Preschool Technology: Using a Digital Camera to enhance preschool mathematics and literacy
Technology can be used as a tool to enhance early learning. The following preschool technology activity is brought to you as part of the FREE STEAM E-Course for Parents and Teachers of Preschoolers. Join in at any time and find helpful tips and tricks for integrating more STEAM into your child’s daily life.
For even more activities, purchase our latest E-Book, STEAM: Preschool Activities for STEM Enrichment Purchase Your Copy Today
Affiliate Links to books included in this post.
Technology Challenge Check in Question: What did your child take photos of?
What is Preschool Technology?
Often we think of technology as videos or shows. Technology can indeed be short video clips used to enhance learning: such as a virtual field trip to an apple picking factory to enhance a learning unit on apples and harvest.
But technology is even more than that. All of these current technologies can be used to extend STEAM learning.
Common technology tools that are used by preschoolers are:
- interactive storybooks
- cd players
- radios
- calculators
- computers
- mobile devices
- digital cameras
- video cameras
- Interactive Smart Boards
- pens that will read words as you tap them
- alarm clocks
- timers
- digital scales, and
- pedometers
I encourage you to look around your home and classroom for the “kid safe” technology items that could be used to enhance lessons and USE THEM.
Add a calculator to your kitchen / pretend play area. Show the child how to turn it on and off. Have them use the numbers to keep track of how much money the pretend food is.
Bring a digital scale out the next time you are cooking. Have them weigh how much flour they use to make a batch of muffins. Sure, this will add on a few minutes of time to the experience, but it will also make the use of technology relevant. In many countries – recipes are written by weight.
Hand your child a digital timer to start as they help you fold clothes. Let them watch as the seconds and minutes pass by. Add challenges such as: see how many wash clothes you can fold in 2 minutes. This connects technology with math and life skills. Not only that, but it makes doing chores a wee bit more fun.
Even MORE Tips and Tricks for Making Technology an Every Day Experience
Watch as Jamie Hand, creator of Hand Made Kid Art and Amanda Boyarshinov co-author of STEAM: Preschool Activities for STEM Enrichment discuss how this preschool technology challenge went with our own preschoolers.
We will be sharing even more tips and tricks on making technology an everyday experience for your child.
Now it’s time to take the Technology Challenge…
Week 2 Technology Challenge
This activity is re-printed with permission from STEAM:Preschool Activities for STEM Enrichment.
We encourage you to try this activity with the preschoolers in your lives. Then let us know by posting in the comment section how it went. This activity is a little longer in length than last week’s preschool science challenge.
Make sure to leave 30-60 minutes open or break up the activity into 2 different lessons.
Learning Objective
Create a photo counting book for numbers 1-10.
Materials Needed
- Paper
- Numbers Printable Sheet
- Digital Camera or Cell Phone Camera
- Printer
- Mini Photo Album
Directions for Activity
1. Introduce the child to the digital camera. Let him “explore” the camera. Demonstrate how the camera turns on and off, zooms in and out and how to take a photo. It is important to use a neck strap or wrist strap so that it prevents the camera from being dropped.
2. Have the child start collecting objects and laying them on the corresponding number (for example, one toy car, two trucks, three train cars, etc). Let them be creative. It is important to let them choose, arrange, and count the objects.
4. Have him photograph each number set of objects.
5. Print out the pictures or upload them to your favorite photo sharing site to create an actual soft or hardcover book. Here is a sample page from our book. My child selected six blocks from his toys, arranged them, and took this picture. I added the words and numbers on the computer.
6. Insert the printed photos into a mini photo album to create the photo book. 7. Read and Re-read!
Preschool Technology Resource Books
STEAM: Preschool Activities for STEM Enrichment
This parent and teacher e-book resource guide provides 30+ activities for integrating STEAM into every day. Geared for preschoolers ages 3-5 years old. Read the full description
This book is a mixture of photographs and facts, perfect for the robot enthusiast. Read the full description
This books is more informative than entertaining, but one of the few books geared for kids explaining the industrial revolution. Read the full description
A clear description of how things work with accompanying hands-on activities. Read the full description
This book takes on the task of explaining the latest innovations and how they work. Although geared for ages 7+, the technology curious child may delight in having this book read to them! Read the full description
STEAM Preschool Activities for STEM Enrichment E-Course:
