Mazie's Amazing Machines by By Sheryl HaftOn Tour and Illustrated by Jeremy Holmes is about a girl who loves to build all sorts of fabulous inventions to solve household problems. With the power of her imagination and creativity she makes engineering so innovative and fun.
Since today is National STEM Day, this was the perfect book to read before inviting the children to invent just like Mazie McGear. STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) opportunities are designed to engage & stretch a child's thinking especially when they are challenged to create in new ways. The engineering & design process is a natural fit for children due to the fact that children's work in the early years is to build & problem solve with just about anything and everything to learn more about how the world around them works.
This literacy & STEM invitation is a perfect opportunity to invite the children in a building center & challenge them to think, create/invent in new ways, and be inspired by Mazie Mcgear to enhance their problem solving skills! With blocks galore, loose parts, tools, and the power of imagination the children were invited to invent whatever they wanted just like mazie together!
The beauty of pairing loose parts and block play is that it truly provides the opportunity for a child to have limitless opportunities to create a world through their imagination. We know that block play in early childhood is something that is constant and continuous throughout the many stages of their development. As they grow by adding loose parts to be on hand, it encourages them to deepen and extend their play. This type of play with loose parts lets the child truly shape and create according to their own vision and since loose parts are so versatile, they can become anything and everything.
Happy National STEM day!
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