Multi-touch table activities that bring STEM into the pre-K classroom
What Is WePlaySmart®?
WePlaySmart® consists of a Hatch™ interactive table loaded with an activity package that includes more than 275 research-based games that provide opportunities for children to develop critical social–emotional skills in a variety of environments. The WePlaySmart® system allows for interactive play with two to four children. The children engage in cooperative play while collaborating, problem solving, and progressing in social–emotional skill areas. If a child does not have a friend to play with, WePlaySmart® will automatically log the child in to the music-themed Free Play area.
WePlaySmart® STEM Connection
The U.S. Department of Education expanded the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) initiative into preschools in 2012. This expansion was based on the principle that young children should engage in these concepts before kindergarten. Not only is the content of STEM important, but the scientific principle itself is equally important to support STEM in the classroom. The areas are prediction, collaboration, problem-solving, and cooperation, to name a few.
Below is a list of STEM concepts children will play on the WePlaySmart® table. As children play these games, they will experience prediction, collaboration, problem-solving, and cooperation. And most obvious is that the table is a state-of-the-art piece of technology hardware. It has been child-tested for durability and appropriateness. The reach of children was measured to ensure appropriate accessibility of children at different development stages.
How Will Children Interact With WePlaySmart®?
There are four main environments: Our Home & School, Our Community, Our World, and Beyond Our World.
WePlaySmart® includes six different types of games:
- Uncovering (Example: Children work together to move leaves as they uncover rainforest birds)
- Sorting (Example: Children work together to sort different-colored garden gnomes)
- Finding (Example: Children search for butterflies with patterned wings)
- Connecting puzzles or patterns (Example: Children create a pattern using blocks on a circular time rug)
- Voting (Example: Children will vote on a variety of options as they move through different adventures)
- Turn-Taking (Example: Children take turns answering multiple-choice questions)
Fun characters provide directions and encouragement to the children as they play. Each game includes specific instructions, which serve as a tutorial for the children.
Finally, each game is associated with a social–emotional skill. This skill is named in the corner of the table.
WePlaySmart® STEM Activity List
Magnets & RobotsRefrigerator Magnet Sort 1 Refrigerator Magnet Sort 2 Refrigerator Magnet Sort 3 Refrigerator Magnet Sort 4 Toy Robot Puzzle NutritionBreakfast Vote Dinner Vote Fall Feast Uncover Healthy Lunch Uncover Hiking Snacks Find Lunchbox Uncover Number Soup Find Animals, Insects,
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Taking Turns: The Classroom Fish Taking Turns: The Hamster’s Journey Tree Bark Insect Uncover 1 Tree Bark Insect Uncover 2 Tree Bark Insect Uncover 3 Wildlife Photo Vote 1 Wildlife Photo Vote 2 Wildlife Photo Vote 3 Winged Bug Sort Woodland Creature Sort 1 Woodland Creature Sort 2 Woodland Creature Sort 3 Woodland Insect Find 1 Woodland Insect Find 2 Zebra Footprint Pattern Recycling & EcologyLake Cleanup Sort 1 Lake Cleanup Sort 2 Lake Recycle Numeral Sort Nature Hike Vote 1 Nature Hike Vote 2 Recycle Bottles & Cans Uncover Recycle Cardboard & Cans Uncover Recycling Sculpture Puzzle SpaceAsteroid Counting Uncover Asteroid Letters Uncover Asteroid Numerals Uncover Astronaut Puzzle Cloud Numeral Find Cloud Object Find Cloud