These Creative Games Offer Early STEM Education

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills are the defining skills for the 21st century. That’s why many schools are teaching STEM topics using traditional resources like textbooks and experiments alongside interactive learning games for kids. While the majority of today’s STEM education is geared toward older children, it’s equally important for younger kids to build STEM skills.

STEM isn’t merely an academic subject for young learners. In fact, STEM education provides little ones with a structure for understanding the world. It combines their interest in understanding the individual parts of the whole, of building and deconstructing, with new experiences and discoveries. In addition to providing a foundation for learning, early exposure to STEM topics can:

1. Boost academic performance
2. Improve communication
3. Foster innovation
4. Strengthen critical thinking skills
5. Encourage resilience
6. Build literacy and language competencies

In short, fun kid games and activities help kids learn by bringing STEM concepts into everyday life. The earlier you introduce kids to these abstract topics, the faster they will be able to tackle more complex lessons in the future.

While a lot of STEM learning takes place in the classroom, there are several benefits to exploring these topics outside of school. For young children in particular, absorbing STEM concepts through traditional instruction is difficult. Besides being more accessible, top educational games make STEM topics engaging for early learners. Here are a few ways to approach STEM learning at home:

1. Empower independent learners

Educational iPad games let kids direct their personal learning journey and develop their own problem-solving process, all while having fun. For example, Osmo Genius Numbers replaces unimaginative worksheets with an exciting space for kids to experiment with numbers. The many possible arrangements of physical tiles gives kids several pathways for discovering counting, addition, and multiplication.

2. Focus on fun

Making learning fun is the easiest way to get your child onboard. There are tons of great STEM education kits out there for every kind of kid. Some kit options include snap circuits, build-your-own toys, dynamic science experiments, and digital-physical learning activities for kids at home. Building with tangible items gives kids a more concrete understanding of abstract subjects like physics. One creative thinking game focused on physics is Osmo’s Genius Newton game. While using real-world objects to direct the balls on their screen, players learn about force and practice creative thinking.

3. Make it a family event

Finally, getting the whole family involved in the learning process can inspire conversations and questions about STEM concepts. From conducting experiments to playing STEM-focused games, there are many ways to discover science, technology, engineering, and mathematics together. Osmo’s Coding Duo, for instance, is a fun coding game for kids in which they can play independently or team up to complete puzzles.

As kids get older, they are better able to understand the complexities of STEM. In order for kids to fully grasp these later lessons, they need a solid STEM foundation built on genuine interest. By associating STEM with fun from the start, you can inspire your kids to become lifelong learners.