Categories: Lifestyle

Kid Coders – 6 Ways To Support STEM Skills-Building At Home

Raising kids is one of the most rewarding jobs on Earth. It’s also one of the toughest. You’ve got

to be there for all the milestones, the scrapes, bumps, bruises and breaks. You see them at their worst – temper tantrums and meltdowns. But you are also there for their best, such as cuddles, laughter, jokes and silly play. At the end of the day, you wouldn’t trade it for the world.

As a parent, you also need to nurture your kids’ education and intellectual development. You can do this by reading books with them, helping them with their homework and supporting their schooling activities. But what if you want to instill a passion and lifelong pursuit of STEM skills? STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics and adults with these skills are in demand by companies worldwide.

In this helpful article, we’ll share all about kid coders, and you’ll learn six ways to support STEM skills-building at home. Read on to discover more.

IMAGE: YELLOW OCTOPUS

Buy STEM Toys

One way to nurture the development of STEM skills is by buying STEM toys for kids. These toys are specifically designed to help your children develop their STEM skillset. Your kids can enjoy them as toys without necessarily knowing they are developing these skills. This is a win because you don’t want to force your children into learning, and science shows that kids learn best through play.

Some examples of STEM toys include robot building kits, mechanical Lego sets, board games or puzzles that are STEM-themed and coding toys. They will vary from affordable to expensive, so ensure you choose toys that match your budget.

Join In The Activities With Your Kids

Another excellent way to nurture STEM skills in your children is to participate in STEM activities with them. This shows that you have an active interest in your children, and they will love the bonding experience as their parents join in the play or activity. For instance, after you’ve bought some STEM toys for your children, you can play with them or help them to learn about the toy. By playing with their parents, they are cementing the positive associations of STEM, which will assist them in future learning.

Another example might be a visit to the local science museum website, which has interactive activities that you can experience with your kids. Or you could browse the web, looking for interesting articles based on your kids’ interests. For instance, if you had a train-mad child, you could read up on train mechanics and engineering together.

Perform Science Experiments At Home

You can support your kids’ STEM skills by running science experiments at home. Using household items, you can teach them about hypotheses and how to test an idea. For instance, you could suggest that you microwave a piece of soap. You can ask your child what they think will happen if you put soap in the microwave. Then, carry out the experiment, and see the results. Ask your child if they think their hypothesis was correct, and note down the investigation results.

Coding Games And Apps

Another way you can assist your kids in developing their STEM skills is by installing coding games on their devices. These are games that are based on coding principles that aim to slowly introduce your children to coding. Code-a-pillar is an excellent one, as is Code Spark Academy. Yes, they’ll need a screen for this, but remember that screen time isn’t all bad, as long as it is monitored and your children don’t have excessive screen time.

You can even introduce a reward incentive for them to play the coding apps. If they do twenty minutes on a coding app, they can have ten minutes of a preferred game or TV show.

Read Them STEM-Themed Kids Books

There are many STEM-themed kid’s books on the market aimed at various ages. It’s worth buying some to read with your children. As well as a bonding activity, by reading STEM-themed books, your kids will develop that lifelong love and passion for learning that will hopefully serve them well into adulthood.

Build A Basic Circuit

You can get circuit-making kits at toy shops or online that use batteries, some wires, and an LED or a bubble maker to demonstrate how a basic circuit works. This is another top idea to support STEM skills building, as it introduces the basic concepts of electricity and how circuits work to power devices. These are fun to make and relatively simple, so they suit younger kids.

A Coding Conclusion

In this helpful article, we’ve shared how you can support your kid coders to develop their STEM skills at home. From buying them STEM toys to performing experiments at home and coding apps, we’ve covered a few different ways you can get your kids passionate about STEM.