Tinkernauts

What is STEAM?
STEAM is the abbreviation for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math. It’s an integrated approach to learning that encourages students to think more broadly about real-world problems.

Tinkering is the playful relative of the more serious activity of engineering. Engineering starts with a problem to be solved: “We need a bridge” or “We need a house to live in.” Tinkering starts with much simpler questions: “What can I do with this?” or “How does this work?”

And then there is the term making. Tinkering and making are often used interchangeably, but making lies somewhere in between tinkering and engineering.

When children tinker, they are learning about the properties of materials and the capabilities of tools. They are developing their fine motor skills as well. Tinkering often leads to making something, and it is absolutely the foundation to more complex making, technology, and engineering.