Top 5 STEM Activities to Help with Early Childhood Education
Discover how STEM activities enhance preschool development by fostering problem-solving, early math skills, and creativity through hands-on learning.
STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, and it is often associated with older students, but introducing STEM concepts in preschool can have profound effects on early development. Hands-on STEM activities foster critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration, all of which are essential for a child’s cognitive and social growth.
In this article, we’ll explore how STEM activities boost preschool development, their benefits, and simple ways parents and educators can integrate STEM learning into early childhood education.
Research indicates that early proficiency in math is a strong predictor of future academic achievement. A study by the University of California, Irvine, found that early math skills were the most consistently predictive measure of later academic success among kindergarten to fifth-grade students. Similarly, a study published in Child Development demonstrated that preschool mathematics ability predicts mathematics achievement through age 15, even after accounting for early reading skills and cognitive abilities.
Incorporating STEM education in early childhood not only lays a foundation for academic excellence but also aligns with future workforce demands, preparing children for successful careers in a rapidly evolving job market.
Understanding why STEM is important is just the first step, but the real impact happens when children engage in hands-on experiences that bring these concepts to life. Young learners don’t need a structured classroom to explore STEM; they naturally engage in problem-solving, critical thinking, and experimentation through play.
By integrating fun and interactive STEM activities into daily routines, educators and parents can help preschoolers develop a strong foundation in science, math, engineering, and technology while fostering curiosity and creativity. These activities don’t just build skills for the future, they make learning exciting in the present.
According to NAEYC, block play not only fosters early STEM skills but also enhances language development, creativity, self-esteem, and social growth. As children discuss their structures with adults and peers, they practice communication and expand their vocabulary. Through play, they imagine new possibilities, build confidence in their problem-solving abilities, and develop persistence when their designs don’t work as planned.
🔗 Read more about block play and STEM learning
Use wooden blocks, LEGO bricks, or magnetic tiles to create structures, bridges, and ramps. Challenge kids to build the tallest tower or a bridge that holds weight.
Using paper tubes, funnels, or toy tracks, preschoolers can design their own marble run while learning about gravity and momentum.
Watch a fun fizzy reaction by combining baking soda and vinegar in a cup. This teaches cause and effect, basic chemistry, and observation skills. Here is a list of fun activities you can do with Baking Soda and vinegar.
Gather small objects (spoons, plastic toys, leaves) and predict whether they will sink or float in water, introducing basic physics and reasoning skills.
Instead of rulers, have children measure objects using blocks, toy cars, or their own footsteps to introduce measurement concepts.
Coding is more than just using computers, it’s about sequencing, problem-solving, and logical thinking. Preschoolers can learn these foundational skills through interactive, hands-on activities that make coding fun and engaging.
Create a list of items to find (e.g., "something rough," "something smooth," "a bug") to encourage observation and classification skills. Here is a full list of scavenger hunt ideas for STEM exploration.
Go outside and trace shadows at different times of day, introducing early physics concepts about the sun and movement.
Parents and educators in Washington State have access to a variety of STEM learning resources and programs designed to make early STEM education engaging and accessible. Here are some great places to start:
These resources help parents and educators in Washington bring STEM education into their homes and classrooms, ensuring preschoolers develop strong problem-solving and creative thinking skills.
At Newport Children’s School, we recognize the importance of STEM in early childhood education and integrate hands-on learning experiences that build problem-solving, math, and science skills.
We use building blocks, nature walks, and interactive science experiments to introduce foundational STEM concepts through structured play.
Our classrooms include sensory bins, simple chemical reactions, and outdoor discovery activities to encourage scientific curiosity.
We introduce math through fun, engaging activities like counting games, sorting challenges, and measuring objects, while incorporating basic logic through pattern recognition games and sequencing activities.
Teachers guide students in asking questions, testing ideas, and making observations, fostering a lifelong love of learning and critical thinking.
Incorporating STEM activities in preschool helps children develop curiosity, problem-solving skills, and early math and science foundations. Whether through building, experimenting, measuring, or observing, STEM learning boosts cognitive and motor skills while making learning fun.
At Newport Children’s School, we integrate STEM-based activities into our curriculum to ensure children develop a strong foundation for future learning. Contact us today to learn more about how we support early STEM education in preschool.