Learning science through play

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Hands of student assembling molecular model according to directions on laptop screen

Children are specialists at play and are scientists from birth. These two are not antagonistic to one another. A significant corpus of research has demonstrated the connection between play and science. One frequently cannot exist without the other, especially when a youngster is still growing. Curiosity in children is a strong motivator for exploration, research, and inquiry. In actuality, learning frequently motivates us, piques our interests, and compels us to want to learn more because of our inherent human capacity for wonder.

Think of a little child who is just starting to blow bubbles in her milk. Although you, as her parent, may be concerned about the possible messes, the youngster has made a significant discovery. Her play has caused an intriguing, discernible reaction. Of course, the logical next step is to check if she can blow harder to see if she can make bigger bubbles, and the disaster you anticipated has now materialised. On the table, milk has spilled all over it. You can tell that something spectacular has happened if you look past the clutter. Your youngster has participated in science at its best. She learned how to create bubbles in her milk, is engaging in inquiry processes, and is using observational skills. She made an effort to respond to some variation of the query, “I wonder what happens if…?” whether she expressed it verbally or not. She may play and question further. She might try to blow bubbles the next time she drinks water, much like she did with her milk. It doesn’t operate as well as it might. She enquires, “Mom, why doesn’t my water forms bubbles?” She is currently contrasting and comparing. She can solve issues. If you let her, she might even do a testable experiment by retrying with a little milk added to the water. This is both play and science.

Giving your child materials for free play means removing yourself from the situation as long as the materials are secure. To put it another way, there shouldn’t be any interference, goals, or well-intentioned tasks.

Recent studies have found that unstructured play in science promotes conceptual growth. For instance, by using balloons to simulate static electricity, a youngster may learn about concepts like static cling. However, when new vocabulary is presented, whether by parents or instructors, she has a meaningful experience to which she may relate the concepts. Keep in mind that she won’t learn vocabulary through play.

The play’s worth lies in the child’s capacity to direct her imaginary environment. Remain relaxed and observe the action. In the course of their free-form scientific play, children will encounter a wide range of situations that they have created, and they will frequently engage in higher-order cognitive processes like problem-solving, divergent thinking (the ability to see multiple possibilities), creativity, the scientific method, inquiry, and the application of prior knowledge. Children are able to create and test theories, conduct experiments, and look into various possibilities. All of this remarkable activity is propelled by wonder and curiosity via the potent mode of play. 

We can all become friends if we have a passion for learning and teaching science. A child’s insatiable curiosity can produce wonders; all we need to do is guide it in the correct direction. Your child can broaden their knowledge with the aid of Xperimentor science kits, which provide a home laboratory for scientific study. We want to open up science to everyone. Our hybrid science learning ecosystem serves as the Swiss Army Knife of efficient learning in this regard. With a tonne of entertaining science experiments, activities, and projects, it helps your child study at their own speed while building solid core knowledge. We think that a new generation of scientists and inventors may emerge from the hands-on learning provided by our science experiment kits. It makes sense why kids adore it and why educators in all schools support it. 

Is your kid the world’s next top scientist? If you let them play, they very well could be!