How to Raise a Science Lover

Hi Everyone!

Science is such a diverse subject. I used to love learning science when I was a child. It can develop a child’s curiosity, build their knowledge and give them a better understanding of how the world works. Science can also help children to develop certain skills, such as problem-solving, communication and investigation.

If you would like to help your child develop a love for science, outside of the classroom, here is some great advice from an Independent day school in Harpenden…

Encourage Questions

There are many ways to teach your child about science at home. The best way to start is by exploring their ideas and interests. Turn your child’s curiosity into a science lesson. For example, if they ask questions about night and day, you could demonstrate the various positions of the sun and moon using a globe. If they ask how rainbows are made, you can demonstrate refraction by shining a light through a glass of water.

Play with water

Water play is an ideal way to teach younger children about science. You can experiment with different materials and see which ones sink and which ones float. You can also experiment with different materials to see what happens when they are added to water. Teach your child about solids, liquids and gases by simply freezing and boiling water.

Set up experiments

Children are naturally curious and love to ask questions and see how things work. Help to stimulate your child’s curiosity by setting up some safe science experiments at home. Don’t worry, you do not require any fancy laboratory equipment to learn science at home; you can set up a fun experiment in minutes, using simple items you have in your kitchen cupboards! For example the Mentos and Coca Cola experiment. The mentos react with a drink and cause a small volcanic like eruption. (Stay well back and stay safe if you try this one)

Explore Nature

You don’t need to stay at home to explore science; you can take your learning outdoors and use nature as your teacher. Even bad weather is a good opportunity for your child to learn about where rain comes from and what causes thunder and lightning. Discuss different seasons, plants and the importance of the sun. Think about the trees and how they produce oxygen for us all to breathe.