School Holiday, Children Learn English and STEAM Through Fun Hands-on Experiments at UNU Jogja

Yogyakarta, Indonesia – School holidays offer a prime opportunity for children to explore unique and engaging learning experiences. Capitalizing on this momentum, dozens of elementary school students enthusiastically participated in the English & STEAM Program 2026. Organized by the Center for Language Training and Service (CELTIS) at Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Yogyakarta (UNU Jogja), the event ran from July 7–10, 2026. This innovative program creatively integrates English learning with STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) through a variety of hands-on project experiments. 

The Head of CELTIS UNU Jogja, Dr. Hariyanto Subiyantoro, M.Pd., said that the school holiday is an ideal time to provide children with meaningful learning experiences. According to him, learning does not always have to take place inside a classroom but can be delivered through enjoyable activities closely connected to everyday life.

"Through the English & STEAM Program, we want to show that learning English can take place while experimenting, cooking, discussing ideas, and presenting projects. Children not only gain knowledge but also develop critical thinking, teamwork, and the confidence to express their ideas," Hariyanto said.

In addition to serving as a learning platform for children, the English & STEAM Program 2026 also provided practical teaching experience for students from UNU Jogja's Faculty of Education, particularly those from the Elementary Teacher Education (PGSD) and English Language Education programs.

Throughout the program, university students served as facilitators, assisting participants in every learning session—from English games and science experiments to the completion of STEAM projects. Their involvement allowed them to strengthen their teaching, communication, and classroom management skills through direct experience.

Over the course of four days, participants explored different learning themes each day. Every activity was designed to integrate English practice with STEAM-based projects, creating an engaging and interactive learning environment.

Day 1: Exploring Food Nutrition Through Hands-On Science 

The excitement kicked off on the first day with interactive fun English games designed to break the ice and build the children's confidence. Moving into the core session, participants explored food science through educational, simple experiments. Lower-grade students (grades 1–3) eagerly joined the Magic Protein project, while upper-grade students (grades 4–6) were challenged with carbohydrate testing and analyzing food nutrients digitally using the FatSecret application. Through this hands-on learning approach, children not only understood the importance of healthy eating habits but also naturally expanded their English vocabulary from an early age. 

Day 2: Learning Procedure Text by Baking Waffles

The second day focused on interactive and experiential learning as participants took on the role of little chefs to bake delicious waffles. This cooking activity was strategically integrated with an English lesson on procedure texts. By adopting an experiential learning approach, the children learned to follow sequential instructions, measure ingredients using basic math and science, and practice new culinary vocabulary in real time. This interactive method proved highly effective in helping students master step-by-step English instructions in a fun environment. 

Day 3: Food Innovation with Spinach Noodles 

Healthy food innovation took center stage on the third day, where students learned to make nutritious noodles from fresh spinach. This educational project opened the children's eyes to how green vegetables can be transformed into appealing, nutrient-dense dishes. Beyond exploring food science, the process served as an excellent character-building exercise, honing the students' teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving skills as they collaborated to achieve the perfect noodle texture. 

Day 4: Presentation Day and Building Public Speaking Confidence

The English & STEAM Program 2026 culminated in its grand finale: Presentation Day. Each group confidently showcased their creative projects and science experiments before facilitators and proud parents. Designed as an effective evaluation tool, this session not only boosted the participants' public speaking and foreign language skills but also transparently displayed their character growth and learning journey.

To wrap up the program comprehensively, parents were invited to an exclusive health seminar titled "Maintaining Oral and Dental Health for Alpha Generation Children," featuring prominent dentist drg. Rasdiani Pramitasari as the keynote speaker. This parental education session perfectly complemented the program's core themes by linking nutrition, healthy eating, and dental hygiene for children in the modern era.

Parents also expressed their appreciation for the program. One of them, Sumarti, said she was pleased with her child's participation in the English & STEAM Program at UNU Jogja. She noted that the program offered a unique learning experience, enabling children not only to study English but also to apply it through practical activities.

"During previous school holidays, my child mostly stayed at home playing. After joining this program, they became excited to talk about the experiments they conducted and even started using new English vocabulary at home. I have also noticed a significant improvement in their confidence," she said.

Academic Synergy and Real-World Student Experience

Deep appreciation for this collaboration was also voiced by the Dean of the Faculty of Education (FIP) UNU Yogyakarta, Dr. Mustaghfiroh Rahayu. She highlighted that the synergy between CELTIS and FIP—specifically the PGSD and PBI study programs—created a remarkable win-win solution for both the elementary schoolers and the university students as future educators.

"We at the Faculty of Education highly welcome this collaboration. For our PGSD and PBI students, this agenda serves as a living laboratory to practice pedagogy, classroom management, and innovative, interactive teaching methods before they officially enter the workforce. Guiding children through STEAM concepts directly in English is an invaluable asset to shape future-ready educators who are adaptive, creative, and globally minded," Mustaghfiroh Rahayu concluded.

Through the successful execution of the English & STEAM Program 2026, CELTIS and FIP UNU Jogja aim to consistently deliver joyful learning experiences while equipping the next generation with English proficiency, creativity, and essential 21st-century skills through a sustainable STEAM framework. [Latifah]