STEAM is a skill that every parent wants their child to possess, so that their child can excel and excel, and quickly integrate internationally. To build this skill set, we can start with the smallest steps by creating our own STEAM skills corner for our children.
Why should you create a STEAM skills corner for your children?
If we apply traditional methods, requiring children to study only to memorize and return old lessons, they will find learning very boring and even feel pressured when going to school. Because children learn fastest through everyday things in life, parents can see that their children often imitate and learn from the actions of their parents and those around them without anyone having to teach them.
Traditional learning methods can easily frustrate children
Decorating the STEAM skills corner creates a comfortable and free learning and playing environment for children. Children will receive appropriate STEAM education, stimulating the development of comprehensive thinking anytime, anywhere. Furthermore, the STEAM corner is equipped with age-appropriate items that will stimulate children's desire to explore, helping them not to get bored.
Standards for creating skills corners
- Arrange and decorate the STEAM skills corner to suit children's reach.
- Connecting objects and utensils from one corner will serve the other corner appropriately, enhancing children's thinking ability.
- Prepare experimental equipment and educational toys that are close to children: plastic cups, colored paper, puzzle pieces, handkerchiefs…….
- Provide recycled materials such as plastic lids, paper cores, cardboard, bottles, CDs, paper cups,... for children to practice.
- Give children materials to create shapes: to develop their artistic sense. along with the materials used in shaping: wax pens, glitter, wool wire,...
- Providing professional laboratory equipment: ml graduated cups, measuring spoons, electronic scales, magnifying glasses...
You need to prepare a STEAM skills corner suitable for children
Suggest some situational questions
Instructors can use those familiar materials to create a STEAM skills corner situation, for example:
1. She has just been given 5 apples. Are there enough 5 apples on the table? (This type of question requires children to count to check and think about why there is a lack of apples on the table, thereby constantly making reasonable hypotheses to solve the reason for the lack of apples)
2. Which of these two apples is bigger? Bring the big fruit to dad, and keep the small one to eat. (This type of question requires children to think to compare, then solve the final problem of who this fruit is for)
3. How to know how much this apple weighs? (Encourage children to think and find ways to weigh to find mass)
4. How to make a house from cardboard (Children need to think to find the steps to make the house, and also find ways to glue the pieces of cardboard together)
5. How to divide the water in a bottle into a glass so that the water in both glasses is equal (Suggest children use cups and dividers to develop skills in using technology).
Questions will stimulate children to use materials to find answers
In general, the questions and items in the STEAM skills corner need to meet the needs of children to solve situations. Initially, the problems should only be limited to daily activities, then the instructor will gradually expand the topic in a macro direction so that children can constantly hone their thinking and ability to handle situations effectively. .
