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Creative Ways To Get Your Child Interested In Science

admin — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 17:02:52 +0000

Not all kids like all subjects, but it seems that science is the hardest for ordinary kids to get interested in. This could be because that a lot of parents themselves are not interested in science and kids seem to pick up on that. Teachers try everything that they can think of to make their subjects interesting and most of the time it works. Teachers who have passion for their subject are a lot more effective in getting kids interested in a subject than teachers who just sit and lecture a student.

As a parent you might be wondering how you can get your child interested in science. The first step is to become active and interested in what your child is doing. This is probably the most important thing you can do to get your child interested in anything. By showing your child that you are interested in what they are doing makes you child feel like they are doing something worthwhile. Because they are feeling important they will approach science with a new zest for learning.

Here are a few tips to help get your child interested in science.

Tip one:
Do not wait for school to start before trying to teach your child about science. Start teaching them stuff at a young age. The great thing about science is that you can gear it towards any age. For example when you are taking a walk in the spring you can talk with your child about why flowers are starting to grow this time of year.

Tip two:
Take advantage of your child’s natural curiosity. Kids love to ask questions, they always want to know how something works, why something does that, how something is made, and anything else that they can think to ask. Rather than telling them the answers simply ask questions of your own. Ask them what they think the answer is and how they came up with that answer.

Tip three:
Do hands-on projects with them to help them learn how to think critically and figure out how things work. For example you can bake cookies with children and teach them about how mixing the ingredients together turn the separate ingredients into something else entirely. You can also teach them about temperatures when the cookies are in the oven. No matter the age you can find some type of hands-on thing to do to relate to science. The key is to engage in conversation with your child and have them think things through.

Tip four:
Help your child get involved in more science related activities at school. Encourage them to participate in the Science Fair and help them with their project. Or if they are involved in Scouts take advantage of their Scouting projects and turn them into a fun science lesson. Your children do not realize just how much science actually affects our every day lives.

Tip five:
Encourage your child to investigate and experiment. The main part of science is investigating what you think and trying to see if it will work. For example if your child wants to play in the snow and build a snowman/snow chair let them try it out. Give them the tools they can use or ask them what they might need and provide it for them. If their idea does not work you can suggest the build the platform first and then put a snowman’s head on the back of the platform. But let them try their ideas without discouraging them.

Science does not have to be boring; by taking the time to answer your child’s question or by having them answer their own question you are teaching them about science. Buying them that butterfly habitat is also teaching them about science. And the best news is it is all fun and interesting for them.

By: Chuck Lunsford

Science Project Ideas – 7 Kids Friendly Ideas

admin — Wed, 19 May 2010 11:07:21 +0000

If you are frustrated and searching for a science project for your kids that is easy, simple and he or she can do by themselves then consider these:

Test various microwave popcorn brands using the same cooking time to determine which one leaves the fewest kernels. Get a carpet square from a dollar store and put stain spots on it to test which cleaner worked the best. Do the same as above but use one carpet square with the same stain like ketchup and see which cleaner removes it the best. Using a carpet square put stain in different spots on the square and test which cleaner works the fastest. Test different brands of soda to see which one has the most carbonation by watching the amount of bubbles. Buy different fruit and leave them out on a counter to see which one ripens the fastest. Buy the same type of fruit and use a banana and see which one ripens the fastest by placing one on a counter, one in a warm place, one in a paper bag, one in a plastic sealed bag and one in the refrigerator.

These above ideas are great simple projects you can do in a pinch. They require minimal work and your child can usually do the work themselves. Let them be in charge but make him or her be responsible for the project. A teacher will like to see the child work on the science project not the parent. They can usually tell if the parent was greatly involved by how much involvement the project required.

Enjoy helping your child when needed. This is great bonding time and you will always remember doing the science project with your kid.

By: Lesa Bolt

Science Project – The Rush For the Perfect Project

admin — Mon, 17 May 2010 02:15:38 +0000

Right now you may feel hurried because of the beginning of the year and your child now came home with the science project assignment due in just a few short weeks.

Everyone wants to do a unique project that no one has ever done or seen before because they feel it will give them an edge on the competition and ultimately a perfect score or grade of an A.

Some important things to remember when dealing with this is simplicity, ease of tasks and believable end product.

The old adage, keep it simple, is really true in this scenario. You do not have to complete an elaborate or complex project for it to be successful. There does not have to be 20 different steps in the science demonstration. What it does need to do is be believable and understood by the student.

The student needs a science project in which they understand what they are trying to prove and when they get the answer they understand why this happened. Do not fall into the trap of making things so complicated. If your child does not understand the project they will have a hard time convincing the judges and the teacher the theories behind the experiment.

Important things to remember:
Pick a project that is simple and does not require something that you must do. The student should be the one completing the project. They can have a little of your help but ultimately they need to do the project Do not make it beyond their level. Make it a challenge for them but not too complex they do not even understand it. Do something they can easily demonstrate at the fair. Let them have the success. The whole point of doing a science project is for kids to learn and discover how things work and why. Support their efforts and do not stress. If you stress about the project it will not be any fun for your child.

