Children are natural-born scientists. Every time they play with water, build with blocks, or ask “what,” “how,” or “why,” they are trying to make sense of their surroundings—the foundation of science learning. “Early science exploration is key to creating lifelong problem-solvers,” says EDC’s Shelley Pasnik, an early childhood expert who led the research team on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education’s program Ready To Learn. “We want to help parents learn some simple, fun, and meaningful science activities that they can do with their children, so that science learning becomes as natural as reading to them at bedtime.”