The science experiences for many primary school children are limited by the abilities of teaching staff in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This research demonstrates with a practical activity how young children can engage with STEM ideas and how to bring a creative element into a classroom project.

The authors utilized smart materials and basic computer programming to assist children with creating a simple puppet play with origami models. In the first stage, the children created a story and origami models. This was followed by breaking down the story narrative so each section could be interpreted through computer code. In the final stage, children assembled the models and associated computer program into a working puppet play. This is an innovative approach to combine STEM with a puppet play, and highlights how simple techniques can be employed to move objects and play sounds to fit a narrative script.

Whilst the conclusions indicate a positive experience from all the children, I believe it would be difficult for most teachers to replicate this classroom activity. This paper has demonstrated what is possible and should inspire teachers to experiment with similar ideas. I would recommend all primary school teachers read this research and examine how they might include STEM in their classrooms.