Sequencing Nursery Rhymes Through Early Coding in Preschool Settings

Abstract

Employment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields will continue to grow in the coming years. Those entering the STEM workforce will be expected to demonstrate proficiency in areas such as literacy and problem solving, among other domains. Early access to STEM concepts such as coding may support skill development and foundational interests. This small project involved in integrating early coding concepts with foundational literacy skills in a preschool classroom setting through the use of nursery rhymes to promote both literacy and coding sequencing skills. Through lessons involving grids, directional arrows, and story character game pieces, students practiced sequencing events while learning basic coding vocabulary. Pre- and post-assessments revealed that preschool students demonstrated improvements in sequencing skills and began developing an emerging understanding of foundational early coding vocabulary. This suggests promising potential for integrating early coding concepts into early childhood curricula.