Education

STEM education for daycare centres

KiTZ.do in Dortmund is an out-of-school learning space for children from kindergarten groups where they can experiment and do research even before they enter school.

Drei Mädchen experimentieren mit Reagenzgläsern in weißen Forscherkitteln und Schutzbrillen

Europe

Germany

Dortmund

Funding period: 2013-2021

To make the most of children’s natural curiosity regarding scientific questions in everyday life at a young age and before they start school, the Wilo-Foundation provided financial assistance over many years to help extend the STEM network (=science, technology, engineering and math) to several daycare centres (kitas).

Verleihung der KITZ.do-Partnerplaketten an Erzieherinnen von Dortmunder Kitas, die an der MINT-Weiterbildung teilgenommen haben — Awarding of the KITZ.do partner plaques to kindergarten teachers from Dortmund daycare centers who have taken part in STEM training. Photo: KITZ.do, Dortmund, Credit: Stephan Schütze

The support included the organisation of researcher days, giving the daycare centre groups an opportunity to use the labs of KITZ.do and conduct experiments on topics such as electricity, air, water or energy. Moreover, daycare centres received experiment kits and advanced training courses for their staff. Networking meetings with childcare centres, primary schools and other stakeholders were organised as well.

Daycare centres that regularly sent groups of children to visit KITZ.do or had at least two staff members participating in two or more training courses were awarded the highly popular partner badge.

Photo Header: KITZ.do, Dortmund

Our funding partner

Kinder- und Jugendtechnologiezentrum Dortmund (KITZ.do), sponsored and implemented by s.i.d. Fördergesellschaft für Schule und Innovation gGmbH, a joint subsidiary of the association Innovative Schulentwicklung in Dortmund e.V., Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts, TU Dortmund University and TechnologieZentrumDortmund has implemented many projects in the area of youth and children’s education since it was founded in 2008. More than 70,000 children and young people have experimented, done research and worked in the labs and workshops of KITZ.do. The motto “curiosity is smart” reflects the philosophy of KITZ.do and also symbolises its structure, way of working and offers. KITZ.do focuses on children at a young age, who are still full of curiosity, targets kindergartens and primary schools, develops experimental kits and provides training for preschool and school teachers.

Development Goals

The UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) forms the global framework for action for socially, economically and ecologically sustainable development. Our funding commitment also supports these sustainability goals. With this project, we are making a contribution to achieving the following SDGs:

What are the SDGs`?