Baby Steps to STEM: Infant and Toddler Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Activities

by Jean Barbre

Innately curious, infants and toddlers love to explore, investigate, and discover―making the earliest years a perfect time to begin teaching the foundations of STEM. This book defines what science, technology, engineering, and math education looks like for this age group, and why it is so vital for children to develop STEM knowledge. Expand your understanding of STEM to lay the foundation for children to develop skills in critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity. This book supplies fifty play-based developmentally appropriate activities for introducing STEM. All activities include extensions, inquiry questions, and tips on how to help parents strengthen children's learning at home. Jean Barbre, EdD , holds a master's degree in child and family studies from California State University Long Beach, a master's degree in counseling from California State University Fullerton, and a doctorate degree in educational leadership from Pepperdine University. She has more than thirty years of experience working with children and families in a variety of roles and currently teaches early childhood courses in community college and California State University system as well as presents at professional conferences across the country.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction

181 pages, Paperback

Published August 8, 2017

Reviews

[Bea · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Baby Steps to STEM" is a good introduction to STEM education for infants and toddlers. The foundational chapters were a bit dry and repetitive but full of practical, useful information. The information wasn't new to me but I've been teaching toddlers for almost thirty years. It served as a quick, good refresher course especially as STEM is my weak area. The book is aimed at edu-caregivers but could easily be implemented by parents or other caregivers.

The second half of the book is where things come alive. Simple, basic activities, based on STEM principles and featuring objects and themes relevant to infants and toddlers, are outlined. The materials are mostly found around home or purchased easily and relatively inexpensively. The goal of each activity is outlined in simple language, and a secondary activity to expand or extend the initial activity and deepen the learning is included. Suggested questions and prompts are provided and each activity is labeled with the intended age group. The activities and extensions have me psyched. I can't wait for school to re-open so I can work these into my curriculum. However, these can easily be done at home too.

Whether you are a parent or teacher, new or experienced, this is a good addition to your library.

[T.A. Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a good introduction to STEM education for infants and toddlers. The book was directed at non-parental care givers but could easily be employed by parents. The chapters which explained the primary concept were overly simplistic and repetitive, however the entire second half of the book is an invaluable resource. The second half of the book is outlined activities you can do with infants and toddlers to engage their minds, and assist their learning. The activities come with narrations you can make during the activity, questions you can ask, and children's books you can read later that day to reinforce the learning. Each activity is outlined by age-appropriateness, and some activities work with several age groups which enables parents of more than one child to utilize these activities.

[T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first four parts were things I heard before (child development plus PreK math and science). The activities look useful as jumping off points for a STEM Story time.

[Markie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall a super easy and fun read. So far I have tried baby bubbles and roll the ball activities. I am going to try to stack it up and a baby sensory painting in time next. I also like the sensory bottle idea but I may wait for my baby to grow up a little bit before I do that one as well as the muffin tins classification activity.