With the closing of so many schools nationwide and throughout the world due to the COVID-19 Pandemic educators and parents have turned to Zoom and other webinar platforms to learn as well as to teach digitally. I recently had the opportunity to conduct a Webinar via ZOOM for Region 9 Head Start Association based in Sacramento, California. We had 1000 early childhood educators from California and beyond attend the live webinar. The webinar entitled “Engaging Young Children in STEAM and Maker Education Explorations at Home”. The webinar provided early childhood educators who are working with parents remotely during the COVID-19 school closures with foundational principles of STEAM and maker education, best practices in incorporating STEAM explorations within the classroom and at home, as well as numerous STEAM and maker-based explorations that can be readily undertaken at home. The webinar provided examples of affordable and meaningful STEAM and maker ed explorations that parents would be able to incorporate within the home. From incorporating STEAM content with building blocks to exploring patterns and shapes in nature, tinkering and deconstructing, as well as introducing young children to the fundamental principles of coding through screen-free coding toys. Attendees of the webinar had access to a PDF of the webinar as well as a manual with the STEAM and maker ed explorations introduced in the webinar. Check out the recording of the webinar below, it will remain on the Region 9 Head Start YouTube Site indefinitely.

I want to thank Fernando Alvarenga of Region 9 Head Start Association for being such a great host during the webinar, and all of the attendees for attending and taking an active role during the webinar. In closing, I am looking forward to presenting professional staff development in person again in the very near future. Until then, may all of you remain motivated, inspired, and healthy.