How can you inspire the next generation of inventors through STEM education?
February 16, 2023
STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) education is critical to inspire the next generation of young inventors. With the right tools, children can explore their creative side and build something that can contribute to our world.
Image source: Department of Education, Government of Western Australia
Here are some ways you can get your kids to become the innovative thinkers of tomorrow through STEM.
Encourage Exploration
Encourage children to explore their interests by providing them with a variety of materials to experiment and tinker. Options include building blocks, Lego, electronic kits and simple robotics projects - there are a tons of options available. Provide your child with creative materials to stimulate their imagination.
Make STEM Education Fun
It’s important not to burden your child with too much information at once. Start small by introducing basic concepts like engineering principles or coding basics.
The Scratch Getting Started tutorial is a great place to dip your toes in coding for children from year 3. Whereas the ScratchJr app is suitable for younger children from kindergarten.
Make sure you keep it fun by taking breaks and giving more time for creative exploration so that your child doesn’t become overwhelmed or discouraged.
Utilise Technology
We have a lot of amazing technology we can use to enhance STEM learning experiences for children. With a wide variety of apps and websites that offer interactive tutorials on topics such as coding, robotics, engineering, mathematics, etc.. Utilising technology in this way allows children to learn at their own pace while also giving parents more insight into what topics they should focus on based on their child’s progress and interests.
Check out Teaching Expertise for a list of great software to guide your budding inventor.