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Tag Archives: Self esteem activities for kids

The Dos And Don’ts Of Free Play. A STEM Perspective

Playing is the essence of childhood. Whether it is building with blocks, running and jumping, or any sort of role playing. This is how children experience the world. Through play. Sometimes it is structured, certain games have certain rules, or certain toys are “intended” to be played with in a certain manner. Other times children are allowed the chance to let their imagination flow and play at their own pace and follow their own rules. This is what is known as free play. A time in which we allow our children to explore the world without a structured agenda in place. In this post you will learn the connection between free play and STEM. As well as the dos and don’ts of free play.

Free Play: A STEM Perspective

Many educational theories strongly advocate for giving children the chance to engage in free play. Especially in the early developmental years. But you might be wondering how this is relevant to STEM. Doesn’t STEM need more guidance, such as experiments and math activities to learn this skill set? And yes, this blog is mostly about guided STEM activities. But I believe that all roads lead to STEM and free play is still extremely relevant. Allowing kids to explore by themselves, to make mistakes and try over and over gives them the confidence that they will need when engaging in STEM activities.

free play stem

Failed experiments or challenging projects are a huge part of real-life STEM and the earlier kids learn that this is all part of the process the better. Reducing frustration, creating tolerance and acceptance of long procedures, understanding that mistakes are part of learning. These are all things that are nurtured through free play. Without adult guidance a child will have to figure things out by themselves and that is the highest form of STEM. Solving problems with the resources at hand.

The Dos And Don’ts Of Free Play

So, how can you let your child engage in free play and hope for more specific STEM learning? The main idea is that you create an environment that will invite them to explore STEM concepts with open-ended activities. Here are some suggestions for the dos and don’ts of free play:

DoDon’t
Leave STEM-related toys or materials out (Activities become invitations to play but are not mandatory)Take the materials out and push them to do the activity/play with the toys
Encourage in a subtle way. Use language focused on possibilities rather than on something specific
“I wonder if it would be possible to build something with all these materials”
Use language that encourages one specific action such as “let’s build a tower with toothpicks and playdough”
Wait for them to ask for help when they struggleGet involved if they haven’t asked for help (if you think they can manage on their own don’t get involved the first time they ask. You can tell them you are finishing something and you will help as soon as you can, giving them the time to keep trying)
Let them use toys/games/materials in their own way even if it is different from the way it was intended to be used (as long as it is not dangerous for them or anyone around)Discourage their imagination by telling them that objects that are not dangerous have to be used in a specific way 
Be present but on the sideTake over the activity/game (again, as long as there is no danger). Remember they are still learning even if they don’t “get it right”

If you follow these suggestions you will be creating an environment that will allow your child to engage in STEM activities in a free way.

By being present and letting them ask for help before intervening, you are giving them the chance to figure things out by themselves. But they know they still have you as a safety net. You are nurturing their confidence and showing them your support and that you believe in them. You believe in their independence and individuality. Observing your child in free play gives you insight into what they are interested in. This will give you the chance to tailor other activities to your child. Presenting your child with activities that are more in tune with their interests offers a higher chance of them engaging. This itself will boost the learning that occurs during the activities. 

So sit back and just observe. Let your child explore their surroundings and let them know you are there if they need you. And remember, it does not always have to be full-on free play. You can find a balance by allowing more freedom within a structured activity or guiding something that started out as free play. Just pay attention to your child and see how they respond to whatever is happening at the moment. As in everything, balance is key. 

