At Mother Duck, we believe in nurturing curious, capable learners from their very first years. STEM — which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics — might sound like something reserved for older students, but it’s deeply embedded in the natural curiosity of young children.

In fact, STEM learning begins at birth (MacDonald, n.d.), as children explore the world around them with wonder and a desire to understand. Supporting STEM skills in the early years lays strong foundations not only for academic success but also for problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity across a lifetime of learning.

Professor Amy MacDonald (2018), a leading voice in early childhood education, suggests, “STEM is not just a set of subjects; it’s a way of thinking, questioning, and experimenting with the world”. Her research emphasises that early exposure to STEM concepts enhances children’s critical thinking, curiosity, and problem-solving skills. At Mother Duck, we embrace this philosophy, ensuring STEM is an integral part of our approach to early childhood learning.

Children’s STEM Development (Birth–5 Years)

STEM learning doesn’t have to be complex; it happens naturally when children are given opportunities to explore, question, and experiment:

• Infants are little scientists, using their senses to explore textures, sounds, and movement.
• Junior / Seniors begin to investigate cause and effect (“What happens if I drop this spoon?”), problem-solve, and notice patterns in their play.
• Pre-Kindy and Kindy children start making predictions, testing theories, building structures, sorting, and counting, all important foundations of STEM thinking.

Through everyday play, children are developing skills in observation, reasoning, perseverance, and collaboration – critical skills for future learning and success. This aligns with the Early Years Learning Framework’s (EYLF; Australian Government Department of Education [AGDE], 2022) emphasis on children as active participants in their learning and constructing knowledge through experiences.

Why STEM in Early Learning is So Important

When we expose children to STEM experiences early on, we are supporting them to:

• Develop critical and creative thinking skills
• Build confidence in problem-solving and decision-making
• Foster resilience through trial and error
• Learn to ask questions, investigate answers, and communicate ideas

As the EYLF Outcome 4: Children are Confident and Involved Learners outlines, children are encouraged to become confident in their ability to try new things and engage in challenging tasks. STEM helps them develop these skills, as it involves open-ended exploration and opportunities to test out ideas.

STEM also builds important skills for life, not just for academic success, but for adaptability and innovation in an ever-changing world. Research shows that early positive experiences with STEM can influence children’s attitudes toward learning these subjects later in life. At Mother Duck, we view every child as a curious and capable learner, and we intentionally embed STEM experiences in our everyday curriculum to foster inquiry, exploration, and a love of learning.

Activities to Support STEM Development at Home

There are so many simple and engaging ways families can encourage STEM learning:

• Nature Walks: Collect leaves, rocks, or flowers. Count them, sort them by size or colour, and talk about the different textures and patterns you see.
• Building Challenges: Use blocks, recycled materials, or LEGO to build towers, bridges, or houses. Encourage children to test their designs and modify them.
• Cooking Together: Measuring, mixing, observing changes in ingredients — cooking is a great STEM-rich experience!
• Water Play: Explore sinking and floating objects, experiment with pouring and measuring water in different containers.
• Simple Science Experiments:  Grow a seed in a jar and observe its changes over time or go on a bug hunt in the garden!
• Maths in Daily Life: Count stairs as you climb them, sort socks by colour, or find shapes around the house.

These activities are aligned with the EYLF Outcome 5: Children are Effective Communicators, as they encourage children to share their thoughts, ideas, and findings while also helping them practice language skills during exploration and problem-solving.

Supporting a Lifelong Love of Learning

STEM learning in the early years is not about worksheets or structured lessons, it’s about encouraging exploration, curiosity, and wonder in everyday life. When we give children the time, space, and encouragement to tinker, test, build, and discover, we are empowering them with the skills and confidence to tackle challenges far beyond the early years.

As outlined in the EYLF Principles, a holistic approach to early childhood education is essential, and STEM provides a perfect opportunity to develop both cognitive and emotional capabilities while also fostering a positive attitude towards learning.

At Mother Duck, we are committed to creating environments and experiences where children’s natural curiosity is nurtured. We believe that when children see themselves as capable thinkers and learners, the possibilities for their future are endless.

By supporting STEM exploration from the start, both at the service and at home, we are giving children a strong foundation for lifelong success.