Investigators, Explorers, Inventors…Oh My!

STEAM for Today’s Infants and Toddlers

STEM

Brain Architects

Early experiences influence the architecture of our brains. Parents and caregivers, have a significant impact on a child’s learning. The connection between experiences in infancy and school readiness are shaped by early experiences and social interactions that create for lifelong learning.

Where Do We Start?Research shows that if children start school with a strong set of attitudes and skills that help them "learn how to learn," they will be better able to take advantage of educational opportunities. While some learning skills come naturally to children, others can be developed through a supportive environment.

Tips for building learning skills: Let them choose. Help them finish what they start. Nurture creativity. Don't rush activities. Provide encouragement.

Milestones One-year-olds are in the act of discovering the world. They enthusiastically use their senses to purposefully explore everything they can. They find pleasure in causing things to happen and in completing basic tasks. They also enjoy sharing interesting learning experiences with adults, and may use gestures and simple sounds or speech to ask adults questions. Since language skills are still developing, one-year-olds rely more heavily on nonverbal, physical strategies to reach simple goals.

Two-year-olds are highly curious about unfamiliar objects, events and phenomena. They gather information using all their senses and motor skills. They also notice what happens as the result of certain actions and are beginning to categorize objects into groups. Their early language skills make descriptions of observations and experiences challenging, but they can make simple statements and use gestures to help communicate ideas.

Three-year-olds use all of their senses to make sense of the world around them. Their growing language skills help them to talk about their observations and experiences. In seeking solutions to problems, children at this age typically try different ideas until a successful one is found. Three-year-olds can classify and sort objects, but usually by only one characteristic at a time.

Intentional

Outdoor Environments

Initiative, Engagement and Persistence

One, Two and Three Year Olds Indicates preferences non-verbally or with simple language (e.g., points to an apple and pushes

banana away). Focuses attention on interesting sights or sounds, often in shared experiences with adults (e.g.,

sits on father's lap looking at a picture book). Shows pleasure in completing simple tasks (e.g., drops clothespins into a bucket and smiles and

claps when all are inside). Increasingly tries to help with self-care activities (e.g., feeding, undressing, grooming). When

reading with adults, may want to hold the book or try to turn the pages. Collects information about the world using the senses.

Curiosity and Eagerness to Learn

One, Two and Three Year Olds Actively participates in a variety of sensory experiences (e.g., tastes, touches, pats, shakes). May seek information from adults by pointing to an interesting object, and then giving a

questioning look, making a vocal sound, and/or saying a single word. In the second half of the year, children will be able to combine words to ask simple questions (e.g., says, "What that?" or "Who coming?").

Shows physical and vocal pleasure when exploring objects and other things. Finds pleasure in causing things to happen (e.g., picks up bells and rings them, then smiles broadly when each one sounds different).

Curiosity and Eagerness to Learn

Curiosity and Eagerness to Learn

Reasoning and Problem Solving

One, Two and Three Year Olds Tries a variety of physical strategies to reach simple goals (e.g., when a cart

gets stuck while being pushed through a door, he or she turns the cart a different way and tries again).

Uses gestures and (toward the end of the year) simple language to get help when "stuck" (e.g., extends arms toward grandfather and says, "Up Up!" when trying to get into large chair).

Discovers aspects of the physical world using early language skills and purposeful exploration with the senses (e.g., turns a plastic bucket over and over, raising and lowering the handle thoughtfully).

Reasoning and Problem Solving

Invention and Imagination

One, Two and Three Year Olds Pretends one object is really another with simple physical substitutions

(e.g., picks up a wooden block and holds it to his or her ear like a phone). Uses objects in new and unexpected ways (e.g., puts saucepan on head,

laughs uproariously). Everything is new and interesting to infant and toddlers. They want to

use their five senses to actively explore the world around them. The process of shaking, tasting, banging, dropping and otherwise manipulating objects teaches children important scientific properties. Experiencing cause and effect is exciting too. And once a discovery is made, they want to make it happen again, and again, and again!

Invention and Imagination

Invention and Imagination

Invention and Imagination

Inquiry Skills

One Year Olds Learns primarily through sensory exploration of the world. Explores objects in

many different ways (e.g., shaking, banging, throwing, dropping). Repeats an action to make it happen again, experiencing cause and effect (e.g., dropping items off highchair tray).

Uses all five senses (touching, tasting, hearing, seeing, and smelling) to collect information about the world.

May use motion or sound to represent observations (e.g., shows with hands how big or fast, makes sounds of animals).

Enjoys playing next to others and sharing the same experiences.

Inquiry Skills

Two Year Olds Continues to explore using senses. Shows curiosity about unfamiliar objects, events and

phenomena (e.g., may wonder things like, "What's inside?", "Does this make a noise?", "Can I lift this?").

Gathers information using all five senses (touching, tasting, hearing, seeing, and smelling). Notices what happens as the result of certain actions. Begins simple categorizing (e.g., cats and dogs are animals, cups and plates are dishes). Begins to sequence by size (e.g., stacking rings, nesting cups).

May use motion or sound to represent observations (e.g., shows with hands how big or fast, makes sounds of animals).

Can make simple statements about what he or she experiences. Engages in some cooperative play and finds greater enjoyment in explorations with

peers.

Inquiry Skills

Three Year Olds Uses exploration as his or her primary method of learning. Practices the "trial and error" method to

find solutions to problems, typically trying different ideas until a successful one is found (e.g., stacks blocks over and over, trying different configurations to achieve stability and height).

