How To Make Science Easy For Kids
Kids of 8 years and above can think abstractly, their creativity is starting to show, and they are more curious about the world around them than ever before. The phase when they were only thinking concretely and literally about almost every topic is now behind them.
At this new age, they are now able to relate with one another productively and with more purpose, and they are enjoying working in groups.
These wide eyed kids are beginning to understand their bodies and are curious to know why they look the way they do. They are now more joyful, enthusiastic, and positive towards life and education. There are basic things you can teach to make science programs more geared to engage kids so that they learn more easily.
Science Education for Kids
What all these changes mean is that this is the best time to start teaching them science. And because science can be complicated for kids, you should work towards creating a positive learning experience for your young learners.
The most effective way to teach others is by first taking an interest in the topic yourself. You don’t have to be an expert to ignite interest for any subject in others, especially kids who are naturally curious. There are a lot of exciting tech trends in education that can make learning fun for anyone of any age. Whether you are a teacher or a parent wanting to help with the children’s science homework, reading through you child’s school work will help you feel more qualified in making science look entertaining for kids.
Here are important steps to making science easy for kids:
Build a scientific attitude in kids
Most kids will have a positive attitude towards science, so your job will be to enhance that attitude and to leverage their curiosity in developing a sound scientific discipline in every child. Use their objectivity to drive scientific explanations home. You can explain how the equipment inside your house works, it could be telling them how your kitchen cabinets were assembled and how the pieces came together.
Be willing to be objective in your judgment and be gentle when correcting and redirecting your kids in their thinking as they learn. Some kids could be skeptical about some science methods or tools, so focus on helping them test their thoughts by explaining that science is all about testing our own theories and assumptions. As with every area of life, kids will fail. Help them develop a positive approach toward failure. When we succeed it often comes from trial and error. This is just like scientific study.
Many scientists have worked along, but they have drawn on the expertise of others who have gone before them. Likewise, help them get the most out of their group activities. You will also help the kids to develop a positive attitude toward science by agreeing to be their role models. Readily share your enthusiasm for science as a discipline. As you teach them about environmental conservation, let them see you conserving the environment and putting your lessons to practice.
Replace concrete concepts with abstract concepts
As we mentioned earlier, the kids start to think logically and abstractly at the age of 8. They can, for example, understand basic scientific steps such as handling chemicals in an experiment. They can handle multiple variables at once, either as a group or individually. So, instead of giving them concrete data, you should let them source and analyze the data for themselves. Allow them to handle more hands-on experiments and discover the “why” behind every concept they learned in school or that they have observed at home.
Leverage field trips
Make science fun for kids by taking them to planetariums, science museums and aquariums near you. When you take your car in for serving take the kids to see the garage. Science is all around us in many different forms. There is always something new to learn in almost every imaginable field. Let the kids learn how their favorite juice is made, or why car motors produce smoke. Take them to the woods and let them identify different species of insects, birds, and insects.
Have them dig up root systems and help them to label different parts. Encourage them to find out how plants “eat” and how different animals choose their food. Take them to agricultural shows or and farmers markets and encourage them to ask questions. In school, consider starting a community garden for your classroom or create a space for growing tents so kids can learn about plants throughout the year. Parents can ask their kids to help them plant the garden. Whatever your child is studying, you could also visit coworking spaces together with your children and help them finish their science assignments. It’s always a good idea to get out of the house and try a new study place.
Translate jargon into easy to understand terms
Heavy scientific jargon may cause your students to tune out and dislike science. Ignoring the jargon completely however, limits their growth in the future. Create a balance in your language regarding how you speak about scientific ideas. Kids need to know the meaning behind the words used to explain science while being able to put concepts into their own words. Aim at creating a strong scientific foundation without jeopardizing kids’ ability to progress in grasping the material. Encourage them to think, reason, and scientifically draw conclusions, even when they can’t remember the jargon. They will learn to communicate effectively using the jargon as they advance scientifically.
Conclusion
The key to learning science is to make it fun as kids explore their world. This will encourage more curiosity about how things work and help them better understand and appreciate it all. Your children or students need to be involved in hands-on learning activities if they are to love science going into the future. They may not like every facet of scientific study. This is why exposing them to many different areas will hopefully help kids discover their true passions.
Here are some PDF downloads provided by Norton, who has created the following digital citizen resources for students.
