Help for Parents

Science, Engineering, Technology (SET) and construction are exciting, challenging and vital parts of our everyday life. They improve the quality of our lives, enhance our leisure pursuits and offer interesting, well paid careers. If girls are to make the most of the opportunities in SET and construction, they need to experience them and become confident in the areas from an early age.

Campaigns, such as WISE, produce booklets and run schemes to encourage girls into SET and construction, but girls can achieve most when teachers, parents, and family all co-operate to encourage and support them.

Parents can play an important part in ensuring that their daughters have a wide range of experiences. For example make sure that toys, such as lego and chemistry sets, are available to help develop her confidence in SET and construction. Show your daughter how to fix her bike, visit fun websites, or visit a science centre with her. You can also do experiments in the home.

Experiments to do at Home

To enthuse your daughter try out some simple, fun experiments at home, using everyday items. Examples of these can be found in the Fun! section, and also in many of the websites we have listed.

Toys and Books

When you go to buy toys, the shops are often split into the ‘pink’ and 'blue' aisles. The 'pink' aisles are full of Barbie dolls, toy prams and glitter make-up, and the ‘blue’ aisle with lego, Bob the Builder workbenches, and aeroplane making kits – but the girls should get these toys too!
Click here to see a press release about choices of childhood toys

Look around for toys that would interest and stimulate your daughter, and encourage her to see SET and construction as something for girls as well as boys.

PS - It may be easier to shop for these toys on your own!

Get an interactive toy such as the solar system from
http://www.scientific.com.hk/
John Adams products are a fun way to learn how things work - Such as the potato clock, science tricks, and the noisy wire game. Read more about them on:
http://www.johnadams.co.uk/ and click on 'Action Science'.
Mattel have created the 'ello' construction toy - designed especially for girls. Take a look at:
http://www.mattel.com/swap_feat/default_ello.asp
Although many lego products are based on cars and robots, they also produce a range where children can make their own inventions. They also have the lego explore range, for younger children. Find out more at:
http://www.lego.com/eng/explore/imagination.asp

There are also fun books on science and technology for children, such as Smelly Science, or the Little Book of Experiments featured at:
http://www.planet-science.com/sciteach/start.html

Miles Kelly Publishing have many books on SET for children, as well as wallcharts and posters. Visit:
http://www.mileskelly.net/ for details.

Autumn Publishing produce fun books, such as the 'Solar System Wallchart Pack', 'Fun Things That Go' and 'Fun to Learn Ugly Bugs'. Take a look at:
http://www.autumnpublishing.net/

Parents Survival Pack

Find out how the National Curriculum works, how the subject is taught, why science is so important to learn and what you can do to help with the online School Survival Pack for Parents and other help from Planet Science's Parents Section.
Find out more

Courses for Girls

There are many opportunities for girls to experience SET hands-on, such as Insight and WISE Outlook. These are all listed in the WISE Directory of Initiatives.

You can order it from WISE on: 020 3206 0408

Places to visit

Its always good to have ideas of places that are interesting yet educational as a day out. It will keep your child occupied for hours and be something different to tell their friends at school!
List of possible places to go for days out, broken down into regions

Websites

There are website sections which aim to help parents. These are listed below. It is also useful to look through the Fun Websites that your children will probably use to learn about science, engineering and technology.

On-line help for parents, with a survival pack and fun pack.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/
Articles on homework, the curriculum, exams and more.
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/
Takes you thorugh how to interest your child in the science around them. Part of the 'Cool science for curious kids' website.
http://pbskids.org/
Activities and advice for parents.
http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/
Various energy and environmental education materials and resources for parents and teachers. Part of BBC's Revisewise website. This section helps parents with the national curriculum, learning activities, home learning and more.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/revisewise/parents

NB: The information/opinions contained in the above websites are independent of the WISE Campaign and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the WISE Campaign.

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