Great Activities That Allow More Freedom:

  • STEM Nature Box: Sort, Categorize And Learn
  • Milk The Cow STEM Challenge: Can You Mimic Nature?
  • Fantastic Outdoor Game With Great Learning Potential
  • 5 Brilliant Ways To Experiment With Oobleck
  • Beautiful Hands-on Activities For Preschoolers: STEM Nature Eggs
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Hi! We are Anni and Stefan, a mix of engineering with a dash of education and a pinch of social work, blended together and turned into parents who have a passion for creating lightbulb moments. We want to help you bring STEM learning into your home in a way that is fun, educational and challenging enough so that children can develop their thinking skills. ♥

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astemfulmind

Anni | STEM + Nature Learning
Where will the marble roads take you? 🚗🚦🚧 Where will the marble roads take you? 🚗🚦🚧 🧱
One day we set out to make some mazes or marble runs with clay. I thought my kids would each want to do their own but it ended up being a team project and I'm so glad it went that way! Our project turned into Marble city, with roads and many more fun things along the way. 
I drew a road with a start and a finish, a few loops here and there and some intersections so that they could cover it with clay. And then I just let their imagination take the lead. The beauty of open-ended activities and resources is you never know where it will take you. There were trees, mountains, tunnels, bridges and even stop lights! And after it was created there was imaginative play, role play and a lot of marble traffic!
It was fascinating to observe my kids build a world from clay and other resources we had around the house. The process of building it was play and then that play was extended and transformed by actually playing in the world they created 🧡
It is also definitely something that can be done outside. We did it out on our terrace but I'm excited to try it out in nature where there are even more open-ended resources!! 🌿🌰🍂🌸🪨
Learning new things ✨🥰 I have started a new Learning new things ✨🥰
I have started a new journey, training to be a Forest School Leader. I am not exactly sure in which direction it will take me but it was something that felt right. 
The ethos of Forest school and the role of the reflective practitioner just resonates with me, the outdoor, simple and slow child-led playful learning community. It is what I try to do with my own children and it's wonderful to extend and consolidate everything that I have learned over the last years into something that will serve me and my family as well as other families with children. 
I am very excited to show you how I adapt the Forest School practice to my parenting. We have already created some pretty cool indoor shelters, hammocks for dolls with ropes and cloth, and continue to use our natural materials for child-led experiments and activities. I am also learning to observe my children better and reflect on their needs and interests, which is key to their holistic growth and development.
Hope you find this as inspiring as I do and follow along for some reflections and of course for the nature play and wonder 💚🧡
The wonder of simple experimentation ✨ When you The wonder of simple experimentation ✨
When you let the child lead you never know what will happen. Sometimes nothing really happens, and that's ok too. But then there are times when you bring out some materials and "tools", add a bit of water and you suddenly have a full on experiment station on your hands!
I saved some pumpkin seeds from a pumpkin I had baked, thinking they might come in handy some time. I didn't have anything in mind, but when my 5-year-old said she wanted to do an experiment I offered them to her. 
She directly asked for water to check if pumpkin seeds sink or float. So we gathered water, some containers and a few extra tools (just some kitchen utensils). Turns out some actually sink and others float! We discussed why this might be happening and then I asked her if she thought she could find a way to separate them with the tools we had… this led to some critical thinking, some trial and error and a lot of experimentation and conversations. She was engaged, on a mission, and she had initiated the experiment herself. 
💜 I love watching these moments unfold and they just further convince me that experiments don't need to come with flashy reactions, or bright colors. They can be simple, like this one. Experiments should make us think, tickle our minds with questions about what we see and drive us to test possibilities that will reveal answers, solutions or rethink our questions. And childhood is full of moments like these if you look close enough.
The art of noticing the small details 🐚✨ A s The art of noticing the small details 🐚✨
A simple activity with natural materials and a magnifying glass. I just set this up on the table and we started looking at each material and paying attention to what we could see. It made us think and wonder about patterns, irregularities and just other things we might not notice otherwise. 
We learned to pay attention to details and that things might look different depending on how close you look. And these observations lead to questions and these questions lead to a search for answers, discovery, learning. 
