"Hey guys! Look over here!" Harrison calls out to his friend. "My magnet sticks to the trike!" On this warm morning, our magnetic wands are sparking a new wave of STEM exploration in our outdoor classroom. I’m encouraging the children to let their curiosity and creativity lead the way as they engage in their own […]
"Do you have any of those . . . connector things?" asks Petey. "I need some for my robot." "What kind of connectors do you need?" I ask. "I want to make the robot's leg connect to his stomach," he answers. "Do you need tape?" I inquire. Petey shakes his head vigorously. "Will glue work?" "Nope," […]
“I’ve got some acorns and some water!" announces five-year-old Gabriela, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Who wants to make potions with me?” “What’s a potion?” asks Amara as she jumps off of her swing and heads over to see what Gabriela has in mind. “You mix things up, like a recipe,” Gabriela explains. “Sometimes the […]
"Wow! How did you make that whole family?" Maura asks her friend, Maya, as she joins her at the clay table. Maya giggles. "I started off with one person in a boat, but then I just kept adding to it. Sometimes the heads were too heavy and I had to make the bodies thicker, so […]
“Will you read this first?” Rowan pleads as she moves The Most Magnificent Maker's A to Z to the top of the pile of books that the children have chosen for their morning story time session. "It's my favorite." I love that book," agrees Josephine. "Her dog always helps her." “She reminds me of us,” […]
At the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) conference in November 2024, our own David Banzer, PhD—a postdoctoral fellow at the UIC College of Education—presented Connecting the E and M in STEM: Supporting Early Mathematics through Engineering Design. This hands-on breakout session highlighted the importance of incorporating engineering concepts and activities into […]
“What are you doing?” asks four-year-old Declan, who has been watching me with growing curiosity as I measure out a distance of eight feet in our outdoor play space and mark the distance with two rocks from our rain garden. “Well, you know how we have been watching that Eagle-Cam?” I answer. “I did some […]
"Can I slide to the bottom of the hill instead of walking down the steps?" asks four-year-old Micah, who is bundled up in winter gear from head to toe. It’s a late Thursday afternoon, and I'm already feeling the weight of the day. My body and brain are on autopilot. There’s no good reason for […]
It's just another day in our preschool engineering center, with blocks scattered across the floor and children busy building their latest creations. I notice Ayden sitting by herself, engrossed in one of the engineering books I keep in the center to inspire our young builders. “What are you reading, Ayden?” I ask, sitting down next […]
"I think we need another cylinder on this side," Rowan says to Parker. "Can you put one on for me? I will keep it balanced." Rowan and Parker are deeply engrossed in block play. Their investigations into balance, gravity, force, and cause and effect have led these four-year-old friends deep into the STEM zone. […]