Science can really be a wonderful gift to awaken children’s minds. We may think that science is simply a subject to be learned at school. But what we forget is that science isn’t limited only to school!
Looking around us, we all are in some way or the other using science in our daily lives. For instance, how our body functions is a part of biology; the pollutants in the air causing pollution is a topic discussed with the help of chemistry.
All in all, science plays an important role in our lives. So why not use science to awaken the minds of kids?
Children by their very nature are curious. They always wonder about everything. The moon and the stars in the sky arouse their curious questions.
Most children show a keen interest in acquiring scientific knowledge early on in life. If we, as parents and guides, teach them properly and answer their questions in a scientific manner, they will eventually learn to be inquisitive and excited about everything they see.
Experiments and building models are just some of the examples which take science out of the books. Science need not be limited to the classroom, but rather at home science activities can go a long way in keeping a child interested in the world around them.
Following are some ways in which science can be used to awaken the minds of children:
1. Science Begins At Home
Like every other good thing that needs to begin at home, including science into your kid’s lives must begin at home itself.
According to The National Science Foundation, parents are their kid’s first science teachers. Science for kids can be taught inside your very home and out in your backyard. All you need to do is to make them aware of it and fill their minds with wonder and curiosity.
2. Science Is All About Observing, Exploring, And Testing
Train your children to go for walks and to observe. Observing is one of the key practices to notice and take in all that nature has to offer you. Take along a magnifying glass and stop to pick up some interesting natural objects along the way such as flowers, a few blades of grass, rocks or stones, and even insects.
Ask your child to look at them with the magnifying glass. You could also help them look up any creature or object on the internet or in a book when you return home and gather more information. Or you could set up a telescope or a pair of binoculars and as you lay out in the night, observe the starry skies. Viewing the sky is an easy way to introduce the study of astronomy.
3. Cooking Is Not Only An Art But Also Science!
Let your child help you cook. There are many processes that happen in the kitchen as you cook.
For instance, boiling water, melting butter, caramelization, baking etc. are some processes that could get your child interested in cooking.
4. Get Sporty
Sports and hobbies are two other ways in which you could include science into your kid’s lives. If your child is interested in cycling, skateboarding, or rollerblading, explore how the wheels on their vehicle turn. This will make them think and provide you an opportunity to explain it scientifically.
If it’s baseball, talk about pitching and speed. If it’s football, find out why the ball is shaped that way. Dancers can learn about why stretching is important before dancing and about their body condition. Swimming is another activity that will make your children wonder about how a body floats in water, about gravity etc. Thus, they’ll start learning the laws of physics.
5. Build up something
Science and creativity go hand in hand. Spend time with your kid’s building or constructing something – be it playdough or building blocks or even building a periscope or constructing a model of the solar system.
Always be prepared to answer your kid’s curious questions with patience, truth, and wisdom.
6. Making learning fun!
Learning need not be stressful. Rather make their learning more playful and fun.
You could use experimental toys such as physics gifts, biology gifts, chemistry gifts etc. which would help them not only in learning practically but also to broaden their mindsets. This will help their imagination to grow.
7. Ample Sleep
Do allow your children to get ample sleep every day in order to keep their minds sharp. Sleep deprivation often causes a dull mind and eventually slow performance.
So make sure your children go to bed early enough so that they can wake up on their own in the morning feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. A healthy mind depends on proper sleep and a nutrition-packed diet. A child needs around 10-12 hours of sound sleep at night.
Conclusion
Make use of all sorts of materials to nurture your child’s imagination. The more they experiment, the more they will grow and the more active and healthy their minds will be.
