STEM Summer: Explore, Invent and Learn

There's no need for an expensive camp or an elaborate plan for kids to learn over the summer. Sometimes, it all starts with an unexpected question or a walk in the park. STEM learning often happens without us realizing it. Its impact, on the other hand, can last a lifetime.

What is STEM?

STEM is an educational approach that integrates the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics to encourage critical thinking, creativity and problem solving. Through hands-on activities and real projects, students learn to explore, build, experiment, and connect what they learn to the world around them.

How to integrate STEM at home?

An activity as simple as planting and caring for a plant can become a STEM experience. Observing the growth of the plant is the first step of the scientific method. Using a simple irrigation system, building a pot from recycled materials, or using an app to assist in your care are all great ways to apply technology and the engineering design process. Math is also essential in everyday activities such as measuring growth, counting leaves, and calculating how much water the plant needs.

This simple activity is a great opportunity for kids to observe changes over time, develop responsibility, and apply STEM concepts in a natural and fun way while at home.

 How to implement STEM during the summer?

Implementing STEM does not require complex strategies. Using materials available at home, taking advantage of everyday activities and integrating them into the daily routine are examples that can become mini STEM projects.

Here are some practical and easy ways to implement:

• Outdoor science explorations: Collecting leaves, sorting insects, or observing clouds and stars are simple activities that can be done with an observation notebook, magnifying glass, and open-ended questions that invite exploration.

• Engineering projects with recycled materials: Creating bridges, towers, ships or parachutes with paper, cardboard or chopsticks is an excellent way to apply the engineering design process, focusing on the design, testing and improvement of each construction.

• Math or supermarket challenges: Counting, sorting objects, comparing prices or measuring ingredients when cooking are everyday ways of applying mathematics, as are pattern games, "tangrams" or small number challenges that can be done daily.

• Accessible technology without screens: Teaching the fundamentals of programming is possible through games such as "Simon Says", paper mazes or constructions with LEGO blocks, and if there is access to electronic devices it is advisable to use educational platforms such as CodeMonkey.

• "Mini investigations" or summer projects: A question like "what materials float or sink?" can be the start of a little investigation, guiding children step by step in the scientific method.

Implementing STEM during the summer means fostering curiosity, validating questions, accepting mistakes, and celebrating ideas. It is a way to learn and enjoy as a family without the need for rigid structures. A practical way to achieve this is to create a "STEM Kit" at home with basic materials for scientific exploration, construction and experimentation. Documenting what they do with drawings, photos, or a small journal helps children give meaning to what they explore, remember what they accomplished, and feel proud of their accomplishments.

Explore is just the beginning

Sometimes, it all starts with a simple question: what makes one object roll faster than another, or how water can be purified using simple materials. No laboratories or sophisticated technology are needed. All it takes is curiosity and the desire to explore. In summer, learning does not stop; it just takes on a new form.

So, what are we going to explore today?