If you’ve got a little one in school, you’ve likely heard the terms STEM and STEAM enough to wonder what they mean. Simply put, STEM is an academic focus on science, technology, engineering, and math. STEAM adds the all-important artistic aspect – hence, the “A”. For the last 20 years or so, the U.S. has committed to incorporating STEM learning into our kids’ school curriculum, and for good reason![caption id="attachment_5304" align="alignnone" width="724"]
Photo credit: https://www.theedadvocate.org/[/caption]According to the experts at
The Edvocate, STEM learning fosters ingenuity and creativity, builds resilience, encourages experimentation and teamwork, promotes knowledge application and the use of technology, teaches problem solving, and encourages kids to adapt what they’ve learned to fit specific problems. All good, right? Even better – it’s never too early to incorporate STEM learning into your at-home play time! Below are some of our favorite, super fun, STEM activities from around the web:
Science
Make your own bubbles! If you’ve got dish soap, corn syrup, and a straw, you’re ready to mix up your own batch of homemade bubbles. Visit our friends at
homesciencetools.com for instructions and a simple scientific explanation.Soak up an oil spill! Bring the bummer of pollution home with this DIY oil spill clean up project from
LittleBinsForLittleHands (don’t miss their FREE ocean-themed STEM activity cards!). Fill a pan with water, add some oil, then brainstorm ways to get it out. Try a spoon, paper towels, cotton balls, and finally, Dawn dish soap to demonstrate how difficult it is to recapture spilled oil in the ocean.[caption id="attachment_5308" align="alignnone" width="608"]
Photo credit: https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com[/caption]Get outside and explore! There’s no better teacher than mother nature, so get up and head outdoors! Observe the natural flora and fauna in your area, talk about the seasons, compare and contrast different plants, seeds, twigs, and rocks. Make exploring even more fun with kid-friendly scientific tools like
microscopes, telescopes,
adventure pens, and
binoculars from GeoSafari®![caption id="attachment_5309" align="alignnone" width="530"]
GeoSafari® Jr. Kidnoculars®[/caption]
Technology
Speak in code! From verbally programming your walk through the house to talking through tasks, step-by-step, there are lots of low-tech ways to introduce coding to your kids. Visit our blog on
coding for some fun and easy at-home ideas!Get cute! 100% screen free and super cute,
Coding Critters allow kids to code adorable animal friends following the directions in their new pet’s storybook adventures. Kids simply press buttons on the Critters’ backs to move them left, right, forward, or back, navigating the obstacles in the included pet playsets and introducing this key STEM concept.[caption id="attachment_5310" align="alignnone" width="688"]
Photo Credit: learningresources.com[/caption]Draw it out! Kids who love art will go coding crazy for
ARTIE 3000™ The Coding Robot! This self-contained unit teaches kids to write computer code line by line and then draws whatever they’ve coded! From shapes and letters to mandalas and custom designs, kids use an easy computer interface (no WIFI required!) with step-by-step instructions to tell ARTIE which way to turn, how many steps to take, and when to lift his pen or put it down. Then they simply click “run” to see their ARTIE execute their coded script on paper.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FyS_4ZTyK4&t=24s
Engineering
Ramp it up! Simple machines are the perfect way to slip some engineering into your child’s day and it doesn’t get much simpler than a ramp! Use a cut up the box from your last Amazon delivery, use a cereal box, or a wooden building plank, grab a small ball or toy car, and experiment with different constructions and angles. Find some fun ideas at
BuggyandBuddy.com.[caption id="attachment_5311" align="alignnone" width="703"]
Photo Credit: https://buggyandbuddy.com[/caption]Build, build, build! Wooden blocks, building bricks, and Lincoln Logs are the perfect first engineering experiences. Stack them as high as they’ll go, construct bridges, or – trickier – tunnels. As they play, kids will gain a sense of spatial reasoning, learn about structural integrity (crash!), explore the principles of design, and so much more.[caption id="attachment_5312" align="alignnone" width="909"]
Photo Credit: manzanitakids[/caption]Make a marshmallow man! Encourage your kids to create all kinds of structures using marshmallows and toothpicks. Try making a cube, a curved dome, a two-sided ladder, or,
some of these other ideas from our friends at BrainBrigade.org.
Math
Count it out! Even little ones can get in on the STEM fun and learning – with counting! Count Cheerios, crackers, steps to the car, anything and everything you can count, count!Match it up! Correlating a digital number with an actual amount is a key early math skill.
One simple activity from BusyToddler.com has kids matching numerals 1-9 on sticky notes to sets of the same number of dots on a white board.[caption id="attachment_5315" align="alignnone" width="632"]
Photo credit: https://busytoddler.com[/caption]Make an abacus! Well, sort of. Start with a bowl of multi-colored beads. Help your child find one bead of one color, two beads of another color, etc. Then assist your kiddo in sliding the beads onto a pipe cleaner, bending the ends so the beads don’t slide off. Then practice counting the number of beads on each pipe cleaner. This two-in-one activity from
TheImagnationTree.com is also a great way to build fine motor skills ????.
Click to learn more about the importance of STEM and for even more at-home ideas for incorporating STEM learning in your everyday play!
Shop UK Site 
Procedure:1. Cut two pink ears and 2 smaller yellow ears out of construction paper.2. Tape the smaller ears to the big ears.3. Add tape to the bottom of the ears, place them on the top of the Playfoam pod, and press to secure in place.4. Add googly eyes.5. Using a smudge-proof marker, draw a nose, mouth and whiskers right onto the front of the plastic pod.
6. Add a little note to the back and you’re done!
Sahad Rivera Sonda has dreamed of being a toy designer since she was a child in Mexico! Her passion for miniatures and other playful oddities (her collection includes everything from a plush churro to a miniature French fry) eventually led her to Otis College of Art and Design in California, where she obtained a degree in Toy Design. Sahad’s dreams came true when she landed a job with EI, designing the look and feel for many of our toys and games, including Playfoam Pals, Design & Drill and our plush line. 
Procedure:1. Cut two pink ears and 2 smaller yellow ears out of construction paper.2. Tape the smaller ears to the big ears.3. Add tape to the bottom of the ears, place them on the top of the Playfoam pod, and press to secure in place.4. Add googly eyes.5. Using a smudge-proof marker, draw a nose, mouth and whiskers right onto the front of the plastic pod.
6. Add a little note to the back and you’re done!
Sahad Rivera Sonda has dreamed of being a toy designer since she was a child in Mexico! Her passion for miniatures and other playful oddities (her collection includes everything from a plush churro to a miniature French fry) eventually led her to Otis College of Art and Design in California, where she obtained a degree in Toy Design. Sahad’s dreams came true when she landed a job with EI, designing the look and feel for many of our toys and games, including Playfoam Pals, Design & Drill and our plush line. 
