Children, especially young children, are innately curious about the world around them and strive to make sense of their experiences by exploring, questioning, and investigating how things work. This is the true nature of science, one we explore daily at the Connecticut Science Center.
In our galleries and our work in the community, we strive to bring out the curiosity in all visitors by engaging everyone in fun, hands-on, play-based experiences where they can explore, question, and investigate further. We spent the past four years exploring what happens if we intentionally nurture the curiosity of our youngest learners by working collaboratively with families, educators, and local STEM role models. We focused on how a strong partnership between the home, school, and community can better engage children in high-quality science learning to set them on a stronger path toward success.
In collaboration with researchers from the Education Development Center (EDC) in Waltham, MA, we partnered with multiple community-based early learning centers in Hartford, their students, and families to explore the benefits of a partnership model that supports young children as they develop their identities as scientists and learners. Our project, Supporting Science Inquiry, Interest, and STEM Thinking for Young Dual Language Learners (SISTEM) funded by the National Science Foundation, showed us that when we work together, we can grow the confidence of teachers in the classroom and families at home, build deeper interest and engagement for young children, generate a broader awareness of the diverse possibilities with STEM, and connect the community more strongly to resources like the Science Center.
Essential to the partnership was making sure that the key supports in a young child’s life —the caregivers, educators, school leaders, and community members— had the training, tools, and resources, and a positive, welcoming learning environment to engage in science explorations together to help sustain the curious nature of children.
We fostered this connection for the teachers and early childhood programs through a series of Saturday workshops at the Science Center. They spent the days learning through play, engaging in hands-on experiences to explore our science topics while gaining knowledge and strategies to promote deeper inquiry and play-based explorations in their classrooms. As a result, the teachers reported increased confidence and comfort in teaching science and noticed deeper engagement in their classrooms when they fostered curiosity through more inquiry-driven explorations.
To bring the families into this partnership, they were given learning opportunities, materials, and resources to support home science explorations. Families connected regularly with their classroom teachers and a new bilingual site with resources including books, tip sheets, science apps, videos, activities related to classroom learning, and newsletters, all designed to empower families by sharing best practices to help boost confidence, fostering exploration and curiosity at home.
Anchoring the partnership was a series of family science days at the Science Center. Teachers, families, students, and the research team came together to celebrate what is happening at home, in the classroom, and explore further in our galleries. The inclusion of local STEM professionals as role models enriched the experience, showing children and families that science is not just something done by “others” but is accessible to everyone. This aspect was especially significant for Hartford’s diverse community, where seeing professionals who share their backgrounds and languages inspires a new generation of scientists and engineers.
By continuing to nurture children’s curiosity through high-quality science learning experiences, we are helping build a strong foundation for future learning and fostering a sense of belonging and identity in science. Our success in cultivating a love for science in the youngest learners in our community, coupled with an investment in the skills and confidence of those supporting them, suggests a future where diversity in STEM is not just an aspiration but a reality.
We are far from finished, but the progress made demonstrates what can be achieved when a community connects to support its youngest members. This year, new legislation in Connecticut made play-based learning a requirement for all preschool to fifth grade classrooms, for us, this means more time to support curiosity with science explorations.
The research, partnerships, and relationships with families and our community help the Science Center continue refining experiences, environments, and programs to sustain a love for learning, curiosity better, and wonder. Our learnings are already informing the development of new programs, exhibits, and experiences that better serve families and promote positive STEM role models for all.
Currently, the Science Center is working on plans to expand its KidSpace exhibit for young children with an imaginative new outdoor science play area. Plus, this fall, we are opening for toddler-specific days for both early learning programs and families to fuel their curiosity.
Megan Ramer is Director of Programs at the Connecticut Science Center.