Preschool children develop scientific inquiry skills through STEM based investigations

Curiosity-driven exploration plays a fundamental role in young children’s early encounters with science and supports the development of scientific inquiry skills in early childhood education. In recent years, constructivist and child-centered approaches have increasingly emphasized the importance of engaging children in active investigation processes. Within this perspective, project-based learning offers meaningful opportunities for children to explore real-life phenomena, ask questions, and construct knowledge through hands-on experiences. The present study aimed to examine how a project-based STEM learning process can support preschool children’s scientific inquiry skills through an investigation of ants as a natural phenomenon that emerged from children’s curiosity. The study was designed as a qualitative case study. The participants consisted of 21 preschool children aged 60–72 months attending a kindergarten in the city center of Uşak, Türkiye. Data were collected during the 2020–2021 academic year through structured observations, interviews conducted before and after the project implementation, and document analysis, including observation notes and visual materials documenting children’s activities. The project was implemented following the three phases of the project approach: initiation, fieldwork, and finalization. The findings indicate that the project-based STEM process encouraged children to ask questions, make observations, develop explanations, and engage in collaborative inquiry while exploring ants. The results also suggest that integrating natural phenomena into project-based STEM activities can effectively support preschool children’s curiosity, critical thinking, and early scientific inquiry skills. These findings highlight the importance of inquiry-oriented and project-based learning environments in early childhood science education and provide practical implications for educators seeking to foster young children’s engagement with scientific exploration.