Question Educating Space to the Very Young

[NeoViking]

Hello! New Guy here, with a question right out of the spacedock.

There are four (4) generally agreed upon mental developmental stages for children, the first of which is the Sensorimotor stage, during which babies use their senses and bodily movements to understand the world. So, based on this:

What sort of activities could be employed to educate babies from the ages of birth to two (2) years old, targeting outer space?

TIA!

 

[fj.torres]

Read to them. Anything.
When they're older, teach young them to read and enjoy reading.
When they get to school age, send them to a good (likely private) school. Stay involved in their education and see where their natural instincts take them. Make sure they are math and science literate, regardless of where their interests go (arts, athletics, humanities, or yes, STEM). Slowly introduce them to Science Fiction--preferably 20th century adventure fiction as opposed to recent adult fiction. That is, stuff like the Heinlein Juveniles to start with. Also Verne, Wells, Doc Smith, Edmond Hamilton, etc. Make sure *you* are acquainted with the material and it is age appropriate. As they hit their tweens, introduce them to fantasy through works like Harry Potter, Earthsea, Oz, Riddlemaster of Hed, etc. By their teens they'll be ready for the more philosophical works like THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS, STARSHIP TROOPERS, BEYOND THIS HORIZON, FOUNDATION, THE GODS THEMSELVES, and be armored against the newer strains of political fiction. Or ready for other adult genres like romcoms or mysteries. If you're lucky to raise a reader they'll be ready for the 21st century.

Essentially, you want them to retain the inquisitiveness and sense of wonder all loved children are born with as they grow up and not let schools, peer pressure, and the wider world beat it out of them. It will. Kids are born scientists and explorers and the outside world is not kind to them. Conformity is valued over all.

If you succeed, they will learn what it means to grow up and live in a technological society. And in such a society, circa 2030-2050, space will be an integral part of normal life. They might wish to help build the future or merely live with space in the background, but it will be by choice. Just make sure it is an informed choice.

Just be involved, love them and protect them.
Do not use tech as a baby sitter or expect others to raise them for you.
Regardless, you will be part of a very small minority.

G'luck!

 

[NeoViking]

Read to them. Anything.
When they're older, teach young them to read and enjoy reading.
When they get to school age, send them to a good (likely private) school. Stay involved in their education and see where their natural instincts take them. Make sure they are math and science literate, regardless of where their interests go (arts, athletics, humanities, or yes, STEM). Slowly introduce them to Science Fiction--preferably 20th century adventure fiction as opposed to recent adult fiction. That is, stuff like the Heinlein Juveniles to start with. Also Verne, Wells, Doc Smith, Edmond Hamilton, etc. Make sure *you* are acquainted with the material and it is age appropriate. As they hit their tweens, introduce them to fantasy through works like Harry Potter, Earthsea, Oz, Riddlemaster of Hed, etc. By their teens they'll be ready for the more philosophical works like THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS, STARSHIP TROOPERS, BEYOND THIS HORIZON, FOUNDATION, THE GODS THEMSELVES, and be armored against the newer strains of political fiction. Or ready for other adult genres like romcoms or mysteries. If you're lucky to raise a reader they'll be ready for the 21st century.

Essentially, you want them to retain the inquisitiveness and sense of wonder all loved children are born with as they grow up and not let schools, peer pressure, and the wider world beat it out of them. It will. Kids are born scientists and explorers and the outside world is not kind to them. Conformity is valued over all.

If you succeed, they will learn what it means to grow up and live in a technological society. And in such a society, circa 2030-2050, space will be an integral part of normal life. They might wish to help build the future or merely live with space in the background, but it will be by choice. Just make sure it is an informed choice.

Just be involved, love them and protect them.
Do not use tech as a baby sitter or expect others to raise them for you.
Regardless, you will be part of a very small minority.

G'luck!

Thanks! Great advice across the breadth of the topic, to be sure.

 

[billslugg]

Babies are incapable of rational thought process, but they are recording what goes on around them. Sit them in your lap and read to them. It makes no difference what the topic is. The important thing is they see the book, they see the words, they see you reading them and they grow to love books. The rest will take care of itself.

 

[COLGeek]

Babies are incapable of rational thought process, but they are recording what goes on around them. Sit them in your lap and read to them. It makes no difference what the topic is. The important thing is they see the book, they see the words, they see you reading them and they grow to love books. The rest will take care of itself.

This is excellent advice and should be taken very seriously. Not a screen. A book.

 

[NeoViking]

I am aware of the increasing ability to be rational and engage in abstraction as age increases, but I do appreciate the comments to that effect. My goal with the asking of this question is to think about specific strategies to learning about the "Outer Space" topic from early years through adulthood. I'm using the (somewhat standard) development stages as a guide to asking the questions. Thanks to you all and in advance to others to come in chatting with me about this!