You can do this!

Inspire kids to learn about science.

Model Curiosity

  • Let kids hear you wondering aloud—even grown-ups have a lot to learn!
  • Kids ask a lot of questions. You don’t need to have all of the answers.
  • Encourage their natural curiosity.
Illustration of a young girl pointing at the moon while her father stands next to her.

Ask Open-ended Questions

  • “What do you see?” (hear, smell, feel, taste)
  • “What do you think?”
  • “Why is this important?”
  • “What did you learn?”
  • “What could we change?”
  • Listen carefully to their answers.
Illustration of a man with his daughter and son reading a book titled, Space.

Make Observations

  • Observation is the basis of discovery!
  • Show kids how by pointing out things you observe, and ask kids what they see.
  • Use all five senses to make observations.
  • Discuss what you see, smell, hear, feel, and sometimes taste!
Illustration of a mom with her two children observing glasses of water in different phase states of ice, liquid, and boiling off steam.

Allow Exploration

  • Resist the urge to explain “why” until AFTER you’ve asked what THEY think.
  • Even if they want to experiment with something you know won’t work, allow kids to think and explore for themselves.

Encourage Boys and Girls Equally

  • All children are curious and will engage in exploration.
  • You are in a unique position to help dispel gender stereotypes by equally encouraging exploration and experimentation.
  • Everyone’s abilities can be developed through hard work and practice!
Illustration of a mom with her son and daughter constructing a tower together.

Make a Mess in the Name of Science

  • Sure, it's more stressful in the moment, but kids build confidence as they experiment, make a mess, and then clean up after themselves.
  • It’s not your job to do it FOR them. Give kids space to take ownership of their work and care for their environment.
An illustration of parents standing in the background while their son and daughter make a mess in the kitchen with a mixing bowl.

Celebrate Mistakes

  • Mistakes are opportunities to learn new things!
  • Praise hard work (not just successes) to encourage a growth mindset.
  • Encourage kids to keep working to overcome setbacks.
  • What did they learn? Encourage them to think through what they could do differently next time.
An illustration of a mom and her kid observing a two plants, one thriving, the other dying.

Follow the Scientific Method!

Need something a bit more advanced? You don't have to be a scientist to help a child learn about the scientific method.

Preview of the Scientific Method Poster