Encouraging Your Child to Love and Understand Science

There are so many ways to encourage a love of science in your child. Children are naturally curious about everything around them, and science is a natural outlet for them. You and your child will both enjoy some of the following activities.
Lead your child in using the scientific method to solve everyday problems, from resolving conflicts with a brother or sister to explaining who is leaving toothpaste in the bathroom sink every morning. These are the five basic steps to the scientific method: one, state the problem. Two, form a hypothesis. Three, observe and experiment. Four, interpret the data, and five, draw conclusions. You may find yourself raising a regular Sherlock Holmes. 
Teach your child how to help you in the garden and yard. Let them learn how to use basic tools. You could perform experiments in the flower bed, such as observing and measuring how fertilizer improves the growth of some of the flowers. You could create collections of insects, leaves, rocks, seashells or other things. Set up a bird feeder and use a reference book to learn the names of all the types of birds that come to it. 
Learn about the weather and make weather, temperature and moisture observations. Where does thunder and lightning come from? Learn about the stars, the moon and the sun. Find the answers to questions like why do stars seem to twinkle and why does the moon seem to change. How far away is the sun? Camp out for lunar eclipses or to watch meteor showers. Study the seasons and why the leaves change colors in the fall. 
Study the human body and all the major organs and systems: bones, muscles, nerves, digestion, and skin. Learn about reproduction from conception to birth. Learn about germs and viruses and how the body fights them. 
Experiment with magnifying glasses, magnets, cameras, pulleys, wheels and gears. When a child shows interest investing in a good microscope or telescope can be a lot of fun. Take things apart, like a door knob for example, and see how it works. Look inside a toilet tank and see what makes it flush. Before throwing a way an old radio or toaster, take it apart and see what you can learn about it. 
Do not worry that you have to be a scientific genius yourself to encourage your child in science. When they visit, ask other adults you know to talk to your child about what they know, especially things like how they use science or math on the job. Go to the library and get all kinds of great science books written on a child's level. Pay attention to what your child is learning in school. Learn together how to use catalogs and computers to find the answers to question you have. Most of all enjoy yourselves and foster the natural curiosity in your child.