STEAM In Your Homeschool: How to Get It Done and Make It Fun!
STEAM learning activities can be a lot of fun! Adding these integrated lessons to your homeschool curriculum is a great opportunity to help your kids build critical thinking skills and study connections between different disciplines. But STEAM experiments and projects can also feel overwhelming for homeschool moms.
If STEAM activities and projects feel like one more messy science project with lots of extra prep, you’re definitely going to want to keep reading. Today, I’m going to share how we approach STEAM learning in our homeschool and some of our favorite resources. Plus, I’ll show you how to get it done and make it fun without extra stress for mom.
What Is STEAM Learning?
We have all seen activities and printables on Pinterest labeled STEAM, but what does that really mean? Are these activities truly STEAM projects? Let’s look at what STEAM means with a little help from The Insitute for Arts Integration and STEAM:
STEAM Education is an approach to learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics as access points for guiding student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking.
STEAM learning helps prepare our kids for the world we are living in today by giving them the tools they need to succeed in a world where jobs rely increasingly on science, math, and technology. Incorporating art into the equation gives our kids the opportunity to practice thinking creatively. Creative thinking is exactly what we need to think outside the box and use ingenuity to create solutions.
The Value Of STEAM Learning
There is so much to be learned with STEAM lessons! These types of lessons and activities really encourage our kids to think creatively and apply critical thinking skills. Successfully “solving” a problem with a STEAM creation is a big boost in confidence too!
We are big fans of STEAM learning activities because they give Emily the tools and methods to explore new ideas, be innovative, get creative, and see the links between many different fields. If you’re looking to boost your child’s ability to think creatively and find solutions, STEAM projects will help you do just that!
Plus, taking a STEAM approach to learning in your homeschool gives your kids a foot in the door in a wide variety of quickly expanding fields. Most growth in the job market is happening in science, technology, engineering, and math. Kids that can think about things through a STEAM lens are better equipped to be successful in the world today.
How We Approach STEAM Learning In Our Homeschool
We believe in following an interest-led approach to learning carries over to our STEAM approach too. We are blessed to have Kevin at home to spearhead STEAM activities and projects with Emily. He wanted Emily to learn practical skills like how to use a tape measure or read a thermometer. So he plans a STEAM lesson once a week for the two of them to do together. Their lessons typically include some of our favorite subscription boxes, these boxes include hands-on fun that are perfect for STEAM learning in our homeschool.
It was really important to us that Emily be able to learn STEAM principles and skills through hands-on “tinkering” with activities, experiments, and projects. We approach STEAM lessons by sharing ideas, and materials, and letting our homeschooler follow rabbit trails as she goes. If we start by providing all the tools and materials we can think of, the sky is the limit!
Strewing has been a big help in adding STEAM activities to our homeschool days as well. I choose materials and tools our child can explore independently for strewing. It has become a great way to begin our homeschool mornings with engaging activities that get Emily thinking.
Some of our favorite items to strew include simple things like a kitchen scale, a tape measure, thermometers, and building materials. For example, we really love straws and connectors. You can learn more about strewing and how we use this approach in our homeschool in my Complete Guide to Strewing.
Additional Resources For STEAM Learning
I’m excited to share some of our favorite resources for STEAM learning. These apps, games, and lessons will help you incorporate STEAM activities into your homeschool lesson plans this year. Plus, they’re lots of fun!
I really hope you’re excited to add STEAM activities and lessons to your homeschool too. It can be so much fun! Plus, it’s the best way we know of to add hands-on real-world learning fun to your homeschool days.
Do you have a STEAM project or resource I didn’t mention? Share your favorites in the comments. We are always on the lookout for new and exciting STEAM projects and activities. We would love to try your favorites in our homeschool too!