THE STEM TOY THAT’S CHANGING THE WAY KIDS BECOME STEM STARS

STEM toys seem to be the rage for a lot of parents. They seem like everything you would want to spend your money on. Not only do they keep your kids entertained, but they also incorporate science, technology, engineering, and math into their play.

​It can’t get better than this, can it? ​

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Here’s a surprise, it actually can. STEM toys are designed to stimulate your child’s interest in the STEM fields. Something else that provides the same benefits, costs nothing, and is actually what this blog is about is: the outdoors. 
It might sound redundant, but it’s true. The outdoors provides many opportunities for children to become interested in the STEM field. According to pediatric behavioral health specialist Amy Lee, PhD, “child development needs outdoors not fancy toys.” Free play allows children to do whatever they want outside. If they want to build something out of tree branches, figure out where that one ant pile comes from, or play with the roly-poly bugs by the grass, the outdoors allows them to do all of it.  

Free play outside provides many benefits that can foster an interest in the STEM field for kids. Dr. Lee says that these three benefits are emphasized while being outside: 

1. The brain develops neural connections that teach kids about their environment and interacting with the world. 
2. Free play teaches kids about physical spaces, their relationship to real things, their body in space, and their relationship to other people. 
3. Pretend play is a chance for kids to practice skills they need in their daily lives as well as in the future. Pretend play helps kids develop problem-solving, collaboration, communication and self-control.
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These skills are the foundation of many jobs in the real-world, especially any in the STEM industry, and by giving kids the freedom to be outside, they are able to interact and grow curious about the environment and how things work in it which is the basis for anyone with an interest in these fields. Did we mention that it’s free?! 

This Blog was written by Adriana C. - Summer 2019 Intern.