Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2026 Newsletter seasons through the eyes of a fictional guide character, Willow, whose seasonal adventures become the starting point for hands on STEAM investigations. Children observe changes in nature, build simple structures and mechanisms, experiment with natural materials, and represent their discoveries through drawing, storytelling and simple digital tools.
STEAM in Practice A typical InnoSTEAM activity might begin with a shared story about Willow encountering the first snow of winter. From there, children investigate how snow forms, test which materials melt it fastest, build small shelters for toy animals using recycled materials, and record their observations on a simple weather chart. In one spring activity, children planted seeds, tracked germination over several weeks, and used basic measuring tools to compare plant growth, connecting biology, mathematics and fine motor skills within a single, playful project. Each activity was designed around everyday and recycled materials, which made the project easy to sustain and easy for other teachers to replicate.
Working together across borders eTwinning provided the framework that turned individual classroom activities into a genuine European collaboration. Partner teachers exchanged seasonal activity ideas, shared photographs and short videos of children’ s work on the project TwinSpace and compared how the same season unfolds differently across latitudes. This cross-cultural dimension gave children an early, concrete lesson in intercultural awareness: other children, in
other countries, experience the same natural phenomena in different ways.
Impact and recognition The project’ s practical, story driven approach to STEAM was well received within the eTwinning community. InnoSTEAM was awarded 3rd Prize at the national competition“ Proiecte Internaționale de Succes”( Successful International Projects), and it is currently being submitted for the National Quality Certificate. Beyond this external recognition, the teachers involved reported that children showed increased engagement, longer attention spans during activities, and a growing vocabulary of scientific and mathematical terms used spontaneously during free play.
Lessons for early childhood educators Several practical lessons emerge from this experience. First, STEAM in preschool does not require expensive equipment or specialised training; most InnoSTEAM activities used recycled or natural materials already available in the classroom. Second, embedding STEAM within a narrative structure, such as a recurring character, helps young children stay engaged across a whole school year of activities. Third, eTwinning collaboration adds a layer of authenticity and motivation: knowing that partner children abroad will see their work encourages preschoolers, and their teachers, to document and reflect more carefully on the learning process.
As early childhood curricula increasingly recognise the value of integrated, hands-
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