Look for a science project that can be completed in a day or a couple of hours. You can even do one that is an overnight project. These keep the child interested and they can have more time to work on a colorful poster and display.

One big thing is do not wait until the last minute to try to prepare the science project. If the idea is a flop you will be scrambling to find a new idea in a rush.

By: Lesa Bolt

The Top Science Sites For Kids

admin — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 19:46:32 +0000

So you are a parent and would like your kids to get better at science. What do you do? Buy them more and more books on science. Get them science kits, chemistry sets, do it yourself experiments, models that they can build?

The answers are tough to find. But since we are in the age of the Internet, there are sites that offer solutions for exactly this need of parents. Before we start looking at the specific benefits that these sites offer, let us go ahead and figure out what such sites should contain.

1) They should be appealing: All of us are driven by appearances. But our fickle-minded, short attention spanned children all the more so. That is why the overall appearance and visual layout of the site should be appealing and engaging for children. Luckily for us, the Internet as a medium is visual. Hence, it is not too tough for sites to be visually appealing.

2) Sites that are easy to use: One thing that really bugs me is that some sites require you to have a high degree of familiarity with the site to be able to make it work. In fact this can get to be so bad that even if a visitor has come to a site earlier, they are unable to find the relevant page on their subsequent visit. The basic idea that I am talking about is that the site should have good navigation. Regardless of where you are on the site, you should be able to get to another point without too much of a headache.

3) Sites that develop the right attitude in kids: As any teacher will attest, it is not about the information that a site transmits. It is a little bit of the clarity of communication. But it is mainly about the attitude that one develops in the minds of students. Promoting the right attitude can be done in many different ways. One of them could be to simplify concepts. Another could be to present scientific facts in a way that are interesting to kids.

4) Sites that are interesting: By its very nature science is really interesting. So the site should leverage on this factor. I really hate sites that make science seem much tougher than it really is. And the big crime is when a site presents science as something that is boring, or something that needs to be memorized. And ultimate bad science site is one where the site solely focuses on diagrams, theorems, definitions, jargon, and formulae. That is the stuff that puts off people.

5) Sites that are interesting: I know that I am repeating this heading. But that is for a purpose. I rate this quality of a site as the most important quality in a science for kid’s kind of site. There is treasure all around us. There is magic and wonderment in science. There is a sense of discovery and adventure. And when things go right, there is a sense of achievement if not miracle. All of these need to be nurtured in a child.

Having established what makes a good science site for children, you as the parent-user need to think about the best method to make it work for your kids. Here are some thoughts on that:

a) Make sure that you are hand holding the process at least a bit. This means that there are going to be situations where a child might need to turn for help. Online help can take you some distance. But a grown up, a parent or minor, can be much better at helping out a child.

b) Be around to inquire. Often a child can lose interest in the process. If the parent inquires about the learning process, the child can get motivated to make an exhibition of their learning. This will inspire them to study further.

c) Encourage and reward the little ones I am not a big fan of giving rewards and incentives to children for every little thing. Sometimes the success or achievement itself should be the reward. In keeping with that sentiment, I think that you should encourage children by telling them how proud you are of what they have achieved.

When you find the right site and approach the mentoring process in the right way, you can find your children getting really good at science. This is not something to be taken lightly. I am convinced that science is not just about information and knowledge and concepts. It is also about developing a scientific temperament. And that is a gift you can give your children. They will find it invaluable for the rest of their lives.

Of course, as with other aspects of parenting, you need to ensure that you are not getting unduly hung up on minor matters. After all kids are kids and need to be given a lot of latitude when they so desire. As an experienced parent you already knew that, right?

By: Ajeet Khurana

Kids’ Science – Measure Stuff

admin — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 03:13:58 +0000

Measuring stuff around the house is a fun and easy science activity for kids. It’s perfect for Saturday afternoons or whenever you want to spend some quality, stress free time with your child. These simple measurement games are flexible enough to grow with your child’s developing skills.

Here’s All You’ll Need to Get Started:

-Tape measure
-Ruler
-Paper and pencil

Activity 1

The Alphabet Game

Here’s how to play this measuring game…

Hunt for three things around the house that start with the letter A. Measure each item and log the measurement on a piece of paper. (Hint:round to the nearest inch.)

Now hunt for three things around the house that start with the letter B. Measure each item and log the measurement on a piece of paper.

Next hunt for three things around the house that start with the letter C. Measure each item and log the measurement on a piece of paper.

Now put a check mark next to the biggest item. Put a circle next to the smallest item.

(Advanced: how many of the smallest items would it take to equal the length of the longest item?)

