Why is STEM Education So Important For Children?

Did you know that it is estimated that 75 per cent of jobs are within industries requiring skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)? We are seeing a strong national demand for STEM skills as Australian businesses are looking to hire people with engineering and IT skills

Engineering roles in particular play a key role in the sustained growth and stability of the Australian economy. As our society becomes increasingly dependent on technology, it has become evident that STEM careers are the future. STEM skills are now driving the jobs market.

To develop the next generation of innovators, we are tasked with finding new and exciting ways for our children to develop interests and critical thinking abilities through play.

With our outdated school curriculum, we as parents, grandparents and carers have the capacity and potential to influence our children’s future by nurturing their curiosity and STEM skills at home through everyday activities and meaningful interactions.

How wonderful would it be to connect with your children without the use of traditional screen-based technology, fostering an interest and passion that could help them succeed in the jobs of the future?

Leading-edge STEM education today encourages integrating real-world problem solving, creativity, and digital literacy into daily life. Parents can support this by engaging children in activities such as building simple machines with household items, exploring basic coding through free online platforms, experimenting with scientific concepts using DIY experiments, and encouraging logical thinking through puzzles and strategy games.

Emphasising the development of critical thinking, collaboration, and resilience is just as important as teaching technical skills. STEM learning is increasingly interdisciplinary, combining science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM), helping children see how these subjects interconnect and impact the world around them.

Creating a home environment where curiosity is welcomed, questions are encouraged, and challenges are viewed as opportunities to learn helps children develop a growth mindset crucial for STEM success.

Benefits for children:

Encouraging STEM exploration beyond the classroom inspires children to see these fields as relevant and exciting parts of their future.

Programs and hobbies outside of school can help children to see that STEM are more than subjects for a school classroom. Having activities that show real-life implications of STEM can pull together the ideas presented in school and help to show how they benefit our society and even our world as a whole.

Children can see that what they are learning now is pertinent to their future and the future of the whole world, creating an interest often lacking when learning new concepts that do not seem to carry real-world application.

It is especially important to provide opportunities that inspire girls to become interested in engineering and technology while having fun at the same time. STEM education for girls is critical as women remain vastly underrepresented in these fields. Only one in four IT graduates and fewer than one in 10 engineering graduates are women. Further, women occupy fewer than one in five senior researcher positions in Australian universities and research institutes, and around one quarter of the STEM workforce overall.

By fostering an inclusive environment and exposing children to diverse role models and STEM experiences early, we can help bridge this gap.

Specific Examples of At-Home STEM Activities and Resources for Parents to Try

Build Simple Machines: Use everyday items like cardboard, rubber bands, paper clips, and plastic bottles to create levers, pulleys, and catapults. This hands-on approach helps kids understand basic physics and mechanical principles.
Explore Coding Platforms: Websites and apps like Scratch (by MIT), Code.org, and Tynker offer free, age-appropriate coding activities that teach programming logic through fun games and storytelling.
Conduct Science Experiments: Try safe and easy experiments such as creating a baking soda and vinegar volcano, growing crystals from salt or sugar, or exploring magnetism with fridge magnets and metal objects. These experiments nurture scientific inquiry and observation skills.
Nature STEM Walks: Take nature walks where children collect leaves, rocks, or insects and use them to explore biology, patterns, and ecosystems. This encourages observation and appreciation for environmental science.
Use Puzzle and Logic Games: Engage children with puzzles, Sudoku, Rubik’s cubes, or brain teasers that challenge logical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
Virtual Museum and Science Centre Tours: Many world-class museums and science centres offer virtual tours and interactive online exhibits. These can inspire curiosity about space, technology, engineering marvels, and more.
Build with Construction Toys: Encourage open-ended play with building blocks like LEGO, magnetic tiles, or other construction sets that foster creativity, spatial reasoning, and engineering skills.
Involve Children in Cooking: Cooking involves measuring, timing, chemistry, and even biology, making it a fantastic way to incorporate STEM concepts into daily life.

By integrating these activities regularly, parents can create a rich STEM learning environment at home that supplements formal education and cultivates a lifelong love of science, technology, engineering, and math.