Wednesday, September 2, 2015

BOOK REPORT: The Curious Kid's Science Book

Get this book on Amazon
I recently received a book for review called The Curious Kid's Science Book by Asia Citro, a former teacher turned mom blogger (her blog is Fun At Home With Kids )  The book features over 100 cool science activities for kids ages 4-8.  It's the type of book that I wish I had created.

The book is chockful of science and experiments, and questions to ask yourself about the experiments, and why things happened the way they did.  The experiments and science are all around interesting things like growing mold and fungus, or planting seeds and watching them grow day by day or how to raise a praying mantis, or how to protect an egg from a fall.

I want to be this parent.  I really do.  I am sad to say that I am more likely to be the parent that watches America Ninja Warrior with their kid and takes him out to pizza (which is something we do far more often than is probably healthy.)


Artwork by Tiffany Ard
The book has a great discussion of the scientific method, of how to design experiments, and MOST IMPORTANTLY how to interact with your kid while they are conducting the experiments.  It also talks about how to acquire the supplies necessary (many you already own)  Even if you were a science duffer in school, the book makes it easy to help your kid fall in love with science.

While the book says the activities are for ages 4-8, I really think that kids of any age would like them.  After about age 12, they may have already been exposed to most of this stuff, but the experiments and ideas behind the experiments are really good.

 There are also opportunities for you (and more importantly your kid) to design your own experiments.  Because, the point of this is not for you to learn to love science.  It's for your kid.  (But the truth is, you have to do it with them.  Otherwise, they just aren't going to do it!  Loving science doesn't just happen by magic.  Kids are sponges and parrots, and they model their behavior on yours.)

Below is a sample of just one of the experiments available in the book.  Click the image to make it larger.  There are 99 more just as good.

If you want your kid to like science, this is a great book to entice them to do so.  And if your kid already likes science, then you just got yourself a goldmine of cool activities! (and the first draft of a killer science fair project.)

So when your kid accepts that Nobel Prize years from now, they might be able to thank Asia Citro and her book (and hopefully you for working with them on it!)

PLEASE NOTE: This copyrighted excerpt is provided with explicit written permission from the publisher.  This excerpt may not be shared on any other sites without first obtaining permission from the publisher

Get this book on Amazon


Find out more about Asia Citro on her website Fun At Home With Kids

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