Full STEAM Ahead: It's National Science Week!

National Science Week is fast approaching, running from 13 August – 21 August. This nationwide initiative celebrates the role science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics, and innovation plays in our everyday lives, and most importantly, in early childhood education.

As children naturally play and explore the world around them, scientific concepts and processes are abundant. From balancing to measuring, cooking to gardening – science is everywhere! 

Early childhood educators support children of all ages to explore science, technology, engineering, mathematics and innovation through play and child-led discovery. Science is particularly suited to young learners, through a hands-on approach that is just as much about the process, as the outcome. Whether they know it or not, children are led to hypothesize, test, measure and reflect on science experiences every day. 

Facilitating child-led exploration  

Being child-led, children are empowered to explore topics of their own interest – whether that be why it’s cloudy one day and sunny the next, or why colours change when they mix. Hands-on science projects facilitate tinkering, experimenting, testing – all these are learning in action!  

Children don’t need to be given answers straight away, they can find the answers themselves with the support of an educator. 

Supporting science everyday 

Help your child to understand the science around them by incorporating scientific concepts and language during everyday activities. For example: 

• ‘The breakfast cereal starts off dry and crunchy, but when we add wet, cold milk, the cereal turns soft’ 

• ‘How does that food taste? Is it sweet or sour? Is it hot or cold?’ 

• ‘Little plants start off as seedlings, and then with sun and water, they grow into mature plants with seeds’ 

Science is for every age 

Science can easily be incorporated into everyday experiences and routines, and there is no child too young or old to learn something new. Read about how STEM can be incorporated in learning and play for babies, toddlers and older children too! 

Every Lifelong Learning Centre incorporates science and technology into their curriculum through the Healthy Minds program, across all ages. Find your closest Lifelong Learning Centre online or call 1800 CHILD CARE.