Informal STEM Education in Early Childhood

Abstract Book of the 10th International Academic Conference on Education

Year: 2026

[PDF]

Informal STEM Education in Early Childhood

Eugene Geist, Melani Duffrin, Cynthia DiCarlo

ABSTRACT:

This presentation examines the constructivist foundations of informal STEM learning for children ages 3–8 through the lens of FoodMASTER’s “More Peas Please” curriculum and Fan Cards activities. Drawing on Geist’s (2024) developmental model in Integrating STEM in Early Childhood Education, informal STEM learning is framed as a process of cognitive reinvention—children’s active construction of knowledge through interaction, assimilation, and accommodation rather than rote acquisition. Informal environments such as kitchen centers, block play, and food exploration enable children to engage in logical-mathematical reasoning, classification, measurement, and pattern recognition, aligning with the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) Developmentally Appropriate Practice framework and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) practices of observing, questioning, and investigating.

Empirical examples from Geist’s research illustrate how autonomy in learning and teacher facilitation transform everyday experiences—such as comparing peas, counting spoonfuls, or measuring ingredients—into opportunities for children to “reinvent” early numeracy, causality, and spatial reasoning. The presentation highlights how FoodMASTER Fan Cards scaffold discourse and symbolic representation, strengthening executive function and conceptual transfer between informal play and formal instruction. Case studies will demonstrate how informal STEM activities rooted in Piagetian constructivism and Universal Design for Learning foster inclusion, creativity, and persistence, providing a research-based framework for teachers to integrate informal STEM throughout the daily routine. Participants will gain practical models and assessment strategies for embedding science, math, and engineering habits of mind within play, family engagement, and community partnerships, ensuring STEM learning remains both developmentally appropriate and deeply meaningful.

Keywords: Nutrition, Early Childhood, Preschool, STEM, Science, Informal Science