STEAM Habits of Mind

Our Explore It Enrichment Pods engage children in the excitement of STEAM discovery and learning by offering unique opportunities to question, wonder, experiment, and create. The Museum presents STEAM as an integrated whole because we believe that the habits of mind—the ways of thinking—that children can develop by inventing, exploring, and creating apply across the STEAM disciplines.

STEAM habits of mind are not a pre-defined and codified list; different STEAM professionals or educators may not describe them with the same terms. At Boston Children’s Museum, we focus on STEAM habits of mind including:

• Curiosity: Wondering about the world, wanting to explore, willingness to try new things and take risks
• Critical thinking: Employing objectivity, looking for and applying evidence
• Creativity: Imagining possibilities, solutions, and forms of expression; thinking outside the box
• Persistence: Focusing, sticking to it, learning from mistakes
• Problem Solving: Identifying issues, viewing potential solutions from multiple perspectives