Contributing to SDGs Through Conceptual PlayWorlds: Changing the STEM Story for Children, Families and Teachers

Encouraging young children’s interests in learning Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) concepts has been a key focus of educational research across countries. However, there has been less focus on how early childhood children, educators and families engage in STEM through play and how this can be sustained through programmatic research. The chapter discusses emerging findings from the Conceptual PlayLab on a large-scale national study that tested the evidence-based model called Conceptual PlayWorlds (Fleer, 2018). Founded on cultural-historical theory, Conceptual PlayWorlds is an innovative, evidence-based model of learning STEM concepts through play (SDG 4) consisting of five characteristics – selecting a story, designing the Conceptual PlayWorld space, entering and exiting the Conceptual PlayWorld, planning the play inquiry and problem scenario and planning adults’ (parent/carer/teacher) interaction (Fleer, 2018). The focus is to create a collective imaginary situation where children and adults engage in problem-solving and STEM learning. With its focus on closing the gap for girls in STEM and mentoring a largely female early childhood workforce (SDG 5), this innovative programmatic study provides a better understanding of how educators, parents/carers and policymakers can support future generations to pursue science-related careers and address the shortages of STEM qualified professionals.