Wednesday, January 25, 2023
Subscriber Login
My Profile
SpotlightNews
  • Home
  • News
    • Election 2022
    • Business
      • Spotlight On Business
      • Spotlight on Finance
    • Crime and Police
    • Discover-Towns
      • Discover Coeymans Selkirk and Feura Bush
      • Discover Delmar
      • Discover Glenmont
      • Discover Guilderland
      • Discover Latham and Boght
      • Discover Loudonville
      • Discover Menands
      • Discover Slingerlands
      • Discover Village of Colonie
      • Discover Voorheesville and New Scotland
    • Fire Departments
    • Government
    • Milestones
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Obituaries
  • The Spot 518
    • Galleries
    • Art
    • Food and Recipes
    • Health & Fitness
    • Music
    • Theatre
  • Hot Spots Calendar
    • Calendar Listings
    • Submit Your Event
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Our Opinion
    • Point of View
    • Your Opinion
  • Family Now
    • Parenting News
    • Senior News
  • Towns
    • Albany County
    • Bethlehem
    • Colonie
    • Guilderland
    • New Scotland
  • Classifieds
    • Employment – Hire Power
    • Services In the Spotlight
    • Classified Listings
    • Advertiser Login
  • Subscribe
    • Subscriber login
    • Give the gift of news
    • Join us – subscribe today
    • Newsletter sign up
    • Renew Subscription
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Election 2022
    • Business
      • Spotlight On Business
      • Spotlight on Finance
    • Crime and Police
    • Discover-Towns
      • Discover Coeymans Selkirk and Feura Bush
      • Discover Delmar
      • Discover Glenmont
      • Discover Guilderland
      • Discover Latham and Boght
      • Discover Loudonville
      • Discover Menands
      • Discover Slingerlands
      • Discover Village of Colonie
      • Discover Voorheesville and New Scotland
    • Fire Departments
    • Government
    • Milestones
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Obituaries
  • The Spot 518
    • Galleries
    • Art
    • Food and Recipes
    • Health & Fitness
    • Music
    • Theatre
  • Hot Spots Calendar
    • Calendar Listings
    • Submit Your Event
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Our Opinion
    • Point of View
    • Your Opinion
  • Family Now
    • Parenting News
    • Senior News
  • Towns
    • Albany County
    • Bethlehem
    • Colonie
    • Guilderland
    • New Scotland
  • Classifieds
    • Employment – Hire Power
    • Services In the Spotlight
    • Classified Listings
    • Advertiser Login
  • Subscribe
    • Subscriber login
    • Give the gift of news
    • Join us – subscribe today
    • Newsletter sign up
    • Renew Subscription
No Result
View All Result
Spotlight News
No Result
View All Result
Home Capital District Family Now

Get excited about STEM

Spotlight Newsroom by Spotlight Newsroom
December 15, 2022
in Bethlehem, Capital District Family Now, Parenting Resources, Towns
Reading Time: 3 mins read

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. STEM has become a focus the last few years and for good reason. It provides a skill set that enhances the way children think about the world around them and how they can interact with different environments. Young minds are sponges and can take in and retain information at very a fast rate, making early childhood the ideal time for them to learn new concepts. Children who are exposed to STEM at an early age are shown to excel academically and have a greater interest in careers in STEM fields.

To most of us, STEM can be overwhelming. How can we expose our children to STEM at home in these younger years?

Keep it simple.

Help your child see science, technology, engineering and math are everywhere around them and they interact with it every day.

Here are a few simple ideas where intentional discussion of some STEM terms and concepts in regular activities and interactions can go a long way in helping children realize how approachable STEM subjects can be.

1. Show children how practical STEM is in everyday life.

When doing work around the house or in the yard, point out simple machines. Show your child how a rake works as a lever to move the leaves. Point out the wheel and axle on a bike. Challenge your child to find two more examples of each around the house!

Cook with your child. Incorporate math by letting him or her measure the ingredients and figure out how much to put in when you double the recipe. Then, point out the chemistry of what happens when you combine the ingredients or the difference between solids and liquids.

2. Get outside.

STEM isn’t just screens and machines, math problems and code. It’s about understanding how the world works. Ask your child – before they ask you – why is the sky blue? Have them look at the structure of plants and leaves. Talk about the weather. How does it feel before the rain? Why is it usually darker when it rains? Don’t be afraid to look up the answers to these questions if you don’t know them. Learn together.

