For families
Find out what your children will be getting up to as part of the ELSA Program
Is your child already part of the program?
In the block below, you’ll find information about how the ELSA Program works and why it’s important to start STEM education early.
Like your child to start STEM education early with ELSA?
Today’s children will use STEM thinking in jobs that haven’t yet been imagined, and it’s critical that we prepare them for these future jobs.
The ELSA Program will give your child a head start in STEM by focussing on developing your child’s spatial reasoning skills – the biggest predictor of success in STEM.
Spatial reasoning brings together maths and the physical world, and we use these skills for everything from complex engineering projects through to packing a suitcase or building IKEA furniture!
Aimed at ages four and five, the year-long program will introduce your child to STEM learning early – and research shows it works! Using the ELSA Program for one year significantly increases a young child’s STEM literacy, and this flows on to a boost in their numeracy too.
If you’re interested in introducing ELSA to your child’s school or centre, let us know here or direct them to this website (elsaprogram.com.au).
ELSA for children
If your child is attending a preschool, kindergarten or school taking part in ELSA, you may be wondering what this means for your family.
ELSA is a program designed to help children explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through hands-on and digital activities. The digital activities are delivered via ELSA children’s apps, which are available to educators and teachers on their iPads and/or Android tablets.
ELSA apps
ELSA apps go beyond the screen to encourage active play and act as a springboard for children to explore the natural world. The apps prompt children to ask questions, make predictions, experiment, and reflect on what happened and why.
Each child taking part in ELSA will use the ELSA apps for a maximum of 40 minutes per week (usually broken up into smaller sessions). The program structure aims to minimise screen time while maximising learning outcomes, with two-thirds of the program being off-app.
Why STEM Practices are important
Why STEM Practices are important
The ELSA Program enables children to explore STEM Practices. These are the ideas, methods and values that underpin STEM. They are important because they help children develop strong skills and values that are useful later in life, such as:
- problem finding and solving
- communication
- creativity
- using tools to produce artefacts
ELSA and the Early Years Learning Framework
ELSA is aligned with the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) (PDF). EYLF describes outcomes which support and enhance young children’s learning from birth to five years of age, as well as their transition to school.
What will the ELSA Program look like?
Teachers and educators are customising ELSA activities to meet the needs of children and families in their community. This means that ELSA may look different in other services and schools. Generally, though, you can expect that your child will interact with ELSA as part of their daily play and learning.
The ELSA program will introduce STEM concepts and practices to children via three steps – experience, represent and apply – using on-off-app activities and hands-on activities.
For more information about what the ELSA Program looks like in different contexts, see our ELSA in Action page.
Step 1: Experience
Firstly, children will experience STEM concepts. During this step, educators will help your child notice STEM concepts while they are playing – for example, while building towers with blocks or collecting seed pods outside.
Educators will also prepare and direct fun experiences for your child that introduce STEM concepts.
Step 2: Represent
After these hands-on experiences, your child will have a chance to represent their ideas on an ELSA app. The app’s educational games will encourage them to do things like create colourful patterns and sort healthy food by shape, size, or another attribute they choose.
Activities on the apps have been designed for children to play together, communicate with each other and engage with the world around them.
Step 3: Apply
Your child will now be able to apply what they have learned from the app with more hands-on activities. They may find new ways to express ideas, and be inspired to do things differently with the ideas they have developed.
They will also be able to take photos and be creative as they play.
How can I be involved in ELSA?
ELSA is what you make it. Our apps and activities are designed so families can create learning opportunities alongside their child’s preschool, kindergarten or school.
Below are some ways you can contribute to ELSA activities at your child’s service or school:
- Bring in a collection of shells, rocks or other objects for children to observe and sort.
- Make bunting to hang around the room that has a sequenced pattern of colours. One of the ELSA activities involves creating patterns to put up around a cubby house.
- Make up a dance at home that has a pattern to it. For example: clap, clap, stomp | clap, clap stomp. Or clap, spin, clap | clap, spin clap. It can be any pattern and action you want. Your child can then do the dance with friends at their service or school. The educator can even lead the whole class in a dance pattern activity.
Talk to your educator about how you can be involved in bringing ELSA to life.
Families Web App
The ELSA Families Web App gives you plenty of great STEM-based activities you can do with children at home, outside in the yard or while out and about.
There are so many ways to engage with STEM at own home while going about day-to-day life. After all, so much goes on in a family home – in the bathroom, the kitchen, the laundry and the play area. You can search the ELSA Families Web App for activities to help children explore ELSA’s STEM Practices and concepts in different areas of their home, yard and neighbourhood.
This web app works on web browsers on computers, tablets and smartphones.