Catawba County News

Pre-K STEAM!
Published: June 28, 2024
The Catawba County Library is excited to offer a new experience for our youngest learners to connect, explore, and grow!
All Catawba County Library locations will be hosting rotating Pre-K STEAM programs for preschoolers and their caregivers. This is an opportunity for children age 2-5 to explore science, technology, engineering, art and math concepts on a level they can appreciate. Preschoolers are naturally curious and eager to explore their surroundings. The library’s STEAM programs are designed around how children learn so parents and caregivers are encouraged to let their children take the lead in learning through discovery. Learning through play will introduce foundational concepts and vocabulary that will support future learning and interest in these fields.
STEAM activities are designed to:
- Stimulate curiosity
- Provoke questions
- Build confidence in abilities
- Encourage observations
- Allow children to investigate the world around them
- Provide hands-on interactive experiences
- Encourage resilience in the face of challenges
- Show that it’s okay to make mistakes
Pre-K STEAM programs will be offered at a different location across the county each week. These programs will be facilitated by a librarian who will be present to answer questions and share resources while preschoolers and their caregivers explore different topics like coding with Bee Bots, experimenting with light panels and wind tunnels, building with blocks and magnetic tiles, using magnifying glasses to investigate insects, and practicing measuring and sorting with preschool level science lab equipment. Each station provides directions and discussion questions to encourage critical thinking and engagement. Questions like “Why?” or “What If?” foster curiosity, expand vocabulary, and strengthen the parent-child bond.
Children’s earliest experiences shape how their brains are wired creating a foundation for all future learning. Starting from birth, brain connections are built through a child’s everyday experiences – by positive interactions with their parents and caregivers, and by using their senses to interact with the world around them. Engaging in STEAM related activities fosters curiosity, introduces new vocabulary, and encourages experimentation and exploration.
Join us in July of this month's series of programs:
Friday, July 5 at 3 pm
Southwest Branch Library
Saturday, July 6 at 11 am
Conover Branch Library
Friday, July 19 at 10 am
Sherrills Ford-Terrell Branch Library
Friday, July 26 at 10 am
St. Stephens Branch Library
Tuesday, July 30 at 10 am
Main Library in Newton