Kids interest in science and math tends from general apathy to terror, depending of course on the kid in question. But is there a way to change this?

Here are 4 ways to encourage STEM interest and learning in your child.

1. Expose children to math and science learning while they are young

Kindling your child’s interest in STEM can be done using simple everyday routines. Easy ways of doing this can include using cooking as a way to teach your child food science, and involving your child in minor repairs around the house.

Another way to do this would be to expose your child to STEM in fun ways by giving them toys with a STEM focus or watching TV shows or streaming shows based on science.

2) Focus on the process rather than grades

Encouraging STEM learning can be done effectively by moving away from a focus on grades and school performance to focussing on the process of learning. Shifting the focus away from academic performance will give your child the freedom to develop their interest in STEM without the added pressure of maintaining grades.

3) Find mentors

The most effective way to boost your child’s interest in STEM is to find them a mentor who can guide their interest and encourage them to build their STEM learning and skills. Potential mentors can be a teacher at school or those in STEM in your social circles.

4) Use existing resources

There are incredible resources available online that help teach children everything from learning how to code to solving everyday real world physics problems. Here are a few resources you and your child can use to get started:

• Khan Academy: With easy to follow videos on everything from math to science and everything in between, Khan Academy is a great resource to make academic STEM learning fun.
• Scratch: Developed by MIT, Scratch was particularly created to teach children how to code.
• Google Made with Code: While girl children perform better in math and science at school, the proportion of girls in STEM in higher education and beyond falls drastically. To help develop a long-term interest in STEM among girls, Google’s Made with Code project allows user to use simple code on fun projects.
• Real World Physics Problems: With fun exercises Real World Physics Problems has great ideas on fun projects you can do with your child.