The next several Thursdays, I’ll be sharing a variety of STEAM activities that we’re doing in our home, but before I do that, I thought I would probably be remiss if I didn’t explain first what STEAM stands for, and some resources that I’ll be referencing for our projects.
So, what is STEAM? STEAM stands for
Science
Technology
Engineering
Art
Mathematics
You may have heard of STEM, which is simply STEAM, without the A. But experts in the world of education know that the Art component is important – “recognizing that to be successful in technical fields, individuals must also be creative and use critical thinking skills which are best developed through exposure to the arts.” (The Palm Beach County Prime Time after school community website has some great info about what they are doing in their community to promote STEAM!) And this art component is especially important in YOUNG minds – fostering a love for creativity the younger, the better.
This is the book that I’ll be using for most of my inspiration for activities, though some of them do come from my own brain and teaching experience. STEAM: Preschool Activities for STEM Enrichment
And here are a few of the activities we’ve done and shared on the blog in the past that qualify as “STEAM” activities:
Science Activities:
Candy Cane Science Experiment
Technology Activities:
Kindle Fire HD 6 for Kids – product review
Kindle Fire Apps for Kids and User Tips
Engineering Activities:
From Food Pouch Lid Activities – building/stacking
From Apple Theme Center – building/stacking
Art Activities:
Microwave Puff Paint
From Pumpkin/Halloween Center – coloring a pumpkin art
Orange/Pumpkin Scented Playdough
Math Activities:
The Gift of Giving
From Pumpkin/Halloween Center – counting by 2s, patterning, and size sorting
From Apple Theme Center – color sorting / counting
Sensory Bins for Grandma’s House
Butterbees and Bumbleflies 