Activity 2

1/2 a Sandwich and a Cup of Soup Please

Here’s how to play this measurement game…

Measure the length of your couch. Log the result on a piece of paper. Now find something around the house that is approximately 1/2 the length of the couch–for example: the width of your dining table. Measure it, then log the result on a piece of paper. Now find something that is approximately 1/2 the width of your dining table–for example: a picture on the wall. Measure it, then log the result on a piece of paper. Now find something 1/2 the width of the picture on the wall–for example: your toaster. Measure it, then log the result. Now find something 1/2 the width of your toaster–for example: 1/2 a sandwich. Measure it, then log the result. Keep playing until you find something that is approximately one inch long–a peanut for example. Log the result on a piece of paper.

(Advanced: keep track of how long it took to complete the activity. Compare the result each new time you complete this activity. What’s the trend?)

Activity 3

Double Double!

Here’s how to play this game…

In this game, start by measuring your child’s nose. If you measure the width, it should come out to approximately one inch. Log the results. (Your child will love seeing something like ‘Claire’s nose: 1 inch’ on your chart). Now find something approximately double the length–for example: a strawberry. Measure it and log the results. Now find something approximately double the length of the strawberry. Measure it and log the results. Keep going until you run out of things to measure.

(Advanced: measure the entire length of your house. Using that figure as a guide, estimate the distance to your mailbox, nearest park or grocery store).

Measuring things goes hand in hand with the fundamentals of science. These activities offer basic exposure to measuring procedures, and can be played again and again. As your child becomes more skillful at measuring stuff, work toward more precise measurements by rounding to the nearest 1/2 inch, and eventually to the nearest 1/4 or 1/8 inch. A good way to engage in even more precise measurements is to measure coins or book ends to the nearest 1/16 of an inch! Be sure to record the results. Have fun!

By: Anthony Vecchioni

Science Project for Kids To Show Egg Strength

admin — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 20:30:43 +0000

This science project is going to measure the strength of eggs. Eggs are known to be resilient because of their exact shape. The weight is distributed very well around the shell. I will give you several things to test the weight and pressure that an egg shell can absorb.

First get a good dozen eggs. They are only about $1.00 at the store for a dozen. This all depends where you live it could cost more. Test on the egg strength is to see if you can break an egg shell with your hand. Most men will have no doubt they can do this. Make sure the person doing this does not have any jewelry on their hand which includes rings, bracelets and watches.

Place an egg in the middle of the palm of the hand and have the volunteer wrap their fingers around the egg evenly. Do not place this on your hand heel. It goes in the middle or cup of the palm. Now allow them to squeeze the egg. Did it break? If you did this correctly the egg did not break. Why? Due to the shape of the egg and the strength of the shell weight is distributed evenly around the egg and you are squeezing around the full base of the egg.

To test this even further take the egg carton and cut it into 4 sections. Place one egg into each section of the carton holder cardboard and put them in a square about the size of a piece of paper. Take a large book and place it on top of the eggs so that they support the book corners and raises it off the counter or table. You will see the eggs do not break and support the weight of the book. Now add another one on top of the last book. Each time you add a book record if anything is happening with the eggs. Gently keep adding books to determine how much weight the eggs can support. When you find the breaking point remove the books that were support and weigh them to determine how much weight the eggs could handle. This is really incredible.

Be ready with paper towels as this science project will require cleaning up from broken eggs. You may want to do the project next to a sink in the kitchen or an area that does not have carpet so clean up is easy.

By: Lesa Bolt

Science Project Ideas

admin — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 20:41:08 +0000

Science Project Ideas are sometimes hard to come by. When your child comes home from school usually in January or February and says, hey Mom and Dad my teacher sent home this note that we have a science project due in three weeks. Here are the details of what we need to do and here is a project board.

You suddenly feel overwhelmed. You were just getting back on track from the Holidays and are dealing with beginning of the year issues like tax preparation and finalizing out end of year work issues. Now you have to help your child find a science project that is interesting enough, creative and unusual, but yet unique enough so that it will not be like the other students science projects at school.

Also children have a tendency to rely on their parents to help prepare much of the project. No matter how much we try we have to help in some capacity.

Here is a science project idea that is simple and easy and that you child can do himself or herself. Depending on the age of your child you will need to supervise them because it uses matches which will need to be lit and batteries.

This science project will also be a great demonstration at a science fair where students need to present their idea and information about why it works.

For this science project idea you will need only three things.

A glass

Matches

2 AA Batteries

You are going to tell everyone that water will burn.

Fill the glass with water.

Drop the batteries in the water and leave them in the water for 30-40 minutes.

Remove the batteries.

Now light a match and hold over the water. The water should ignite and burn inside the glass.

Why does the water light and burn? Did the batteries leak or what energy is been put into the water?

Make sure your child researches those questions above to find the answers. I know you probably want the answers but we provide science project ideas. The kids still need to research why something works the way it does. That is why we make them do a science project so they can research and learn.

By: Lesa Bolt