Building Brains Through Play: STEM Learning at Kido Heaven Child Care

At Kido Heaven Child Care in Bothell, WA, we believe play is the heart of learning. From stacking magnetic shapes to solving a Connect Four challenge, our children engage in hands-on activities that spark curiosity and build strong brains. These joyful moments, guided by Washington’s Early Achievers Quality Standards, nurture cognitive, social, and motor skills, preparing kids for kindergarten and beyond. In this blog, we explore how play-based STEM learning (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) at Kido Heaven fosters school readiness, supports child development, and aligns with best practices in early childhood education.

What Is Play-Based STEM Learning?

Play-based STEM learning uses fun, hands-on activities to introduce young children to science, technology, engineering, and math. Through games, experiments, and creative projects, kids explore concepts like counting, building, and problem-solving in a natural, engaging way. For preschoolers, whose brains grow rapidly from birth to age 5, play builds neural connections that support lifelong skills like critical thinking and resilience.

At Kido Heaven, we create a nurturing environment where children experiment, question, and discover through play. Our Montessori-inspired approach, combined with STEM-focused activities, helps kids develop a love for learning while meeting Early Achievers standards.

Why STEM Matters for Young Children

The early years are critical for brain development, with over 1 million neural connections forming per second before age 5. Introducing STEM through play helps children:

• Think Critically: Asking “why” and testing ideas builds problem-solving skills.
• Stay Resilient: Trying and failing in a safe setting teaches persistence.
• Get Creative: Inventing new ways to build or explore sparks imagination.
• Prepare for School: Early STEM fosters skills for math, science, and collaboration.

Research from Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child shows that playful interactions with caring adults strengthen brain architecture, supporting cognitive and emotional growth. At Kido Heaven, our trained educators use guided play to maximize these benefits, ensuring every child thrives.

How Kido Heaven Brings STEM to Life

At Kido Heaven, we weave STEM into daily play, making learning fun and meaningful. Our educators use open-ended materials and thoughtful questions to spark curiosity. Here’s how we do it:

1. Science Adventures:
   • Activities: Mixing baking soda and vinegar, observing bugs on nature walks, or exploring magnets.
   • Benefits: Teaches cause-and-effect and scientific inquiry.
2. Technology Fun:
   • Activities: Creating digital art with apps or guiding programmable toys like Bee-Bots.
   • Benefits: Introduces coding basics and digital skills.
3. Engineering Play:
   • Activities: Building towers with blocks, designing bridges with craft sticks, or creating a fort.
   • Benefits: Develops spatial reasoning and engineering concepts.
4. Math Exploration:
   • Activities: Sorting shapes, counting coins in a Connect Four game, or measuring ingredients for a snack.
   • Benefits: Builds number sense and math vocabulary.

Our educators ask questions like, “What happens if we add one more block?” or “How many coins are left?” to encourage critical thinking. Using Brightwheel, we share photos and updates of these activities with parents, keeping families connected to their child’s growth.

Benefits of STEM at Kido Heaven

Our play-based STEM activities offer a range of developmental benefits:

• Cognitive Skills: Sorting, counting, and experimenting improve memory and logic.
• Social-Emotional Growth: Group projects teach teamwork, patience, and empathy.
• Fine Motor Skills: Stacking rings or placing coins in a grid strengthens hand-eye coordination for writing and self-care.
• Confidence: Mastering challenges like building a stable tower boosts self-esteem.
• School Readiness: STEM play prepares kids for kindergarten math, science, and collaboration.

These activities align with Early Achievers standards, ensuring high-quality learning that supports every child’s potential.

STEM Activities at Kido Heaven

Here are some favorite STEM activities at Kido Heaven, designed for ages 1–5:

1. Sink or Float: Kids predict if objects (e.g., a feather, a rock) will sink or float, then test in water. This teaches scientific thinking.
2. Block City: Teams build a city with blocks, adding roads and bridges, fostering engineering skills.
3. Nature Collage: Collecting leaves and sorting them by size or color introduces biology and classification.
4. Counting Songs: Singing “Five Little Monkeys” reinforces numbers through rhythm.
5. Coding Play: Guiding a toy robot with arrows teaches basic programming logic.

