Why Science Matters? Ideas for Parents
Involve your child in science, technology, engineering and math. Whether you have a toddler or a teenager, find hands-on activities that will help you explore relevant issues including nutrition, a greener home, children’s literature, internships, scholarships, career opportunities and more.

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My Backyard Laboratory: A Wren Village

Carolina wren

Two yard panthers and a little good wolf patrol the edge of the Dawnwood forest that is our backyard. We never know what is going to turn up out there so every day is apt to be a learning experience in my backyard laboratory.  

It amazes me how and where some critters choose to raise their young. Two little Carolina wrens (thryohorus ludovicianus) built a nest in a precariously perched bird barn on our back porch. This despite the whisker licking yard panthers periodically circling below. The wren parents work incredibly hard to keep their babies fed. Every ten minutes or so, one of them brings an insect or a worm to the bird barn for the tiny chicks, whose beaks look bigger than their bodies.

Eat Smart for a Great Start!

eat smart

This September, PBS KIDS makes it easy for families to stay healthy and active with PBS KIDS Eat Smart for a Great Start. Studies have shown that poor nutrition and lack of exercise can negatively impact children's academic performance. To help start the school year off right, PBS KIDS has developed themed television programming, online content, and partnerships with Allrecipes.com and Produce for Kids -- to provide kids and parents with resources that support health and physical activity.

Thinking Like a Scientist: Answering the “Why” Questions

Do you have an inquisitive child? Do they explore the world around them? Do they amaze you with all the questions they have? Do they sometimes ask a few too many questions? Well here is a proven scientific method that will help you answer all those wonderful, inquisitive, yet sometimes draining, ‘why’ questions.

Learning Shapes Our World

Semi-circle

As both an Architect and a Mother, I enjoy exploring the Science of Architecture with my young children. Architecture involves understanding numerous shapes and knowing how they are used to create buildings and spaces. Since children start learning their basic shapes and colors around the age of two, it is a great opportunity for parents and children to explore shapes and architecture together.

Water Play and Your Child’s Growing Brain

water play

In the early months and years of life children learn by getting their hands on and in all kinds of things. This early sensory motor stage is a wonderful time to introduce your child to science and math concepts through activities such as floor time, finger paint and water play.

Fueling Up!

Eating healthy can be fun!

What makes our body “get up and go” every day? Just like gas fuels our car, the calories we get from food fuel our bodies. Have you ever tried to explain how this works to your child? Let’s start with a definition of a calorie. A calorie is a unit of energy or heat which approximates the energy needed to increase the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1° Celsius. In simpler terms, a calorie is the energy we receive from food.