Welcome to the Simply Charlotte Mason podcast. I'm Sonia Schaefer. We know that Charlotte Mason held we should not start formal lessons until six years old. But what can we do before that to encourage our children to explore science? Well, joining me here today is my friend and co-worker, Karen Smith. Karen, you've already

walked us through in a different episode how to teach science in grades 1 through 12. But what about

before grade 1? What can we do to encourage our children in the scientific world, in that aspect of creation around us?

I think the biggest thing is to allow your children to explore, encourage their curiosity,

and just get out of their way. Really, we get in the way of our children too much and they don't need a scientific explanation

they just need to observe and learn at their own pace those preschool years are so much about

learning about the world around them. And not with terms, but just learning about that.

Look at that dandelion in the yard. You know, you may think as a mom, oh, I've seen dandelions

hundreds of times. They're nothing new. In fact, we want to get rid of them a lot of times.

Yes.

Yeah.

But to your child, that is a new thing to be explored.

It's interesting to that child.

That's why they always bring you those lovely bouquets.

Yes, yes.

And just, you know, just the transformation of the flower from its bright yellow to its fuzzy

white.

We've seen it all before, but your child hasn't.

Give them that time.

And even seeing how the white floats away on the breeze sometimes, I would be tempted to say, oh, look, the leaves are, the seeds

are going. Is that okay? Or is that interposing yourself and interrupting them?

It could be okay, to draw your child's attention to it. But you don't need to explain how the wind is dispersing the seeds

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