STEAM Approach: Enhancing Early Childhood Education Through an Interdisciplinary Approach

Abstract Objectives: This study aims to identify the different strategies and methods of STEAM integration in nurseries, kindergartens, and Grades 1 and 2 in the Philippines. Method: This study utilized a descriptive survey design to examine the implementation of the STEAM approach in early childhood education. The respondents of this research were 150 purposively selected early childhood educators from nursery, kindergarten, and grades 1, 2, and 3 in the Municipality of Ajuy, Iloilo, Philippines. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) were computed to determine the frequency and level of STEAM-related activities by grade level and agency. The Kruskal–Wallis test was used to examine significant differences across grade levels. Findings: In nursery school 6, the STEAM activities were ranked at very high frequency, with mean scores ranging from 3.57 to 3.90. In kindergarten, 14 activities were considered high frequency, with mean scores ranging from 2.13 to 3.70. In grade 1, three activities were described as very high frequency, with mean scores of 3.73 and 3.87. While in grade 2, the puzzle was ranked very high with a mean score of 3.50, and the rest were of high frequency. And for grade 3, all were translated as very high frequency. The art craft had the highest mean score of 3.90. For the inferential statistics, none were significant except for puzzle, which showed a significant difference between groups. These results indicate that teachers progressively intensify and diversify activities as pupils advance, aligning instructional practices with learners’ developmental needs. Novelty: The study highlights both the prevailing strategies for STEM integration and the need for targeted support, particularly in cognitively enriching tasks. It underscores the effectiveness of current practices and the importance of sustained teacher training, resource provision, and curriculum development to maintain the quality of early childhood education in the Philippines. Keywords: Preschool, Nursery, Grades 1 and 2, Teachers, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, Skills