Montshire Minute: Helping Children Learn about Science

Originally aired during the week of March 11, 2002

Monday

If you are the parent of a very young child, you will notice that questions come at you fast and furious. Why is the sky blue? What are clouds made of? What would happen if you cooked oatmeal in the toaster? Needless to say, maybe there are times you wonder why you didn't listen more in 11th grade chemistry. Or in cooking class! But don't feel bad if you don't have all the answers. The curiosity of a young child is a wonderful thing, and you can encourage it just by spending time together doing everyday household tasks or simple experiments. Then, children can make some of their own observations about how the world works. This week on the Minute we'll talk about several easy scientific experiments you can do with your favorite youngster.

Tuesday

A simple way of stating how we can teach science to young children might be "finding out more about things around us." Given this definition, an easy way to begin an investigation is to ask the all-important "What if?" question. Help the child answer it by doing an everyday task like . . . well, like wiping the countertop. You might start by giving her a very dry sponge and asking, "What would happen if you cleaned the counter with this dry sponge?" versus "What would happen if we used a wet sponge?" The child can try to predict the outcome, then try it both ways to see the results. In a way, she is doing what all scientists do - forming a hypothesis and testing it out. If she says, "Hey, you're just trying to get me to clean the kitchen," . . . well, you have a very bright youngster on your hands.

Wednesday

Preschoolers are naturals when it comes to science because they are so darned curious. Here is an activity that helps young children make meaning of simple addition and measuring. All you need is ten or fifteen minutes and several pairs of shoes. Help your youngster line up several of the shoes toe to heel. Ask him lie down next to the shoes. You can tell him how many "shoes" long he is. Then, it's your turn to lie down. Ask him how many shoe-lengths long you are. There are many variations we can think of. What happens if we use just kid shoes, or adult shoes? What else can we measure with the shoes? How about the bedroom, or the whole house? Sure, you may have to spend some time tracking down missing footwear later on. But you and your favorite kid have had a lot of fun learning to count and measure together. After all, you've been doing science!

Thursday

You don't need to know all the answers to do science with your youngster. You'll be doing her a favor just by getting her to ask some questions of her own. Here's a fun activity that will help her make observations about light and shadows. Place a small object - like a toy animal or car or a figurine - on a piece of paper on the table. Darken the room as much as you can, and see what kind of shadows you can make with the object using a desk lamp or a flashlight. Ask her to draw the outline of the shadow on the paper. Now, ask her what she thinks will happen if you move the light closer to the object, or further away at a more oblique angle. (The all-important "What if" question, again!) She can mark the edge of the new shadow and make comparisons. Or you can move the object in new positions, while keeping the light source the same.

Friday

As we make our way into spring, we'll discover there is a whole universe of tiny creatures underfoot that youngsters will enjoy exploring during a walk in the woods. Carefully pick up a rock or rotting log to show your preschooler the insect life underneath. How many different kinds of creatures can they find? Look under several rocks or logs and see if the creatures living there are the same or different. Gently place the rock or log back in its place. You might try coming back to the same rock a few days later and see what has changed. If your young scientist has an inquiring mind, consider Montshire's preschool program, offered during morning or afternoon session beginning March 20. It's a great way to encourage the curiosity of children aged 4-5. Call the Museum if you're interested, or check the programs page our website at http://www.monthsire.org.