Studies have proved that kids do better in schools when parents actively take part in their children’s education. To be more precise, a 1997 Parents Teachers Association (PTA) sponsored research resolved that one of the most truthful predictors of students’ academic success is the extent to which parents develop a homey environment which inspires learning; talk high but set reasonable expectations for their kids’ success and future achievements; and participate in their kids’ education at school as well as in the community.
So, what can you do, as a parent, to make your kids interested in science subjects? If you can’t conjure up your own ways, you can do at least the following things.
1. Go Beyond The Classroom
There’s something weird about science subjects! Kids tend to think they either hate them or love them—or they are excellent at them or poor at them—nothing in between! If your child thinks he/she is great at science subjects, you are lucky enough! But if you kids think he/she isn’t good at it, you need to present the subjects differently.
It’s been proved by research that when presented in a different ways, rather than in terms of ‘facts’ to memorize and ‘tests’ to attend, kids actually find it enjoyable and want to learn more.
With all due respect to school teachers, you must not rely only on the school system to make your kids interested in science. They have limitations, and they need to follow the certain process as they are taking consideration of multiple children at a time where as you are thinking on only for your child. Hence, you need to go beyond helping the kids with just their homework. You need to put more value on the learning process instead of attaining grades.
2. Make Science Applicable To Daily Life of Your Kids
Kids who dislike science subjects feel a bad taste when they talk or hear about them, just like the feeling many adults go through when they hear the word ‘Taxes.’ This doesn’t have to be this way if you help them out. Baking is a lesson in basic chemistry, building blocks require physics, and asking questions—every kid’s favorite thing to do—is exactly what results in scientific breakthroughs. You need to make the kids realize that science is a part of our everyday life. How? Here’re a few tips
- Cooking: explain to kids the daily chores like what occurs when you boil waters or why toast burns! Get them involved in the cooking experiments and this is a great way to sneak in chemistry, math or biology to the toddler’s mind.
- Shopping or banking: whenever you are shopping accompanying the youngster with you, ask him/her do the math for you. When you are dealing with the money or bills, talk to the kids about interest, factions or unit prices.
- Any of their interest or activity: almost anything your kid is interested in could be related to science subjects. For example, if your kid loves cars, you can use that to teach him physics and math. If he or she is into sports, a lot of physics and mathematical calculation come in there as well.
3. Take Trips to Parks, Museums or Zoos
You don’t have to go to particularly science museums. Children’s museums or parks typically feature science exhibitions, and even art and history museums offer opportunities to know how technology changed history, how things were made or work and so on.
4. Choose Science Toys for Your Kids
Pick up toys or games for your kids that could instill science interest in him/her. For example, the Minecraft or LEGO blocks. Perhaps you are nurturing a fabulous programmer or building engineer if you toddlers are fond of these games. Amazon has the whole section dedicated to science toys. You can pick toys from that category to keep your kids interested in science subjects. To make things more interesting, you can also play with the kids in their science projects.
5. Make Your Kid your IT or DIY Assistant
Make your kid your household IT guy or the fixer (definitely, not with anything related to fire or electricity!) Ask him to read the manual and help you set up the next tech accessory you purchase. Let him/her troubleshoot your computer problems. Do the same with stuff around the house that can sharpen your kid’s problem-solving skills.
Conclusion
These are some simple tips you can follow to make your kids interested in science subjects. Once your kids grow older, you can hire a science tuition teacher for them. That is a sure thing especially if you are particularly a busy person or are not so good at science. But you should take no chance with your kid’s education.
