Parents do everything in their power to provide their kids with a great life. Not only does this mean they love and protect them, but it means they prepare and empower them for the future.
A great way to accomplish this is to take an active role in their education. This can mean talking to school board members about implementing STEM-based learning activities in Atlanta. It can also mean turning fun time into learning time at home.
Today, we’re sharing how parents can prepare their kids for a better future with STEM-based toys and activities, both inside and outside the classroom.
What Parents Need to Know about STEM-Based Toys and Activities
STEM-based activities are those which encourage learning in:
- Science
- Technology
- Engineering
- Math
These are the skills kids will need throughout their life as an adult, both in the workplace and as they care for their own home.
Kids of all ages should be encouraged to learn about these subjects. And fortunately, both schools and toy companies are jumping on board by providing a variety of learning resources
Of course, it’s important to evaluate each toy based on whether they encourage the development of:
- Motor skills
- Cognitive thinking
- Academic learning
- Toys and kits which encourage these skills include math and science kits, puzzles, construction kits, and language learning kits
Getting Involved – Why Parents Should Promote Stem-Based Learning in Schools
We love when schools are on board with STEM-based activities within the classroom because it’s such a great way to get kids excited about both learning and school.
To encourage more STEM-based learning:
- Encourage Field Trips: These trips are a great opportunity for STEM-based learning. Teachers can take kids to science museums, on nature walks, or to local farms.
- Talk to Teachers about STEM-Based After-School and In-School Programs: Instituting after-school programs is an ideal way for even more fun and learning to be worked into each day. Teachers can have Bricks4Kidz visit their classroom for an exciting, in-school workshop.
- Donating STEM-Based Toys to Teachers: Parents can give back to hard working teachers by donating STEM-based toys. It doesn’t need to be expensive and it can have a huge impact.
Encourage Learning Through Fun Activities in the Home
Because we want our kids to have the best life, it’s easy to go a little overboard. There are so many opportunities for positive learning lessons, but if our kids feel like every second of the day is about learning – they’re going to resist it.
This is why it’s so important to approach learning at home in a fun, casual way. They receive a formal education at school. When they get home, they should be able to relax and enjoy themselves, just like we like to do after a long day at work.
And this is what’s so great about STEM-based toys and activities: They’re actually fun! They engage the minds of children, while helping them develop problem-solving skills.
Here are some great options:
- LEGOS® – Kids get to choose what kind of world to build, from a construction site to a medieval wonderland. And they get to tell a story while they build, which exercises both the creative and analytical parts of their brain.
- Coding & Computer Science Kit – Coding is becoming a must-learn skill in our digital world, for both boys and girls. And this game makes it fun.
- Magnetic Toys – Magnetic toys are easy to put together, take apart, and reconfigure while inspiring creative design and intuitive play.
Steps We Take Now Can Have a Profound Effect on Our Children’s Future
Preparing kids for a successful future doesn’t start when they decide which college to go to. It starts before they even enter the school system.
With fun, at-home STEM-based toys and activities, we can give kids a great head-start. This training is something which will help them throughout their entire life, from elementary school and high school to college, and even their career.
The best part about it is kids will have a blast with these activities. Seeing a child having fun and enjoying the learning process – it doesn’t get much better!