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MAP MATS STEM Activities for Early Childhood Learning

  • Writer: Isabella Key
    Isabella Key
  • Aug 1
  • 4 min read

If you're looking for a playful, hands-on way to introduce young learners to math and science, MAP MATS: Playful Adventures in Math and Science is a fantastic resource. Created by Maryville University's Center of Access and Achievement, this engaging curriculum blends movement, storytelling, and STEM exploration to support joyful, play-based learning. 


What’s Included 

Each kit features: 

• Three large floor MAP MATS 

• LEGO Education DUPLO Kits: My XL World, STEAM Park, and People 

• A downloadable guide with 25 fun, easy-to-follow activities 

Total Pages: 52 

Themes: 4 unique sets 

Activities: 25 hands-on lessons 


How It Works 

MAP MATS uses three large, engaging floor mats as the foundation for hands-on exploration. Children pair the mats with LEGO Education DUPLO kits—My XL World, STEAM Park, and People—while following an activity guide filled with 25 play-based lessons. Each activity encourages movement, building, and storytelling to help students explore math and science concepts in a fun, meaningful way. 

 

How This Activity Promotes Learning Through Play 

MAP MATS spark creativity by giving kids a playful space to build and explore with LEGO bricks. The coordinate grid introduces math and science in a hands-on way. Activities encourage collaboration, problem-solving, and imagination through guided play.   

Math Activity: Let's Go on a Treasure Hunt

This activity helps students practice counting skills and other basic math concepts.

Students will also learn to:

  • Count out a pathway to the treasure from their starting coordinates.

  • Use terms such as least, greatest, most, and more.

  • Use directional words to describe a route on the MAP MAT.


  1. Set out any MAP MAT for a small group to work on. Remind students that 1 square = 1 step. Practice counting steps for a minute or two.

  2. Mark the location of the “treasure” at (20, Z) with a sticky note marked with an X (or a DUPLO Brick).

  3. Have a student place a DUPLO figure on the starting point according to the table. For example, student 1 places the DUPLO figure at (18, Y).

  4. With the children, count the number of steps and the directions needed to move the DUPLO figure from the starting point to the treasure. For example, how many steps and in what direction is it from (18, Y) to (20, Z)?

Example questions: Who is closest to the treasure? Who is farthest? How many steps did you have to take?

Engineering Activity: Oops! We Are Stuck!

Each child joins a team to solve a design problem through playful, engineering-based thinking. Each MAP MAT presents a unique challenge.

This activity allows students to:

  • Apply creative problem-solving skills to address real-world environmental issues.

  • Test models and iterate designs until they work effectively.

  • Explain how their solution solves the problem.


Divide the class into three groups, one per mat. Within each group, form teams of two or three students. Use the following challenges for each mat:

  1. Playground Mat: After it rains, a mud puddle forms on the playground, preventing play in that area. Can you design a structure to cover the mud puddle so the playground can be used even after rain?

  2. Roadway Mat: Many people want to cross from the south to the north, but heavy traffic makes it unsafe. Can you create a way for people to safely cross the road to reach the pond?

  3. Beach Mat: You’re at the beach with your family, eating lunch on the grass. You want to go into the water, but the sand is too hot to walk on. What can you build to help you reach the water without touching the hot sand?

Ask each team to present their solution to the class. Encourage classmates to provide positive feedback and ask thoughtful questions.

Science Activity: What will we find at the shore?  

Start by reading a book about an environment with a shore or beach. Lead a class discussion to explore the concepts introduced in the story. Using the beach map, encourage students to use DUPLO bricks to build items they might find at the beach.

With this activity, students will:

  • Actively engage in building beach-related structures and creatures, such as buildings, marine animals, docks, and sandcastles.

  • Use their imaginations to collaborate with peers and create adventure stories.

  • Practice using the coordinate system as they build and work together.


  1. Set out the materials and gather the class for a read-aloud session with one of the selected books.

  2. Facilitate a brief discussion: What have you seen at the beach before? Did you know beaches can be found at rivers, lakes, and oceans?

  3. Let students work individually or in small groups to build their beach-themed creations.

  4. Encourage social interaction and imaginative play, referencing the coordinate system as they explore and build.


Playful learning with MAP MATS encourages students to take an active role in their education through movement and creative play. As they build and interact with the mats, children make meaningful connections between real-world experiences and academic concepts. This approach also fosters a positive learning environment where exploration and discovery are part of everyday learning.

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