And all it takes is a magnifying glass and some nature 🤎🧡
DIY OOBLECK BLOCKS 🧱🌽💧 These Oobleck blo DIY OOBLECK BLOCKS 🧱🌽💧
These Oobleck blocks are so easy to make and were a perfect addition to our dry Oobleck play as it gave us the chance to build structures and create small worlds. 
Materials you'll need:
🌽Cornstarch
💧Water
🧊Ice trays
🧘‍♀️Patience
To prepare the Oobleck you mix 2 parts cornstarch to 1 part water. If you have never tried Oobleck you are in for a fun treat! It is a great sensory experience for kids and really engaging as it behaves both like a solid or fluid depending on the pressure it's under. 
Once you are done experimenting with Oobleck try filling some ice cube trays with it and then let it dry (it can take some days, which can be tricky for little kids but is also a great opportunity to practice patience).
❗A lot of ours cracked and broke so make sure you prepare enough. We made 3 trays.
🧱 That's it! We crushed some of the broken blocks and used the other ones to create, nurturing some STEM skills through play. 
For more ideas for STEM and nature play follow along!
"If children are to keep alive their inborn sense "If children are to keep alive their inborn sense of wonder… they need the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in." Rachel Carson
These words truly resonate with me.
Sharing the path of learning and discovery with our children is so beneficial and not only for our kids. It is so positive for us too! It reawakens our inner child, our own sense of wonder. It allows us to slow down, to play. 
We explore together, we seek out the answers to our questions, we experiment and play, we struggle to find solutions, we persevere and through these experiences we learn. About the world, about each other, about ourselves, giving us the chance to bond over something beautiful.
👉 Follow along for inspiration on family activities that nurture curiosity and drive learning
Have you ever let Oobleck dry? ☀️ Letting Oob Have you ever let Oobleck dry? ☀️
Letting Oobleck dry is the best way to clean it up but it also gives you the chance to use it again in a different way. 
I like to leave it in a tray or cooking pan so it spreads out and dries faster. Once it's dry you can just poke it and scrape it out.
It crumbles and cracks nicely between your fingers and has a lovely texture that my kids (and I) really enjoy.
You can keep it dry or combine it again with water to get the gooey, slimy, and fascinating Oobleck back.
👉 I'm also testing a different way to use dry Oobleck so make sure you stay tuned!
DIY STONE STACKING GAME 🌈🪨 Stone stacking h DIY STONE STACKING GAME 🌈🪨
Stone stacking has many benefits, for both kids and adults. It encourages patience, creative processing, concentration, focus, and hand-eye coordination. We love doing this when we are outdoors and in nature, it gives us a moment to stop and relax. 
This simple DIY is inspired by all those stone stacking moments and adds a bit of a challenge to nurture those skills even more. 
👉 This is how we prepared it:
We collected stones and selected 6 of them for the game, we painted them using acrylic paints, and borrowed a color dice from one of our board games. If you don’t have a color dice just add stickers to a normal one.
👉 How we played:
Players take turns to roll the dice, find the stone that matches the color and place it on the stack. 
🌈 It’s pretty simple, but it adds a new layer to simple stacking, as you navigate having to put bigger and heavier stones on top. It also encourages problem solving, conversations and observations which are key drivers of learning. 
💫 For more simple nature and STEM play you can take outdoors and that nurtures learning make sure to follow along
Motherhood is definitely reawakening my childlike Motherhood is definitely reawakening my childlike curiosity and wonder 💫🌱🦴 
As we were on one of our nature walks one day we found some animal bones in the forest and our reaction was… wow!! Let’s take them home! After packing them in a bag, we decided it would be a good idea to clean them before examining them.
A quick google research revealed that we could use hydrogen peroxide to clean and whiten the bones. Gloves on and to work!
With great care we handled the bones and the hydrogen peroxide, saw the fizzy bubbles come out and observed the reaction (a bit of chemistry at play here!) We talked about what was happening and about the bones themselves, how they are different from ours, what type of animal they could be from according to their teeth (herbivore?) and a lot more.
This process of curiosity, hands-on exploration and discovery is a key part of childhood. Children are naturals at this, and if we follow along and support this process who knows what amazing things we might discover together. What is certain is that by exploring together like this we are nurturing their natural curiosity, cultivating a love for discovering new things and giving them the tools to drive their own learning. 
Never would I have thought that cleaning bones would turn into a great hands-on learning experience. But I have learned that following my children usually leads to moments of discovery like this.
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