Ks1 Science articles

Primary school headteacher, Matt Revill, explores the transformative impact of animals in educational settings, addressing key questions such as how dogs assist children in reading, the inspirational value of farm visits and the benefits children derive from therapy pets.

It's well established that outdoor play is important for young learners and provides opportunities to develop physical, social, fine and gross motor skills. Our editor, Kate Morgan, has put together her top picks of outdoor toys. So get the kids outside, having fun and learning this summer. Let the games begin!

Supporting children to develop their STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) skills is becoming increasingly important. It’s a necessary element in children’s education but can be intimidating for many parents who may not know where to begin or how to help with their child’s STEM learning.

At-home science doesn't have to involve expensive special equipment! Primary school teacher and author of the 15-Minute STEM series, Emily Hunt, suggests some brilliant STEM uses for everyday items you'll find in your recycling bin, along with three quick, creative STEM activities your family can try with each of them. Will you make a water xylophone, a ping pong ball run or a hurricane house?

You don't need a Bunsen burner, a chemistry set or a science degree to share these STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) activities with your child at home. Whether you want to try a hands-on experiment, ask an expert some questions via video chat or play some interactive games, you'll find lots of science home education options in this round-up of resources.

Even adults are finding it hard to get their heads around the new "normal" – so how can you help your child understand how and why the coronavirus pandemic has up-ended our lives? Whether you're reading to a preschooler or want your tween to have scientifically-accurate facts, these free, downloadable eBooks will help you explain COVID-19 to kids.

Transform one substance into another and watch colours and textures change right in front of your eyes with our at-home, hands-on science activity suggestions from Dr Michelle Dickinson, prize-winning nanotechnologist, researcher and founder of Nanogirl's Lab.

Help your primary-age child stay educated and entertained with our round-up of the best live streams for kids.

Help your child discover science through play with these brilliant games-based apps and introduce physics, chemistry and biology the digital way.

Find out about forces, get confused by optical illusions, blow up a balloon (literally!) and have fun discovering the world around you at the Glasgow Science Centre – and bring the whole family!

If you love London’s fabulous Science Museum but feel your family has done it inside and out, Centre of the Cell, a cutting-edge tech centre in East London, is perfect for expanding your horizons. There’s hands-on fun to bring out the budding doctors, nurses, lab technicians and pathologists in all ages!

Contemplate the awe-inspiring complexity of life and human scientific achievement at London's Science Museum, one of the world's leading attractions. There's something for the whole family to enjoy, from toddlers to teens, and the addition of the new Wonderlab permanent gallery for kids makes it a must-visit destination. On your marks, get set... wonder!

It's science fiction, but not as we know it... Introduce your child to quantum physics, open their eyes to the vastness of the universe, help them experiment with the elements of the periodic table and give them the confidence to explore their own scientific ideas with our pick of the best kids' fiction about science and our world.

Taking children out of the classroom and into the great outdoors, forest school is growing in popularity – but what does it actually involve?

Science may be one of the most hands-on subjects at school, but making it accessible isn’t always easy. We asked the experts how to channel your child's natural curiosity into a life-long interest in the world around us and how it works.

All living things have life cycles; animals produce offspring and plants produce seeds which germinate into new plants. Find out what your child learns about life cycles in the primary-school classroom, plus easy ways to support their learning at home.

Metal, plastic, wood, glass... just some of the materials we use to make the things that surround us. Find out what your child will be taught about materials and their properties in KS1, then try some hands-on activities to support their learning at home.

From the parts of a plant to the seed cycle, water transportation and photosynthesis, children learn lots about the living things around us in primary school. Find out what is taught when in the primary classroom in our parents' guide.

At primary school children learn about the senses, the human skeleton, teeth and their function, the digestive system, puberty, the circulatory system and more. Find out what they'll be discussing in the classroom when and how you can support their learning at home.