Families with young children are invited to Full STEAM Ahead, Oct. 29, 1-4 p.m. at the East Campus Union Arbor Suite. The free event, sponsored by the Department of Child, Youth and Family Studies, features interactive activities in science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics using nature and the outdoors. Education abroad students from East China Normal University will also share their culture while facilitating STEAM activities. Registration is not required.
Full STEAM Ahead is designed for children ages 3-8, but promises to be fun for all ages. Ten different exhibits will allow children to interact with STEAM learning activities. Exhibits include reconstructing skeletons, child friendly coding technology using Cubetto, bridge building challenges and calligraphy.
“The interactive exhibits provide children with a means to explore and represent key concepts in the sciences while also providing family members ideas for investigating this type of thinking at home and in the community,” says Kelley Buchheister, assistant professor of Child, Youth and Family Studies. “In addition, our East China Normal University study abroad group will have an opportunity to share their culture through STEAM active learning experiences geared toward young children.”
Buchheister says these activities encourage curiosity, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking and help provide children with a strong foundation to succeed. Exposure to STEAM activities prompt innovative thinking and problem solving, says Buchheister, and helps develop skills and strategies that support future learning.
For more information, contact Buchheister at kbuchheister2@unl.edu or 402-472-7386.