This Monday, November 8, is National STEM Day. The term STEM is a catch-all acronym for the following academic disciplines: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This holiday was created by a toy company named MGA Entertainment in 2015 to allow children to engage in these academic disciplines in fun and entertaining ways. This allows children to explore their interest in these academic disciplines and at the same time allows them to find their career passion at an early age.
In celebration of National STEM Day, here are some activities you can do with your children to help them develop and/or advance their STEM skills:
- To get your children invested in science, try conducting experiments with them about the effects of greenhouse gases. This will teach children about climate change and exploring data collection. https://www.steampoweredfamily.com/activities/the-greenhouse-effect-experiment/
- To get your children invested in technology, build a solar-powered house. This can be created out of paper, and it teaches your children about alternative energy resources. https://tinybeans.com/sun-science-experiments/slide/1
- To get your children invested in engineering, try building, planning, and/or designing structures out of blocks and papers. This will teach your children how engineers use technology to solve everyday problems. https://babbledabbledo.com/science-for-kids-paper-building-blocks/
- To get your children invested in math, try playing adding and subtracting games. This can stimulate children’s problem solving skills. https://kidactivities.net/mixing-math-fun/
There are hundreds of other activities your children can do to stimulate their STEM skills. Even if they choose a career path outside of STEM, these activities can be useful in their everyday lives. For more information about STEM, go to: https://www.ed.gov/stem
