Early math skills are the strongest predictor of later school success. Simple activities like counting and playing with puzzles can build children's STEM skills. A research team at the University of Washington's Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences has been looking for ways to make STEM more engaging for children.

Studies show that preschool children who participated in a 26-week math curriculum had math test scores that improved twice as much as children in a control group with a standard preschool curriculum. Even talking more about math and playing board games can boost preschool children's STEM abilities.

The answer that the University of Washington's research team reached was simple – make STEM learning social.