Today, I attended a STEAM workshop designed for older kindergarten children. Although the age group was slightly younger than my project’s target, and the course was simplified in design and technology, I learned a lot from it. The workshop used *WhaleBot* educational building blocks to create an automatic noodle press, which included motors and a low-code programming pen (WhaleBot is an educational tool that combines modular building blocks with motors and sensors, allowing children to create functional machines while learning basic programming through a visual interface. It’s designed to engage children in hands-on STEAM learning with simple yet powerful tools).
The instructor used an excellent warm-up technique by setting a playful context (in a storytelling tone): “Do you like noodles?” “Imagine we’re opening a noodle shop. Who would you make noodles for?” “For mommy? I’d like some too!” “But so many people want noodles! Wouldn’t it be hard to manage?” “So now we need a noodle press. Let’s build one together!” The children enthusiastically responded to the questions, quickly engaging with the activity.
Because the group was small, the instructor gave guidance in a supportive way without providing direct answers, offering individual help when needed. For example, she asked, “These two gears need to mesh together to turn. How do we make them fit?” Her patience, even when children made mistakes, was remarkable, and she designed rewards to motivate them to work quickly and efficiently.
Another notable aspect was that parents were not involved in the process. At the end, the instructor arranged a sharing session where the children invited their parents to showcase their noodle presses and discuss the programming they used. The teacher’s approach, including how she showed interest in and guided the children’s ideas, was highly inspiring to me.
