The Kids’ Science Book

Kids Can! Books are wonderful introductions to various subjects. The Kids’ Science Book: Creative Experiences for Hands-on Fun is no exception. Intended for children ages 4 to 10, the book contains over 100 simple yet exciting science experiments to help get children—as well as adults—interested in science.

Authors Nancy White and Robert Hirschfeld include experiments sure to please any young scientists. Some of these include making a magic watering can, homemade ice cream, and growing a garden. Complex concepts, such as photosynthesis, momentum, and pressure are all tactilely explained through experiments with marbles, plants, and other common household objects.

The Scientific Method is explained early on in the book, helping children to learn how to question, observe, predict, and estimate results of experiments. Kids can keep their own science journals as “lab sheets” to follow along, draw pictures of their experiments, and embark upon real scientific journeys.

The text itself is highly interactive and child-friendly, with plenty of easy-to-read (and to follow) directions, black and white drawings, explanations, and ingredient lists. Simple captions accompany the more difficult photos, but most pictures are pretty clear on their own. Steps are outlined under “What You Do” headings with large number markings to make following them in order very easy to do.

Each experiment starts with an introduction so kids can relate what happens in the work to their own day to day lives. For example, in the experiment that shows how rain works, there is a brief paragraph about how we can see rain falling from the sky when it rains. The introduction tells how rain falls in a mere sentence or two—very plainly and easily to follow—and then proceeds into the experiment: making rain in your own kitchen!

Other explanations that do not have accompanying experiments are included as well. Simple paragraphs about bugs, spider webs, predators, and other things that kids will find fascinating are provided. These are definitely quirky, interesting tidbits about nature and the world that I would have loved to have read as a kid. You’ll also find experiments that result in wonderful crafts or other things to keep and use, such as marble paper or a hot-air powered mobile.

The Kids’ Science Book is a definite must-have for the little scientists in your home. You’ll find that you will be looking forward to experiments with your child each day just as much as he or she does!