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In the past, girls weren’t treated as a priority when working in STEM fields. However, we’re heading towards a more feminine-inclusive society where young girls can dream of becoming scientists, mathematicians, and more. STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and math. Girls have every right to want to do well in high-paying, engaging fields, so getting your daughters excited for STEM fields is a great goal to work towards. Here are just some ways you can get your daughter excited for STEM.
Give Them Positive Role Models
Even at young ages, children look up to their role models and make a ton of decisions based on what they see. That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to work in STEM fields, but encouraging them to find their interests is a huge step. You could introduce your daughter to intelligent, powerful women who strive to empower young girls, such as Reshma Saujani. Saujani is the Girls Who Code founder and CEO, which is an organization that works to close the gender gap in technology. She works hard through books, TED talks, and other resources to empower young girls to be confident and brave. Encouraging your daughter to be involved in some of these resources would be a great way to excite them about STEM.
STEM Youth Programs
Some programs might not be running like usual with the current pandemic, but normally there are tons of local STEM youth programs available. These learning experiences drive kids to be more interested in STEM and prepare them for related fields. These opportunities aren’t always what you’d expect; sometimes they are going out and exploring outdoors. It gives young girls a chance to learn outside of the classroom, create new interests, and prepare them for the future. They usually are low-price or have financial programs as well to help with lower-income families being able to involve their children.
Do STEM Activities at Home
With social media and the amazingly wide range of options on the internet, you can do STEM activities at your home even without a degree in a related field. An example is Pinterest. All you have to do is search “STEM for kids”, and thousands of fun, easy educational activities pop up. These aren’t overly complicated activities, either. Sometimes they are as simple as making tracks for marbles to go through with play dough. These activities can be fun for the child and parent, so it won’t feel like homework. This can also build your daughter’s view of you as a parent so they can view you as a role model by taking time out of your hectic schedule to do these fun activities with them. It’s great for their minds, their empowerment, and their bonds with you as their parent.
Take a Trip to the Museum
As museums begin to open back up to the public, you might want to take your child on a trip to one. This is always a fun experience for your child, but it’s also opening them to a world of STEM. From the dinosaur exhibit to the old cars, there are so many conversations that you can have that could encourage your daughter to be more involved in STEM in the future. As a child, it’s always interesting to see these things that you may have never thought about before, so looking at each exhibit and explaining its influence on today’s society could very well make your child feel empowered and want to know more about these fields. There is a variety of science, history, and art museums that can all be traced back to STEM education.
To conclude, it’s very important to create a good foundation for your daughter to be able to be involved in STEM and empower them for a more inclusive future. This doesn’t have to be a stressful, overwhelming experience for you or your child. Sometimes it is as fun as taking a trip to a museum or engaging them in a fun building experiment. You could even just play legos! Getting your daughter involved in STEM doesn’t have to be difficult; sometimes it’s just playing a game. It can be fun for everyone to build a tower, but it’s also building her future.
