Adults who let children play and solve minor problems on their own allow them to develop an idea of how the world works, as well as self-confidence and problem-solving skills.
At The Education Station Day Care Center, a provider of early childhood education in Bloomfield, New Jersey, we encourage our students to explore and play with their peers.
Through this enrichment program, our day care center in Bloomfield, New Jersey, incorporates real-world situations that include science and math problems, which they will solve together.
We want you to bring this type of play into your home, as well. If you haven’t yet, here are some ways you can help your child pique their interest in STEM at home (and are approved by the National Association for the Education of Young Children):
- Spinning Tops
This toy can be utilized to explore motion. Ask your child how hard or how often they have to spin the top before they acquire their preferred speed, which tops are easier to spin (size), or which tops spin the fastest. - Magnifiers
Instead of using a magnifying glass, try filling a clear plastic jar with water to create the same effect. Magnifiers reveal aspects of nature that are too small to see with just our eyes. Examine skin, coins, flower structures, and insects—all objects with small parts that make up the whole. - Bubble Wands
Children learn about geometry (shapes) and become aware of airflow through the use of bubbles. As you blow bubbles, introduce uncommon terms like “spherical” to help your child learn to define three-dimensional shapes and grow his vocabulary.
To learn more about how you can enrich your child’s inquisitiveness through STEM, get in touch with our day care in Montclair, New Jersey, today!