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Child watches with delight as father blows bubbles in an open green field

Parents & Families

Inspire Discovery

Experiment and observe. Experiment some more. This is how children make discoveries. Here are 10 ways to set your child on the road to discovering science.
 
  1. Acknowledge your baby’s accomplishment when she shakes her rattle. She just learned she can affect her world.
  2. Put a rubber ducky in baby’s bathtub. What else will float?
  3. When your baby drops his sippy cup to the floor, pick it up. Gravity is so entertaining.
  4. Race toy cars on a ramp or incline. Which is faster? The big car or the little car?
  5. Put containers of various sizes in the bath tub or sandbox for filling, pouring and building. Ideas are formed and tested.
  6. Let your child dig a hole for a plant outside. Point out the changes in soil color and texture. Is there water in the bottom of the hole?
  7. Stomp a puddle or make a mud pie. Science can be messy. Experiments are fun.
  8. Look at a rock under a magnifying glass. Does it look like the surface of a planet?
  9. Look at pictures of places with different climates than your home. What would it feel like to be there?
  10. Let your child water the garden. He knows he has an impact on the world when he helps things grow.
 
What is your child learning?
  • Develops awareness of himself in relation to the rest of the world
  • Develops observation skills 
  • Develops curiosity, problem solving and decision making skills
  • Has an opportunity to extend his vocabulary
  • Learns to form and test ideas
  • Learns to draw conclusions
  • Develops understanding of units of measure
  • Understands gravity and mass
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