Reading Time: 3 minutes

Every aspect of our lives is filled with the science of some sort, from our internal biology to our smartphones and cooking pots.

The rise of modern civilisation is intrinsically connected to the development of critical thinking and scientific exploration…Yet strangely enough, most of us don’t believe we are capable of such inventions.

The belief that science is only for the brainy is not only deeply rooted in most adults, but also in young children. Kids form an opinion of science early on in school. If this opinion is negative, it can be hard for them to engage in science as they get older. 

Here we share 8 tips on how to encourage science in your child and why it’s so important. 

Humans are born with the fire to learn and find solutions to problems; either through curiosity or necessity. 

Science teaches us how to think, learn and solve problems in a systematic way. The sooner our children learn to think scientifically, the sooner they learn to think critically and make informed decisions. Problem-solving and critical thinking are essential to making good decisions which can lead our children down a good path and to higher success in life.

Another bonus of learning science at an early age is the development of new vocabulary. Science provides great opportunities for children to explore their world and discover new things, making it well-suited for active younger kids. 

Children are naturally inquisitive and, when allowed to experiment and explore freely, they will show a keen interest to learn science subjects. Practising the scientific method will teach them that everything can, in fact, be understood, but sometimes it needs a different perspective!

Here are 8 tips to bring out your child’s inner scientist:

1. Find science tools around the house such a set of scales, tweezers, a magnifying glass, a spoon and bowls. Allow your child to explore the tools and decide how they want to use them and what objects they want to study. Listen to them describe the shape, size and number of the objects they have chosen and encourage them to compare their texture.
2.  Find safe household items to make your very own potions. Kids love finding out what happens when toothpaste, water and soap are mixed together!
3.  See your kitchen as a laboratory. Ask your child to help you cook and bring creations to life. Play with food dyes and take notes of how colours change when mixed together.
4.  Spend time together watching science shows. Encourage your child to ask questions and try and guess or make fun bets about what will happen as the show unfolds. 
5. Encourage your child to read fun science magazines. Let your child pick the magazine they are interested in and make an exciting adventure of your trip to the store.
6. Together with your child, find 3 inventions you use every day. Search the internet or local library to find out how they were made. By seeing you investigate, the child will learn that information is out there, but as a scientist, they need to figure out how to find it!
7. Provide the right kind of toys. Engage your child with exciting games that encourage thinking. If you have a hard time getting your child off the tablet, simply control what they watch by adjusting the settings and only allowing specific channels.
8. Find the science in your kids’ hobby. Have a look at what your child is already passionate about and together find out how it connects to technology and science.

A great way of sparking a child’s interest in science is by getting personal and delving into the lives of famous scientists. At PrimaryLeap you can find exciting biographies of some of the world’s top scientists, including Albert Einstein and Marie Curie. We’ve also got a list of fun hands-on activities waiting for you to try with your kids. You might discover a scientist is hiding inside you too!

• Biography – Albert Einstein
• Word Search – Albert Einstein
• Reading Comprehension – Marie Curie
• Creative Writing – The Crazy Scientist
• Biography – Alexander Graham Bell
• Reading Comprehension – Alexander Graham Bell
• Cloze Activity – Alexander Graham Bell

Reading Time: 3 minutes The smart, the smarter and…the scientists. Every aspect of our lives is