Creative Ways To Inspire a Love of Science in Children
For some children, science is the subject they struggle with the most, and they can even begin to dislike it over their years of schooling. Your child doesn’t need to want to work in a STEM field, but if they grow to love science rather than resenting it, their education will have a greater effect on them. Sometimes, the best ways to get children to love learning results from fun activities you can do around the house. These activities and creations are some of the most creative ways to inspire a love of science in children.
Always Answer the “Why” Questions
Kids always want to know the answers to questions that pop up while exploring the world—are you responding to them? Whenever your child asks why something is the way it is, take the time to explain (in basic terms) and help them come to their own answers. Ask questions that help your children understand the basics of the concept, and encourage them to connect the dots. If they still don’t understand, do your best to teach them. If they ask something that you don’t know the answer to, research the topic together, just like a scientist would.
Start an At-Home Science Project
Science is all around us, and it’s important for your children to see how the world works through the things they learn in science class. Start a long-term science project with your children that directly display how science affects them. These science projects can relate to any branch of science you want, but here are two brilliant ideas that inspire learning:
Create a Garden
Gardens do more than just teach children about plant nutrition and care; they also provide your family with healthy fruits and vegetables. When you start a family garden, you can teach your children about photosynthesis and how plants derive their nutrients from sunlight and soil, as well as the different stages of plant growth. Have them choose the seeds to plant, and if they pick something that won’t grow in your environment, you’ll have the opportunity to explain why some plants can only grow in specific environments and soil conditions.
Because the time to grow in Michigan is so short and you may have limited gardening space, consider creating your home’s very own vertical hydroponic garden. Hydroponics add another heaping serving of science on top of learning how to garden, so they may be better for older children.
Chart the Stars
The stars may not be stationary, but your home is. If you live in an area where you can see the stars, inspire interest in astronomy and places beyond Earth by helping your children plot where the stars are each night or each week.
If your child has difficulty grasping the concepts of one field of science, be patient! There are many different scientific fields that may pique their interest in the future and many creative ways to inspire a love of science in children. They may even come up with their own—all you need to do is give them support.
