Do
Science in Your Home
Parents
can teach best by asking open-ended questions and taking time to encourage
answers.
Observing:
Invite young eyes and fingers to notice small details.
-
“What
shapes do you see in that spider web?”
-
“Does
the crust on this bread feel different from the crust on that one?”
Classifying:
Put things in groups based on their characteristics.
-
“Let’s
sort the socks by color.”
-
“Can
you think of a way to divide your toys according to a pattern?”
Predicting:
Put ideas about how the world works into words and test them.
-
“How
long will an ice cube last sitting on the counter?”
-
“Will
it last longer on another surface?”
Quantifying:
Encourage children to quantify the world around them.
-
“Who
is the shortest person in the family? By how much?”
-
“How
many steps big is your room? The living room?”
The
skills of science can and should be practiced everywhere. But it’s clear from
research that children’s minds grow best when the environment is rich and
varied. Use open-ended dialogue with your children as you explore the
neighborhood, the grocery store, the park, or the local fire station. Field
trips need not be long, expensive, or elaborate to help young minds turn to
science.
Science
is all around us!