Science is a topic that children either love or hate. Some dislike it purely because they struggle to understand it whereas others just don’t find it of interest at all. All children are born with the attributes of a scientist. It is in their nature to learn and discover with curiosity creating a thirst for answers. However, when children reach the age of 7, they develop a positive or negative attitude towards science which is difficult to reverse and can affect their academic development. As a parent, the best thing to do to keep your child a science lover is to encourage them to take part in tasks and activities that develop their science skills. Here are some techniques you can use to get started.

Allow them room to explore. Great scientists are created through curiosity and being able to discover. Allowing your child to get messy with different materials or mixing water with things found in the garden is more beneficial than it looks. Yes, they may create a mess but it is something you should allow your child to feel free to explore. Give them an area to go crazy and allow them to discover to their heart’s content. You may find you want to join them!

Introduce them to science camps. Science camps bring hundreds of young scientists together to explore and learn in a fun way. These camps can influence your child to work harder and dig deeper when it comes to them and their interests. Science is fun when it’s not done as a lesson in school so this could be the perfect way to grow your child’s love for it. 

Keep them up to date with documentaries on recent scientific breakthroughs and what it means for the future of the world. Build on their interest by showing them what organisations like NASA  are working on and what they’re trying to achieve. This will have their interests reaching as far as space. 

It cannot be stressed enough how important learning science is. It is a method for discovering how everything in the world works. A love for this stems from curiosity which is found in young children. Don’t force it on them. Introduce exciting ideas and concepts and watch them create their path. 

Marcelino Tromp