STEM in Early Childhood Education

Low-cost age-appropriate activities to organize space days, health days, sustainability days, robotics and coding days.

Erasmus+ course summary
Many kindergarten teachers hesitate when hearing about science, technology, engineering, and math. Teachers' attitudes and perceptions toward STEM are affected by their motivation, experience, and self-efficacy. If they perceive STEM subjects as too hard, too boring, or too complicated, it is unlikely they will organize STEM activities for children in kindergarten. This course overcomes doubts about STEM in kindergartens. During the course, teachers build their self-efficacy for using STEM activities in their work with children. The course is practical and offers a series of low-cost age-appropriate activities to engage children in STEM topics.

​"STEM is not a class you teach. It is a culture you build." – Chris Woods

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Upcoming dates

2026	CITY	STATUS
NEW CONFIRMED DATE:  28 September - 2 October 2026	Tolmin, SLO	​confirmed

2027	CITY	STATUS
​19 - 23 April	Tolmin, SLO	open for registration
4 - 8 October	Tolmin, SLO	open for registration

Dates not convenient?​ 
​Contact us to explore alternatives together.

Status options: 
​open for registration / confirmed / full. ​​​​​

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Pricing info for the new confirmed date: 28 September - 2 October 2026

REGULAR FEE	LAST MINUTE FEE	BRING +1
400	490	400
per person Registrations until 31 July 2026	per person Registrations after 31 July 2026	per person ​ Registrations after 31 July 2026.
REGISTRATION	REGISTRATION	+1 REGISTRATION
Hurry up!	Welcome to join us.	Register 2 participants for a regular fee!

Moments from the last sessions 

About the location: Tolmin, Soča Valley

Nestled between the emerald Soča River and the Julian Alps, Tolmin is a picturesque town in western Slovenia, offering a unique taste of Slovenia’s natural and cultural heritage.

Primera is primarily located in Ljubljana, but only one of the employees was born there. We know that to experience a true Slovenian spirit, you need to go local: beyond Ljubljana, Bled or Postojna cave. That‘s why we have decided to offer this course in one of the most beautiful parts of our country, which is otherwise difficult to reach from Ljubljana in just a day.

If you are not sure about the transportation, contact us, as we often arrange a common shuttle service for the participants. 
We promise you - it's worth it! 

STEM in early childhood education is not explaining to children the laws of nature; it is guiding them to and through experiences.

Create opportunities for investigating, designing, making, modelling, testing, improving and explaining.

STEM week

Integrate STEM activities into inspiring thematic periods.

Growth mindset

Create an environment where mistakes are welcomed.

Inquiry

Teach inquiry skills through play.

Course Content

Full Programme

OBJECTIVES

This course aims at empowering teachers to find inspiration in science, technology, engineering, and math. By the end of the course, kindergarten teachers improve their knowledge about promoting STEM topics among children. They become resourceful on a variety of STEM educational materials for children aged 2-6. Teachers in the end of the course are skilled in encouraging investigation and problem-solving behaviours of their children.

METHODOLOGY

The course is designed in a way that participants build their self-efficacy for using STEM activities. Inspiring cases from science are integral part of the programme. All the sessions include friendly theoretical explanations, practical part with exercises, and implementation hacks. The activities are playful and built on real-world situations so that children make sense of the world around them. Hand-on lesson plans anticipate low-cost material only.

PROGRAMME DAY-BY-DAY

Training usually takes place between 9:00 am and 14:00 pm, followed by the after-class activities and trips to the surrounding natural attractions which are are totally optional and paid additionally. The Wednesday afternoon cultural excursion, however, is already included for everyone in the course fee. 

​DAY 1 
We start off with an introductory meeting, an explanation of practical arrangements and a presentation of the participants and timetable. The participants are encouraged to express their expectations, needs and wishes regarding the content of the programme and learning methods.​ *

Introduction to STEM and hand-on learning: reflecting on our teaching practice and discovering which STEM activities we are already doing. 
The importance of STEM education. 

Goal of the week: make your own lesson plan! 

DAY 2
Useful websites, examples and hans-on activities of becoming a little scientist. 
Science and play: the structure of lessons for children.  
 
DAY 3 

Study visit to the kindergarten: STEM activities in practice. 

Afternoon excursion to the surrounding areas (included for everyone in the course fee). 

DAY 4
Practical work: scientific mind, attitude, skills, enquiry process, self-explanation and critical thinking. 

DAY 5 
Practical work: hans-on lesson plans and activities by teachers. 

​Evaluation and farewell. 
Documentation and certificates of attendance.


* programme by Teja Bajt from GoINNO Institute

* Some changes in the programme are possible - the content of the course is always adapted to the participants previous knowledge, expectations and requirements. 
​The participants receive the Informational Booklet a few weeks prior to the start of the course. ​

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Raise young scientists.

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