Ways to Incorporate Science and Social Studies into Your Child’s Routine

If you’re like most parents, you’re probably looking for ways to teach your child more about the world without the added expense of buying additional toys, and with activities that fit your busy schedule. If you’re looking for fresh ideas for science and social studies games and activities, look no further. Let’s discover easy ways to incorporate both into your family’s routine! 

Easy Science Activities — from the Comfort of Your Own Home

Try out some of the ideas below to incorporate science into your child’s routine. Keep in mind that when you’re short on time, or even if you just want to extend their learning, Kids Academy offers a wide array of printable science worksheets. PDF worksheets are great ways for kids to gain knowledge and practice skills in an objective way. In between completing worksheet tasks, try these activities out for size:

• Nature Hikes and Scavenger Hunts

Great for weekends or breaks from school, you don’t need to travel farther than your back yard for a great scavenger hunt! Just create a list of items you’d like your little scientist to find. This can include types or colors of leaves, flowers, plants, rocks, sticks, bugs, and much more. Depending on your child’s age and knowledge, you can make this scavenger hunt as easy or tricky as you’d like!

Get your child in on the fun and have him pick the items to be found. Then, get outdoors to find it all, and study the items later at home! If you have more time, find a nearby trail through local woods, and take your child on a nature hike and notice what she finds. Extend their learning by looking up and learning about the items that were found!

• Easy Science Experiments

You don’t need to buy anything extra to conduct easy science experiments at home! Whether it’s making slime, a volcano, or turning pennies green, there are a plethora of easy science experiments to be found online using everyday items you probably already have on-hand. You can also refer to our article we’ve already written on science experiments for kids. 

• Planting Seeds or Raising Butterflies

Here’s a wonderful way to teach your kids about life science and responsibility, without taking too much time from your daily schedule. Your kids can plant a seed or raise butterflies right from home! First decide which activity your child would like to do, and then get the supplies. Have your child pick out the type of plant or flower they’d like to plant, and find a pot and soil to use.

If your child is raising butterflies, there are guides online to find caterpillars in the wild, or simply order a butterfly kit, available at major retailers that sell toys. Encourage your child to take care of their plant or butterfly habitat daily, and watch them burst with joy as they see their hard work come alive… literally! 

Explore Social Studies through Culture and Current Events

Social studies for kids should never be boring! Since kids are naturally curious about the world around them, they’ll have a blast exploring other cultures, and learning about the current issues they hear about every day! Here’s some ideas to get started: 

• Positive news for kids

Kids need to be aware of current events that affect their world. Unfortunately, a lot of the day’s news can be negative, and downright scary! Thankfully there are many avenues for uplifting and positive news for kids! Most major news corporations have sections dedicated to positive kids’ news, like Today Kids, and HuffPost Kids.

If you’d like to stay away from major media companies, there are also apps that schools use, like News-O-Matic that can serve the same purpose. Simply read a friendly news story each day, and keep your kids posted about current events that matter to them! 

• Exploring culture through food

Whether your child is studying foreign countries or even just food from different corners of the country, exploring culture through food is a fun and easy way for your little one to discover how other people eat and live! Look up recipes online, and get cooking! Explore Asian, Hispanic, or European cultures by finding dishes popular in specific countries.

If your child is learning about different states, discover the difference between Texas and Memphis barbeque, or New York versus Chicago pizza. Let your child lead the way, pick out the ingredients, and cook up a tasty meal, all while learning about that meal’s country or location of origin! 

• Innovative social studies apps

We live in a day and age unlike any ever before! Today’s kids have apps that teach all about the world without ever having to leave the house! Apps can help take kids on virtual field trips, or even connect them with pen-pals an entire world away. Apps like Google Earth or The Pyramids can show kids what the word looks like without ever having to travel.

There are multiple apps for reaching out to kids in different counties, and even apps that teach tolerance and social skills that will help build character. With so much out there, limitless opportunities are available for your child to explore the world! 

Learning has never been so easy with the resources and technology our kids have today! By utilizing some of the above ideas, you can incorporate social studies and science into your child’s everyday routine without breaking the bank!