STEAM at Willowdale Children's Academy - STEAM Teaches Children How to Think, and Not What to Think

What's STEAM?

STEAM education also known as STEM education helps children in childcare and preschool become independent thinkers and develop analytical skills through activities that stimulate their natural curiosity.

STEAM encompasses Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math and aims to create learning experiences based on discovery, exploration, and investigation:
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• Science - We observe and try to understand the cause and effects
• Technology - We use safe age-appropriate tools and objects
• Engineering - We explore why and how things work
• Art - We use our imagination and creativity
• Math - We sort, count, recognize shapes and textures
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What are the benefits of learning from our STEAM curriculum?

Our teachers integrate STEAM in their day-to-day classroom activities. All our classrooms are set up to safely facilitate STEAM with different activity centers, all aimed towards specific developmental age-appropriate objectives.

Our STEAM curriculum helps to nurture the problem-solving skills, which align with the natural cognitive development of children. STEAM is perfectly compatible with a play-based education to create a natural and ideal learning experience.

It encourages curiosity and expands interests - a natural inclination of young children.

Since hearing, seeing or feeling something new is motivating for young children, we guide them to get more actively involved in learning experiences that would benefit them their entire lives.

Our curriculum is designed to:
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• Boost creativity
• Make the learning process natural
• Motivate children to learn
• Multiply opportunities to learn
• Develop own thinking and critical approach
• Develop confidence and self-esteem
• Collaborate and socialize with peers 
• Prepare and ease the transition to Kindergarten

To entice curiosity, we use sensory activities as part of our approach to helping children explore and make sense of their surrounding environment.

During activities, our teachers guide the discovery and exploration through questioning:

• Do you see this?
• What did you hear?
• How does it feel?

Through experience, children come up with observations and responses. They become independent thinkers while having fun.
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What does STEAM look like in our childcare & preschool?

STEAM focuses on different learning areas that can be combined together. Hence, an art project can involve engineering and math and still have aspects of fun.

Of course, adults tend to have their own perceptions of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math. Our curriculum is age-appropriate and intends to instill a natural taste for learning without frustrations.

We strive to find the best balance between individuality and cooperation, giving students the opportunity to engage with projects as an individual as well as in groups.

Ultimately, STEAM activities will nurture a sense of curiosity and engagement in your child, as we provide every opportunity for the students to express themselves and build self-esteem.

Our teachers guide students to promote growth and learning in both one-on-one interactions as well as group classroom activities.

Our STEAM Curriculum Will Impact Positively Your Child’s Development

As children continue forward in their educational and social pursuits in Kindergarten and beyond, our STEAM curriculum will give students a unique drive to learn and experience the world around them.

Our STEAM curriculum provides an opportunity and an all-important educational balance in early childcare and preschool education, and we want to make your child’s learning experience fun, beneficial, and enjoyable.

Over the years, we have observed that kids who have been through our STEAM curriculum have demonstrated:

• Smoother transition especially the transition to Kindergarten and beyond
• Understanding the relationship between situational cause & effect
• Better performance in language, math, and science courses
• Ease to socialize with other kids and teachers
• More empathy and ability to work in groups
• Greater self-confidence, especially in public ​

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