Preschool-age children’s use of spatial sensemaking in science and engineering
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22436702 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Julia D Plummer (0000-0003-4144-7864, Pennsylvania State University, corresponding author), Hannah K Lewis (0009-0004-0504-9740, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), Kyungjin Cho (0000-0001-6060-8390, Daegu University), Minyoung Gil (0000-0001-5706-1259, Pennsylvania State University), Amy Ricketts (0000-0002-4068-8255, California State University, Long Beach), Katie Nolan (0000-0003-0233-1244, Pennsylvania State University), Madison Botch Ruffner (Pennsylvania State University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-24 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Discover Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2731-5525 • E-ISSN: 2731-5525 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s44217-026-01129-1 |
| OpenAlex | W7125586135 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 52 |
While prior research has considered how young children’s spatial skills predict future success in science and engineering, our goal was to analyze how children take advantage of physical and embodied resources to reason spatially in everyday museum settings. We also investigated the ways young children reason spatially while constructing explanations in science and designing solutions in engineering. To do so, we gathered videos during ten science and engineering programs for 3–5-year-old children ( N = 49) at a local museum. We used a qualitative, thematic analysis of the videos to investigate how children’s engagement in spatial sensemaking practices (e.g., gestures, sketching, and object manipulation) facilitated their application of spatial skills to construct explanations and design solutions. Our findings suggest children draw on embodied resources through the use of spatial sensemaking practices to facilitate their application of spatial skills. Further, the children used spatial sensemaking practices both as a communication tool and a resource to make sense of complex spatial ideas when constructing explanations and designing solutions. Findings highlight how everyday museum settings provide opportunities for young children to practice spatial thinking while doing science and engineering. We recommend researchers assess the ways that instruction facilitates children’s use of spatial sensemaking practices as this may provide a more holistic understanding of children’s scientific and engineering reasoning.
Embodied cognition · Next Generation Science Standards · Sensemaking · Thematic analysis · Geography Education and Pedagogy · Museums and Cultural Heritage · Spatial Cognition and Navigation
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| Highly cited | No |
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