Kids today seem to spend most their free time connected – whether it’s to an iPhone, tablet, or a game console. While you may be doing your part as a parent and investing in educational games, kids still need to break away from the digital sphere and a chance to get their hands dirty. DIY science experiments for kids are fun, informative, and leave not just an awesome new project for them to show off, but also memories that will last much longer. Luckily there are plenty of ways to get your child more involved. Check out these tips for teaching your kid science at home and keeping it fun.
Teach Kids about the World through Science
Every parent fully understands the bottomless well of questions that is a child’s mind. Instead of using words, you can actually teach them to embrace their curiosity and put it to good use with fun and easy experiments that teach them about the world we live in. If your child wonders where static electricity comes from, grab a comb, some cereal and a balloon. This project by sciencemadesimple.com will walk you through the steps of teaching your child all about electrons and atoms. It’s easy and can be done in under an hour, so if you’re looking for a fun afternoon project that won’t cost much or make a big mess, this is perfect.
Find Inspiration Everywhere
You don’t need a set project in mind in order to talk about science. There are opportunities all around you at any given moment. Even just playing with the family dog gives you the chance to start a fun research project about why dogs pant and drool. If kids get a scrape, use the opportunity to teach about blood cells and the role they play in our body’s functions Find things that your child already loves and turn them into science-related questions and experiments.
Don’t Be Afraid to Use Books
It sounds silly, but reading books to learn new information has nearly become outdated thanks to the wealth of YouTube videos and Wikipedia articles at our fingertips. But there are many great books written specifically for kids that teach them about real science concepts through a story. This entertaining and interactive learning style means they’re more likely to remember information later on, since the facts usually play a key role in the story. Check out The Magic School Bus series or the Time’s “Big Book of Why”.
Work Together
As your child grows older and develops more specific interests, work together to come up with topics you can explore together. Browse the web for projects and organize a list. Find museums, science centers, aquariums, and zoos nearby and make plans to visit them together. Before the day of the trip arrives, pick an animal or topic that you’ll be particularly interested in investigating while you’re there. Try new technologies as well. Buckeye Educational Systems 3D printing labs can be a fun toy that sparks new interest in technological advancements. Don’t force your child to simply memorize information, present them with opportunities they’re excited about and help them learn in the ways that are most effective and fun for them.
Kids are naturally curious and these ideas can put their questions and curiosity to good use through scientific exploration.
