How to Stimulate Scientific Thinking in Children

It's important that we stimulate scientific thinking in children, as it has many benefits for both their academic and personal development of little ones.

Written and verified by the psychologist Mara Amor López.

Last update: 27 December, 2022

Stimulating scientific thinking in children has enormous benefits. Not only on an academic level, but also in their daily lives and in their personal development. The development of reasoning and logic will be decisive in helping them to solve the problems they encounter and to adapt to the new situations they face.

When we speak of scientific thinking, we’re not only referring to that which has to do with science (mathematics, nature, biology, engineering, medicine, geometry). We’re also talking about the capacity to be autonomous and to solve the problems of daily life.

Why is it important to stimulate scientific thinking in children?

As we’ve said before, it’s very important to stimulate this type of thinking in little ones. They’re in full development and anything that provides them with cognitive stimulation is going to be very positive for their academic development and as autonomous people.

So, we’re going to look at the benefits you provide children when you stimulate scientific thinking.

• Improves learning in order to solve problems in real situations.
• Increases the capacity of observation and analysis in children about what happens in their environment. At the same time, it improves their reasoning capacity and promotes the construction of more complex ideas.
• Develops their educational capacity and allows them to learn strategies to give their own solutions.
• Strengthens the relationship of children with their environment and the way they perceive it.
• Helps build up one’s own learning.
• Improves their perception of space and their relationship with the physical environment (forms, parts, everything, etc.).

These are just some of the benefits for which it’s important to stimulate scientific thought in our children. Thanks to this, they’ll be able to face and solve difficult situations and they’ll be able to analyze from different points of view and have a global vision of the world they live in.

What should you take into account in order to adequately stimulate scientific thought?

For the development of scientific thought to be adequate, you must take into account certain essential aspects. Below, we’ll look at some of them:

• Use scientific thinking in your child’s day-to-day life.
• Use logic to solve complicated situations.
• Provide the skills and techniques necessary for your child to be able to observe and analyze their environment to act accordingly.
• Encourage children to make attempts, even if they make mistakes. They must try solutions and, if they don’t work, they must change them. Making mistakes is a learning opportunity and we must instill this concept in our children.

Tips to stimulate scientific thinking in children

Scientific thinking helps children relate facts, ideas and causes to their effects. If we use some simple practices in our daily lives, we’ll be helping them to develop this thinking, logic and deduction. In this sense, let’s see some tips you can apply:

Encourage their curiosity about the world

We must encourage little ones to investigate all the objects around them, to understand how things work and what they’re for. This means letting them manipulate the objects and make trial and error tests to realize the mechanisms that set them in motion.

From the time they’re small, parents should allow them to manipulate all kinds of objects, including different materials, fabrics, toys, etc. Of course, as long as the objects are safe.

At first, through touch and sight, children will determine the differences between the objects in terms of colors, shapes, sizes. At the same time, they’ll investigate their characteristics and functions. As they grow, you can use some household science experiments to analyze the cause-effect relationship.

Ask questions to encourage their interest in things

There are very curious children who ask about and touch everything, while others are not so curious. For the latter, we must awaken their interest by asking them questions about the world around them. At the same time, we must encourage them to investigate to find an explanation for everything they don’t understand.

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

As long as it’s not dangerous, we should let them seek solutions autonomously, following their criteria when problems arise when manipulating or setting up some object. This always has to take place under your supervision – and you should be patient and offer advice as needed.

Use play and imagination

You can propose simple challenges for them to try to solve. For example, you can also start a story and ask them to continue it and explain what happens to the characters, how they think, how they react, etc.

Use stories to encourage scientific thinking in children

Stories can be a very good tool to encourage scientific thinking in children. At first, you’ll read the story to them and then ask them questions to develop their reasoning and understanding.

Later, when they’re older, they’ll most likely try to find the answers to the questions they may have by consulting and researching other books, etc.

Gently directing their learning

When they’re faced with a problem that you don’t know how to solve, don’t give them the solution. Rather, you can give them clues or ask them questions that will lead them to the solution while they think. This way, they’ll be the ones who find the solution.

As you can see, it’s very important that parents stimulate scientific thinking in their children. This will help them not only in the academic field, where it will be very important, but also for their formation as independent individuals who are capable of solving the problems they face.

Always remember that as parents, we’re their guides on this path of learning and that with patience, love and dedication, we can help our children become great people in all areas.