Parenting Is A Science Experiment

Last month, our public service initiative on informal STEM learning—developed with Univision and EDC—earned an Emmy. But the true win belongs to the parents: the mothers, fathers, grandparents, tíos, and caregivers who now see their kitchens, sidewalks, garages, and even their children’s pesadeces (pesky habits) as laboratories of discovery.

This is a look under the hood.

At the heart of our curriculum are five deceptively simple truths: early childhood science is accessible, observable, practical, experimental, and creative. It lives at home—in our heart language, in our culture, in our daily lives. It doesn’t require lab coats or fancy materials. It requires forgiveness, patience, courage, humor, and the willingness to model curiosity.

For many Latino families, science has always been here. It just hasn’t always been named.

Growing up, I the garage at my uncle’s house being its own kind of lab. He rebuilt a dilapidated HUD home into a safe haven for our family, and we were constantly underfoot—asking, building, spilling. Once, I made “stilts” from paint cans and fell hard. They weren’t empty. Paint splashed across the floor. But my uncle didn’t yell. He observed. He gave us space to learn. My cousin, now a science department chair at her school, still re him saying: “The best helpers learn by watching.”

This is the kind of modeling we now encourage through our workshops.

When a child builds domino towers—they’re learning balance, weight, and design. When they mash plantains for pastelón and wonder why boiling makes them soft—they’re discovering physical change. When the lights go out and they run for flashlights to make shadow puppets—they’re learning about light and perspective. When they hum into toilet paper rolls or shout in a hallway to hear the echo, they’re exploring sound waves.

Even when they declare themselves a luchador and leap off the couch—they’re not just “testing your patience,” they’re testing physics.

We teach parents to slow down and notice these moments. To ask:
“What do you notice?”
“Why do you think that happened?”
“What else could we try?”

This act of wondering aloud—of thinking together—is the foundation of science. It’s also the foundation of connection. Researchers agree that bonding moments between parent and child are the fundamental factors in shaping brain architecture.

Even the more uncomfortable moments—like when your child asks, “Why is your face red?” as you quietly try to hold in frustration, or when they challenge your “no sleepovers” rule in front of the other parent—are rich with opportunities. These aren't acts of defiance; they’re moments of investigation. Your child isn’t testing you—they’re testing their assumptions, exploring social dynamics, timing, and boundaries.

That’s science, too.

The most powerful shift we see in our workshops isn’t just about science content—it’s about mindset. When parents begin to see their child’s curiosity as a strength, not a nuisance, everything changes. They stop trying to “fix” things quickly. They start to offer choices. They watch. They narrate. They ask follow-up questions. They try again.

They become co-investigators—not just caregivers.

We remind parents: you don’t need all the answers, or a lot of time.
What you need is the willingness to stay present through the mess. To observe. To let them try—even when you know the Hulk figure will never balance on the plastic boat. Let them cry when it sinks. Then offer other objects, and let them try again.

That is the process of science. That is the process of growing up.

This bathtime science requires just 2 minutes and can be embedded naturally in your caregiving routines. You don’t need expensive science toys or elaborate set ups. Parents in the workshops realize that their child already provides the opportunities for them to playfully engage in their wonder about the world.

And when parents share these stories in our workshops—reflecting, laughing, reimagining—they become researchers in their own right. They test hypotheses about parenting. They model resilience. They begin to name what has always been true:

In Latino homes, science is alive in our stories, our meals, our games, and our culture. It’s in the tools we down and the questions we dare to ask. It’s not just a subject—it’s a way of seeing the world.

So the next time your child spills, insists, interrupts, or builds something wild—pause. Instead of correcting, observe. Ask. Wonder together.

Because parenting is one of the most powerful science experiments we’ll ever conduct.
And the lab is our home.

ABOUT THE WORKSHOPS: The workshops featured in this article are part of the La Fuerza–STEM Public Service Initiative, which received the 2025 Children & Family Emmy® Award for Outstanding Public Service Initiative for its innovative blend of research-based parent workshops and the Univision telenovela La Fuerza de Creer: Dulce Sazón, now streaming for free on VIX. Developed by Literacy Partners in collaboration with Univision and the Education Development Center (EDC), and funded by the National Science Foundation, this initiative celebrates STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) learning in Latino homes by honoring culture, language, and everyday family experiences to spark the next generation of STEM leader. The workshops align with national science standards for children ages 3–8 and leading family engagement frameworks, and were co-created with families across 33 states and Puerto Rico through focus groups, , and community partnerships over three years. Let’s keep this momentum going, visit www.lafuerzadefamilias.org today to over 4,000 parents in transforming everyday curiosity into a lasting legacy of science.

El proyecto La Fuerza STEM es financiado por la Fundación Nacional de Ciencias bajo la concesión #2115621. Cualquier opinión, hallazgos, y conclusiones o recomendaciones expresadas en este material son de sus autores y no necesariamente refleja los puntos de vista de la Fundación Nacional de Ciencias.