INTEGRATED STEAM ACTIVITIES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: GOOD PRACTICE EXAMPLES FROM THE “TRAVELER IN EUROPE” PROJECT

Abstract

This paper presents the practical implementation of the “Traveler in Europe” thematic project, carried out between April and May 2026 with 25 preschool children aged three to six in a mixed-age group in Romania. The project connected intercultural exploration with an integrated STEAM approach, using selected European countries as meaningful contexts for learning. The descriptive analysis is based on teacher observation, photographic documentation, and the products created by the children during the activities. Five learning experiences inspired by Spain, Germany, Greece, Ireland, and Romania are discussed. Science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics were integrated naturally through play, sensory exploration, construction, storytelling, music and movement, simple experiments, and collaborative tasks. The observed manifestations included active participation, curiosity, cooperation, creative and verbal expression, spatial reasoning, hypothesis formulation, and practical problem-solving. As no standardized assessment was used, these manifestations are interpreted as pedagogical observations rather than evidence of causal effects.