So many families purchase pumpkins this time of year to decorate their homes for fall. We all know that these pumpkins do not last forever. But, did you know that you could make a simple science activity out of that pumpkin and that could have a big impact on out children.
Try out this decomposing pumpkin activity and more value out of your pumpkin this fall.
A lot of money is spent every year on educational games and activities for kids. Some of the items on the market are very good and other are just a waste. Kids definitely benefit from the structured play of organized sports, but they also need the time to play independently and without structure. The best place for this is right outside your door!
What is wonderful about nature is that it is entertaining, stimulating and educational. From my own experience I have found that the more my kids play outside the better they get along. I have a feeling that this is because they have to cooperatively come up with their games. They learn to listen to each other and take input and direction.
Playing outside is a wonderful way for your children to connect with nature and observe everything that is going on around them. I love to sit with my kids and watch the ants work together at an anthill. There is no way to experience this through toys or video games. Even a book will not give you the same experience.
Being outside will make them think. When children explore and experiment, directing their own learning, they are more likely to understand and retain what they are learning. They will also gain the tool that they will need later in life to be good learners and problem solvers. There are things that children of all ages can learn from nature.
Playing outside has also helped my own children be more environmentally aware. They notice beauty around them, but they also get upset when they see that people are not taking care of the world, by leaving trash around. I feel like they are not only learning when they are outside, but they are becoming better citizens of this earth.
Being outside has to be the easiest way to let a kid be a kid. I know that my own children are happier after a day of being out, playing. When it rains for days on end, not being able to go out definitely shows a negative effect of their mood and how my two get along. Nature gives kids a chance to use their imagination and be free to just be kids.
I haven’t honestly thought that much about earth science since I took a class in it in high school. I am not quite sure how much I actually learned at that time and how much I just memorized to be able to be able to answer test questions.
I have learned that being a mom requires quite a bit more than just taking care of an loving my children. It also includes answering questions and teaching them about the world around them. I have often found that I do not know all of the answers to the questions they have. I can barely take them on walks without them asking me questions about the ground, the soil, the trees or the sun. At first, I would fumble through answers but then realized that I needed to do some research in order to accurately answer their questions. So, I picked up a few general books
I have found is extremely rewarding to be able to learn more about earth science and then be able to impart that knowledge accurately to my children. I use their curiosity to direct our explorations. It has been a great way for me to learn more about earth science and other things.
If you are having difficulty accurately answering all of those questions that your children ask, then start doing some research with a few books on earth science
Getting children interested in science at an early age is not a difficult task. Children are naturally curious about the world around them and that is where science begins. Science does not have to be something mysterious. Use every day occurrences to expand you child’s curiosity and understanding.
Many parents think they can not help teach their children science because they do not have an advance degree in the subject area. But, all you need is a willingness to try, to make observations, and to take the time to encourage you child’s natural curiosity.
Start simply by asking your child questions about the things you see every day.
- Why do you think that happened?
- How do you think that works?
And then listen to their answer without judging it or judging them. Listening without judging will improve their confidence, and help you determine just what your child does or does not know.
You can turn every day activities into science projects. For example, don’t just comment on how bright the moon is one night. Ask questions about why it’s brighter tonight, why does it change shape, etc. You can observe the moon’s phases throughout a month, and turn that activity into a science project, without even mentioning the words “science project”.
For a child that likes cooking, observe how milk curdles when you add vinegar, or how sugar melts into syrup. You can also try this cake making science experiment and observe what happens when you leave out different ingredients. Voila! Instant science project idea, without overwhelming you or your child.
Different kids have different interests so they need different kinds of science projects. A rock collection may interest a younger child but an older child may need something more involved. Fortunately, it’s not hard to find plenty of fun projects. Knowing your child is the best way to find enjoyable learning activities. Here are some more tips:
- Choose activities that are the right level of difficulty – not too easy nor too hard. If you are not sure, pick something easier since you don’t want to discourage a child by making science frustrating. You can always do the harder project later on.