Work together to build a garden. Talk about the plants – what they are, why they grow. Watch them grow – make a point of observing them each week. Ask children to predict how big the plant will be next week, or when the flowers will bloom, or when the tomatoes will ripen.

3. Encourage tinkering.

Build it up – tons of great toys
like LEGO and K’NEX lead children
to build amazing structures and
objects. When your child builds that amazing roller coaster, ask them to explain how the pieces work. Have your child show you they did. Ask your child to construct a building with five or seven random items. When they are done, have your child explain not only what they did, but why it worked.

Tear it apart – Have an old computer, or even an old toaster? How about an old cell phone that’s not worth a cent to trade in? Unplug it, give it to your child and encourage them to explore it. Let your child figure out how to get it apart (maybe a little supervision for safety) and explore the pieces that are inside. For older children, let them research online and see if they can identify some of the pieces and explain to you what they do.

4. Problem solve in everyday situations.

A key component to STEM education is understanding how to solve a problem. Use everyday opportunities to challenge your child to think through how to solve a problem. Challenge them come up with a resolution to the problem.

Engage them with hypotheticals. When you’re at the playground with your child – and they are having a great time on the slide – point out how it’s made. Ask what could make it even better. Ask how they would build it to make it better. When you get home – have your child draw it out on a piece of paper. Encourage imagination!

Engaging with your child and getting them to notice the world around them – how things were built, how they work and why they work, and even encouraging them to think about how to change it or make it better, is what STEM is all about! Simply pointing out some of those things we all take for granted can spark that awareness and peak a STEM interest in our children.

Vanessa Banks is Co-Founder of Kernel Creative Media and the marketing strategist for Sylvan Learning of Clifton Park and Albany. For more information, visit SylvanLearning.com.

Tags: capital district family noweducationfamilylearning center
ShareTweetShareShare
Previous Post

Funeral services on Friday for Elizabeth Altrock, Blessings Tavern matriarch who died suddenly on Monday

Next Post

SPOTTED: Bethlehem nips Shaker in boys swimming

Stay Connected with Us

Recent News

Albany Wine and Dine for the Arts returns to in-person experiences

January 25, 2023

South Colonie transportation department drives home kindness

January 25, 2023

North Colonie Welcomes Its New Assistant Superintendent Naté Turner-Hassell

January 25, 2023

Bethlehem CSD to launch new online student safety tool

January 25, 2023

Hot Stories This Week

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest

St. Peter’s opens baby café in Albany

January 20, 2023
Second Assistant Chief Patrick Boccio demonstrates how tight of a squeeze it is to get trucks in and out of Stanford Heights Fire Department while Chairman of the Board of Commissioner Kevin Hulett watches.  
Jim Franco/Spotlight News

Multiple major fires and a power outage in Colonie over 24 hours

January 22, 2023
Thelma Street house where raid took place.

Chinese citizen arrested after Thelma Street raid

January 19, 2023

Two men arrested at the Albany County Jail

January 18, 2023

Albany Wine and Dine for the Arts returns to in-person experiences

January 25, 2023

South Colonie transportation department drives home kindness

January 25, 2023

North Colonie Welcomes Its New Assistant Superintendent Naté Turner-Hassell

January 25, 2023

Bethlehem CSD to launch new online student safety tool

January 25, 2023
Spotlight News

Spotlight News, The Spot 518 and Capital District Family Now are divisions of Community Media Group, LLC. Our local offices are located at 341 Delaware Ave, Delmar, NY 12054. You can contact us at 518.439.4949.

Browse

Follow Us

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact the Editor
  • Employment
  • Our Team
  • Privacy & Policy

© 2022 Community Media Group, LLC - 341 Delaware Ave. Delmar, NY 12054. 518.439.4949

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Election 2022
  • News
    • Crime and Police
    • Fire Departments
    • Milestones
    • Real Estate and Housing
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Spotlight On Business
    • Spotlight on Finance
  • The Spot 518
    • Galleries
    • Art
    • Theatre
    • Music
    • Food and Drink
    • Health & Fitness
  • Hot Spots Calendar
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Opinion
  • Classifieds
    • Advertiser Login
    • Service Directory
    • Hire Power – Employer Spotlight
  • Capital District Family Now
    • Parenting News
    • Senior News
  • Towns
    • Albany County
    • Bethlehem
    • Colonie
    • Guilderland
  • Log In
  • Subscribe

© 2022 Community Media Group, LLC - 341 Delaware Ave. Delmar, NY 12054. 518.439.4949