STEM Activities for 2 1/2 Years to 12 Years

STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, an educational plan which encourages learning the scientific process. The concept behind STEM is to interest children in science and math earlier, motivating them to pursue these fields during secondary education.

Preschool: Basics of Math and Science

Babies are born with the scientific process at their disposal. They observe new things, formulate hypothesis, experiment, form theories based on the results, and share those results with their peers.

·        Sorting Shapes and Sizes - This exercise teaches important comparison techniques that will be useful in future STEM activities.

·        Observation Skills - Simple games like choosing the ball that is a different color, or the difference between cold/hot and wet/dry teach observation and comparison.

·        Patterns and Sets - Learning about capital and lowercase letters or even and odd numbers are simple games that teach pattern and set recognition skills.

Fun Science: Ages 4 to 6

Mathematics are fundamental to science and engineering. Simple experiments teach children complex arithmetic without making it look like math.

·        States of Matter - Water and rock are extremes of liquid and solid. Water is excellent for experimenting with converting from one state to another, from solid to gaseous.

·        Volume and Displacement - Using solids and liquids together, children learn that adding a solid to a container of liquid increases the volume in the container.

·        Edible Building Blocks - Building 2- and 3-dimensional shapes with marshmallows and toothpicks teaches engineering and geometry skills that are delicious when the lesson in complete.

Scientific Process: Ages 6 to 9

The world we live in is filled with opportunity to learn about science and chemistry. Household ingredients make excellent tools to instruct and inform children.

·        Basic Chemistry - Pour a bit of vinegar into a 2-liter bottle and a teaspoon of baking soda in the cap. Crush the bottle, screw the cap on quickly, and stand back as chemistry goes into action.

·        Observing Weather - Heating a small amount of water in a bottle creates condensation that can be used to explain why it rains.

·        Starving Flame - Covering a tea candle with a glass jar teaches about oxygen requirements and can be expanded to teach basic environmental lessons, including carbon buildup in the atmosphere.

Biology and Physical Sciences: Ages 9 to 12

·        Understanding Biomes - Learning how plants and animals interact to create a sustainable ecosystem helps children understand life cycles and extinction events.

·        Natural Energy - Natural energy is everywhere, from the sun heating a dark surface to an LED light powered by a lemon or potato, or the wind turning a pinwheel.

·        Weather Observations - Predicting the weather begins with observing cause and effect. Why it rains, the relation of air temperature to rain showers, and why seasons change are excellent learning opportunities.

When children can make things happen as they learn, the lessons will last a lifetime. Encourage experimentation, explaining why and how things work - from the science behind the difference between a screw and a nail to the reason heating changes ingredients into desserts.  Montessori education encourages students to explore and interact on their own.  Contact the Montessori School of Fremont today to learn how hands-on learning is integrated into the Montessori curriculum on a daily basis.

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Early Math Concepts for Children

If you have ever sat and stared at one of those math problems that come up on your Facebook feed, you are not alone. Just the other day there was a math problem going around with horses, boots, and horseshoes. Math is everywhere in our day to day lives and without a strong foundation, it can be hard to even answer the simplest of math questions.

Starting your child early on math concepts can make a big difference when it comes to a lifelong love and understanding of math.

Teaching Early Math Concepts on a Daily Basis

There is no need for preschoolers to sit down and do a math sheet every day; quite often, this will just lead to frustration. Instead, add math into your everyday activities and play. Whether you are at home or you are out and about, you can start to incorporate early math concepts into your day.

Early Math Activities

Here are some math activities you can use to help your child get a head start in math.

• Count it Out - Counting everything may seem a little redundant, but it can help a lot. Count out snacks on a plate, all the yellow cars you see as you drive, and toys as you put them away.
• Sorting - Sorting laundry, blocks, buttons or any other small objects can help your child start to understand size, shape, and patterns.
• Tell the Time - This is one of the foundational pieces of math. Bring attention to the clock during the day, let your child know what time it is, and have them look at the clock. Create a clock with a paper plate that your child can play with themselves.
• Shapes are Everywhere - You can start early on geometry by helping your child recognize shapes. Use a shape sorter at home and explain the different sides and names. When you are out and about, talk about all the different shapes you find.
• Measurement Fun - A yard stick is a great way to get your child learning and enjoying measuring skills. Hand the yard stick to your child and head outside. Show them the numbers on the yard stick and let them have fun exploring and measuring their favorite things.

By adding these early math concepts into your day to day activities you can give your child a strong start when it comes to math.


Our Montessori schools focus on teaching math through hands-on activities and play. We have seen this learning style bring forth a greater understanding of math as your children grow. If you would love your child to have a great math foundation, contact Montessori School of Fremont today to learn more about our programs.

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Teach Your Child to Make Decisions

Children start making decisions that will affect their lives as early as three years old.

While these decisions may not be life-altering ones, they are still making them. It is your responsibility as a parent to make sure that your child knows how to make the right decisions in life early on. There are a few ways that you can help them do this.

Let Your Child Make Age Appropriate Decisions
When your child is young, you can start letting them make decisions for themselves, based on their age. For example, you can let them choose what they are going to have for a snack or what they are going to wear to school that day. When your child is very young, you should give them two options. This way, your child is making the decision, but they won't get too overwhelmed with all of the options available.

Give the Input in Family Decisions
While you cannot leave all of the family decisions up to your child, you can get their input. For example, if the family is going out to dinner, ask your child where they want to eat. Not only will they be forced to make a decision, they will also see that their voice matters in the home.

Let Your Child Make Mistakes
In life, we make decisions every day. Some decisions are the wrong ones and we need to learn to move on from that. Your child needs to learn the same concept. If your child is making a decision that you believe is the wrong one, you should let them make the decision, as long as it won't harm them in any way. For example, if your child chooses to wear a spring jacket outside when they need a winter jacket, let them make the mistake. They will learn that their decisions are not always right, but they will learn that they won't always make the right decision. This is a huge life lesson.

Practice What You Preach
If you are trying to get your child to make the right decisions, you should do the same. If you ask your child what they want for dinner, you hope they choose something healthy. When they do, it is a bad idea if they see you eating a gallon of ice cream while you are fixing dinner. If you want your child to make the right decisions, you should try to do the same.

Talk to Your Child
When your child makes a decision and you think it is the wrong one, encourage them to discuss their thought process with you. It will help you both figure out why that particular decision was made.

Though much has been said about the academic achievements of Montessori children, the main value of the educational method lies in the self-discipline, self-motivation, independence, and love of learning that the children achieve.  To learn more about our Montessori Fremont schools, contact us to schedule a tour.

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