Kids build their knowledge and skills about the world through STEAM

Summary

This Erasmus+ project pioneered a STEAM methodology for kindergartens, turning construction play into structured learning. Fifty learning units in eight languages, tested across four countries, equip 3–7-year-olds with life skills – problem-solving, creativity, critical thinking and collaboration – from an early age. A free multilingual portal, video lessons and a structured training course for teachers make these innovative practices accessible to educators across Europe and beyond. 

“Discovering STEAM in our kindergarten opened doors we did not know existed. The children build, experiment and reason together - skills that will serve them for life.”

Topic(s) addressed

Skills for life through early STEAM: 

• Problem-solving 
• Creativity
• Critical thinking 
• Collaboration and communication 
• Developed via constructive, hands-on activities in kindergarten

Target group(s)  

• 300+ children (3-7 yrs) 
• 100+ kindergarten teachers across BG, FI, AT and TR 
• Wider EU educators

Methodologies used

The project makes construction a core learning activity rather than merely a form of free play. Children follow plans, build models and run experiments, developing reasoning, spatial thinking and resilience. A multidisciplinary STEAM design links science, engineering, arts and maths to real-world topics. Learning is active and inquiry-based: children pose questions, test ideas and explain their creations. Fifty learning units span age groups and curricula, combining formal content with playful, hands-on exploration. Formative assessment cards let teachers gauge each child’s progress, while cooperation between four kindergartens and four training organisations across four countries has ensured that the approach is adaptable, inclusive and grounded in classroom reality. 

Innovation environment

Eight partners – kindergartens and training organisations – built an ecosystem where innovation could grow. A whole-organisation approach involved entire pedagogical teams, rather than individual teachers, in testing the methodology, with over 400 learning activities conducted with children. Cross-sectoral cooperation paired educators with SMEs specialising in marketing, design and educational technology, producing professional materials and a multilingual web portal. Resources were used sustainably, and digital content was prioritised, in line with the Erasmus+ green priority: reusable construction sets, paperless materials and freely accessible online content. A positive, trust-based climate across countries enabled partners to share practices openly and adapt the model to different curricula. 

Teachers’ role

Teachers moved from facilitating free play to designing structured STEAM learning, becoming innovators in their own classrooms. A dedicated training course in Helsinki, followed by internal sessions, built their confidence in using the new approach. Working hands-on with children, they discovered how construction develops reasoning and life skills, then refined the units through their own feedback. Peer learning was central: teachers from four countries compared practices at meetings, online seminars and dissemination events, learning from one another’s contexts. The course – approved by Bulgaria’s Ministry of Education for teacher credits – enables educators to continue developing their competences and pass the methodology on to colleagues. 

Impact and output

Teachers gained lasting skills and motivation; children developed creativity, problem-solving and collaboration through engaging, hands-on STEAM activities. The methodology reached far beyond the partnership: the portal has had over 5,200 visits and more than 3,300 unique visitors from dozens of countries, while project videos have received more than 74,000 views. Dissemination events in Sofia, Manavgat, Helsinki and Vienna drew more than 300 participants, with all attending teachers indicating that they wanted to apply the method. A published book and a Ministry-approved KA1 course support the continued dissemination of the methodology to other teachers, kindergartens, parents and local communities – embedding life skills development in early education across Europe.

Learn more about the project