It turns out that children have been introduced to STEM like that since preschool.

Children are introduced to STEM through many activities in preschool.

"Today, my teacher let me match pictures of tomatoes with numbers, Mom," a little boy bragged to his mother after kindergarten. After asking more, I learned that during the math introduction class at school, the teacher had designed an activity to match pictures with corresponding numbers.

The dry math numbers (the letter M in STEM) suddenly become more vivid with the tomatoes I often see in my mother's kitchen or when I go to the supermarket.

Another time, the children were even more surprised when, with just toothpicks and marshmallows, the teacher transformed them into squares, rectangles, triangles... The candies acted as connecting points for the toothpicks to help children gradually develop their thinking about design, aesthetics... not just understanding multidimensional geometric structures.

Even more unique is that the children have the opportunity to practice English when the teacher introduces a square, many children shout "square" or "triangle" when they hold a triangle in their hands.

It is known that through games or experiential activities, STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering and Math programs, and Art for children from 3 to 6 years old, are included in the educational program by preschools. All help children practice skills, create interest in children, stimulate the development of the senses, develop creative thinking and problem solving.

The children may not understand what STEM or STEAM is, but they certainly love the activities that the teachers organize. Most importantly, the children are free to create according to their own thoughts according to the teacher's suggestions.

"I don't like red, I only like yellow, so I'll color it yellow, teacher," a child whined to the teacher during a coloring activity to distinguish different shapes when the teacher asked to color the different shapes red. Of course, the teacher agreed. Because when personal preferences are respected, it is also the time to form positive critical thinking in children.

The Art element in STEAM is cleverly integrated through music with pictures and bright colors, describing children's activities at home and at school, and children are taught skills and manners in daily life.

Preschool children in a Tet celebration activity

The stories of the preschoolers reminded me of other stories about life skills of teenagers in today's life. "How do you clean this fish, Mom?". Once, when I visited a friend's house, I suddenly heard her daughter - a tenth grade girl - innocently ask that question.

Another time, when I went on a family outing, I saw two teenagers struggling with a pot of half-cooked rice and then throwing it away. Indeed, there are very simple things that many teenagers cannot do. The lessons about skills through learning activities and experiences have not been absorbed seriously by them.

STEM or STEAM designed by preschools and kindergartens in the initial educational program has gradually formed experiences for children to get acquainted with skills, helping them orient their development according to their age's psychology and physiology through normal daily activities.

From a higher perspective, children will see science and technology as very close to life and bring interesting elements, from which passion and curiosity to explore life will gradually come. Children may not understand the academic definitions, but just helping them have fun and always look forward to participating in activities, having their own lessons for themselves, that is the success of STEM or STEAM activities at preschool age.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/hoa-ra-tre-da-duoc-lam-quen-stem-nhu-the-o-bac-mam-non-185231231012710967.htm