Greater minds than ours have done the research into the benefits of harnessing young children’s innate curiosity to set them on a path to lifelong STEM engagement.
Children’s Discovery offers unique and meaningful play experiences that are carefully researched and specifically designed to develop STEM-based skills and knowledge.
PS: If you only have another 8 minutes to spend on this site, watch this!
THE SCIENCE OF PLAY
Children’s Discovery offers unique and meaningful play experiences that are carefully researched and specifically designed to develop STEM-based skills and knowledge.
Below is a selection of research that explores the importance of play and its role in childhood development.
2021 Why Play Matters (LEGO Foundation)
The LEGO Foundation website provides the latest news and research into the superpower of play and its ability to fuel curiosity, spark creativity, and inspire a lifelong love of learning.
2017 What we mean by Learning through Play
The LEGO Foundation’s leaflet describes how play is an important vehicle for children’s learning and how playful experiences support children in developing skills to serve them, their communities and society throughout their lives.
2011 A world without play: a literature review
A literature review on the effects of a lack of play on children’s lives from the Play England organisation and British Toy & Hobby Association.
1997 Young children’s interactions with science exhibits
A Curtin University study into young children’s interactions with science exhibits prompted thought about play and its relationship with learning.
THE EXPONENTIAL BENEFITS OF EARLY LEARNING
“Early experiences affect the development of brain architecture, which provides the foundation for all future learning, behaviour, and health.” (Centre on the Developing Child – Harvard University)
2023 Benefits of Early Education
NSW Government website for parents and carers describing how quality early childhood education and care provides opportunities for learning and development.
2023 Benefits of Early Learning – First Five Years
The First Five Years website describes how profoundly important the early years are in a child’s development.
An education roadmap for an innovative workforce from the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences & Engineering (ATSE).
2020 Why early education is important to you
University of Melbourne article describing how critical the first five years are for building the foundations of life-long learning, wellbeing, and health, and how policy reform and investment is required.
2019 How Australia can invest in children and return more – A new look at the $15b cost of late action
One of the first national reports that calculates spending by Commonwealth and state and territory governments across multiple issues and portfolios, including health, justice, human services and welfare focusing on issues faced by children and young people.
2015 The 13 Key Benefits of Early Childhood Education: A Teacher’s Perspective
Thirteen essential benefits of early childhood education honed from 35 years’ preschool teaching.
IMPORTANCE OF STEM EDUCATION
In the fast-paced technologically developing 21st century, confidence with STEM and the development of STEM-based capabilities is crucial for the development of workplace skills.
The gap between the knowledge generated in the education system and the skills demanded by employers and individuals is widening.We need to change our skills to match the changing world of work.
If young people are to increasingly engage with STEM and continue onto STEM-related careers, they must be able to see connections between their ‘school’ learning of STEM and the STEM knowledge that is enacted in rural work and life.
2018 Challenges of STEM Learning in Australian Schools
This literature and policy review outlines the complex context related to STEM learning and focuses on student outcomes, the teacher workforce and the curriculum.
2018 STEM Education Research: Content Analysis
People need to be qualified to adapt to innovations caused by the rapid change in information and technology. This would be realised with the integration of technology into education. In order to subsist in the world of science and technology the disciplines with an important role both now and in the future are science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
BENEFITS OF CHILDREN’S DISCOVERY
Children’s Discovery has already equipped over 400 libraries across Australia with our signature Little Bang Discovery Club, loanable Spark! boxes and Big Bang STEM workshops, as well as training a network of confident, locally based facilitators. We have an over-95% approval rating from participants and facilitators alike.
FACILITATOR TESTIMONIALS
“Thanks so much for making your wonderful Little Bang Discovery Club program available to the children of the Kiama community. We are rolling out an ‘episode’ each week throughout the month of May.” – Kiama Library NSW
“We cannot speak highly enough of these programs. The structure and equipment of the courses are excellent, giving great opportunity to adapt to individual Library needs. These clubs have certainly added a new dimension to our Library services, which are appreciated by the community, school and staff alike!” – District Council of Lower Eyre Peninsula – Cummins School Community Library SA
“We love your SPARK kits! We have been trying to introduce science experiences into our libraries and find it a challenge to provide appropriate support for non-science staff to deliver programs. Your kits fill a gap for us – thanks!” – Richmond Tweed Regional Library NSW
“The Port Lincoln Library has had great success in incorporating the Little Bang Discovery Club sessions – a valuable and engaging program – into our Library and community. Little Bang has proven to be popular, the program can be modified according to age and ability, the resources packs are comprehensive and appealing, we have children asking when they can have a turn and our children’s STEAM resources have been in high demand. The Little Bang Discovery Club inspired a series of sessions on making slime and goop during the school holidays, measuring, mixing, estimating and getting gooey!”
“Little Bang has run at the library, at a pre-school and, due to our training, we ran a Forbes Science Discovery Day for families in Families Week (May) and a Science Stall at the Teddy Bear’s Picnic in Children’s Week, attended by 2000 people. We really appreciate Children’s Discovery building our capacity to deliver science for local families.” – Forbes Library NSW
“Our Little Bang-trained librarian has integrated ideas from Little Bang training into storytime e.g. uses the rainbow glasses to discuss light when reading stories about rainbows.” – Leeton Library, NSW
“Little Bang materials have been rotated amongst our seven branches so it has been running across the libraries one location per month (excluding Dec/Jan) with approx. 80 people attending per month. Approximately annually over 700 people would attend this program annually. We also combined the Little Bang materials into our STEAM junior program, which also includes our robotics and tech sessions for young kids combined with the STEAM kits which are based on the tubs from your museum. These are used for our other STEAM junior sessions which are held monthly at all 9 libraries. Approx. 15 would attend these sessions per month, so that’s over 1200 who attend each year.” – Logan Library QLD
PARENT TESTIMONIALS
“She loved it! It was wonderful to have the box to continue exploring at home…. she constantly asked when it was on next.” – Mother of 4-year-old, Cummins SA
“We shared most of what we learnt and experienced with our family and extended family.”
– Grandparent of 5-year-old, Blacktown NSW
“I now have the ideas and confidence to do science activities at home with my kids.”
– Single mother of 2- and 4-year-olds, Narrabri NSW
“My child loves it and has started applying scientific thinking to everyday life…He has decided he will be a scientist when he grows up.” – Mother of 5-year-old, Bairnsdale VIC
“This program really captured my child’s attention and she in turn captured her siblings’ attention through sharing throughout the 4 weeks…It was great to focus on science around the house.” – Father of 3- and 6-year-olds, Port Lincoln SA
DONATE TO CHILDREN’S DISCOVERY
Children’s Discovery is on the Benevity giving and donation-matching platform. If your employer is registered with Benevity every dollar you donate through the platform will be doubled.
Alternately, individual donations can be made securely powered by MyCause.