5 ways to boost your child's interest in science
by Marcus Goh and Adrian Kuek
Grade Expectations is a weekly feature on education in Singapore. Expect fun activities, useful tips and insightful news on learning. It’s not just about your child’s grades — it’s about raising a great child!
If your child is in Primary 3 and above, Science will become part of the weekly curriculum in school. But if all your child knows about science comes from the classroom, it may remain a boring subject for him or her.
So bring science to life for your child by showing its applications in the real world. You don’t need a huge science lab or expensive equipment — an Internet connection and a spirit of scientific inquiry are typically all you need.
1. Encourage your children to do their own self-directed research.
Children are naturally curious. Channel their curiosity and encourage them to explore how things work. For instance, if you have an old table fan that you’re going to throw out, let your child take it apart and figure out how the components work. Thanks to the plethora of online resources, a scientific explanation is only a few clicks away (unlike the old days, when we had to sift through encyclopaedias and textbooks), so you don’t have to worry about not knowing the answer offhand. Just search for it!
2. Visit YouTube channels with interesting science experiments.
Look for YouTube channels that show you how to do interesting but simple science experiments, like Minute Physics or AsapSCIENCE. These channels usually explain scientific concepts using colourful diagrams that are easy to understand and digest. They also frequently suggest experiments that you can do on your own to illustrate said scientific principles.
Not to mention, telling your child to watch YouTube will seem more like a treat than a chore to them. Their enthusiasm will work in your favour.
3. Bring your child to tourist attractions.
The Science Centre is an obvious choice. There are loads to see and do, and there are always new exhibits to visit. The Singapore Zoo and Jurong Bird Park aren’t just places to spend the public holidays at. They also provide live demonstrations of specific topics taught in class such as ‘adaptation’ and the ‘classification of living things’. Letting them see how animals adapt to their environments increases your children’s observational skills.
4. Help them run simple experiments on themselves.
How much do we know about our own bodies? Ask your children to do simple experiments on themselves to understand the Life Sciences. For example, by measuring their pulse rate before and after exercise, they will get a clearer idea of how the respiratory system works. They will also learn important facts about the human body, which can be valuable in case of an emergency.
5. Always ask why.
Finally, always ask your child to explain the natural phenomena that they observe. Why do they think this happened, and what evidence do they have to prove it? This trains children to be active observers and forces them to apply academic concepts to what they see, hear, feel, taste and touch. It also helps them deal with open-ended questions, since they must formulate answers in a clear and logical fashion.
With these five tips, your children will never run out of things to do during the weekends. Training them to think scientifically will also make them better decision-makers in the future.
Marcus Goh runs Write-Handed, a creative writing studio. At the same time, he teaches and writes curriculum for English and Literature for Secondary at The Keys Academy. He has been a specialist tutor for English and Literature (Secondary) since 2005.
Adrian Kuek runs Joyous Learning, an enrichment centre that specialises in English, Mathematics, Science and Creative Writing for Primary. He previously served as the academic director of one of Singapore’s largest enrichment centre chains for over seven years.
