Ready to go full STEAM ahead?
What was your favorite activity as a child? Was it a game, playing with a special toy, an art project you always clamored to do, exploring the backyard with the neighborhood kids? All of the above? What childhood memories will stand out to your kids? iPad time? Youtube videos? Hmmmm...I doubt it.
We live in a tech based world and nothing's going to change that. Our kids are far more adept at tech at 6 years old than many adults and that is not necessarily a bad thing but....let's not forget how much fun it was to be child and PLAY. To get messy. To be wowed by the magical world around you. By the sight of planes in the sky and fish in a pond. When you had no responsibilities other than to play and learn with friends.
Well, guess what? Your kids want that too. They NEED that. They soak up creative activities like a sponges. And most parents want to give those experiences to their kids. The only hang up? When, how, and what.
I want to make a pact with you. Let's make more time for play in our children's lives. Let's give them opportunities to create, get their hands and the house dirty, to make mistakes and keep trying all while having fun. And let's give ourselves a break. Let's give our kids the chance to pick activities on their own, to gain confidence as they build and experiment, and to learn without even realizing it!
“My son is literally walking around this morning saying can we make freezer goop...NOW. He's obsessed with the periodic table and science but loves art and drawing. STEAM Play & Learn is the perfect blend for him!" -Audrey
STEAM play and learn will get your kids playing again
STEAM Play & Learn is a new kids activity book with 20 hands-on projects geared towards preschool aged children. But psst.....older kids are going to love it too!
The projects range from easy and child led to a few challenging projects adults and children can sit down and do together. The goal of this book is to have kids flip through it, get jazzed about a project, and ask YOU the adult to help them gather up the supplies. Then adults...it's your turn to step away and let them play.
what is STEAM?
The acronym STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Art, Engineering, and Math. STEAM learning is project-based and cross-disciplinary, with an emphasis on problem-solving and teamwork.
- STEAM teaches children about connections between subjects.
- STEAM focuses on questions and children seeking their own answers.
- STEAM celebrates experimentation. It is all about experimenting, trying, and yes, failing.
- STEAM projects are interactive and hands-on.
STEAM is typically thought of as a model for education but it’s also a way of approaching life, and it’s never to early to allow kids to have the freedom to explore and a supportive parent or teacher to encourage them along their journey. At a preschool level this doesn't mean trying to teach your kids robotics and engineering but rather presenting them with open ended projects that allow them to problem solve, make mistakes, get creative, and most of all have fun.
here's a steamy sneak peek
Projects include:
- Color Mixing Lab
- Frozen Goop
- Tie-Dyed Towels
- Mirror Mandalas
- Pool Noodle Marble Run
- Potions Lab
- Spin Art Tops
- Painted Marshmallow Structures
- Salty Circuits
- Art Machines
- Lime Light
...and more
The activities in STEAM Play & Learn do the following:
- Emphasize process The final product does not matter as much as the process of creating and exploring.
- Encourage tinkering Kids should get comfortable making stuff and fooling around with materials. The best innovations come when people are given room to experiment.
- Allow for mistakes Mistakes are the backbone of innovation. Kids need to learn to be comfortable with mistakes and trying again.
- Make connections Nothing we do in life is done in a vacuum. Connections are all around us and we need to foster them, especially when it comes to education.
what parents (and kids) are saying
"This book is so inviting for young kids! Mine cannot stop flipping through the pages, they already have many of the projects instructions memorized from looking at it so much! "
-Megan
"This is so accessible that my five year old was able to page through and pick out the first activity he wanted to try. We went to the hardware store and got to work. It's really so great. I'm going to give it as a gift to one of his classmates with the materials needed for one of our favorite activities"
-Erica
“I had a very happy five year old yesterday thanks to this book, ; it's been hit in our house!"”
-Katie
STEAM Play & Learn will get your kids playing again without a ton of prep or complicated materials. It will keep your kids off the screens for awhile WITHOUT you having to drop everything to do it.
get playing again!
about the author
Ana Dziengel
Architect and industrial designer, creator of Babble Dabble Do, author of STEAM Play and Learn and co-author of STEAM Kids book series. Ana also hosts workshops and camp in the Los Angeles area.
