There is no doubt that a STEM education can begin with very young children. The early childhood years, especially the toddler years, are a perfect time for parents, caregivers, and teachers to expose kids to STEM concepts.
This education helps establish essential skills for success in school and in life. When toddlers have opportunities to better understand the world around them, their understanding of math, science, and reasoning will be heightened as they continue to grow and develop. And there are so many opportunities for caregivers to use books, toys, and common household materials to teach toddlers about science, engineering, and math.
But…what about technology?
That pesky ‘T’ in the STEM acronym can really puzzle the parents and caregivers of toddlers. I know that was the case for me when my daughter was a toddler.
I asked myself, “Aren’t I supposed to limit the about of time she spends with technology, especially screens?” and “Isn’t overexposure to technological advancements bad for her developing brain?” I even pondered simply ignoring the ‘T’ in STEM until she turned 5 or 6.
I frequently turned to studies that showed the negative impacts of media technology on toddler development. The Mayo Clinic and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children between 18 and 24 months not have access to screens for entertainment. Additionally, they recommend that media screens not be used for children 2 to 5 for more than one hour a day of only high-quality programming. So with all the advancements in technology, and the research that shows the multi-faceted benefits of STEM learning, I really felt stumped on how to introduce my toddler to technology.
But then one day I read something that smacked me in the face. I had been defining “technology” all wrong.
Numerous early childhood experts agree that the ‘T’ in STEM has nothing to do with electronic technology. The Boston Children’s Museum defines “technology” in early childhood learning as being completely separate from smartphones, computers, tablets, or screens. Instead they define “technology” as simply, “using tools and developing fine and gross motor skills.”
The types of technological tools that toddlers can use to begin exploring technology are simple, and are most likely already available in your home or classroom. When I realized this, I felt so much more capable of exposing my daughter to technology through simple activities and play. Instead of focusing on electronic technology, I used these types of tools to boost my own daughter’s STEM interests and abilities when she was a toddler:
Small Shovels
Encouraging toddlers to use small shovels or a scoop to transfer material is a great introduction to technology. While playing in a sandbox, toddlers can shovel sand from one container to another.
My daughter and I did this with a large plastic tub (sensory bin) filled with rice and dry beans. This type of play enhances a child’s understanding of a shovel or scoop as a tool and also enhances their hand-eye coordination.
Safety Scissors
Begin showing your toddler how to correctly hold a pair of safety scissors, then how to cut paper. Have your toddler, with your supervision, practice cutting a straight line.
You can then help her progress to cutting shapes out of paper. Scissors are not only a practical tool, but they also strengthen a toddler’s hand and finger muscles. I noticed that once my daughter had mastered using scissors, her drawing and early writing abilities also improved.
Water and Small Containters
Let your child explore technology with water! Teach toddlers how to pour water from a small pitcher or container into smaller cups.
During this play, emphasize the concepts of empty and full, encouraging toddlers to use the larger container as a tool to fill the empty cups. In our family, bath time was the perfect time to experiment with these tools.
Art Tools
Let toddlers experiment with various tools to make different artistic and colorful creations. By providing access to art tools like markers, crayons, paint/paintbrushes, eyedroppers, and stamps, you can encourage toddlers to see how different tools create different strokes, patterns, and effects.
Simply putting out a variety of materials and a large sheet of paper is all you need to do!
Magnifying Glass
A small plastic magnifying glass is a great tool for toddlers to use to begin exploring the outdoors. Encourage toddlers to use the glass to investigate rocks, dirt, flowers, or trees. Our small plastic magnifying glass accompanied our family on hikes, walks around the neighborhood, and trips to the playground.
Take the opportunity to ask questions as your child investigates: “What can you see with the magnifying glass?” and “What can’t you see without it?”
These are just some of the fun and simple ways I overcame the fear of teaching the ‘T’ in STEM to my toddler. The technological tools my daughter used at this time were fun, simple, and didn’t involve any screen time.
Another tip: throughout your technology play with toddlers, remind them that the tools they’re using were designed (or engineered) by someone to accomplish a task or make something easier to do. By explaining this, you’re also injecting the ‘E’ of STEM into your toddler’s play!
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