A Guide to Engaging Girls in Early STEM Learning

STEM learning focuses on educating children, primarily in K-12 education, in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Integrating STEM learning into the curriculum is an important part of the modern education system because it helps to promote creative thinking and provides children and teens with essential skills they’ll need to succeed in the future. But it turns out, it is important to introduce STEM learning as early as preschool to children of all genders.

This engagement can be nurtured by allowing young girls and boys to collaborate with their peers and giving them the freedom to select projects that interest them. 

It’s never too early to introduce STEM learning into your child’s life. Throughout this guide, you will find several ways to help prevent girls from falling into the STEM gap, including activities, toys, curriculum, and more. These activities are great for all genders.

• The STEM Gender Gap
• Why Is STEM Education Important for Kids?
• How Parents Can Support STEM Learning at Home
• Encouraging Interest in STEM in the Classroom
• Keeping Girls Engaged in STEM
• Future STEM Educational and Professional Pathways
• Resources and Programs for Girls Interested in STEM

The STEM Gender Gap

Studies show that gender stereotypes in STEM fields are formed early in life. While we are still trying to understand the various social and educational forces at work, researchers lean towards these three theories:

• Gendered socialization based on preconceived ideas of gender roles;
• The “leaky pipeline” — young women may opt out, or be pushed out of, STEM fields at transitions in education that occur (ex: from middle school to high school), particularly towards the end of high school;
• Pre-existing stereotypes of STEM professionals portraying the lack of women in these fields. 

In recent years, the gender gap in STEM professions has become a national topic of interest. Companies in STEM industries are beginning to dedicate more time to creating equal opportunities and more diversity by using a bias-free hiring process and hiring women from day one. This is important to note because it allows for school-aged girls and young women to see that industry standards are improving — despite having a long way to go. 

Other studies found that women, in general, tend to shy away from STEM careers even if they have degrees in fields such as biology, and instead work in healthcare, education, or science-related fields. This may partially be a result of “stereotype threat” — a stereotype that claims “all girls are bad at math and science.” Stereotypes such as these can leave a negative impression on young women and could ruin their image of STEM fields from an early age. This is why it is important to combat this and similarly discouraging stereotypes while kids are young by showing that women can be and are very successful in these fields.   

Closing the STEM Gender Gap

Parents, caregivers, and educators play a crucial role in closing the STEM gender gap at an early age. Acknowledging the STEM stereotypes early on is beneficial because it helps to promote academic success in these areas throughout the entirety of the child’s education. It also helps to prepare them for future professions that may require skills and expertise in technical areas.  

Educators are doing their part to inform parents, regardless of their own child’s gender, of the importance of closing the gender gap in these areas. Together, they are working to continue to promote inclusion in these fields using common strategies such as mentorship and extracurricular STEM activities. These are strategies that continue to grow with the child and educators of all grades understand that this is a long-term commitment. They understand that it is important to continue to include all genders in STEM fields throughout the entirety of the child’s educational career. 

Why Is STEM Education Important for Kids?

STEM education is valuable for children because it helps them develop essential life skills like problem-solving and critical thinking. Developing proficiency in these technical areas can also help prepare children for future academic and professional success. When children, specifically young girls, aren’t introduced to STEM learning at an early age, they miss out on these benefits and are deterred from becoming successful in male-dominated industries like engineering.  

Children also benefit from STEM learning because it promotes:

• Adaption
• Creativity
• Experimentation
• Ingenuity
• Knowledge application
• Problem-solving
• Resilience
• Teamwork
• Tech use

How Parents Can Support STEM Learning at Home

It is just as important to implement STEM learning in the household as it is in schools. There are several ways in which parents can help their child foster an interest in tech fields at home. Listed below are various activities, toys, and technical tools for parents that can aid them in stimulating STEM learning at home.  

