5 Easy Ways to Encourage The Natural Scientist in Your Child

Nobel prizewinner Isidor I. Rabi, physicist, once was asked why he became a scientist, rather than a doctor or lawyer or businessman, like the other immigrant children from his neighborhood.

“My mother made me a scientist without ever intending it,” responded Rabi. “While every other Jewish kid's mother in Brooklyn would ask her child after school, “So? Did you learn anything today?” My mother would ask me a different question. “Izzy,” she would say, “did you ask a good question today?” It was that question that made the difference about who I would become – and made me a scientist!”

As parents, we have the power to influence our children's lives by the words we say and the actions we take. And when it comes to science, you can play an important role in supporting your child's investigative spirit. Just as Isidor Rabi's mother did, you can help your child focus her curiosity and channel it.

Here are 5 easy ways to encourage your child's “inner scientist.”

Listen . Children formulate many of their ideas as they talk. It takes time and effort for a child to tell someone about the falling, bouncing raindrops he has observed, felt, heard, and tasted. Give your child plenty of time to elaborate on his or her ideas. Be patient and listen carefully – really listen. Being really listened to will help them to gain confidence in their thinking. Ask questions that extend investigations. Your child's interests may take many directions, so it's important to ask her specifically what she wants to know. Isidor Rabi's mother knew that by asking her child this one important question, she would encourage him to think, imagine and be creative. By talking with your child about her activities, you can help her clarify and confirm her understandings.

Sometimes it helps if you ask open-ended questions that invite him to wonder, predict, experiment, and evaluate. Questions such as, “What can we do with this box? What can use to fill it up?”

Children formulate many of their ideas as they talk. It takes time and effort for a child to tell someone about the falling, bouncing raindrops he has observed, felt, heard, and tasted. Give your child plenty of time to elaborate on his or her ideas. Be patient and listen carefully – really listen. Be open to many ways to approach a problem or learn a skill. Pause after you ask the question so children will have time to think.

If your child doesn't ask too many questions, ask them yourself. Comments such as, “I wonder where those ants are going?” may be enough to start your child thinking.

Look for answers together. Once you have asked the question, be sure you are there to help her look for the answer or at least start her off in the right direction.

Show your child how to find the answers that you don't know. Use your lack of information to show her the value of experimenting and using resources to help find the answers. Try baking the cake without using the baking powder. Look in a book or search on the Internet. By showing your child how not to give up but to continue to search for the answers you seek, you'll encourage her to experiment and explore, as well as broaden her enthusiasm for science.

Encourage active learning. Young children get excited about science when they are given the chance to “do.” They need the chance to touch, probe, and just play around to find out how things work. Rather than help your child memorize science facts, provide her hands-on experiences that will help her test out her predictions and try out her ideas.

To learn how to swim you've got to get into the water! Science is no different.

By “doing” science, you'll help your child develop critical thinking skills and develop confidence in her ability to solve problems and be a scientist.

Have fun. Science isn't just about people in white coats carrying out difficult and boring experiments. Science is about discovery and adventure.

And science can be fun! Laugh when your experiment doesn't work out the way you expect. Get down and get dirty as you explore what lives in the mud. Go out and test the kite that you made together on a windy spring day. By encouraging your child to explore their world in a safe environment, you are showing your child that science is exciting, interesting, rewarding, and above all else – fun.

Other free resources for Science For Kids www.sciencewithme.com