Science is part of life and smaller children embrace it with as much passion as they do playtime. To a small child, scientific thinking is natural – small children don’t distinguish in the same way as older children do and they generally have no fear of new subjects. With this in mind, if you are keen to raise a science lover, the best thing you can do according to this pre prep school in Hampshire is to help them learn about the world around them.

Scientific learning begins at home

Naturally enquiring minds require constant stimulus. This can start at home as easily as at school and the smallest of children can benefit from their natural curiosity being fed with learning opportunities. Children ask questions constantly when they’re small. They want to know what and why about seemingly everything!

Try to engage with these questions and let your child know that asking questions is a good thing. If your child shows curiosity or interest in a particular aspect of their life at home or the world around them, foster that interest and encourage their attention.

Science in the home

Science is everywhere in the home. It’s most especially present in the kitchen and it’s here that small children can begin to learn the basics of science.

Start with the simple concept of hot and cold. Show your child the refrigerator and the cooker – discuss the qualities of fire and ice and why we use them. This is also a good opportunity for your to discuss the dangers around fire and how to avoid accidents.

Cooking provides the perfect opportunity for your child to learn more about chemistry. Simple experiments with baking soda and with soda or lemonade are exciting for smaller children and provide great learning opportunities. You want to encourage your child’s inquisitive nature so they keep questioning how everything works.

Visit the museum

Even if you do not live near a dedicated science museum, you can still expose your child to some aspects of science. Natural history sections are commonly found in most museums – even smaller local ones. Many museums also hold open days where children can engage in workshops and learning opportunities at weekends.

The world around us

Your child can learn a great deal from nature. Why not start a nature table and make a regular trip out to collect specimens for it? Fossils make fascinating additions, and your child will love searching for them on your local beach. If you don’t live near a beach which is known for fossils, you can find them in many other places such as quarries and streams.

Remember that the key to opening your child’s mind to the scientific world is to encourage questions and to help them to learn what their favourite aspects of science are. Once they have special interests, they will pursue these for many years.