Little Curious Cats

You know how growing up toddlers always have a "But why..." question. They always want an explanation for everything that's happening around them. 

Research says that curiosity helps children explore and discover the world around them. They try out things and in their own way understand "cause and effect" - if I press the bunny's tummy it will giggle or if I turn the bottle over, the water will spill. And, when they don't understand why something happens, then they ask "Why".

A curious child is always searching for answers, which is good, because curiosity stimulates their development. Of course, after a certain point, their curiosity would lead them to try things that are not safe. This would mean that they would need constant supervision if we let them explore everything around them, and that, is not always possible. 

So, most parents tend to prevent their children from exploring things beyond a "safe environment", for the safety of the children. Also, many times children ask us "Why", and we may ourselves not know or not be sure of the answer, and won't be able to give them the information to quench their thirst. Thus, in some way, knowingly or unknowingly we become the "barrier" that prevents them from being curious.

Wouldn't it be wonderful, if there was a way to keep them curious and fed with information, while ensuring that they are safe? Is there such a way?

Yes, there is! The answer lies in books! And, I am not talking about the "Tell me Why" or "Encyclopedia" series. I am talking about story books that engage them through a story, and in the process they learn facts about the world around them.

Here are some fabulous titles to carry in your bag or keep in the car:

• Oscar Science series - There are many titles in this series. Each title tells a story about how Oscar the curious kitten explores things around him and learns science facts.
• Oscar and the Frog – A book about growing
• Oscar and the Cricket – A book about moving and rolling
• Oscar and the Bird – A book about electricity
• Let’s Read and Find Out Science series – The books in this series are ideal for 5-years and above. The books have stories and hands-on activities that children can try.
• Forces Make Things Move
• Gravity is a Mystery
• The Moon Seems to Change
• Amazing Science series – The Simple Machines titles in this series are a great way to learn Physics fundamentals. Each title describes how simple machines work and their uses.
• Tires, Spokes and Sprockets – A book about wheels and axles
• Pull, Lift and Lower – A book about pulleys
• Scoop, Seesaw and Raise – A book about levers

So, go on and give your children books that fuel their curiosity and development and watch them grow into little experts!

Fun Science

Our day on February 18 began with a nice surprise. The morning edition of Times of India, Mumbai had a packet of tomato seeds pasted on the front page. The seeds were part of the Kissan ketchup ad campaign, and an innovative one I must say. The ad provided a packet of tomato seeds and listed the steps to plant them, and grow a tomato plant. More information was provided on their website.

Needless to say, my to-do item for the weekend was to buy a nice pot and plant the seed, along with my daughter. We'll be taking milestone pictures of our plant project and then we'll create a picture sequence that shows the journey of a tomato - from seed to plant.

Science always lends itself to interesting projects that we can do at home with our kids, not necessarily as part of studies, but just as an activity. Experiments allow kids to observe and infer how things work. Very young kids (toddlers) may not understand the scientific reasoning behind things, but they do understand some bit of cause and effect, and their sharp minds remember things.

Experiments with older kids are more fun, because their inquisitive nature makes activities more challenging; they always want to know "why". And they don't need to visit a lab to quench their inquisitiveness, because science is all around us.
Here are some fun activities that you can do with kids, and have them conclude why or how things happened.

• Which toys float and which toys sink in the bath tub?
• Focus the flashlight on the wall and block it with your hand and observe shadows (older kids can conclude why shadows are formed)
• Race cars of different sizes (body and wheels) and find out which ones go fast
• What happens if we don't water plants?

And if you are a working parent, and can't find enough time to do activities with your kids, you need not feel guilty. Because, you can buy your kids story books that teach science.

Check out the Magic School Bus series. They have books for different reader levels, which take children on amazing science adventures!