The Importance of Introducing Under-5s to STEM
Education
By Orna Herr, Communications Officer for Education at the British Science Association
What is STEM?
the world around them and begin to develop skills they will apply to academic study and use for the rest of their lives.
STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. Getting children excited by STEM subjects and engaged from a young age is vital for their development and for ensuring they have the aptitudes to excel in their lessons when they start Primary school.
This is especially true of STEM subjects.
Speaking to Pacey, the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years, Dr Sally Moomaw, Professor of Early Childhood Education, said: “STEM disciplines provide a pathway for children to explore a wide range of exciting areas in science, maths, and engineering. Preschool children are naturally interested in science and maths. Almost everything young children do involves exploring their world.” She added that “children who engage in science and maths regularly develop circuits to make learning in these areas faster and easier”.
Early development for future success
Early years are an incredibly important, if not the most important, time for brain development. A newborn baby’s brain is around a quarter of the size of an adult’s brain, but by the age of five, the brain has grown to an enormous 90% of its full size! This period of growth is the perfect time for children to absorb new information, learn about 15
