My STEM Family - Raising Mini Explorers!
I’ve done a few posts lately surrounding the disciplines of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). It’s hard not to talk about it when it surrounds me everyday. I have an eight year old daughter that studies the science and ways of insects and how things grow. My sons who are five and six are always engaged in a building project, learning how things fit together and curious of how technology works. Then there’s our one year old that secretly takes our belongings, finds a place to be alone (as if no one will find him) and begins taking things apart. Terrible toddler syndrome you say? No that’s innovative toddler syndrome (okay sometimes it could be terrible depending on what he takes 😅). It’s amazing to watch our children develop particular interests and engage in activities that stimulate their minds.
Last weekend our daughter found one of my old android phones. Of course her first idea was to have daddy fix it so it could become hers to use. Nope, not a chance. We have told her before she is too young to have a cell phone...no need when she’s with us the majority of the time anyway. Then together her and my husband came up with the idea of taking the phone apart to reveal the parts. Afterwards they wanted to find a video of someone explaining what those part were and what role they played in making the phone operable.
The Tool Kit
First things first he ordered a tool kit from Amazon (I’ll include the link below). This kit can be used on cell phones, computers, laptops, tablets and game consoles. It’s a screwdriver set with 50 magnetic precision driver bits.
This picture shows my son testing out the magnetic strength.
Here is a better look at the driver bits. The fact that they were magnetic was cool enough for me lol!
The Disassembling Process
My husband gave our daughter the task of figuring out which piece they needed for the screwdriver to remove certain parts of the phone.
They took turns going back and forth to disassemble it.
The Final Result
Our daughter really enjoyed doing this. I remember in my younger years enjoying taking things apart and trying to put them back together again...it’s how we learn. In this case there won’t be any putting back together. The next step is to find some videos online of people who have done the same thing and can explain what each parts purpose is. We will all be learning this together as a family. It’ll be interesting learning how a device we use everyday works from the inside.
The Benefits of STEM Education
- Keeps kids Curious
- Stimulates and Challenges their Minds
- Boosts Confidence
- Creates Innovation
- Encourages Creativity and Problem Solving
- Future Career Opportunities
We will continue to allow opportunities for our children to explore and have fun! I hope they never get bored or tired of doing projects involving the STEM disciplines. We are raising little scientist and engineers and it will be exciting to see which interests takes lead when they’re older.
Has your family engaged in a STEM project lately? If not go and find one and let your Curiosity become Knowledge!!!
Thanks for Reading!
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Thank you so much!!! 😃
I too have a magnetic tool kit, found it in a shop selling it in a cheap dump and love it ever since! It's so convenient and nice to use.
This STEM approach is very interesting. Even I get intrigued by it. Where can I read more on this way of education? It can be applied on any aspect as long as it is curiosity-led?
Thanks again for a great post, @crosheille! :)
Isn’t it convenient? It’s such a handy little tool.
Yes I have been reading about STEM for awhile now. I try to find projects or activities that surround each of these disciplines. Some of the activities we do are my kids’ own ideas and I also get ideas from online. There have been quite a few articles written on STEM and the benefits.
What a cool post, I used to be a telecom Tech and although I didnt repair cell phones but rather ease radios, Telephony and satellite equipment and the like,I do know what is in a phone and its not a lot if you look at the majo parts, the Circuit Board which is the brains of the phone
The Microphone and speaker, a keyboard on some but now thats mostly on the display, a battery and the antenna which you wont really notice its generally built into the chassis
Thank you so much! That’s totally cool that you know all this! You definitely simplified it more for us so thank you!!! Yes I guess it’s not as complicated as it looks.
MY Pleaqsure as a child I was always taking things apart to see how they work so I could relate :)
It’s a lot of fun!!!
Exactly!! Both my boys have been fascinated with clothespins! They can't see one without pulling them apart and then trying to fit them back together which is quite the struggle with that metal spring, lol! Good for you, nurturing the innate desire to learn!
Lol!! That’s so cool! It’s so funny to see the littlest things that interests them!
Thanks so much! I love to see their passion for learning. We have to keep encouraging them while we can :)
Oh yes, @crosheille... Being able to explain and communicate how one has carried out an activity / the process, what the component parts can do or what went wrong and what worked is all really important for children. All transferrable skills !
Absolutely @cryptocariad!! Very important and valuable!!
What you are doing here is awesome, this type of activities will surely stimulate the curiosity in your children!
This is a good way to raise great minds!
Cheers!
Thank you so much! I appreciate your feedback! We are definitely trying to raise great minds!!! 😃
This is a great idea! We have an old phone we received from a friend recently that my kids tried to get to charge and it didn't work. I bet they would love taking it apart like this and then figuring out what each part does! Great idea!! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you!! Oh yes you’re already set to start if you have an old phone to take apart! I bet they’d love it too!! My pleasure :D Thanks for reading!
Awesome way to learn. Reminds me of me when I was younger, always so fascinated to assemble and disassemble things around me. Used to love digging for fossils too. Haha
It really is! It’s fun and keeps our minds working! Thanks so much for your support~ 😊
Ur welcome :)
Love it! What a great way to deal with the old phone and turn it into something educational and fun! ♥
I especially liked this:
Terrible toddler syndrome you say? No that’s innovative toddler syndrome
So true. So many times children get punished for things that are misread as mischief when actually it is a desire to learn and see 'what happens if...'
You sound like an awesome mama. ♥
Aww thanks so much @squishysquid!! It truly is educational fun!!
Yes curiosity is often mistaken as bad behavior. When I see my one year old so engaged and determined to figure things out that’s golden to me. We have to encourage them to investigate and discover! Yes sometimes it could get troublesome when things come up broken but all in all I know they are just mini learners ;)
Thanks so much for such an encouraging comment! 💗