Santa Maria Sun / News

Celebrate science from an early age

If my daughter’s kindergarten schedule is any indication, it’s science fair season. Although she initially wanted to build a model volcano—which, admittedly, is awesome, but is also, admittedly, the shorthand symbol for science fairs in cartoons and kids’ shows—I encouraged her to explore a variety of ideas before settling on one.

She ultimately chose to seek an answer to the question: What makes things stick together?

A 5-year-old is going to need a lot of help when it comes to putting together a science fair experiment and presentation, but a 5-year-old is also going to be getting a glimpse into an aspect of this amazing world, an aspect I would hope would add more fuel to a fire of lifelong curiosity and exploration.

It’s never too early to encourage an interest in science, from biology to engineering. Every bug in the backyard, every bridge crossed on the drive to school, even every meal prepared offers an opportunity to prompt conversations and encourage questions.

If there’s a kid in your life facing an upcoming science fair, figure out a way you can help in the preparations. And even if there isn’t a fair on the horizon, keep your eyes open for ways to make every day an experiment.

Sun Executive Editor Ryan Miller wrote this week’s Discovery Corner, a weekly column in the Sun, highlighting events, science activities, and more for the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum at 705 S. McClelland in Santa Maria. Send comments to discoverycorner@santamariasun.com.