These activities are accessible, child-led, and rotated regularly to keep kids engaged, meeting Early Achievers learning environment standards.

Meeting Early Achievers Quality Standards

Washington’s Early Achievers program ensures high-quality early learning. Kido Heaven’s STEM activities align with all five standard areas:

1. Learning Environment:
   • Clean, organized materials like blocks and sorting trays are placed at child height.
   • Activities rotate to sustain engagement, encouraging exploration.
2. Child Outcomes:
   • Kids show growth in counting, classifying, and reasoning, documented via Brightwheel.
   • Children gain independence and confidence in challenges.
3. Interactions and Curriculum:
   • Teachers model words like “pattern” or “more than” and ask open-ended questions: “What happens if we turn it?”
   • Our Montessori-inspired curriculum blends project-based learning for ages 1–5.
4. Family Engagement:
   • Parents receive Brightwheel updates with photos of STEM play.
   • We share home-based STEM tips (e.g., sorting socks, counting steps).
   • Parent-teacher meetings set cognitive goals.
5. Professional Development:
   • Staff attend STEM and math language workshops, aligning with DCYF standards.
   • We align our planning and documentation practices with the DCYF Early Achievers Framework.
     

Montessori Principles in Our STEM Approach

Our Montessori-inspired classroom naturally supports STEM learning:

• Self-Correcting Materials: Kids see and fix errors, like misaligned blocks, fostering independence.
• Concentration: Repeating tasks (e.g., sorting coins) builds focus and mastery.
• Guided Discovery: Teachers act as guides, letting kids explore patterns and logic at their own pace.

This approach ensures children develop critical thinking and confidence through play, aligning with Early Achievers and STEM goals.

🔗 Learn more: Blocks Rock – A Montessori-Friendly STEM Game

Encouraging STEM Learning at Home

Parents can reinforce STEM skills with simple, fun activities:

• Count Everyday Items: Count steps upstairs or spoons in the kitchen.
• Sort and Match: Sort socks by color or coins by size.
• Experiment: Mix water and oil or test magnets with household items.
• Build: Create forts with boxes or stack cups for engineering play.
• Explore Apps: Use ScratchJr for coding or watch science videos together.

Try resources like Vroom.org for free brain-building activities that turn daily moments into learning opportunities.

The Science of Play and Brain Development

Play isn’t just fun—it’s essential for brain growth. Harvard research shows that playful interactions build sturdy neural connections, supporting problem-solving, communication, and emotional regulation. For example, stacking blocks teaches spatial skills, while counting songs build number sense. At Kido Heaven, we design STEM activities to leverage this science, preparing kids for a tech-driven future.

Why Choose Kido Heaven Child Care?

Located in Bothell, WA, Kido Heaven is more than a safe space—it’s a launchpad for learning. Our play-based STEM approach, guided by Early Achievers and Montessori principles, ensures every child thrives. Why parents love us:

• Quality Care: Licensed, accepts WCCC subsidy, and meets Early Achievers standards.
• Small Groups: Personalized attention for ages 1–5.
• Daily Updates: Brightwheel photos and notes keep parents connected.
• Holistic Learning: STEM, music, art, literacy, and outdoor play.
• Trained Staff: Certified in early education and STEM integration.

Ready to see the magic of play-based STEM? Call 206-734-2040 to schedule a tour or visit our enrollment page to join our Kido Heaven family

📞 Call 206-734-2040 to schedule a tour
🌐 Enroll Now

📲 Connect With Us

Follow our learning journey and family updates across these trusted platforms:

• Nextdoor
  
• Yelp
  
• Winnie
  
• Instagram
  
• Facebook
  
• YouTube
  
• Upwards

Conclusion: Play, Learn, Grow at Kido Heaven

At Kido Heaven Child Care, play is powerful. Through STEM activities like building, sorting, and experimenting, we nurture curious, capable learners ready for kindergarten and beyond. Our Early Achievers-aligned approach, combined with Montessori-inspired methods, ensures every child grows in a joyful, supportive environment.

Join us in Bothell, WA, to spark your child’s love for learning. Contact us or explore our child care programs today. Let’s build brains through play together!

FAQ