Bush kinders: enabling girls’ STEM identities in early childhood

Abstract

Research demonstrates that powerful factors are involved in growing young girls’ STEM understandings. The development of a girl’s STEM identity relies on interaction with significant adults/others and the availability of a positive STEM learning environment. Undertaking research into bush kinders across 2015–2020, our data highlighted the learning that was occurring for young children four to five years of age. The children’s play dynamic was facilitating girls’ STEM identities and enabling STEM learning. Applying ethnography to this longitudinal study, data includes researcher observations of children and educators, interviews with educators and educators’ noticing. Using vignettes that demonstrate the STEM disciplines the girls were experiencing, we consider the opportunities that exist for girls’ development of a STEM identity in this context in Australian early years’ education. We argue that Australian bush kinder settings in Australia allow young girls to develop STEM identities through social interactions and that bush kinders act as enablers of STEM learning.