Can Science Be Made Fun in Elementary School?

Why Science Feels Hard at Home

You’re standing over yet another worksheet—this one about the water cycle. Your child is slumped in their chair, pencil limp in hand, eyes glazed as you repeat, “Evaporation, condensation, precipitation.” You feel the growing pressure to make it make sense—without turning learning into another dreaded chore.

You're not alone. Many parents tell me their kids light up during arts and crafts or story time, but switch off during science. It’s not that they’re not curious. It’s that science—when reduced to dry facts and memorization—loses its natural magic. And let’s be honest: after a full day of work, parenting, and trying to squeeze dinner on the table, your energy to make it fun? It’s fading fast.

Science Is Just a Fancy Word for Curiosity

Think about it. The moment your child asked, “Why do leaves fall?” or “Can birds see in the dark?”—they were doing science. Science begins with curiosity. The challenge is helping them connect that natural wonder to what they’re learning at school. This doesn’t mean building a volcano every weekend. It’s about creating small, meaningful connections between everyday life and the classroom.

When your child asks a question—pause for a beat. Instead of jumping to the answer, respond with, “What do you think?” or “Hmm, how could we find out together?” You’re inviting them into a conversation, not a test.

It’s that spirit of discovery—not perfection—that keeps science alive at home.

Let’s Tell a Science Story

I worked with a mom recently whose 9-year-old daughter, Ava, struggled to remember the stages of the moon. Flashcards weren’t sticking. Night after night, they’d sit together trying to memorize a diagram—and each morning, Ava forgot the order.

So her mom changed tactics. She invented a story in which Ava was a moon explorer on a secret space mission. Each phase of the moon was a kingdom she had to visit to collect a crystal. Ava’s name was woven into the tale, and she “traveled” from the new moon to the waning gibbous, collecting clues.

Suddenly, Ava wasn’t memorizing. She was imagining. Playing. Owning the journey. Within days, she could name all the phases—because she had lived them.

For families who want a little help crafting these kinds of immersive learning moments, there are tools—we’ve tried the Sculi App, which can turn written science lessons into audio adventures with your child as the star. Imagine your child’s name woven into a story where they discover the secrets of magnets or the life of a tadpole. That sparks something inside them that a black-and-white worksheet simply can’t reach.

You Already Have What You Need

Believe it or not, the messy parts of everyday life are often the best places to bring science in naturally. You don’t need flashcards or a lab kit. You just need a moment of presence.

• Cooking dinner? Talk about how heat changes matter (hello, melting butter!).
• Walking the dog? Notice plant changes with the seasons, or point out animal tracks.
• Watching a storm? Track lightning and count seconds to figure out how far the thunder is.

When you explore science as part of your day—not a task checked off a worksheet—you show your child that science isn’t just something to study. It’s a way of thinking. A lens for viewing the world.

Play—Even When They’re Older

By age 8 or 9, many kids start associating science with tests. And that’s when the joy often slips away. But it’s not too late to bring it back. Games, pretend play, and silliness still matter at this age—even if they’re starting to roll their eyes a bit more often.

If your child loves a challenge, consider building simple experiments together. Not to prove a point, but to ask a question. “Does soda water make balloons bigger than still water?” It’s okay not to know the answer. You're not the science expert—they are. Your role? Ask, observe, wonder together. (And yes, clean up the baking soda with them!)

As you create these playful science moments, don’t forget to include siblings—even if they’re at different levels. We've talked about how to include siblings in the learning process before—and science is a perfect opportunity. Let the older child explain a concept to the younger. Or let the younger one spark weird and wonderful questions. Everyone grows.

Even Car Rides Can Be Science Class

Some of the richest learning moments don’t happen at the kitchen table. They happen in motion—while driving to practice, stuck in traffic, or on the way to grandma’s. We've written about how to help your child review during car rides, and science fits in beautifully.

Listen to a podcast about animal habitats. Wonder out loud about why the sky looks different some days. Turn a photo of their latest science reading into an audio file or a quiz with an app that can do those things in a snap—give your child a chance to review without even realizing they’re “working.”

It doesn’t have to be perfect. The key is movement—of the car, yes. But also of curiosity.

What They Remember Isn’t the Lesson—it’s You

If science feels hard right now, don’t panic. Your child is not falling behind. They are not doomed to hate school. What they need most is not a better textbook. It’s connection. Conversation. A feeling that they’re not alone in their questions.

You’re doing more than you think. Whether you’re helping them turn homework into quality time, supporting their growing independence, or gently preparing for assignments like spelling tests without the stress—you are building the emotional roots of learning. That’s what stays with them.

So the next time you’re staring at a page about photosynthesis and your child wants to be anywhere but next to you... take a deep breath. Ask a question. Tell a story. Make a mistake together. And remember: in your child’s mind, science is whatever you make it.