Over the past month, the School-age 2 has been diving into exciting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) challenges through carefully planned, hands-on learning stations. Each day, a new invitation was set out on the tables, sparking curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity.
Our first STEM activity included pool noodles, popsicle sticks, and toothpicks, along with a challenge card that asked:
“Can you build a boat that floats on water? Can your boat hold weight?”
The children eagerly accepted the challenge, designing and testing their floating structures in water bins. Once their boats were complete, they were given nuts and bolts to see how much weight their boats could carry before sinking. Through this exploration, the children began to understand key concepts such as buoyancy, balance, and the importance of structure and design. There was excitement and laughter as boats held more weight than expected, or suddenly tipped and sank—each result providing a valuable learning moment.
Another day, a STEM station offered modeling clay and small wooden pieces with the prompt:
“Can you build a bridge?”
Children explored different shapes and methods to create bridges that could stand on their own or support small objects. Some tested straight, flat bridges, while others experimented with arches and supports. This activity introduced basic engineering principles like tension, compression, and support. The children worked both independently and collaboratively, discussing ideas and improving their designs through trial and error. This encouraged problem-solving, creativity, and teamwork.
Building on their growing interest in STEM challenges, we later presented the prompt:
“Can you create a catapult or a freestanding tower?”
Various loose parts were made available, including straws, pipe cleaners, elastics, and craft sticks. While many children attempted the challenge directly, some followed their own creative path. Emma, for example, used her hand-eye coordination, patience, and self-regulation skills to carefully push a pipe cleaner through one end of a straw, connecting multiple straws together. She proudly held up her creation and exclaimed, “Look! I made a letter M!”
Although Emma’s structure didn’t become a tower or catapult, her discovery highlighted spatial awareness, early literacy, and design thinking—valuable components of STEM learning.
Meanwhile, Devyn successfully built a working catapult. Once she tested it and found it could launch small pom-poms, she confidently helped her peers improve their own models. Devyn’s willingness to share her knowledge supported a strong sense of leadership and collaboration within the group.
Most recently, educators placed strips of cardboard and tape on the tables with a new challenge card that read:
“Can you build a rollercoaster?”
This invitation sparked a burst of enthusiasm, especially from Elora, who excitedly went all out with her design. She patiently and thoughtfully assembled a large rollercoaster, showing determination and creativity throughout the process. As she stood back to admire her creation, she shared, “I think my brothers will like this for their cars.” Her comment reflected a deeper layer of connection and purpose behind her work, blending STEM learning with empathy and imagination.
These STEM experiences not only engaged the children in scientific and engineering thinking but also fostered creativity, resilience, and teamwork. It’s been exciting to watch their confidence grow as they build, test, problem-solve, and share their ideas. We look forward to continuing this journey of discovery with more STEM adventures ahead!