BORN TO EXPERIMENT

BY JOANNE CORWIN, DIRECTOR EIDS

When do babies start to experiment and become curious about their environment? Almost immediately! Research shows that, based on external incentives, within 24 hours of birth healthy, full-term babies begin to purposefully adjust one of the few behaviors in their control: their sucking patterns. In other words, they are already using STEAM strategies within their first day of life!

STEAM is an educational approach using Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics as a way to guide student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) asserts that as babies, we are born with a desire for STEAM learning. All of the strategies used in STEAM (problemsolving, persistence, creativity, reasoning) are also linked to cognitive and language development.

Infants and toddlers have many expressive early visual communication strategies that help caregivers identify their interests and curiosity. Research also points out that a young child’s smiles, gestures, and hand and body movements can reveal their understanding of the world around them.

This is why families and EIDS Developmental Specialists work together to encourage STEAM learning. The work includes being careful observers of their child’s communication; responding to and supporting curiosity; and being intentional in their responses. This means providing the appropriate time for a child to process information and anticipating a response. Children are born with a desire to learn and experiment. Families and EIDS partner so that they can learn and grow.