Fun, Easy Ways to Explore Science in Your Home

There are some seasons of learning when textbooks or curriculum help us stay on track with science, but there other times when using what we have at our fingertips for learning science is our preferred method.  It's not that we don't enjoy the curriculum that we use.  The fact is that we simply need to mix it up a bit.  Mixing up the way my daughters digest information often allows them to tap into their own scientific instincts. 

Three Easy Ways to Incorporate Science without Curriculum

Use a variety of experiment books

We keep books on our bookshelf that have different types of experiments.  This makes it easy to do simple experiments especially if we have the materials on hand. Dover Publications has several titles that focus on experiments like The Tabletop Scientist series. There are three titles included: The Science of Light, The Science of Water, and The Science of Air. Recently, my daughters and I completed an experiment from both the Science of Air and the Science of Water. It was the perfect day to take science outside and these books made it possible. We created a hydrometer which then led my youngest daughter experiment with density by mixing all of the liquids we were using together.  This might not have happened if we weren't freely experimenting with science. 

Subscribe to a science subscription box

I hadn't considered subscription boxes until we reviewed MyEduCrate.  I liked that my daughters were excited about the activities that came in the subscription box.  The box we received had owl pellets.  Dissecting the pellets was a nice change to our homeschool.  I didn't have to search for materials to make this project happen because everything was in the box except one additional pair of gloves.  If you don't have science supplies on hand, subscribing to a science based subscription box will at least guarantee that your child will get some fun science in at least once a month.

Download a monthly science calendar

The Homeschool Scientist puts out a calendar each month focused on all things science.  On the calendar, you'll find links to important days in the science community like birthdays and anniversaries such as Richter Scale Day.  Not only are important dates highlighted, but the calendar also includes links to unit studies and science experiments.  If you are not science-minded, the Homeschool Scientist monthly science calendar just might be the thing to help you incorporate science regularly without the rigidness of curriculum. 

Science doesn't have to be limited to the textbook.  Exploring and engaging simply for the sake of wonder is great way to help learners develop their own reasoning skills.

How do you teach your children science?