How to get Kids Excited about Science

Learning science is more important than ever before. STEM education is the key to foster problem solving skills, critical thinking, and can open the door to high demand careers. But teaching science can feel daunting. If you’re an educator or a parent trying to introduce science to kids, you may have encountered a stumbling block—you aren’t sure how to make it engaging. You may run into this problem with any subject you’re trying to teach, of course, but science especially can seem challenging to students, so they just tune out.

Over the last 25 years, Prismatic Magic has used educational laser light school assemblies to become a leading expert on how to get kids excited about science. My name is Jesse and I’ve been a Laser Science Teacher for Prismatic Magic for almost four years. As part of our team that has visited thousands of schools, I’ve helped develop educational materials to reach millions of students. In this article, I am going to share the secret with you to make learning fun, so you too can become a science rock star.  If I can do it, you can do it too!

Start with something visual, easy to see, and eye catching. Something as simple and beautiful as making a rainbow is a science lesson waiting to happen.  “But,” you may say, “I don’t know what makes a rainbow.” That’s okay! That’s good! Before I started as a Laser Science Teacher, I didn’t know what made a rainbow either. Now, I teach the principles behind it regularly.  Remember, you don’t need to be a science expert yourself to foster interest in it, and you don’t need all the high-tech lasers that we use at every school assembly. Children respond to what they see, and the right educational experiences at the right time can spark a lifelong passion for science. Any activity that begins with “Hmm, I wonder…” is the perfect start. After all, the world around us is full of amazing phenomena that get more interesting if you understand how they work.

Learning begins with wonder, so encourage thinking about things we don’t understand. In many ways the information itself is the least important part of education in today’s age where the answer is always a google search away.  What’s really important is igniting that spark of curiosity. When I do a laser show, it’s not just about cool looking lights and music- I’m showing science in action. Today’s child shouting “That’s so cool!” is the first step to tomorrow’s scientist exclaiming, “Eureka!” We want to get our kids’ noses out of their phones and their eyes away from their screens, looking at the world around them, thinking about what they don’t know- and asking questions.

Encourage—and ask—Questions. Children are innately curious. The chorus of curious “why?” comes naturally to them – and curiosity is the essence of science! When I answer questions at the end of a Laser Light Show, I run out of time before the children run out of questions to ask. For every question that’s asked, there are five that I can’t get to.

You can encourage students to ask questions by asking your own. Guide them by asking what they think about a concept, demonstration, or experiment. Ask how they would approach a problem, and what they think might happen if something about it was different. For example, when demonstrating how I create different colors with our lasers, I ask what they think will happen next when I mix different laser colors together. The question leads them to the right answer, and to other questions. You can do the same with your own science lessons- what makes the rainbow? Why does soda fizz? What would happen if we mixed two different colors of paint together? Why did we get that result? And so on. At some point, we all get questions that we don’t know the answers to, and that’s good! Encourage your kids to go out and seek the answers you don’t have, helping them search if possible.

Craft Collaborative Lessons. Every school assembly I perform reminds me that kids learn better when they learn together. Shared experiences, like assemblies, field trips, or class projects, are naturally motivating. And this idea doesn’t just work in school. Anytime kids can compare ideas and share their discoveries, it makes learning fun. And this doesn’t only word with students—parents and teachers can be equal partners in learning with their children. If you don’t know what makes a rainbow, then you’re in for a treat- you get to find out! The process of learning can be just as fun for you as the students- and when they see you engaged in the act of science, their own interest is further encouraged. Do experiments together, learn together- and you may find yourself having just as much fun as your children.

You Can Do It. Once you get past the myth that you can’t teach science unless you’re a Ph.D. or a professor, you can capture your kids’ attention and get them comfortable with asking questions. My educational background was not in science. I taught children art, theater, language arts, and now science, and I’ve learned the key to learning anything is passion. By encouraging scientific thought and getting students excited science, you can give them the passion for learning that will last their whole lives. By demonstrating how cool science is, encouraging questions, and learning together, you can get children engaged with science and eager for knowledge.

So go forth, science rockstar!