You Can Stimulate Scientific Thinking In Children

Stimulating scientific thinking in children has enormous benefits. This applies not only at an academic level, but also in their daily lives and personal development. The development of reasoning and logic will be crucial to help them solve the problems they encounter and to adapt to the new situations they encounter. 

When we talk about scientific thinking, we are not just referring to what has to do with science (mathematics, nature, biology, engineering, medicine, geometry). We also talk about the ability to be autonomous and solve problems in daily life.

Why is it important to stimulate scientific thinking in children?

As we have mentioned before, it is very important to stimulate this kind of thinking in the little ones. They are in full development  and anything that provides them with cognitive stimulation will be very positive for their academic development and as autonomous people. 

Therefore, we will look at the benefits you provide your children with when you stimulate scientific thinking.

• Improves learning to be able to solve problems in real situations. 
• Increases the capacity to observe and analyze in children according to what is happening in their environment. At the same time, it enhances their capacity for reasoning, and it promotes the construction of more complex ideas. 
• Develops their educational capacity and enables them to  learn strategies to arrive at their own solutions. 
• Helps build your own learning.
• Improves their perception of space and their relationship with the physical environment  (shapes, parts, everything, etc.).

These are just some of the benefits of why it is important to stimulate scientific thinking in children. Thanks to this, they will be able to handle and solve difficult situations. Furthermore, they will be able to analyze from different points of view and  have a global view of the world in which they live. 

What should you consider to stimulate adequate scientific thinking in children?

In order for the development of scientific thinking to be sufficient, you need to take into account certain essential aspects. Below we will look at some of them:

• Use of scientific thinking in your child’s daily life.
• Use logic to solve complicated situations.
• Contribute the skills and techniques necessary for your child to observe and analyze the environment and act accordingly.

• Encourage your child to make an attempt, even if he or she makes mistakes. Your child needs to try solutions, and if they do not work, he or she needs to change them. It is a learning opportunity to make mistakes  and we need to set this concept in our children.

Tips to stimulate scientific thinking in children

Scientific thinking helps children relate to facts, ideas and reasons for their effects. If we use some simple practices in our daily lives, we will help them develop this kind of thinking, logic and conclusion. In this regard, we will look at some tips you can introduce:

Encourage their curiosity about the world

We need to encourage our children to explore all the things that are around them, to understand how things work and what they are for. This means that we have to let them touch objects and let them do tests where they try to understand the mechanisms that set them in motion.

From a very young age, parents should allow children to tinker with all kinds of things, including various materials, fabrics, toys, etc. Of course, this is for as long as things are safe.

To begin with, children will, through touch and sight, determine the difference between objects according to colors, shapes and sizes. At the same time, they will examine their characteristics and features. As they grow up, you can use some household experiments to analyze the relationship between cause and effect. 

Ask questions to encourage their interest in things

There are very curious children who ask about everything and touch everything, while others are not so curious. With the latter, we need to arouse their interest by asking them questions to the world around them. At the same time, we need to encourage them to examine and find an explanation for everything they do not understand.

Allow them to practice and try to solve the problems they encounter

As long as it is not dangerous,  we should let them try to find solutions on their own and follow their own criteria if problems arise when manipulating or setting up a thing. It should always take place under your supervision and you should be patient and offer advice if needed.

Use play and imagination

You can create simple challenges that they must try to solve. For example, you could start a story and ask them to continue it and explain what happens to the characters, how they think, how they react, and so on.

Use stories to encourage scientific thinking in children

Stories can be a very good tool for encouraging scientific thinking in children. To begin with, you will read the story to them and then ask them questions to develop their reasoning and understanding.

Later, when they are older, they will most likely try to find the answers to the questions they have, by consulting and researching other books, and so on.

Gently direct their learning

When faced with a problem they do not know how to solve,  do not give them the solution. Instead, give them clues or ask them questions that will lead them to the solution while they think. That way, they will be the ones who find the solution.

As you can see, it is very important for parents to stimulate scientific thinking in their children. It will not only help them in the academic field where it will be very important. It will also help their development as independent individuals who are able to solve the problems they encounter.

You must always remember that we, as parents, are their mentors on this learning path and that with patience, love and dedication we  can help our children become amazing people in all areas.