Thread: Exposure to science from young? The most minimal ruleset?

An interesting article I read stated the reader's view that kindergarteners should not be denied admission and participation in science fairs because of their age, and emphasized the point that kindergarten age, just before formal classroom lessons begin, is the best environment to encourage lifelong learning, thinking outside of the box, and exploring. I agree with that totally.


Kids of that age should be allowed to play with things they do not fully understand yet, to be exposed to forming new concepts and ideas about what may be possible to achieve, without being restricted by the bounding box of rules that basic classroom education serves to put around them. Authentic science experiences in school should be developed such that students only learn of restrictions because of ethics and safety, rather than be stifled by the idea that a scientific goal cannot be acheived because it is insignificant as the recognition that comes with it pales in comparison with greater discoveries.


Though we should encourage learning and developing an interest in science from young and encourage no limit to what is possible, are there any other restrictions, besides those of ethics and safety, that we need to put in place for young inductees?

Since science is a methodology, an approach to nature and understanding, I agree that it's never too early to teach kids about it, and make it a part of their being... Help them think in critical and clear ways. The only limitations I would encourage are when risks are involved. The nature of the study or experiment is the context, and the child needs to be able to clearly understand the risks of their activities in a specific context. There are no hard lines, though. If they understand and mitigate the risks, then the sky is the limit.