Why is science important in the preschool years? This common child care center focus can increase critical-thinking skills, build a foundation for later learning, and so much more. Along with these benefits, science can also encourage your child to learn other preschool subjects. Take a look at the top ways science connects to other educational areas in the child care classroom.

Early Literacy Skills and Development

Even though your preschooler isn't ready to read chapter books on their own, they are beginning to build foundational literacy skills. While science and literacy may not seem like they connect, one subject is often a bridge to the other. As your child explores and makes discoveries through science activities, they'll practice communication skills. They'll learn how to express their observations verbally and use new scientific vocabulary.

Beyond learning new words, your child can also develop reading and writing skills through science lessons. The teacher may encourage the young science students to write new words, draw pictures of their observations, or engage in similar early literacy activities.

Basic Math Skill Building

Have you heard the educational buzzword STEM? The "M" in STEM stands for math—a classroom content area that easily connects to science (the "S" is STEM). Science activities may encourage preschoolers to count, measure, find patterns, use spatial reasoning skills, or problem solve.

The ability to combine science and math into one activity gives preschoolers the chance to learn in new or different ways. This can spark a young child's interest and make the content more meaningful.

Visual Arts and Creativity

Do the arts and science seem like opposites? The visual arts inspire creativity and encourage emotional expression, while science is logical, orderly, and emotion-free. Even though the two subject areas may seem like they contrast, they do connect on many different levels.

The artistic and scientific processes both involve exploration, inquiry, observation, and child-led discovery. Along with similarities between the processes, some activities bridge both subjects. Examples of easy art-science activities include painting with colored ice, mixing primary colors, some types of sensory clay play, natural items collage activities, and much more.

If you want to learn more about how your child's preschool combines science with the visual arts, math, literacy, or other content areas, talk to the teacher. A child care center educator can help you to understand what skills your child will practice and how science can impact their overall development.