Why STEAM Thinkers?

When am I ever going to use this again?

How many times have you heard that from your kids?  Or said it yourself in school?  Umm, yup I think that was pretty much everyone.  EVER.  So many formulas to memorize, math proofs to slog through, and physics rules.  How DO they matter after you spit them out on that test?

boy with questions

Well guess what! The whole idea behind STEAM is to take those segmented school subjects out of their confined learning boxes and put them together like REAL LIFE?! STEAM is an honest answer to the persistent question of how learning applies to you – your every day existence in work, school, and home.

Why We're Better

Yeah that’s a pretty bold statement. But cross-my-heart we honestly do think that our STEAM activities are better than MANY out there. Now why do we say that?  Roll over the boxes to see how our answers to these common problems with STEAM.

Is it STEAM?

There are an insane amount of STEAM lessons out there that teach little more than crafting and how to fill in a worksheet. We know the creators mean well and it is probably super fun but is it really STEAM?

How We've Changed That

If we say it is STEAM, it covers at least 3 of the STEAM subjects and we'll tell you which ones.  No more "maybe it fits with STEAM" craftivities.  We're diving deep!

Divided

Sometimes the thinking goes like this "This is a math activity, and math is the M in STEAM. So this is a STEAM activity!" Nope, sorry. That misses the whole point of the integrated nature of STEAM.

How We've Changed That

If we say it is STEAM, it covers at least 3 of the STEAM subjects and we'll tell you which ones. These lessons and activities are truly integrated, not segmented.

Here Skills, Skills, Skills...

There is a lesson disclaimer that says "Builds problem-solving skills" but which ones?  And how do you track what skills kids have been learning and how far they've come?

How We've Changed That

We've built a problem-solving, thinking skills framework!  You can discover what skills your kids have and help them develop new ones. 
Find Your Skill Level

Science Fact Flood

Science facts reign supreme while the scientific method gets left behind.

How We've Changed That

Science facts don't help much by themselves. We emphasize the scientific (and engineering) method because they are thinking strategies that help with any aspect in life. We use it as parents all the time!

For REAL?

Beyond solving an intriguing puzzle, some STEAM lessons don't really answer that essential question of "What does this mean to me?"

How We've Changed That

We put our lessons and activities into real life context. This isn't something that is just used in a classroom and never needed again.

STEAM Thinkers is here to inspire you with that STEAM ideal to help kids prepare for life once they leave the nest.  We are not just a collection of lessons and activities and advice. We’re talking life skills not typically taught in schools or homes like problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, and how to fix their own dang video games when they break!

Now let's get started ->

boys fixing laptop

Looking for TYEE OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE? You're at the right place! We've split our STEAM activities and this is our new site.

OKIE DOKIE!