Raising A Science Lover

Science is everywhere. It’s an intrinsic part of life – from the kitchen to the street, from the bathroom to the museum and sports hall. The amenities we enjoy and the food we eat, the clothing we wear and the ways in which we travel are all as a result of scientific research. Your child may or may not show a natural interest in science, but it is important to give every child the chance to engage with science. 

Our children all have their natural leanings in life. Some love academics, others prefer arts or sports. The natural historian and the sporty child, the artist and the scholar – whatever mould your child fits into, science can play a part in their passion and learning.

Find your child’s science

Think about what your child loves to do in their free time. Whether it’s watching television, building computers, drawing or socialising – then think about which branch of science can fit in with that. Think outside of the box. When we consider the child who loves to watch television we might automatically jump to the science of electronics – when in fact, what might interest your child more is psychology. Learning about how people think might fascinate the child who loves film and television.

The artistic child might like any one of the various branches of science, they may love to learn about colour theory or even about mechanics so that they can make moving art pieces. If you know your child well, you can definitely engage them in science.

Provide learning experiences

Museums can be a wonderful way for children to actively enjoy science, however, in the current circumstances, they’re just not an option. Smaller children might love to set up their own museum at home. Little children love nothing more than showing people around their collections.

Help your child to make a museum at home by assisting them to create ‘display cabinets’ from boxes and clingfilm. The clingfilm acts as the ‘glass’ in the cabinet and they can display their scavenger hunt finds as well as make posters and information leaflets to hand out.

Another fun science activity is sink or float. Fill up a bowl of water and explore the density of different objects around the home. Use a chart to record your findings.

A child who is given plenty of scope to learn will always flourish and because science is an important subject with many professional opportunities, you may be setting your child off on an exciting future career path.

As this senior school in Hertfordshire says, “It is important in the 21st century to be aware of scientific meanings, to evaluate numerical information about our world critically and with confidence, and to feel capable of making informed decisions where scientific or technological knowledge is required.”

You may also like My STEM Day activity book, National Geographic™ Geodes STEM Kit or even create your own volcano.