STEM Activities and Toys for Kids

Parents are always encouraged to interact with their children in their spare time while at home. There are even various at-home kids activities parents can do while working from home. However, there are specific home activities, toys, and projects parents can do/buy for their children to support their interest in STEM subjects. 

At-Home Activities

• Build robots
• Build toothpick towers
• Practice adding together coins and dollar bills
• Sink or float games (have the children guess which household items will sink and which ones will float)
• Scavenger hunts
• Water-drop races

Day Trip Activities 

• Libraries
• Museums
• Nature hikes
• Science centers
• Zoos and aquariums

Technology

• Kid-friendly coding games
• Mobile apps that promote STEM learning
• Online educational games
• Video games that promote benefits associated with STEM learning and life skills such as Minecraft and The Sims

Toys

• Building blocks
• Coding activity sets
• Kinetic sand
• Inventor kits
• LEGOs
• Math-fact Jenga
• Microscopes
• Playdough
• Science labs
• Tinkering stations

Parents should be mindful of their child’s age and skill level when selecting toys and activities. They should choose items that will be challenging enough without being too easy/too difficult. With age-appropriate toys and active, supportive interest from parents, children can blend sensory play with their own exploration of STEM in a comfortable environment before they even begin their formal education.

Encouraging Interest in STEM in the Classroom

Increasing interest in STEM in children goes beyond educational activities at home. It also requires parents and educators alike to collaborate to ensure these same educational efforts are being applied in the classroom as well. With this being said, it is up to the parent to enroll their child in an educational facility, whether it be a daycare, preschool, or primary school, that takes pride in and advertises their implementation of STEM-rich curricula. Childcare centers that demonstrate the integration of technology into their care, play, and communication can be a great start for getting young kids familiar and comfortable with using modern tools and exploring STEM.

Parents and teachers must be mindful of how to include students with disabilities in these educational opportunities as well. This may require educators to create separate lesson plans that are mindful of the student’s ability and skill level. This information is also applicable for those who use online learning to educate children — lesson plans will need to be modified to allow for children to do different activities at home. Educators who do engage in online learning should be patient and understanding if the children take longer/are not interested in the lesson for that day — for their physical and mental health due to online learning may be at stake.   

Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten

Preschool and pre-kindergarten is a crucial time for girls to start being introduced to STEM.While searching for a preschool or daycare, consider searching for options that support STEM education. There are numerous preschools and childcare programs that exist to educate and prepare young learners with a STEM curriculum in areas including: Houston, San Antonio, Chicago, Portland, Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami, and Manhattan.

Even parents who choose to homeschool during their child’s preschool years should understand the importance of introducing STEM at a young age. Of course, the lessons won't be as intense, which leads back to stressing the importance of finding age-appropriate activities that introduce the different technical fields. Parents and educators who use the Reggio Emilia approach to explore different lessons tend to gain the interest of children more than those who don’t. This approach allows children to learn through exploration, discovery, and play — all of which are exceptionally pleasing to the young mind. 

There are plenty of ways to talk about STEM at a preschool level. STEM activities for preschool/pre-kindergarten children include, but certainly aren’t limited to:

• Going for nature walks;
• Doing a cooking activity together;
• Building ramps to test which cars, balls, or other round objects go the fastest;
• Setting up building activities with paper and/or plastic cups. 

Elementary School

Preschool is just the stepping stone for STEM learning — it only goes uphill from here. Elementary and school-age students should continue to explore their interest in STEM and educators should continue to build on what they learned during their earlier education. Forest schools and homeschools are no exception to this — they too are encouraged to branch out and apply new math, science, and zoology lessons into their preexisting curriculum. 

Implementing elementary-approved STEM projects and activities into the curriculum could help improve:

• Critical thinking skills;
• Fine motor planning skills;
• Planning skills;
• Observational skills;
• Spatial and visual processing skills.

