Stem Building Exercises with Fort Building

In the past, it was the Three R’s:  Reading wRiting and aRithmetic. Today we hear about the push for STEM building skills in the education process. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics are skills our children will need to compete for jobs, but even that without critical thinking skills will leave them lacking. What if you could find something that your child just couldn’t leave alone, and while playing, unknowingly learned critical thinking along with STEM skills?

Having An Idea

It all begins with an idea. Has your child ever wanted to build a fort out of sheets or blankets draped over chairs or tables? If not, maybe you might want to plant a creative seed. Children who are allowed or encouraged to be creative with normal household items will become adults that will continue to create. If your child is encouraged and free to create, your child will develop the ability to “think outside the box.” 

Developing A Plan

Developing a child who can “think outside the box” requires that you encourage your child to think. That is best done by you asking questions, posing problems, and soliciting ideas. When this is done in the context of play, with no wrong answer, the child unknowingly learns that learning is fun.

As in all building projects, your child will need to choose a location. Next they need to decide on what to build and how it should look. Help your child think by asking questions. Sometimes in our effort to help our children “succeed” we try to think for them. If they are to develop their own problem-solving skills, we pose questions and help them discover the answers.

Do they want a hideout, a fairy castle, an airport, or some other place to dream? Maybe they want a train or wagon, or ship to explore far-off places. Once that is decided (by the child) direct them toward their building tools.  Chairs and tables, support poles, coverings for the structure, entrances.

Making Is Happen

Once they have begun developing an idea, your child will be excited about making the idea a reality. Now that there is a plan, it’s time to make it happen. Again, it is critical that you help your child make the plan happen. Pose questions. Guide them toward the solutions to problems. Give them several options from which to choose, always guiding them to their end goal. 

Let’s Play

Never forget this part of the learning process. Remember that this is your end goal--spending time together and helping your child learn to dream and think. Maybe it’s time to use the new space for dreaming. Help your child learn to dream. Maybe it’s time to explore far-off spaces. Give your child information on those far-off spaces. 

That’s How Learning Happens

It’s time to put things away until next time. But your child will take away confidence to explore, excitement about creating places to dream, and the ability to make things happen. Learning has just moved forward for your child.