Most of us have had the opportunity to witness how much toddlers and preschoolers will naturally touch, pick-up, and examine all types of objects. Unfortunately, discouraging this behavior from parents and caregivers is often the norm, in fear of potential injury, breaking the item, or even simply disrupting how the space was prepared. But this behavior is wonderful to reinforce, as children of this age are natural scientists! They want to try, observe, learn, and then try again some more. Specifically when it comes to engineering, young children love to build and make. Wooden blocks have stood the test of time as a classic toy for this very reason-building with one’s own imagination is a natural inclination for kids!
So just how can we help to reinforce this in even the youngest of children?
This article from Education Week highlights the fact that the E (engineering) in STEM has not necessarily been as heavily invested in when it comes to STEM learning at the preschool level. But many advocates are working hard to change this and leverage the built-in tendency of children to engage in the engineering process at this age. In this article, Christine M. Cunningham, Professor of Practice in Education and Engineering at Penn State University, addresses the importance of presenting engineering opportunities at this age, and for several reasons. She states that not only are children of this age ready and willing to be natural engineers, but they can also learn just how capable they are of pursuing a field in engineering before the typical stereotypes that are often learned later in childhood set in; particularly those around gender and socio-economic status. She and others featured in the article also note that finding ways to reinforce results from a process and not just an end-product is key but not often achieved. For example, how can schools create an environment where students can leave their “work in progress” (e.g. a pile of blocks that crumbled) and come back to it at another time? How can schools reinforce the value in a process of building, failing, and trying again?
Christine M. Cunningham, featured in the above article, was a 2022 IEEE STEM Summit Keynote speaker. In her summit presentation, “Engineering Mindset and Agency,” Cunningham advocates that in order to create a generation of innovative problem solvers that will shape their world, we need to engage all students in engineering activities. Engineering education promotes development of an engineering mindset and identity—the values, attitudes, and thinking skills associated with engineering. This session introduces engineering and engineering mindset, focusing on why they are important and how they can be introduced in age-appropriate, equitable ways. You can check out this presentation and other presentations from valued early-education STEM advocates on demand right here!