“Scientific knowledge is cumulative: To learn new things, you must build on what you already know. So, it’s important that your child start learning early…”
– U.S. Department of Education
Why should science be part of the Early Childhood Education Curriculum? At this young age you are building a foundation for future learning and scientific understanding. The preschool child is naturally curious. There is nothing that you need to do to promote their wonder and fascination of the world. Their curiosity makes this the perfect time to answer questions and help them create an understanding of how the world works.
These young and curious children are able to dive into topics such as physics, biology and chemistry without bias or fear.
Some tips to teaching science in Early Childhood.
1. You have to use real science terminology. Ofter there is no substitute for the scientific words. But do not worry, just like learning any other word, the more the child hears it the more they will understand.
2. A child must have multiple experiences on the same topic in order to gain understanding. Doing one experiment or project will not bring understanding. It is the repetition of a topic in different forms that will help the child to learn. Often times, doing the same project or experiment multiple times is also beneficial, it allows the preschool child to revisit what they know and gain deeper understanding and confidence.