To make the child interested in science, the subject has to move beyond the narrow confines of the classroom. Nothing can generate more interest in science than the magical effects of an experiment gazed by the children with wonder eyes. Science experiments are at the core of science teaching. Proper science teaching encourages higher thinking skills and science experiments supplement those by improving the ability to grasp basic scientific concepts.
Experiments need not be restricted to the school. They can be carried out at home under the guidance and supervision of adults.
Some common science experiments
Nowadays, most of the students are very interested in space. You can supplement their interest by making a model of the solar system. Plastics and rubber can be used as construction materials. Embellish the model with your ingenuity.
An experiment that can be easily conducted at home is that of growing plants. Buy two paper cups and let your child fill both with a little soil and water and plant some seeds in them. Place one in sunlight and the other in shade. Let your child observe the results. See that the plants are regularly watered. The child will observe and learn that the plant getting sunlight grows while the one in the shade does not.
The child can also learn about static electricity at home. All you need is a comb, a balloon and some bits of papers on the plate. Ask your kid to run the comb through the hair and then bring the comb near the paper bits. Some bits of paper would stick to the comb. Now inflate the balloon rub it vigorously on your child’s hair then bring it before the wall. The balloon sticks to the wall. This way a child learns, perhaps never to forget, when told that it is static electricity, which makes these things stick.
Most elementary science experiments can be conducted using materials readily available at home. However, take care to see that the experiments are safe and can be easily understood by your child.
Science experiments will gradually make the child realize that there is science behind everything happening around them.