Blog
British Science Week 2024: Accessing STEM in the Early Years
Here at Kindred Nurseries, we believe that every child is a natural-born scientist, explorer, and inventor. From the tender age of 3 months up to 5 years, we are dedicated to nurturing little ones' innate curiosity and fostering a love for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects.
Why STEM in Early Years?
The early years are a critical period for cognitive development, and exposure to STEM concepts during this time can have a profound impact on a child's future academic success. By engaging in hands-on, experiential learning activities, children develop essential skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity. And not only that, fostering a positive attitude towards STEM subjects from an early age can help combat stereotypes and biases, ensuring that all children feel empowered to pursue their interests and talents regardless of gender or background.
For our Boundless Babies
Even our littlest learners are capable of engaging with STEM concepts through sensory exploration and simple cause-and-effect experiences. Here are some examples of age-appropriate activities we offer for babies:
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Sensory Play with Textures: Babies are naturally drawn to different textures. We offer sensory trays filled with materials such as rice, water, sand, and other various textures, allowing babies to explore different sensations whilst also developing their fine motor skills.
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Exploring Cause and Effect: Simple activities like dropping objects into containers or pressing buttons to activate lights and sounds help babies understand cause and effect relationships.
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Baby-safe STEM Toys: We carefully select toys that encourage exploration and manipulation, such as stacking blocks, nesting cups, and shape sorters, to stimulate cognitive development and fine motor skills.
For our Trailblazing Toddlers
Toddlers are naturally curious and eager to explore the world around them. At Kindred Nurseries, we provide a range of age-appropriate activities that introduce STEM concepts in fun and engaging ways:
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Building and Construction: Toddlers love to build and stack! We provide building blocks, magnetic tiles, and construction sets that encourage spatial awareness, problem-solving, and hand-eye coordination as children create their own structures and designs.
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Simple Science Experiments: At this age, we begin introducing toddlers to basic scientific principles through simple experiments such as freezing toys in ice and watching them melt, observing the effects of gravity with ramps and balls, and exploring sink or float concepts with water play.
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Nature Walks and Outdoor Exploration: Connecting with nature is an integral part of STEM education. We take toddlers on nature walks where they can observe plants, insects, and animals, fostering an appreciation for the natural world and sparking curiosity about biology and environmental science.
For our Pioneering Pre-schoolers
As children grow and develop, our curriculum evolves to challenge their expanding cognitive abilities and foster a deeper understanding of STEM concepts. Here are some examples of the age-appropriate activities we offer to our pre-schoolers:
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Exciting Experiments: From making volcanoes erupt with baking soda and vinegar to observing plant growth in our mini greenhouses, we ignite a passion for science through hands-on experiments that stimulate curiosity and inquiry.
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Coding Basics: Introducing simple coding concepts through age-appropriate activities such as sequencing games and programming 'bee-bot' robots encourages computational thinking and lays the groundwork for future proficiency in technology.
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Mathematical Adventures: Through games, puzzles, and real-life applications such as counting objects, sorting shapes, and measuring ingredients during cooking activities, children develop essential numeracy skills whilst having fun.
Inspiring the Innovators of Tomorrow
At Kindred Nurseries, we are committed to creating a nurturing environment where children can explore, question, and discover the wonders of the world around them. By integrating STEM into our early years curriculum, we empower young minds to embrace challenges, think critically, and envision a future filled with endless possibilities.