Uncover 1 Cloud Uncover 2 Cloud Word Find Design a Planet Vote 1 Design a Planet Vote 2 Design a Planet Vote 3 Design a Planet Vote 4 Lady in the Moon Vote Man in the Moon Vote Moon Find Moon Phases Pattern Photo Album Sort Planet Find Rocket Fuel Hose Pattern 1 Rocket Fuel Hose Pattern 2 Rocket Fuel Hose Pattern 3 Rocket Fuel Hose Pattern 4 Rocket Puzzle Satellite Puzzle Solar System Puzzle Space Card Find 1 Space Card Find 1 Space Object Find Space Pod Sort Space Trip Color Sort Space Trip Sort Star Sort Taking Turns: Astronaut Mission 1 Taking Turns: Astronaut Mission 2 Taking Turns: Mars Rover Journey 1 Taking Turns: Mars Rover Journey 2 Taking Turns: Mars Rover Journey 3 Telescope Vote Weather & Seasons
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Frozen Object Find Ice Numeral Find Ice Word Find Snowman Uncover Summer Fun Uncover Winter Gear Find 1 Winter Gear Find 1 Mathematics Shape RecognitionClassroom Rug Shape and Numerals Find 1 Classroom Rug Shape and Numerals Find 2 Classroom Rug Shape Find Dragon Shape Sort Green Slime Shape Uncover Painting Shape Find Shape Block Pattern 1 Shape Block Pattern 2 Shape Soup Find 1 Shape Soup Find 2 Tent Shape Sort PatterningAnt Trail Picnic Pattern 1 Ant Trail Picnic Pattern 2 Bear Pattern Castle Bridge Pattern 1 Castle Bridge Pattern 2 Castle Bridge Pattern 3 Deer Pattern Egyptian Artifact Pattern 1 Egyptian Artifact Pattern 2 Egyptian Artifact Pattern 3 Elephant Footprint Pattern Emotional Face Block Pattern Erica’s Necklace Pattern Fruit Pattern 1 Fruit Pattern 2 Grandma’s Necklace Pattern Ice Cream Scoop Pattern 1 Ice Cream Scoop Pattern 2 Ice Cream Scoop Pattern 3 Ice Cream Scoop Pattern 4 Letter & Number Block Pattern 1 Letter & Number Block Pattern 2 Lion Pattern Moon Phases Pattern Ocean Animal Pattern 1 Ocean Animal Pattern 2 Ocean Animal Pattern 3 Ocean Animal Pattern 4 Ocean Animal Pattern 5 Penguin Pattern Rocket Fuel Hose Pattern 1 Rocket Fuel Hose Pattern 2 Rocket Fuel Hose Pattern 3 Rocket Fuel Hose Pattern 4 Shape Block Pattern 1 Shape Block Pattern 2 Teacher’s Necklace Pattern Zebra Footprint Pattern SortingBaby Sea Creatures Sort 1 |
Baby Sea Creatures Sort 2 Bird & Butterfly Sort Butterfly Color Sort Butterfly Species Sort Classroom Book Sort Classroom Objects Sort 1 Classroom Objects Sort 2 Classroom Pets Sort 1 Classroom Pets Sort 2 Dragon Color Sort Dragon Shape Sort Dragon Sort 1 Dragon Sort 2 Emotional Exhibit Sort Emotional Gnomes Color Sort Emotional Gnomes Sort Emotional Painting Sort Eyeglass Store Sort 1 Eyeglass Store Sort 2 Eyeglass Store Sort 3 Ladybug Sort Lake Cleanup Sort 1 Lake Cleanup Sort 2 Lake Recycle Numeral Sort Laundry Sort Magic Butterfly Sort Museum Art Sort 1 Museum Art Sort 2 Museum Art Sort 3 Pet Adoption Sort 1 Pet Adoption Sort 2 Pet Adoption Sort 3 Photo Album Sort Refrigerator Magnet Sort 1 Refrigerator Magnet Sort 2 Refrigerator Magnet Sort 3 Refrigerator Magnet Sort 4 Space Pod Sort Space Trip Color Sort Space Trip Sort Star Sort Suitcase Sort Tent Color Sort Tent Shape Sort Tent Size Sort Toolbox Sort Winged Bug Sort Woodland Creature Sort 1 Woodland Creature Sort 2 Woodland Creature Sort 3 Numeral Recognition Asteroid Counting Uncover Asteroid Numerals Uncover Bath Time Number Uncover Camping Gear Numeral Find Classroom Rug Shape and Numerals Find 1 Classroom Rug Shape and Numerals Find 2 Cloud Numeral Find Coral Reef Counting Find Counting Rug Puzzle Green Slime Numeral Uncover Ice Numeral Find Lake Recycle Numeral Sort Letter & Number Block Pattern 1 Letter & Number Block Pattern 2 Number Book Uncover Number Sound Find |
STEM Samples in WePlaySmart®
Vote Activity
Dinner Vote
Connect Pattern Activity
Fruit Pattern 2
Connect Puzzle Activity
Toy Robot Puzzle
Find Activity
Number Soup Find