How to Teach Physics to Kids
Among the three science subjects, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, most children find Physics tough. Similar to Math, Physics also finds few takers among students. But why could this be? and How can we make children like and pursue Physics as a career
A lot to do is in the way in which it is taught. It is all great in primary class when the principle of gravity is demonstrated by dropping an apple on the floor or slippery banana peel is used to explain how friction and lubrication affect body movement.
However, everything changes as soon as students enter high school. Teaching style move towards fact memorization and mugging up formulas.
So what can be done to make Physics interesting
1. Help them set up Physics experiments with home stuff
Actually, if you look around, you will find a lot of stuff that you and your child can use to try out Physics concepts.
Try out : Lego Balloon Car (courtesy Superprof Blog)
- Lego
- Balloons
- Small Tape Measure
- Craft/ Beading or Nails and Screws Box
How does it work?
This activity combines simple science and engineering to make an incredible learning activity and will give your a good time to bond with your child. Ask your little one to build a car, then ask them to blow a balloon and tape it to one end of the car and ask them how far they make it to. You can make it more interesting by doing it as a competition.
2. Learn through Online Games
In general, a child needs to learn about the following topics mainly- Motion, Electricity, Work and Energy, Waves and Sound, Light and Optics. There are some interesting platforms that teach these concepts through games.
This is a physics puzzle game inspired by one of the most successful scientific missions in human history. Children get to learn about basics of some rocket science and basic physics principles.
Game 2: Tami’s Tower
Tami’s Tower developed by Smithsonian Science Education Center is another interesting game for young kids. This game introduces kids to basic physics and engineering principles.
This game will help kids learn about fundamental principles of physics. Older students will be able to learn about angular momentum, kinetic energy, and other complex physics concepts.
4. Tinybop Simple Machines
Help your children learn about levers, pulleys, wheel and axles, screws, inclined planes, and wedges through this game. This app supports 40+ languages 40+ languages including Chinese, Russian, German, French, Spanish, Japanese.
3. Get for your Children Physics based novels/non-fiction
What better way than buying for kids novels. Let them read these and also get curious about physics principles.
1. The right stuff by Tom Wolfe
It is a magnificent adventure story looking at the courage of the first Americans to conquer space. This book takes the reader from the breaking of the sound barrier by Chuck Yeager up to the start of the Apollo program.
2. For the Love of Physics: A Journey Through the Wonders of Physics by Walter Lewin
This book explain the Physics concepts of the in a unique and interactive manner.
“For the Love of Physics, which is good even if you don’t know much physics. He’ll introduce a mystery and then show how you can understand it with just a little bit of physics.”- Bill Gates, Microsoft Founder
3. Storm in a Teacup by Helen Czerski
Helen Czerskiis is excellent at relating the concepts of physics to things in everyday life. She provides answers to vexing questions: How do ducks keep their feet warm when walking on ice? Why does it take so long for ketchup to come out of a bottle? Why does milk, when added to tea, look like billowing storm clouds? and so much more.
4. Stuff Matters by Miodownik Mark
The author does an awesome job at introducing the materials that we come around our everyday life from plastics and porcelain to graphene, explaining how they came about and the underlying science.
Hope you all liked the various options listed here in making Physics learning enjoyable for your kids. Go ahead and share your comments.
