STEM is a neat little acronym for Science Technology Engineering & Maths. One idea behind grouping these broad disciplines into something memorable; is to draw attention to an emerging policy choice within schools, focused on increasing educational interest within STEM. By stimulating interest in STEM early on, we can begin to motivate more young people to study STEM at an advanced level and to enter STEM related industries. This is particularly important for Black individuals who at university for example, only represent 6.2% of students enrolled onto STEM related subjects*.
STEM in early childhood
The idea of introducing STEM to children in the early years is to begin the process of creating scholarly minds. Little children who ask questions, seek out answers, solve problems and become innovators who go onto contribute to the human story. The sooner we get our little ones to see that our world is filled with shapes, materials, forces and numbers; is the start of something special, in the form of inquisitive minds.
Natalie is the co-founder and illustrator at Little Scholars Playground. She is passionate about literacy, learning, illustrating, Black women in STEM and Montessori.