Keeping Girls Engaged in STEM

Many girls, despite an early interest in STEM, end up losing interest as time goes on — preventing them from pursuing STEM majors or quitting jobs in related fields. Research on why girls lose interest in STEM suggests that this could be a result of peer pressure, lack of role models, lack of support from parents and teachers, and a “general misperception of what STEM careers look like in the real world.” 

This is why it is crucial to continue to encourage girls to continue to foster an interest in STEM as they enter middle schools, high school, and beyond. If girls and young women are continuously exposed to the idea that there is a place for them in the world of STEM, they are more likely to continue to show genuine interest and pursue a career in these fields.  

Future STEM Educational and Professional Pathways

Girls who show interest in STEM early on are more likely to fulfill educational paths and search for professional opportunities in the future. What these young women will find over the years is that there are more STEM-related careers than meet the eye. Listed below show the diverse career opportunities in each STEM-related field. 

Sciences

Students interested in science career paths often have exceptional patience, determination, logical understanding, and analytical and numerical skills. Here is a non-exhaustive list of scientific disciplines that STEM students can pursue:

• Anthropology
• Archaeology
• Biochemistry
• Ecology
• Environmental science
• Epidemiology
• Forensic science technology
• Gene analyst
• Geography
• Industrial psychology
• Marine biology
• Pathology
• Psychology
• Toxicology
• Zoology

Technology

Students who show interest in technology-related fields tend to be more organized, creative, analytical, and problem solvers. Here is a list of a few career paths that may interest those who have a passion for technology:

• Computer programming
• Computer science
• Database management
• Data science
• Data visualization
• Information systems
• IT manager
• Network security
• Software engineering
• Web development

Engineering

Characteristics of a future engineer often include problem-solving abilities, works well in team settings, and understands structural analysis. A few engineering careers that allow students to use these abilities include:

• Aerospace engineer
• Agricultural engineer
• Biomedical engineer
• Civil engineer
• Computer engineer
• Electrical engineer
• Environmental engineer
• Geological engineer
• Marine engineer
• Mechanical engineer
• Nuclear engineer
• Sales engineer
• Surveyors

Mathematics

Those who wish to seek careers in mathematics often are critical and analytical thinkers, problem solvers, precise, and are exceptional with numbers. Individuals with these set of skills may have an interest in becoming an:

• Accountant
• Actuary
• Budget analyst
• Cryptographer
• Economist
• Fraud investigator
• Financial planner
• Inventory control specialist
• Investment analyst
• Mathematician
• Operations research analyst
• Statistician
• Systems engineer

Resources and Programs for Girls Interested in STEM

There are numerous resources, programs, and organizations that were created to help provide parents and educators with useful information aimed at supporting children, specifically girls, in STEM learning. 

• Engineer Girl: Engineer Girl is an online resource that was created to bring attention to the many opportunities that engineering represents for girls and women. 
• Girlstart: GirlStart has a variety of educational platforms that help young girls get and stay inspired in STEM education. STEM at Home, Starry Nights, and Girlstart Summer Camp are just a few of the many programs offered by Girlstart.   
• Girls Who Code: Girls Who Code provides young girls with multiple online programs that help encourage their interest in coding. There are summer camps, clubs, and in-home programs available to those who are interested in joining Girls Who Code. 
• National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP): The NGCP makes it their mission to “bring together organizations throughout the United States that are committed to informing and encouraging girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.”
• STEM from the START: Stem from the Start is a program designed for kids in Pre-K through second grade. The STEM from the Start initiative “uses the power of educational video to help lay the groundwork for STEM subjects by engaging children in learning that is fun, engaging, and long-lasting.”
• STEM Like a Girl: STEM Like a Girl is an online organization that aims to empower young girls with knowledge and confidence in STEM fields. They do so by offering various science and engineering workshops, online resources, and at-home activities. 

Despite the progress educators and parents are making to introduce STEM to young girls, there is still more that needs to be done. By providing children with endless opportunities to learn throughout their educational careers, the idea of gender stereotypes in STEM fields will hopefully come to an end.