Your Pre-Kindergartner
Science
Ask any kid. You don’t need a laboratory to do science. There will be plenty of time later for things like beakers and scalpels. Today your child just wants to use his senses, try things out, and maybe peek under a rock or two.
Don’t be afraid to let his curiosity rub off on you, either. You may find yourself needing to think a little harder, or even look something up, just to answer some of his never-ending questions!
The so-called “scientific method” is actually something we all use all the time, whether we’re wearing goggles or not. As babies we would repeat an action if we noticed it had a neat effect. By the time we were walking, we knew that a stick was a good way to check out something without touching it. And as adults, we “experiment” with new recipes for dinner, different routes to get to work, and talk with each other about what might improve our surroundings.
At the age your kid is now, the best path is to encourage more exploration, offer him different experiences, and enjoy watching his mind get stronger every day.
Flu Season Tips
Stand Back, I’m Researching.
Why is a noodle stiff at first, then floppy later? The little scientist in your house is asking new questions about the world around him, and has a growing understanding of weight and strength. That’s fitting, since his own weight and strength grow each day!
The Earth Is Awesome.
Meteorologist by day, astronomer by night. Your kid is always learning about the earth and space, and can even start noticing how different things seem as time passes – and asking why the moon is sometimes visible in the daytime!
Let Me Investigate.
From a healthy flower to a dead ladybug, to a kid just about anything is worth investigating. He can tell plants from animals, and knows that both are different from, say, a rock. But there’s much more he wants to know – do your best to field his many questions!
I Can Build It.
Your budding engineer doesn’t just know that a rope will help her get up in a tree; she knows why a string didn’t work last time. As her knowledge grows, she’s seeing how things in the home or in the classroom can be used together to, well, make stuff happen.
With This Thing I Can Study That Thing.
If I stand on my chair, can I see in that bird’s nest? What if we take this snowball inside? Now that he’s using tools to learn more, your kid really never runs out of questions. He may be starting to ask a very important one, too: “Is this good for our earth?”
All children learn and grow at their own pace and in their own way. For more information about the skills and milestones for your child's age check out our developmental milestones resource page. If you continue to have concerns or questions please give us a call at 1-800-299-1627.