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Engage children in meaningful STEM experiences with these books, articles, and discussions.

Books that Support STEM

cover of Making and Tinkering with STEM
Book

Making and Tinkering With STEM: Solving Design Challenges With Young Children

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cover of Making and Tinkering with STEM: Solving Design Challenges With Young Children
Book

Sample Engineering Design Challenge from Making and Tinkering with STEM: Solving Design Challenges With Young Children

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Ramps & Pathways: A Constructivist Approach to Physics With Young Children
Book

Ramps & Pathways: A Constructivist Approach to Physics With Young Children

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Resources for Teachers

A small group of children conducts an experiment
Article

Growing in STEM: STEM Resources and Materials for Engaging Learning Experiences

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HOT and Coding graphic
Blog

The T in STEM: Creating Play-Based Experiences That Support Children’s Learning of Coding and Higher Order Thinking

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electricity project
Article

Growing in STEM: From Static to Circuits: Inquiry-Based STEM Explorations of Electricity

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Two boys painting
Article

Including All Children in Making and Tinkering!

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A young girl draws and takes notes in a forest
Article

Community-Based Engineering STEM Experiences From a Second Grade Urban Classroom

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Teacher guiding student with STEM game
Blog

Make STEM Social to Motivate Preschoolers

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For Families

toddler in an outdoor kiddie pool
Blog

Bathtime Science

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Toddler in the bathtub playing with rubber ducks.

Math in the Bath

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Child using sculpting techniques
Article

Message in a Backpack™ Making at Home

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Two toddler girls playing with blocks

Toys as Tools: Everyday Science Experiences

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Two young girls playing with a xylophone

Support Math Readiness Through Music

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Toddlers playing with toy balls in pool
Blog

Splish Splash: Science Time Without Spending a Dime

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Most Recent

children looking at a tablet with a teacher
Article
Teaching Young Children
January 4, 2020

Navigating Spatial Learning with Preschoolers

Mathematics activities can contribute to later success in both math and reading, but activities focused on math and spatial learning can also be really fun and playful for young children—and for their teachers!

Authored by

Authored by: Ashley Lewis Presser, Danae Kamdar, Ximena Dominguez
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a teacher playing with blocks with a child
Article
Teaching Young Children
January 4, 2020

Engineering in Preschool: Building the Basis for Lifelong Problem Solving

This article discusses why engineering is important in the early years, what are core elements of engineering, and how you can foster engineering in your setting.

Authored by

Authored by: Katherine Laguzza, Katherine Katzer, Mary Eileen McDonnell, Christine Cunningham
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A child pouring ingredients into a bowl.
Article
Teaching Young Children
January 4, 2020

Message in a Backpack ™ Choosing the Best STEM Activities for Your Child

Young children love to explore the world around them—and STEM activities are a great way to help them do it. With so many STEM ideas to choose from, how do you find what is best for your child?

Authored by

Authored by: Rosemary Geiken, Sandy Chilton
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A happy child playing with blocks.
Article
Young Children
November 18, 2020

Incorporating Knowledge from Children’s Homes and Communities: A Home-to-School Approach for Teaching STEM in Preschool

In this article, we explore a project whose goal is to use home- and community-based knowledge and concepts with which children are already familiar to introduce new topics around science and engineering in preschool.

Authored by

Authored by: Christine M. McWayne, Jayanthi Mistry, Sunah Hyun, Virginia Diez, Cynthia Parker, Betty Zan, Daryl Greenfield, Kimberly Brenneman
Members Only
Cover of the October/November issue of TYC featuring teaching in a classroom with two children.
Issue
Teaching Young Children
Vol. 14, No. 1
September 16, 2020

October/November 2020

Partnering with Families, Helping Children through Change
TYC October/November 2020 issue
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Teacher raising hand with students
Issue
Young Children
Vol. 75, No. 4
September 1, 2020

September 2020

Fostering Content Knowledge: Meaningful Integration in the Primary Grades
The September 2020 issue of Young Children includes a cluster of articles that showcase the power of integrating science, math, technology, literacy, and social studies to make learning meaningful and content-rich across the primary grades.
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A classroom of children playing with wooden blocks
Article
Young Children
May 1, 2020

STREAM Education at Work—No, at Play! A Toy-Making Unit

Early achievement in math and science predicts later school success as well or better than early literacy skills do.

Authored by

Authored by: Douglas H. Clements, Julie Sarama, Kimberly Brenneman, Nell K. Duke, Mary Louise Hemmeter
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teacher reading a book to a group of children
Article
Young Children
May 1, 2020

Story Time STEM: Nurturing Children's Joy and Wonder through Shared Reading Experiences

In this article, we share ideas for how to integrate math, science, and literacy during shared reading. These ideas are inspired by our research project Story Time STEM, a collaborative effort by a team of preschool and elementary grade teachers, children

Authored by

Authored by: Allison Hintz, Antony T. Smith, Kristin Gray, Erin Gannon, Ashley Wishart
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young girl putting together a 3D block puzzles using blocks
Article
Young Children
May 1, 2020

Learning Engineering through Block Play: STEM in Preschool

In recent years, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have been increasingly emphasized for elementary-age children, and this trend should extend into preschool too. Blocks—a fundamental material found in almost all early childhood se

Authored by

Authored by: Zachary S. Gold, James Elicker, Barbara A. Beaulieu
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A young boy in a classroom taping an image to block.
Article
Young Children
May 1, 2020

Transforming Our Community with STEAM

The preschool bucket brigade took place four weeks into an intensive study surrounding the unit Our Community. While this topic is very common in preschools, for these teachers, this community unit was almost all new. This was their first experience with

Authored by

Authored by: Lea Ann Christenson, Jenny James
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Four-year-old Kurt created a family portrait for a project in his preschool classroom. He made sure to include his baby sister o
Article
Young Children
May 1, 2020

Nurturing Wonder: STEM Projects Bring Joy to the Classroom

When intentional teachers ask questions to expand children’s thinking and help them explore related vocabulary and concepts, children’s learning is enriched and their curiosity grows, fueling yet more inquiries.

Authored by

Authored by: Lisa Hansel
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Young child doing a science experiment at table
Article
Teaching Young Children
February 1, 2020

Breaking Down STEAM for Young Children

In early childhood, we encourage STEAM teaching to integrate these subject areas within a meaningful context.

Authored by

Authored by: Sandra M. Linder, Angela Eckhoff
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Hands together in a circle
Article
Teaching Young Children
December 1, 2019

9x: Creating a Culturally Responsive STEAM Curriculum

The following tips can support you in creating a culturally responsive STEAM curriculum.

Authored by

Authored by: ​Anthony Broughton, Michiko B. McClary
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