In a groundbreaking exploration of childhood play and cognitive development, recent research unearths compelling evidence that loose parts play significantly fosters spontaneous STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) behaviors in young children. This study meticulously disentangles the intricate relationships between cognitive functioning, executive functions, parental attitudes, and children’s engagement with different play materials, providing fresh, nuanced insights into how early experiences shape STEM interests and competencies.
At the heart of this research lies an extensive exploratory factor analysis of parental questionnaire data, revealing six distinct factors that explain nearly half—46.7%—of the variance in home learning environments. These include the frequency of home learning activities, parental STEM attitudes, home numeracy activities, parental play attitudes and engagement, home literacy environment, and parental literacy attitudes. By distilling these dimensions into composite scores, the researchers were able to link these home environment variables directly with children’s STEM behaviors in various play conditions, thereby mapping a complex web of influences that determine how young learners interact with and are stimulated by different materials.
The study design incorporated a within-subjects methodology, wherein each child engaged with two contrasting play conditions: a control condition involving toy percussion instruments and a loose parts condition. The randomized order of play sessions meticulously controlled for factors such as fatigue, familiarity, or positional preference effects. This robust experimental framework ensures that the observed differences in children’s STEM engagement can be confidently attributed to the nature of the play materials themselves, rather than confounding procedural elements.
Linear regression analyses with forward selection identified cognitive variables as potent predictors of STEM engagement. Notably, Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) emerged as a significant predictor of STEM behaviors during play with traditional toy percussion instruments. This finding highlights the role of verbal and language-related capacities in shaping children’s interactions and engagement when play materials are more structured or familiar. The predictive power of VCI in this condition underscores the intertwined nature of linguistic abilities and exploratory STEM actions in young learners.
Conversely, in the loose parts condition, Full-Scale IQ (FSIQ), representing overall cognitive functioning, stood out as the strongest predictor of STEM engagement. This divergence from the control condition emphasizes the multifaceted cognitive demands of unstructured, open-ended play with loose parts, where creativity, problem solving, and fluid intelligence converge to facilitate spontaneous STEM behaviors. The loose parts environment appears to unlock a different dimension of cognitive participation, urging children to navigate novel challenges and opportunities using a broad spectrum of mental abilities.
Intriguingly, when examining predictive factors exclusive to construction-related behaviors within the loose parts play context, executive function (EF) performance and parental play attitudes emerged as significant contributors. Executive functions, encompassing skills such as working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control, were tightly linked with the frequency and quality of children’s construction activities. This connection suggests that the capacity to plan, organize, and regulate actions is critical for engaging in complex, goal-directed STEM play.
Equally compelling is the influence of parental attitudes toward play. Families characterized by positive play attitudes and frequent engagement were observed to harbor children who constructed more extensively with loose parts. This association highlights the crucial socio-environmental component of early STEM development, underscoring the interplay between cognitive potential and nurturant contexts that support creativity and exploration.
The analyses accounted for a range of potential covariates—including child age, sex, parental education, session order, home learning environment factors, EF performance, and other cognitive composite scores—to isolate the unique impact of cognitive functioning and parental behaviors on STEM play. Importantly, traditional demographic and environmental variables were not retained in the final models, signifying that intrinsic cognitive factors and family engagement in play have a distinctive, measurable influence on STEM behaviors.
Moreover, the study’s exploration extended beyond mere STEM engagement scores to consider the distinct nature of STEM behaviors associated with verbalization versus construction. When children’s construction activities were excluded, the predictive variables shifted, illuminating the nuanced cognitive and linguistic underpinnings that differentiate types of STEM play. This differentiation aligns with theoretical perspectives emphasizing the convergent and divergent cognitive processes involved in STEM learning.
Figures linked in the research vividly depict these relationships: one panel illustrating the correlation between verbal comprehension and STEM engagement in the control condition, and another displaying how overall cognitive functioning relates to engagement during loose parts play. Similarly, graphical representations underscore how executive function and parental play attitudes distinctly predict construction behaviors. These visualizations serve as compelling evidence of the multifaceted drivers of early STEM engagement.
The implications of these findings are profound for early childhood education and parenting strategies. They underscore the importance of fostering rich, stimulating environments that combine cognitive challenges with supportive social interactions. Loose parts play, with its open-ended and dynamic nature, emerges as a potent context where children’s cognitive and executive skills can manifest in spontaneous STEM behaviors, potentially laying the groundwork for lifelong interests and aptitudes in these critical fields.
Furthermore, the distinct cognitive profiles associated with different play materials suggest tailored approaches in educational settings. Structured instruments may benefit from interventions enhancing verbal comprehension, while unstructured loose parts play may reward broader cognitive development, including executive functions. These insights advocate for diverse play opportunities that holistically nurture various facets of STEM-related intelligence.
Parental engagement, particularly positive attitudes toward play, surfaces as a vital environmental modulator, opening avenues for interventions that not only target children but also involve family dynamics. Encouraging parents to actively participate and foster play could amplify children’s spontaneous STEM explorations, transforming everyday interactions into fertile learning experiences.
This comprehensive investigation bridges several domains—psychology, education, cognitive science—providing a nuanced, evidence-based narrative about the early foundations of STEM engagement. The intersection of cognitive functioning, executive control, and socio-environmental factors revealed through rigorous statistical modeling elevates our understanding of how young learners navigate and construct their STEM worlds during play.
Future research directions pointed out by this study include longitudinal tracking of these STEM behaviors and their predictive validity for later academic success, exploration of intervention strategies tailored to cognitive profiles, and deep dives into parental influence mechanisms. As STEM fields continue to grow in societal importance, understanding and nurturing the earliest sparks of interest have never been more critical.
In conclusion, loose parts play stands out as a uniquely empowering context fostering spontaneous STEM behaviors in young children. The interplay between cognitive strengths, executive functions, and parental play attitudes shapes the landscape of early STEM engagement, offering rich, actionable insights for educators, parents, and policymakers. This research heralds a new chapter in our understanding of childhood play, emphasizing the profound impact of cognitive diversity and family support in cultivating future scientists, engineers, and innovators.
Subject of Research: The impact of loose parts play on spontaneous STEM behaviors in young children, with focus on cognitive and executive function predictors and the role of parental attitudes.
Article Title: Loose parts play encourages spontaneous science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) behaviours.
Article References:
Cankaya, O., Rohatyn-Martin, N., Buro, K. et al. Loose parts play encourages spontaneous science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) behaviours. Commun Psychol 3, 183 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44271-025-00362-y
Image Credits: AI Generated