- Read the suggested ages on any projects, books or toys labels, but then make sure that the activity is appropriate for your child, regardless of age. Your child’s interest and abilities are unique. If a child interested in a topic,they may be able to do activities normally done by older kids, while a child who is not interested may need something easier aimed at a younger ages.
- Consider how well the type of project matches your child’s personality and learning style. Is the project meant to be done alone or in a group? Will it require adult help or supervision?
- Choose activities matched to your environment. A city full of bright lights at night may not be the best place to study the stars. But during your vacation to a remote area, you may be able to spark an interest in astronomy.
- Let your child help choose the science project or activity. It’s easy enough to ask. Rather than overwhelm them, suggest 2 or 3 possibilities. When a child picks something they are interested in, they will enjoy it and learn more from it.
Go ahead. Try it and see for yourself how easy it is the spark the interest of a child.
This is the perfect time of the year to make some bubbles with your kids and do a little experimenting and observing. Playing with bubbles is an acitivity that children usually love, so why not take this time to teach a little too!
Here is a great bubble soap recipe. You and your child can experiment with the different ingredients to find out what solution produces the best results for you.
Once you have the perfect bubble soap mixture experiment with different wands. I had a yard full of kids one afternoon and together we made a bunch of different wands. The kids had a blast and they also made observations about which wands they thought were best. It was interesting to listen to them discuss what they though they could do to make the different bubble wands work better. Their favorite were definitely the paper bubble wands.
Try it for youself. The combination of kids and bubbles always equals fun and it could create learing too!
This is the perfect time of the year to talk to your kids about frogs. Yesterday, I to a walk to out neighborhood lake with my kids and we saw a ton of tadpoles. There were kids catching them to take home and watch their development. Spring is so much fun because there are so many changes to observe and they happen fairly quickly.
If you would like some ideas on what to share with your children, here are some great frog activities and lessons. There is a fun activity that teach kids why a frog’s hands are webbed, a metamorphosis craft and I fun activity that help teach about how some frogs eat.
It’s Spring! Get out and have fun.
Today is Dr. Seus’s birthday and you can celebrate this day with a little Seus science. Go ahead and read Bartholomew and the Oobleck and then go ahead and make your own Oobleck!
What is Oobleck? Another name for oobleck is goop. Goop is neither a solid nor a liquid. It is actually called a Newtonian Solid. It contains properties of both a solid and a liquid. Make some yourself today and experience this amazing substance made from household items. Enjoy our two different goop recipes.
Happy Birthday Dr. Seus!
February is Dental Health Month for children. This is the perfect time to teach children about the importance of taking care of their teeth and how they can do that.
There are many books that you can share with your children that can make the learning and teaching process more fun. A great book to start with is How Many Teeth?. This book will answer a lot of questions that your children may have.
I have share more ideas on the main web site for Dental Health Month, including some ideas of what to eat to help create stronger teeth.
Dental Health Month Activities
One of the new activities added to EducationalToyFactory this month is a pumpkin science activity. If you are like many other families you may have a pumpkin in your house or outside. That is all that you will really need to do this activity.
This science lesson is all about observing change. You child will observe what happens to your pumpkin over time. You can teach them about decomposition and why it happens.
To really enrich your child’s learning and understanding you can share the following books:
• Pumpkin Circle: The Story of a Garden
• Pumpkin Jack
I have always found that pairing books with any teaching activity really enhances the learning. You are able to read the books multiple times and every time you read your child will pick up new information. It also give another opportunity for both you and your child to ask and answer questions.
Kids tend to enjoy learning that is hands on. Making butter is definitely a hands on activity and you can teach science along with a bit of history when you do this experiment.
A good science experiment always follows the scientific method. When you start this with your own kids, take the time to at least have them hypothesize about what they think will happen and why. This will cause them to look more closely at what is happening while the experiment is taking place.
If you don’t remember the scientific method, here it is:
1. Observation or questioning.
2. Create a hypothesis.
3. Test your hypothesis (perform experiment).
4. Analyze data or outcome of experiment.
5. Communicate the outcome of your findings.
When doing experiments at home keep it fun and talk with your child. That is when the greatest learning will take place.
