Introducing girls to STEM at a very early age is vital to increase the number of women with careers in STEM fields, and using crafts and activities is a perfect way to do this.

Currently, only 28% of STEM jobs are held by women. A main reason for this is because boys are exposed to more STEM related learning in their developmental years. Introducing kids to STEM at an early age has shown to increase curiosity about the world, helps develop language development, help develop fine motor skills, encourages problem-solving and independent thinking, and much more. There are many ways to introduce STEM to preschoolers, most of which are cheap and require little set-up.

The only thing you need for the first activity is a bucket or tray of water and tools to play with. Those tools can range from a pipette to a measuring cup to a spoon. Allow the child to play with the bucket and transfer the water through the different containers. This activity teaches children the math and science concept of conservation. Another activity that can be done is a nature walk and sorting activity. Take a walk with the child through a forest or park and allow them to pick out small things like rocks or acorns that interest them. Have the child place these things in a bag until your walk is over. Once the walk ends, pour the contents of the bag out and have the child sort the objects into categories based on size, color, shape, etc. This sorting will teach them how to observe things and make connections between objects. The last activity will require just two things, and apple and toothpicks. Cut the apple up into chunks and have the child create a tower by connecting the apple pieces with toothpicks. If you have more than one child you can make this a competition to see who can build the biggest tower. This activity will instill the concepts of engineering in the child as they try to build the tower without it falling over.

Resource: https://www.learningliftoff.com/why-stem-education-is-essential-for-younger-kids/

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