Science Week 2024: Integrating Therapeutic Play and STEAM in Early Years

Therapeutic play and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) create powerful synergies in early childhood learning, especially during Science Week in Ireland. Therapeutic play provides structured support for children to process emotions, develop social skills, and build emotional regulation. When paired with the STEAM approach, it fosters an immersive, hands-on environment that supports emotional, social, and cognitive growth.

Science: Exploration and Emotional Expression

Science Week activities give children a safe space for exploration, which is key to therapeutic play. Observing plants or insects outdoors fosters a calming connection with nature, promoting curiosity. Experiments introduce children to emotions like wonder, excitement, and frustration, allowing therapeutic play to guide them in processing these feelings constructively.

Technology: Problem-Solving and Patience

Introducing simple technologies like coding toys or digital microscopes provides sensory-rich, hands-on experiences. Therapeutic play techniques help children engage patiently with these tools, using curiosity to overcome challenges while developing self-control and resilience.

Engineering: Confidence and Collaboration

Engineering tasks, like building towers or bridges, offer children chances to practice persistence, make mistakes, and learn from them. Group engineering projects further develop collaboration, compromise, and communication skills, which are central goals of therapeutic play.

Arts: Self-Expression and Emotional Processing

Creative activities like drawing and crafting allow children to express emotions they may not articulate. For example, children can create art inspired by nature, blending Science Week observations with emotional reflection, which is a therapeutic play cornerstone.

Math: Logical Thinking and Confidence-Building

Therapeutic play makes math feel fun and approachable, helping children engage in counting, sorting, and measuring activities without stress. Recognizing patterns and engaging in counting activities builds confidence and brings comfort through structured, predictable tasks.

Integrative STEAM + Therapeutic Play Activities for Science Week

• Mindful Nature Walks: Encourages mindfulness and calm through sensory engagement with nature.
• Collaborative Building Projects: Engineering challenges that build teamwork, patience, and communication.
• Emotionally Expressive Experiments: Simple experiments, like baking soda and vinegar volcanoes, help children safely experience and process excitement.
• Nature-Based Art: Art using natural elements like leaves or rocks for creative, reflective self-expression.
• Math and Measurement Games: Counting objects in nature or arranging items by size brings structure and security to math tasks.
  
  

Benefits of Integrating Therapeutic Play with STEAM

Combining therapeutic play with STEAM activities nurtures emotional well-being, fosters confidence, and builds focus, making learning supportive and enriching. It also helps children practice patience, teamwork, and resilience in new and exciting ways.

Science Week offers a perfect opportunity to blend therapeutic play skills with STEAM, creating a holistic learning environment. This approach allows educators to support emotional, social, and cognitive growth, making Science Week a dynamic and developmental experience for young children in Ireland.

Find Out More 

If you are interested in gaining a qualification in play therapy, Portobello Institute offers a three-month QQI level 6 award in Therapeutic Play Skills. This introductory course will give you new skills to use in any early years, education or healthcare setting with children. It does not qualify you to work as a play therapist but offers you the chance to test it out and study further in this area. 

To find out more or to apply for our upcoming Therapeutic Play Skills course, contact our admissions advisor Jennifer Matteazzi