Collects much information through observation, sound, and touch. Classifies and sorts objects by identifying one property (e.g., hard v. soft, large v. small) or function (e.g., transportation). Notices common properties and differences among objects and materials. Readily sequences by size. Begins to use simple tools (e.g., magnifying glasses to see details) to gather information.

Begins to make simple representational drawings as a form of data collection (e.g., drawing of snail begins with outline of form, then over time features of particular interest are added, such as the head or rings on the shell).

Can draw on past experience to describe, compare, and talk about observations and experiences. Shares experiences and observations in discussions, increasing use of descriptive vocabulary (e.g.,

child describes snow as "wet," "cold," and "white"). Can explore science phenomena with small groups (e.g., a group looks for living things in a leaf

pile).

Inquiry

Inquiry Skills

Inquiry Skills

Knowledge of Physical SciencesOne Year Olds Actively explores objects and experiences their properties (e.g., color, texture, weight, taste). Begins to develop his or her vocabulary for describing properties. Notices sounds and light and responds to their variations.

Two Year Olds Enjoys playing with water (e.g., pouring, splashing). Enjoys creating movement in toys (e.g., pushing, pulling). Identifies various properties (e.g., hard v. soft, sweet v. salty, heavy v. light) of objects and materials while exploring immediate environment. Builds vocabulary for talking about characteristics of sound and light (e.g., loud, dark). Enjoys playing with water (e.g., pouring, splashing). Repeats actions, noticing their effect. Notices variations in liquids (e.g., soap is thicker than water, apple

juice is yellow). Experiments with how objects move by pushing, pulling, dropping, sinking, etc. He or she also notices the movement of people and things in everyday life.

Three Year Olds Begins to describe objects in terms of materials they are made of and their physical properties (e.g., may ask for a blue plastic cup). Shows beginning

understanding of cause-effect relationships (e.g., how adding water changes the consistency of clay). Notices qualities of sound (e.g., pitch, volume) and light (e.g., brightness). May experiment with making sounds and recognize different sources of light.

Begins to realize that light makes shadows. Continues to play with water, noticing the way it flows and fills a container. Enjoys making "potions," mixing various liquids to create new variations. Understands that inanimate objects don't move on their own, and that they need to be pushed, pulled, thrown, dropped or otherwise acted upon in order to

move.

Knowledge of Physical Sciences

Knowledge of Physical Sciences

Knowledge of Physical Sciences

Knowledge of Life Sciences

One Year Olds Shows interest in own body.

Two Year Olds Learns to identify some plants and animals. Can name some parts of animal bodies (e.g., tail, ears)

and some parts of plants (e.g., leaves, flowers). Begins to identify characteristics of animals, especially their sounds, size and color. Is also curious about his or her own body and the bodies of others. Notices and learns the names for various body parts.

May know that pets need food or plants need water because he or she helps with these tasks. Begins to understand some personal needs (e.g., food for hunger, clothing or blankets for warmth).

Often views movement as a sign that something is living. Notices that there are different kinds of animals and may make some basic comparisons. (e.g., child

may say, "The dog is bigger than the cat.")

Knowledge of Life SciencesThee Year Olds Identifies the basic characteristics (e.g., color, size, shape) of a variety of plants and animals. Thinks about

the external features of the human body and what each does (e.g., mouth is for eating, ears are for hearing).

Is becoming aware that living things have needs. May attribute his or her own needs to other animals (e.g., may say that a frog needs a mommy, a bed or a toilet).

Uses one or two criteria (e.g., motion) to categorize "living" and "nonliving," and as a result may call a car "living" and a tree "not living."

Begins to understand that in similar environments, similar living things can be found (e.g., expects to find frogs, fish, or dragonflies at a pond because of prior experience or observations).

Makes basic comparisons of living things (e.g., which living thing is taller, fatter, etc.). Makes some comparisons between humans and other animals (e.g., people don't have trunks like elephants).

Has observational experience with parts of the life cycle. Makes generalizations, such as the smaller worm is "the baby" and the bigger one is "the daddy." May wonder where babies come from. May also associate a characteristic with age (e.g., gray hair means a person is very old

Knowledge of Life Science

Knowledge of Earth and SpaceTwo Year Olds Typically enjoys playing with sand, dirt and water. Begins building vocabulary for talking about their properties (e.g., soft,

heavy, wet). Experiences changes in weather, and may develop associations with particular weather conditions (e.g., needs boots when

there is snow on the ground). Learns the names for the sun and the moon.

Three Year Olds Experiences the immediate environment and the materials in it (e.g., rocks, soil, sand). Begins building vocabulary for

natural features of the environment (e.g., river, mountain). Notices weather conditions, and associates these conditions with personal activities (e.g., may think, "It's raining, so I

can't go outside and play."). Uses common weather-related vocabulary (e.g., "rainy," "snowy," "sunny"). Knows that weather conditions change. Is developing awareness of ideas and language related to time.

Knows vocabulary for major features of the sky (e.g., sun, moon, star, clouds). May notice changes in the position of the sun or the moon, or with the phases of the moon. Identifies basic concepts associated with night and day.

Four-year-olds approach the world with great curiosity and use their imaginations to help understand it. Hands-on explorations help them to separate reality from fantasy. They can participate in the planning and implementation of simple scientific investigations, and over the course of the year, will increase their abilities to make observations, gatherinformation, compare data, identify patterns, describe and discuss observations, and form explanations and generalizations.