Building Future Innovators: How Our Partnership with Schule Oberrieden Brings STEM to Every Child.

At Little Scientists, our mission has always been clear: to spark a lifelong passion for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in young minds. We believe the best way to do this is through hands-on, playful learning that feels more like discovery than work. The true measure of our impact, however, is best seen in the classrooms we support.

We are incredibly proud of our ongoing collaboration with Schule Oberrieden and were thrilled to read the Gemeinde’s recent article highlighting our joint work. It perfectly captures the spirit and success of our shared goals. (You can find the article here: https://oberrieden.ch/oberriedner-brief).Wir sind sehr stolz auf unsere kontinuierliche Zusammenarbeit mit der Schule Oberrieden und haben uns sehr über den kürzlich erschienenen Artikel der Gemeinde gefreut, in dem unsere gemeinsame Arbeit vorgestellt wurde. Er fängt den Geist und den Erfolg unserer gemeinsamen Ziele perfekt ein. (Den Artikel finden Sie hier: https://oberrieden.ch/oberriedner-brief).

From Optional Workshops to Inclusive Classroom Integration

Our activities began by offering holiday and after-school courses. While successful, we quickly realized this model primarily reached children whose families were already actively seeking such opportunities. To truly democratize access and inspire all students—regardless of background or gender—we knew we needed to bring STEM to them where they are: in their everyday classrooms.

This vision led to the launch of our MINT KidZ Scule Program as a pilot project in 2024, generously supported by Google, Roche, and Dow. The program, designed for direct integration into schools, found the perfect launch partner in the Oberrieden Primary School. The support and foresight of Nicolas Dudler, primary school principal, and ICT coordinator Philipp Känzig were invaluable from the very beginning.

They created the ideal environment to test, try out, and refine all of our new activities, transforming their school into a living laboratory for joyful STEM education.

This outstanding partnership with Oberrieden Primary School will continue until 2026 with new initiatives for its students. In addition, the curricula and projects we have developed together will be uploaded to our open-source platform, making them available to teachers throughout Switzerland and around the world to use and adapt.

The power of play: Lego robotics as an introduction to programming

Our initial work in Oberrieden focused on LEGO robotics and programming. Our goal was to bring science into the classroom through exciting, entertaining, and educational projects. LEGO provided the perfect platform to achieve these goals. This fundamental success inspired us to dynamically expand our partnership and introduce new technologies to broaden the students’ horizons:

Micro:bit programming: Students are now using these versatile microcontrollers in “making” projects and learning how to use sensors and control motors to create even more personalized creations. Teachers have participated in our special training courses, and the first students are already working with this technology in their enrichment courses (Gifted Education+).

Upcoming chemistry projects: The journey of discovery continues! We look forward to launching hands-on chemistry research projects involving several kindergarten and elementary school classes to introduce our youngest scientists to the wonders of experimental science.

Empowering teachers, inspiring students

The ultimate goals of our model are to democratize STEM education, increase the number of girls involved in technology, and provide opportunities for children from all economic and social backgrounds. The MINT KidZ Schule program aims to achieve this by providing teachers with free, high-quality STEM resources that can be seamlessly integrated into their curriculum. As mentioned in the article, “with the support of Little Scientists, incorporating technology into the classroom is made easy and attractive for teachers.”

Our open-source platform already includes four comprehensive courses: Python, ScratchJr, STEM education, and Micro:bit. Two additional courses will be uploaded next year after being thoroughly tested and refined with students at Oberrieden School.

When teachers feel confident and are equipped with the right tools and curricula, magic happens seamlessly in the classroom. And the result is exactly what we hope for: “…and the children have fun doing it!”

We would like to express our sincere thanks to the teachers and school management at Oberrieden School for their trust and partnership. Together, we not only teach skills, but also nurture the curious, confident, and capable innovators of tomorrow.

Watch the full interview (in German) with Philipp Känzig from Oberrieden School here: https://youtu.be/c_MCAzxFxX4?si=WQEREz-9MWbhTZKB

Are you a school or teacher interested in incorporating this high quality, inclusive STEM learning into your classroom? Visit our website: https://littlescientists.ch/vle/