The Little Scientists program has been designed to train our dedicated and professional early childhood educators and teachers how to integrate playful and inquiry-based STEM exploration in their daily educational activities.

Our hands-on and fun workshop program is based on intentional, inquiry-based learning, and promotes an active, inclusive, play-based and co-constructed learning environment. It draws on current knowledge in developmental psychology, learning research and incorporates numerous empirical findings and observations made over the past ten years.

Our program encourages daily scientific explorations enabling development of fine motor skills, self-confidence, problem-solving skills, resilience, social skills and language. It provides teachers and educators with a variety of tools and educational concepts to meet a range of requirements of the National Quality Framework (NQF) and the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF).

Early STEM education is prioritised and supported through the Australian Government Department of Education and Training’s National Innovation and Science Agenda.

Every service or school in Australia working with children from 3 to 6 years of age can join our program:

• Our workshops provide a range of tools and educational concepts that support the implementation of daily inquiry-based STEM discovery and research. To make scientific exploration accessible to every service and school in Australia, all our workshops are built around using existing, low-cost, everyday materials.

• After each workshop, teachers and educators can immediately facilitate child-led STEM exploration in an early childhood setting, enabling STEM literacy and lifelong enthusiasm for research and discovery.

• The hands-on workshop experience and the supportive material provided, spark teachers’ and educators’ own interest in STEM topics, builds their confidence and excitement about scientific research.

• Our workshop program offers a range of workshops covering specific STEM topics and educational concepts. Through every additional workshop the individual’s STEM knowledge grows – step-by-step – as new inquiry-based teaching strategies, educational concepts and scientific exploration ideas are introduced, leading to holistic personal and professional long-term development.

• To further support continuous professional growth, we introduce new relevant STEM topics each year.  (It is compulsory to start our program with the Water Exploration workshop. The order for attending additional workshop topics is open for the participant to decide.)

We look forward to seeing you in our workshops and to explore STEM in a group of dedicated early childhood professionals. Together we can amplify children’s natural curiosity and nurture their passion for scientific exploration!

Become a Little Scientists House

For Early Childhood Services participating in our Little Scientists Program and that are especially committed to Early STEM and scientific exploration, we offer the opportunity to apply and become a certified Little Scientists House.

Successful applications are rewarded with a Little Scientists Certification plaque, demonstrating to parents and the community, that your service is committed to inquiry-based learning and Early STEM. Learn more about the Little Scientists House Certification.

Train-the-trainer | Become a network partner

If your organisation is interested in helping to further grow our program across Australia by delivering Little Scientists workshops in your local area, please get in touch to discuss a network partnership with us.