This or similar quotes are often attributed to education pioneers like Maria Montessori, Jean Piaget and others. This might suggest to us modern adults that play is as important to children as work is to us. Quotes from similar sources also suggest play, unlike work, should be voluntary and mostly without apparent use of purpose. With our motto "STEM Education made fun" we underline this commitment to supervised self-directed and voluntary activities. Most our courses have modules with independent challenges from which the children can choose according to their own interests. For every challenge they master, they collect a sticker in their lab notebooks, and for every module mastered, they receive a badge or certificate. This gamified form of recognition provides some structure as well as a source of motivation and pride in their accomplishments. While we adults want for our children to learn as many important skills as possible for the future, we should also remember to be patient and let playful discovery take its course. In a stimulating environment, rich in important questions and answers and with the occasional helping hand of an experienced mentor, essential learning experiences often come about in unexpected and unplanned ways. This is the kind of learning we hope to encourage and facilitate.
