During our study of the theme gardening theme, we learned about garden visitors such as the mole, crow, bunny, toad, and bee. Children are so curious about bees. They see them often in our yard and gardens. They know bees make honey but they can also sting, so they are intriguing. The STEAM Station activity suggested in the Experience Preschool curriculum for bees was creating a beehive. I love expanding on topics through art, stories, and especially hands-on play like we did with this design a beehive sensory and STEAM play activity so children can more deeply understand their world and the topics presented in preschool.
Design a Beehive Sensory & STEAM
We used a variety of resources for this STEAM Station. I encourage you to use what you have to build on the theme and create a rich experience for your learners. Below are the Big Question poster and Inspiration Photos from Experience Curriculum. Each week there are five new STEAM Station ideas that coordinate with the weekly lessons because we know play is the way children learn best.
Start with egg cartons which can be cut apart so the children can design their own beehives using tape. How can the individual cells fit together? What shape is the hive? The hives can be painted if desired. Our beehive became more of a sensory center with many accessories for pretend playing.
Gathering Materials for Your Beehive Sensory & STEAM Station
Other materials we used in our beehive sensory and STEAM Station include:
I love creating inviting, colorful and texture-rich centers for children to explore in an open-ended way. They come up with ways to play that I wouldn’t think of and I can observe what they know, like sorting, counting, and social skills. These types of invitations to play also tend to work well with mixed age groups because they are free to choose what they want to do.
Kids love scooping and pouring the “bee colors” and arranging materials in the egg carton beehive cells, pretending to make honey.
Experience Early Learning provides suggestions for activities that are STEAM-based. STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. These activities are intended to give our kids opportunities to think outside the box while following their own ideas and learning through trial and error. It’s a great way to learn! Read about setting up STEAM Stations here: https://www.mothergoosetime.com/how-to-make-fast-and-easy-sensory-stations/
Our beehive was on the table outdoors but it could also be put in a sensory bin or tray to contain the scattering of corn and beans when scooped and poured.
Design a Beehive Math Mat & Connecting Cubes
My kids love these connecting cubes and math mats. They took turns placing the blocks on the math mat, building beehives. Another great Table Top Math activity from Experience Curriculum.
Books About Bees for Kids
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I received curriculum from Experience Early Learning for honest and authentic stories resulting from my daily experiences using the curriculum. As a user of Experience Preschool for many years, I am pleased to share quality educational experiences. #sponsored #ExperienceEarlyLearning