The Science Hiding In Your Backyard

As summer winds down and the kids in your lives head back to school, you may be feeling a sense of relief.

Relief like at least the carpool to school doesn’t smell entirely like sunscreen and leftover lunch bananas.

Or the relief that comes from knowing your walls are safe from marker attacks for six solid hours.

And, of course the relief that comes knowing the young ones are back with their friends, their favorite teachers, and their school.

Still, one of the remarkable things about summer is the chance to use it as your own blank slate, to teach and share and travel with youngsters without a curriculum or an agenda. It’s that exposure to subjects like science at a young age that teaches vital life skills like communication, focus, how to learn, and could spark interests that turn into lifelong opportunities.

And while nine out of ten parents report doing some sort of learning activities with their kids on a daily basis, only five out of ten say those activities are science-related.

If you’re looking to add a splash of science into your schedule, then get ready, because we’ve got enough recommendations to blow your routine up like a vinegar and baking soda volcano.

How To Keep The Science Happening

It’s easy to say science is all around us and a little bit trickier to actually do something about it. That’s why we gathered a few resources to help you out.

• Make It In Your Backyard - No matter what the kids are into, there’s a science lesson for them. Consider a few of these 40+ science experiments that touch on biological sciences (dissecting beans!), chemical sciences (the magic behind Diet Coke and Mentos!), Earth and space sciences (have you ever made your own rock?), and physical sciences (balloon boats and rockets!). This list is a nice reminder that school doesn’t have to be in session for us to enjoy a good bit of science.
  
  
• Think Of The Bigger Backyard - There are dozens and dozens of science centers all over the country, and the closest one to you could be right next door. If the 10 Best Science Centers are any clue, you’re in for an activity-packed day with planetariums, Martian landscapes, antigravity mirrors, dry ice comets, and makerspaces galore. Though no two science centers are exactly alike, you can be sure this is a field trip that may just put them on their path to a Fields Medal (or at the very least it’ll unlock one of their own Early Achiever IRLA coins!).
  
  
• Beyond the Backyard - If you flipped through all 10 of the science centers above, you may have an idea of where this is going. If you’ve got a weekend road trip planned, or a weeklong holiday coming up, science centers can be the perfect roadside attraction for young learners. Often filled with high-energy activities with lots of space to play, stopping off for a bit of science may just make them happier than any Happy Meal could. Check out this list of 30 to see if any are on the way for your next drive!

What about you? Do you have any science secrets for adding a bit of everyday learning into the mix?