In our modern and tech-savvy world, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) skills are crucial for keeping up with the newest technological advancements. This is important
for young children as they prepare for school and life. York County Libraries offer a variety of free programs that can help your children acquire the fundamentals. Wee Build Wednesday at Kreutz Creek Library in Hellam is one of many opportunities available to families countywide.
Families Build STEM Skills Through Block Play
Kreutz Creek Library’s Wee Build Wednesday program teaches children many skills essential to social and academic development including STEM ability, social skills, and reading comprehension. Wee Build Wednesday is a fun and educational opportunity for kids eighteen months and older to build with blocks, trains, and other learning materials. Parents and children interact, using toys that encourage pretend play, PlayK items, games, and thematic bins. Children also work together utilizing problem solving skills to construct creations.
Wee Build Grows Social Skills
Susan Nenstiel, branch manager at Kreutz Creek Library, explains that the Wee Build program benefits children and the community.
“It promotes social skills such as sharing, playing, meeting, and communicating with children and adults.”
Language skills are practiced while kids add new words like obelisk, height, length, add and subtract to their developing vocabularies. This type of play grows their reading, understanding, and problem solving skills.
Playing with Blocks Builds More than Towers
While kids and their grownups are building together, here are just a few of the great things that happen:
- Adults help children test scientific theories such as figuring out which blocks in a tower are stable.
- They practice math skills by making patterns and deducing how many and what shaped blocks are needed to create their buildings.
- They synchronize fine motor skills through the coordination of movement.
- Children overcome shyness and make friends while learning essential life skills.
- Parents help their child’s development while having fun.
Wee Build Defined
Kids can make friends in their community and have fun engaging in imaginative play and hands-on learning while also developing – their social, reading, science, technology, engineering, and math skills – to prepare them for school and life.
“Our staff and volunteers love watching and interacting with the kids and adults who come to Wee Build. It is great to witness the kids fearlessly exploring and building and pushing buttons to learn how things work! They dive right into this exploration of the items that we put out, and even request favorites to be brought out!” Susan Nenstiel, Branch Librarian
Find a Program Near You
The Wee Build Wednesday program is held bi-weekly at Kreutz Creek Library from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm. Check the YCL calendar for programs at a library near you.