We all want the very best for our children. We want them to be happy and live the most fulfilling lives possible. For even the best parents, this can create something of a dilemma. While we all want our children to be in control of their own destinies and to embark upon the paths in life that they will find fulfilling, we also want them to pursue the careers that will offer them the best life and we want them to be as well educated as possible.
Even if your child doesn’t show any inclination towards a future career in science, it is still a subject worth learning about. The applications of science to our day to day lives are endless; it is also a subject that encourages students to develop a deeper understanding of the universe that they live in and, perhaps most significantly of all, it will prepare your children with a base upon which to teach their own children about the world in the future. Kids love to ask us questions like “why is the sky blue?”, “why is the Sun yellow?”, “How big is space?”. These are all questions which can be answered with just a little scientific knowledge.
Read on for some simple ways to get your kids interested in science and asking the right questions, without forcing it upon them.
Remember, it Doesn’t Have to be Love or Hate
Many people make the mistake of thinking that an interest in science is a love or hate situation, either someone will be very passionate about science, or they will have no interest whatsoever. In fact, most people lie somewhere in the middle, it’s just that we often don’t think of some scientific subjects as being all that sciencey. The trick to getting kids interested in science is making them realize that they don’t have to be all in, that they can learn about the things that interest them, and leave the rest.
Cooking
The kitchen is one of the best places for children, particularly younger children, to start learning about science. We might not think of cooking as being a particularly scientific process (unless you’re Heston Blumenthal) but, in fact, the act of cooking is a great example of how we can change the state and property of materials by heating them. They can also learn about the anatomy of plants when preparing vegetables, and even about thermodynamics from the fact that their food goes from hot to cold when left out.
Precious Stones
Kids love things that sparkle and shine. Even as adults, we can’t help but be taken in by the beauty of some of the gems and minerals that exist on our planet. Talking to your kids about the geological processes which form these exotic looking structures is a great way of introducing them to the science of geology. Many adults could stand to know more in this area, for example, if you’re wondering “how is snowflake obsidian formed”, then check out this page for more information.
It is never too early to get kids interested in science, or too late for adults to begin learning for themselves. NASA is another fantastic resource for showing your kids the infinite wonder of our universe.