“Hey! How did you make that sound?” Elizabeth comes running over to see what four-year-old Vera is up to. “I’m popping the flowers!” Vera replies. “It’s so fun!” Popping hosta flowers or opening the jaw of a snapdragon flower is a skill that has been passed down from child to child for decades in our […]
“Look what I found!” yells Peter. “Rowan! Come quick! I think it’s a praying mantis!” “Wow! It’s so big!” says Parker. “That can’t be a praying mantis, can it? Is it a grasshopper?” Five-year-old Rowan comes running. Our class science expert and budding entomologist, Rowan really knows her insects. She’s the first person we […]
“If you wiggle your hands like this, you can make lots and lots of bubbles!” exclaims Hudson. “Watch!” Piper and Hudson are elbow deep in a tub of water, splashing about happily as they investigate cause and effect in a moment of playful learning. Science begins with curiosity, which leads to discovery and exploration. […]
“Get him, Avery! Get him!” Auuughhhhh! “Did you get him?” “He’s over there, Rowan, get him!” The children’s search is punctuated by high-pitched screams. Is it a snake? A grasshopper? What garden creature could be causing such a stir on a lazy Monday afternoon? “I got him!” Rowan declares as she cradles a garden toad […]
“Rain before seven, clear by eleven!” exclaims Pierre as he bounces through the door with his ever-present smile and positive attitude. “My mom told me it was raining before I got up this morning. But she also said we will be outside by lunchtime!” “Is that true?” asks Michael, who is standing nearby. “It usually […]
“I think we need another cylinder on this side. Can you put that 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! “Do you want […]
“Saaliha, can you hold this side down for me? I am trying to measure the sidewalk! I have the longest tape measure!” We brought out the tape measures this week. There is nothing like a tool in the hands of young friends to get the juices flowing and the neurons firing. When children are […]
“Hey Trey! Want to play hardware store?” asks Jamie. The hardware store that Jamie is referring to? It’s not really a store at all, but an area that we set up at our center to give children an opportunity to play with nuts, washers and bolts. The activity turned out to be a surprise […]
On an extremely cold morning, an extremely curious three-year-old named Jamison embarked on an impromptu investigation of math and science concepts in our block room. Jamison started the investigation with a small ramp and a single car. The fever caught on with Jamison’s fellow early STEM explorers, who began setting up ramps and obstacles […]
“Miss Diann, I need a hammer! Look! Look! See? I need a hammer!” Three-year-old Jonathan—our “fix-it man”—is pointing to a loose wagon screw that needs his immediate attention. We turn the wagon on its side to take a closer look at the wheel. Yes! We definitely have a loose screw. “Do you need a hammer […]