7 Science Tips for Parents
Nurture Their Sense of Wonder and Excitement
Most likely, you already know that your child is naturally curious about the world and everything in it! Join them in asking questions about interesting things and wondering about the answers. "I wonder why worms come out of the ground when it rains? I wonder why puddles disappear when the sun comes out?"
Engage in Active Science Observation and Exploration
You are the best model your child could have for learning to act and think like a scientist. Have you noticed that your child is fascinated by small bugs? The next time you see one, stop and check it out. Encourage your child to look closely at the bug, and notice what it looks like and what it's doing. Ask questions or make comments that invite further exploration like "How could we find out where that bug lives?" or "I wonder if there are any bugs like that in our yard." Also Take advantage of daily opportunities to support your child's observation and exploration around your home and neighborhood. If you have house plants, invite your child to help water them while you talk with him about what plants need as well as different leaf textures and shapes. When you're at the supermarket, stop at the produce section. Look for all the leafy vegetables. Find the ones that grow underground like carrots and potatoes. Look at apples and talk with him about all the different kinds.
Give Them Simple Tools to Support Science Exploration
Some basic household items can enrich your child's science experiences by helping them explore and observe more closely. Give her some old spoons for digging or a shoe box for collecting rocks or other items they find on a walk. Buy an inexpensive plastic magnifier, so they can look more closely at what she collects.
Talk About Science Observations, Explorations, and Ideas
The conversations you have with your child are critical in helping him make connections, see patterns, and generate ideas. Asking questions that begin with "Did you notice . . . ?" "How is that the same/different from . . . ?" and "What do you think would happen if . . . ?" will encourage them to think like a scientist. Encourage them to share his observations, explorations, and ideas with friends and other family members too. Visual representations can also help your child talk about and share their science experiences. Have your child show you what they are observing by acting it out or drawing it. Have them move their body to demonstrate how a bird walks and flies or they could make a picture of a bird that visits your backyard bird feeder. Some children enjoy creating a small notebook to record their explorations. You or your child can also take photos of the things they is doing and noticing and add them to the notebook, which she can title "My Bird Book."
Take Advantage of Family Experiences to Support Your Child's Science Learning
The relationships and experiences you share as a family provide unique opportunities for helping your child notice how living things grow and change over time. As pets like puppies and kittens grow into adult cats and dogs, and little sisters and brothers grow into toddlers, draw your child's attention to changes in their appearance and the new skills they are learning. Share baby pictures with your child and talk with him about how they is growing and changing too! The interests and interactions that family members share can enrich your child's science explorations. Encourage everyone in the family to take part. Older brothers and sisters may enjoy helping your child identify the leaves they collect or sharing books about trees; an aunt or uncle may invite them to help seed a vegetable garden; and grandparents may have stories to tell about their own experiences collecting and using plants.
Go on Science Adventures.
Simple or more planned family events can provide opportunities to observe and explore the natural world. Take a walk through a local park or arboretum and help your child make a small collection of fallen leaves, nuts, or fruit to look at, touch, and describe. You can also head out for a more exotic adventure like taking a rowboat ride at a local pond, feeding ducks, going to a science museum or aquarium, or going out at night to look up at the stars.
Have Fun!
Remember to keep the fun in science. Encourage your child to use words, create rhymes, and sing songs about what she is doing, noticing, and learning in science.
Most likely, you already know that your child is naturally curious about the world and everything in it! Join them in asking questions about interesting things and wondering about the answers. "I wonder why worms come out of the ground when it rains? I wonder why puddles disappear when the sun comes out?"
Engage in Active Science Observation and Exploration
You are the best model your child could have for learning to act and think like a scientist. Have you noticed that your child is fascinated by small bugs? The next time you see one, stop and check it out. Encourage your child to look closely at the bug, and notice what it looks like and what it's doing. Ask questions or make comments that invite further exploration like "How could we find out where that bug lives?" or "I wonder if there are any bugs like that in our yard." Also Take advantage of daily opportunities to support your child's observation and exploration around your home and neighborhood. If you have house plants, invite your child to help water them while you talk with him about what plants need as well as different leaf textures and shapes. When you're at the supermarket, stop at the produce section. Look for all the leafy vegetables. Find the ones that grow underground like carrots and potatoes. Look at apples and talk with him about all the different kinds.
Give Them Simple Tools to Support Science Exploration
Some basic household items can enrich your child's science experiences by helping them explore and observe more closely. Give her some old spoons for digging or a shoe box for collecting rocks or other items they find on a walk. Buy an inexpensive plastic magnifier, so they can look more closely at what she collects.
Talk About Science Observations, Explorations, and Ideas
The conversations you have with your child are critical in helping him make connections, see patterns, and generate ideas. Asking questions that begin with "Did you notice . . . ?" "How is that the same/different from . . . ?" and "What do you think would happen if . . . ?" will encourage them to think like a scientist. Encourage them to share his observations, explorations, and ideas with friends and other family members too. Visual representations can also help your child talk about and share their science experiences. Have your child show you what they are observing by acting it out or drawing it. Have them move their body to demonstrate how a bird walks and flies or they could make a picture of a bird that visits your backyard bird feeder. Some children enjoy creating a small notebook to record their explorations. You or your child can also take photos of the things they is doing and noticing and add them to the notebook, which she can title "My Bird Book."
Take Advantage of Family Experiences to Support Your Child's Science Learning
The relationships and experiences you share as a family provide unique opportunities for helping your child notice how living things grow and change over time. As pets like puppies and kittens grow into adult cats and dogs, and little sisters and brothers grow into toddlers, draw your child's attention to changes in their appearance and the new skills they are learning. Share baby pictures with your child and talk with him about how they is growing and changing too! The interests and interactions that family members share can enrich your child's science explorations. Encourage everyone in the family to take part. Older brothers and sisters may enjoy helping your child identify the leaves they collect or sharing books about trees; an aunt or uncle may invite them to help seed a vegetable garden; and grandparents may have stories to tell about their own experiences collecting and using plants.
Go on Science Adventures.
Simple or more planned family events can provide opportunities to observe and explore the natural world. Take a walk through a local park or arboretum and help your child make a small collection of fallen leaves, nuts, or fruit to look at, touch, and describe. You can also head out for a more exotic adventure like taking a rowboat ride at a local pond, feeding ducks, going to a science museum or aquarium, or going out at night to look up at the stars.
Have Fun!
Remember to keep the fun in science. Encourage your child to use words, create rhymes, and sing songs about what she is doing, noticing, and learning in science.
