A child’s passions are usually influenced by their parents’ own passions. If you share your interest in science with your child, then there is a strong chance that it will become their favorite subject. It’s important to make science entertaining, however, otherwise, they could grow up to resent it.
Science is a subject that your children will inevitably study at school. By encouraging them towards science-related activities and teaching them about it from a young age, you set them up for success academically and potentially professionally.
This article will tell you a few easy ways to get your children interested in science:
Get Outdoors and Explore
There’s a lot that you can teach your child about science outdoors. Children are natural explorers. Taking them out into the woods to explore will not only help them to learn about science but will also help them to develop an appreciation for fitness and exercise.
Woodland covers up to a third of all land on earth. There is a huge variety of animals that live in woods and forests around the world, including rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, foxes, deer, bears, wolves, and lots of birds. There are also bugs, like beetles, ants, spiders, and woodlice.
Woodland is a great introduction to science. You’re never short of something to do in the woods.
Petting Zoos
Animals are another great introduction to science. Allowing your child to interact with animals in a safe and controlled environment is a great way to instill a love of zoology in them.
Introducing a dog or a cat to your home is a good start. You should consider also taking your children to a petting zoo as well. Petting zoos allow them to encounter animals that they otherwise wouldn’t be able to.
Most modern petting zoos have reptile and insect exhibits, as well as traditional farmyard animals like cows, goats, sheep, and pigs.
When you introduce your child to animals, teach them about each animal’s individual biology. Also be sure to teach them about the classifications of animals, breeds, species, and types.
Encourage Your Child to Ask Questions
Encouraging your child to question things will ultimately benefit them if they ever do become a scientist. A scientist’s job is to question and poke.
Some experts recommend encouraging your children to ask ‘what’ questions instead of ‘why’ questions. An example of a ‘why’ question might be: Why is a sheep white? A ‘what’ question might be: What makes a sheep white?
‘What’ questions are more constructive, open-ended, and less likely to receive a ‘right or wrong’ or ‘yes or no’ answer.
Giving Them Gifts
Gifts are a great way to teach your child about science and cultivate a love for science. When you do give gifts to your children, however, they have to be engaging, interesting, and something that they personally will like. If your child loves astronomy, then you might want to consider unique space gifts or planetary models and charts. If your child loves bugs and biology, then you could give them an ant farm.
Tailor your child’s gifts to their personal scientific interests.
Experiments
There are some scientific experiments that your child cannot safely do on their own. If your child is interested in physics and wants to perform experiments, then supervise them and encourage them. There are so many different fun experiments that you can do at home. The first experiment that comes to mind is the old Mentos in a Coke bottle reaction.
Experiments can be really fun, and as long as you are there to supervise, then nothing can go wrong. Your child will also perform experiments at school during their physics classes.
Visit Museums
Science museums are a great place to take your child (when they are old enough to appreciate them.) Major science museums showcase significant scientific achievements, artifacts, and relics.
One of the most popular science museums in the world is in London. You could also take your child to a natural history museum if they are interested in biology. The Natural History Museum in London is, likewise, one of the most popular and extensive in the world.
Lead by Example
If you want your child to love science, while you don’t necessarily have to love it yourself, you should never talk it down or badmouth it. If your child watches you disparaging science and saying that it’s boring, they might avoid it. Our children are influenced by our behavior and our actions. If you want your child to love science, then lead by example and don’t ever give them a reason to dislike it.
However, you should make sure that you do not force science on your child. If you force your child to like science, they may just end up disliking it.
Television
It’s inevitable that your child will end up watching television. Television is just an accepted part of people’s lives now. You should make sure that the television that your child watches is science-based, however.
National Geographic plays very engaging and interesting documentaries on a daily basis. There are also channels that cater more to the physics side of science if you have access to cable.
Science Websites
When your child uses the internet, make sure to introduce them to science-based websites. Science websites for children offer science-based games. These games can be very entertaining and very engaging. Be sure not to let your child spend all of their time on the internet, however.
Science Clubs
Getting your child involved in extracurricular science clubs is a great way to help them meet other children who are interested in science. Most schools have extracurricular science clubs. If they don’t, then you can potentially suggest one to the parents of the children in your child’s science class.
If your child does not want to go to a club, however, then you shouldn’t force them to. You might also want to consider paying a tutor to come into your home and teach your child after school on weekdays. You could also consider weekend classes.
Science is a hobby that can give way to a lifelong career. Scientists are in high demand and earn a lot of money. If you want your child to become a scientist, then the tips listed here should help.