If you have a preschooler, then you know just how curious and inquisitive they are about the world around them. Science experiments in the classroom complement this natural curiosity and allow children to learn why things happen in an engaging, fun way. Experiments are beneficial for children of all ages because they spark ideas, teach problem-solving and encourage discussion.
Asking and Answering Questions
Children are full of questions, from “Why is the sky blue?” to “How does a rainstorm happen?” Science curriculums allow children to ask questions like this and receive answers. Questions are a fundamental part of learning and through science, your child will learn how to develop their own thoughts and seek answers on their own.
Increase Vocabulary
Science experiments can be beneficial for increasing descriptive vocabulary. Words like dry, wet, cold, hot, slow, fast, smooth, rough, heavy and light are all great examples of words that help a preschooler learn more about the world and why things happen. It’s also a great way to develop the idea of opposites like hot and cold or rough and smooth. Through an experiment or demonstration, children will learn that water boils at a certain temperature and then freezes at another, or why a rock sinks and a feather floats.
Explore Outdoors
Science is a great way to get kids outdoors so they can have real experiences in their world. Going outside gives kids the chance to visit the park, go on nature walks, plant seeds, dig in the dirt, find insects, watch birds, climb rocks and observe different weather patterns. Each outdoor experience can bring a new opportunity for learning and allow a child to have a hands-on experience with nature.
Life Skills
There are many life skills to be learned from science lessons. This is a subject that involves a lot of talking and listening to others. It also teaches children to develop patience, because caterpillars don’t turn into butterflies overnight and seeds don’t sprout in just a few hours. Science also teaches perseverance, problem-solving and researching. It will help your child think about what could happen and teach them how to hypothesize. Science experiments also provide a safe place to fail and learn that not all experiments are successful. If you want your child to feel that one day they could be capable of creating solutions to big problems, then science curriculum is absolutely essential at a young age.
Create a Lifelong Scientific Interest
There will always be worthwhile, exciting jobs for students who choose to study science. Starting science education at a young age could spark a lifelong love and interest for science and inspire your child to study science in college so they can work in medicine, biochemistry, chemistry or another scientific field as an adult.
