Help! I HATE experiments!

[trishat]

We're using Sonlight Science B, and I love snuggling up on the couch and reading and discussing together, but I just hate doing experiments. I know I'm just being lazy, but it is soooo much work to get out the supplies, set up and clean up. Not worth it IMO for a usually less than wow experiment. BUT, my kids love love love experiments. Anyone have encouragement for me? We only do one experiment a week but today is the day and I'm dreading it!!

[sleeplessnights]

I am totally with you. They seem to take so much time to get the right materials, then the set up, then the less-than-stellar experiment, and then the clean-up, of course. I hate to do them!

 

My solution has been to use a non-experiment based science class (we are finishing MP's Astronomy and soon will move into their insects course). Then about three times a year we take a week off and designate it art/crafts/science week. For that one week we focus on one science topic, like earth science, and do a couple experiments a day. We usually have some sort of larger art or craft project going on that week too. I like to think of it as science camp.

 

This is the only way we will get experiments done. Otherwise I would just ditch them altogether.

[dm379]

I hate them too. My dd does sl E and does them mostly by herself. I love that they come all together in the little boxes. They just take up so much time.

 

I get science experiment books from the library fairly regularly and they pick a few out of there to do on their own time. It usually has nothing to do with what we're learning.

[boscopup]

I stopped doing many of them with my littles. As my oldest is becoming able to do them himself, I let him. Science Wiz kits are mostly independent for a mid to upper elementary child.

 

Aren't the SL experiments on the Discover and Do DVDs? Can you just discover and not do? :lol:

 

My oldest child learns most from reading books, so we're doing a library-book based science progession right now. My middle son learns more from watching or doing something, and he's also not reading well enough to read science books yet (not even easy readers), but he asks a lot of questions and sometimes comes up with his own experiments. Last night, he was seeing if a sugar snap pea skin would float in water (kitchen sink) after the peas were removed. :tongue_smilie: I'm not in a hurry to get him to high school level science, so he can wait a bit on "lots of experiments" until he's mature enough to handle them on his own a bit more. Besides, he will learn more if HE is doing the experiment rather than watching ME do the experiment.

[Harriet Vane]

I hate experiments too. That's why I hired a teen to do them with ds two years ago--best money I ever spent.

[sagira]

I hate experiments too. That's why I hired a teen to do them with ds two years ago--best money I ever spent.

 

That's a good idea, never thought of that. I like the idea of doing it one week all at once too. Since I'm trying out 6 weeks on, 1 week off this year, I'm going to schedule all the major projects for that last week for Geography and Science (we can even incorporate baking and History Odyssey projects for review). I can deal with art (I live with an artist, dh), but involved science experiments give me a headache.

 

And here I thought I was in the minority, as I dread experiments too, or better said, demonstrations. The only ones I've enjoyed were the BFSU ones. If all else fails we just watch the experiment on the Internet.

[SorrelZG]

Normally I leave them to DH.

 

I had an aunt doing arts and crafts but she doesn't come over regularly anymore so I'm getting harassed with requests to paint and my anxiety levels are rising. I need to find a fill-in quickly.

[lewelma]

I see you are new. Welcome to the board. There is an extensive thread on the logic board covering this question that is well worth your time to read. It is called science...again...someone shoot me now. (I like the title!)

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/showthread.php?t=263107

 

Ruth in NZ

[Spryte]

At least you are not alone.

 

We have tried a few solutions here. My favorite was Science Saturday with Dad. :D But that fell by the wayside. We use R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey, and I have found that ordering the supply kit is a big help for keeping the necessary supplies accessible when I need them. That helps a bit.

 

We have tried watching the Discover and Do DVDs... With the idea of discovering without doing (love that expression!) DS likes to watch the DVDs... of course, it often leads him to the kitchen to do his own experimenting. I don't mind that, actually, and he does learn quite a bit.

 

"Science Week" worked well also, and one summer (a-hem, the summer after the Science Saturdays fell so far behind!) we did "Summer of Science" - that was a huge hit for the kiddo, but not so much fun for me.

 

I have not yet tried hiring a teen, but - wow, what a great idea! You can bet I'm going to be on the phone with some teen neighbors in the upcoming weeks.

 

Now I'm off to check out the linked thread, to see if there are more ideas.

[6wishes]

I had to laugh when I saw this thread as we did our first science experiment today ever, and I thought I had climbed Mt. Everest! We are doing Apologia- Zoology, Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day, and I even bought the box that has all of the stuff in it separated by experiment. I have to say that made it a lot easier, but I felt as if I was doing the whole thing myself! So congratulations to you!!