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Science is a subject that is particularly important to the development of young minds because in learning science you learn many other important skills. Scientific knowledge helps in almost every other subject that your child will study. With a good understanding of science your child can better understand the world around him or her. Below are just a few examples of how doing science projects can help to make your child smarter.

Scientific method

In doing science projects children learn about the scientific method. The scientific process requires a great deal of thought. For example, a child starts out with a theory and through a process of experimentation to determine whether or not that theory is true. In repeating this thought process over and over children can develop a maturity in thinking analytically to be able to solve problems for themselves.

Logic and reasoning skills

Science projects help children to develop their logic and reasoning skills. In doing science projects you make guesses as to what the end result of the experiment will be. In the beginning all that you have are educated guesses and through the course of doing the project you come to find if your guesses were right. A child can learn from right and wrong guesses how to logically determine outcomes. Through experience a child's sense of reasoning develops and they become more capable of making accurate perceptions of the world around them

Writing a report/recording findings

Science projects for school often require that a report of some kind accompany the project. Writing a report teaches your child a lot of important skills including, grammar, vocabulary, formatting, spelling and proof reading. In writing a report your child also learns the important skill of self expression. In other words, the child learns how to describe what they see and experience in their own words.

The rewards of the successful project

Receiving a good grade on a science project or even better, receiving the blue ribbon for a science project does a lot to boost a child's self esteem. Many times projects are put on display for many others to see. As the child explains the project and how they can to the conclusion that they did, they learn how to teach principles and communicate verbally how they solved a problem. Even projects that did not work out exactly as planned are valuable because something is learned; even if it is learning how not to do that same project in the future.

Understand the everyday and learn to ask how and why

Science projects naturally encourage kids to look around for opportunities to experiment and to test out their own hypotheses. Asking questions and answering questions in the home is especially important in a child's development as it helps them to learn self sufficiency and trust in their parents. Parents also benefit when their children learn to ask questions because it provides parents with the opportunity to see how their child thinks and allows them to figure out what a child does and does not understand. Encourage kids to ask questions and explore and make sure that you listen to them when they do start talking.