Aloha Friday: Encouraging Kids’ Interest In Science
I love science. Always have. As a young child, a couple of my first career aspirations were archeologist and astronomer. (Of course, I wanted to become a baker too at one point.) My first year in college, I was a physics major until I slammed into that brick wall known as Quantum Mechanics. (Yes, I took Quantum Mechanics in my freshman year. Russian too. Yes, I was crazy!) Even though I didn’t choose science as a career, I still retain an interest in all things scientific. I enjoy reading about scientific advances and try to keep somewhat up to date with the latest scientific theories.
Lately, I’ve also been trying to ignite a scientific interest in NHL. I’ve talked to him about how the stars are very far away. So far away, in fact, that looking up in the sky is like looking back in time. I also like it when he watches shows, like Sid the Science Kid, that show science to be fun and exciting. (Oh, by the way, did you enter my Sid the Science Kid giveaway yet? If not, what’s keeping you? Go! Enter now!) Even better is when he comes home from school and starts telling me about some scientific information he learned in school. NHL definitely seems to have that scientific spark – the desire to know how things in the world work the way they do.
My Aloha Friday question is: How do you inspire your child to take an interest in science?
Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the MckLinky there if you are participating.
Aloha #17
I’m not sure yet.They are 16 months old and I can’t remember with my grown children Great question!
.-= Olga´s last blog ..WoRdFul WeDneSdaY!! =-.
Well, luckily for me my husband is a science teacher. Personally I am not a lover of science… ok, it bores me to death. So really it is extremely lucky that my husband is a science teacher or all my kids would end up being PE teachers like me LOL.
.-= Kari @ AGAM´s last blog ..Aloha Friday =-.
I never had that problem. They were always interested in that stuff.
.-= Vicki´s last blog ..Skywatch Friday =-.
I have a masters in physics and my husband is a professor of chemistry. My kids grew up surrounded by science and love it.
.-= Jennifer´s last blog ..Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day: 100 New Recipes Featuring Whole Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, and Gluten-Free Ingredients: A Book Review & Tour =-.
My husband has the rocket science education so the kids don’t really have a choice. lol
.-= Pamela M. Kramer @ A Renaissance Woman´s last blog ..Aloha Friday #73 – If I gave you $1,000… =-.
I’m half and half with Science. I seem to have done well with it in high school, so maybe I’d have done even better at college.
I would encourage my child to study the Sciences. ….but we’ll see what they choose.
.-= JamericanSpice´s last blog ..Aloha Friday: The matter of being a father =-.
Give them a chance to do some hands-on experiments! I’m an elementary school teacher and my kids just love Science! My daughter is a high-school Science teacher and she says, in general, elementary teachers don’t teach enough Science!
I’m determined to prove her wrong!
Yes I do. I think she is starting to like it.
.-= Auntie E´s last blog ..Aloha Friday -Decorating =-.
They are either interested or not by the time they are teens, so act quickly now! lol. We bought a lot of science geared toys, read science geared books and watched a lot of tv shows with fun – kid – science related stuff.
All 3 of mine are into science in some form or another.
.-= sheila´s last blog ..Aloha Friday =-.
I don’t try it yet.
Happy Friday.
Stopping from An Island Life
Have a wonderful weekend.
.-= Annie´s last blog ..Aloha Friday!!!!!!!!!! =-.
My daughter came home from church talking about how you could light a light bulb with static electricity, I told them they could also do it with a potato. They were Wowed and wanted to do it when we got home. I told them we needed a science book from the library, so they have to wait, they are so excited. I am glad, because I am not a science person, but my hubby is. I might just let him do the experiment with them – yeah that’s a great idea!
.-= Laufa´s last blog ..AF: Travel? =-.
Every year we take a trip to Mont Tremblant and while we are in Quebec we take the short trip to Ottawa to visit the Canadian Science and Technology Museum..It is for kids and it is a great way to let them experience science. . we try to answer all questions like What is Gravity? when a 4 year old asks. and Books there are great book out there for kids that show real pictures..
http://www.sciencetech.technomuses.ca/english/index.cfm
.-= Melanie´s last blog ..Aloha Friday #3 =-.
We would take our kids to science museums every time we went somewhere. Great memories!
http://iamharriet.blogspot.com/2009/12/are-there-are-as-many-ways-of-falling.html
.-= Harriet´s last blog ..I love December Stuff- updated 12/4 =-.
Like someone else above, my husband’s a science teacher (physics). We actually met in engineering school, but my first love is chemistry, specifically “kitchen” chemistry (a.k.a. BAKING!!!). So I’ve tried to get the kids to join me there. Hubby’s pretty good about pointing out things that I don’t think to (that “teacher” training) helps. There’s also a small Children’s Museum program in our area, so we take the kids there to observe and do crafts related to science.
.-= Susan M´s last blog ..Another Sid the Science Kid giveaway =-.
My kids love to learn how things work. Syd the Science Kid is great….my daughter was walking around the other day talking about her skeleton.
.-= Melanie @ Whimsical Creations´s last blog ..Aloha Friday #8 =-.
I’ve never been very into Science. I’m more a language arts & history person. But I do encourage my son in his interest in science. We go to museums, watch lots of animal planet, and I try to buy books & fun kits for him.
.-= shelly´s last blog ..Aloha Friday: Christmas Sweaters =-.
My nephew is only 3 and I am not into science at all!
.-= Heather´s last blog ..Aloha Friday # 9!! =-.
My 6-year-old is very into science. But really we didn’t push, it came naturally. Kids are curious – we talk a lot about why things are they way they are, watch a lot of Discovery Channel, etc. We point out the stars a lot, visit museums when we can. I think it comes to most kids with time, as long as you encourage a healthy desire to find answers to the wonders of life (hopefully that made sense!)
.-= Whitney MWS´s last blog ..LilyMe: Beautiful French Style Jewelry =-.
You can look for pictures and websites on the internet that support their interest or what they are studying. Keep your eyes open for teachable moments that support science like sink or float, season changes, or melting and freezing.
.-= JDaniel4’s Mom´s last blog ..Welcome Giveaway Hoppers! =-.
There wasn’t as much emphasis on science when my kids were young. It was just part of the curriculum and they both did fairly well at it. They are both good in math which helped. I was always interested in science and I guess the kids picked that up. One even went into the Techie field!
Now with the grandkids (ages 2 and 5) we are into science earlier thanks to Sid the Science Kid. I think the 2 year old likes Sid because of the music, but he does like Gerald and Zeke too. The 5 year old does pay more attention when they are in the classroom setting. We’ve been able to do some of the experiments they did in the Fab Lab and she had a blast.
One other show they watch sometimes is Alton Brown on the Food Channel. When we cook the 5 year old will bring up something she heard on there once in a while. She also likes the challenge shows on there sometimes. She is starting to be able to tell if whatever they are creating is going to fall or not.