Summer is ideal for science

Over the past decade, it’s become increasingly clear that a strong background in science and technology really helps students get ahead in school and in life. Most parents are aware of the benefits of having their child practice math and reading skills to prevent the dreaded ‘summer slide,’ but what about science? How can we use those long summer days to challenge the student who already has an interest in science, and inspire those who don’t? One Sylvan expert suggests this list of activities than can be adapted to any age group.

Get cooking: Cooking skills are essential to lifelong health. If you want a real scare, skip the horror movie and read the ingredient list on a package of processed food. Health benefits aside, cooking and baking also teach children important physics and math concepts, like fractions (how much sugar and flour?), simple machines (using a knife correctly) and the different methods of heat transfer (convection, conduction and radiation). Before you know it, your child might be asking to make dinner once in a while. How cool would that be? Even preschoolers can help stir (and eat) the cookie batter. Not a cook yourself? Keep it simple. Try making butter by shaking cream in a zip-lock bag. Or maybe suggest a research question about how corn pops. Buy or borrow a kid’s cookbook and go from there.

Grow a garden: This can tie in perfectly with cooking, giving children an appreciation of where food comes from. You don’t need a lot of time or space. A few potted herbs, some salad greens grown in containers, or some easy-care annuals in planters will do.

Make a collection: This is great training in biology. Students can collect shells, leaves, wildflowers, mushrooms (under adult supervision — take pictures instead of bringing them home.) Younger children can sort their collection by grouping items by size, colour, or shape, while older students can be encouraged to find out the scientific names and characteristics of the items they collect.

Nature photography: Go for a hike and encourage your children to take pictures of items that interest them — animals, plants, geological formations. If they’re too young to use a camera, have them tell you what to photograph. Take close-ups. This a great way to ‘collect’ without harming the environment.

Star-gaze: Astronomy Nova Scotia’s website www.astronomynovascotia.ca, has a calendar of events, including telescope viewing sessions, and a weekly guide to the night sky. Drive to a spot outside the city on a clear night and enjoy the show.

Celebrate women in science: Encourage your children to find out about women scientists such as Lise Meitner, who first discovered that atoms could be split, and Hedy Lamarr, a glamorous Hollywood actress as well as an early computer scientist! You’ll find that many of these women were not given credit for their discoveries — a great starting point for a discussion with your kids about why it’s important for women to stand up and be counted in the world of science. Check out the Women in Science and Engineering website for more ideas — www.wiseatlantic.ca/

Tide-watch: Nova Scotia’s Fundy shore has some of the highest tides in the world. Spend a day at one of the beautiful, uncrowded beaches in the Annapolis Valley and keep track of the tide while you play. Tide tables are available online to help you plan your visit.

Play observation games: Observation skills are vital to science learning. One simple game to play on a rainy day is to gather a dozen familiar objects, place them on a tray, and allow your child 10 or 15 seconds to observe them. Then, cover the tray and ask questions like “how many blue objects were there?” or “how many are used in the kitchen?” The possibilities are endless.

Build something: Let kids construct a bike ramp, a fort, or even a robot! Sylvan’s new robotics and coding programs are a great way to get your son or daughter turned on to science and technology and teach basic computer coding skills, developing the mindset for science success. Check out the camps happening all summer.

So, there’s plenty that can be done over the summer, indoors and out, to spark a student’s interest in science. With its museums and universities, Halifax has a wealth of resources to help you and your children explore the wider world of science, or you can keep it simple and close to home. The choice is yours.