The first years of a child's life are pivotal in how they engage with and understand the world around them. They are wee sponges just ready to soak everything in: what they see, what they hear, how things feel and how they work.

They are making connections in their brain at a terrific rate and asking questions at a similar speed. There's no better time to nurture their curiosity. 

A visit to Glasgow Science Centre can be a feast of experiences for the littlest people — sounds, lights, and things to touch and try. It is a great place to bring children because the exhibits are there to be touched, the buttons pressed, wheels turned, ropes pulled, so there is no need to spend your family day out saying 'don't touch'!

Little Explorer Days have been developed with 3–5 year olds in mind. They are themed weekends with bags of added activity to take part in — workshops, themed play and make and take activities. We have created opportunities for children to explore, discover, try and learn alongside adults.

We will be starting 2019 (on 26th and 27th January) with the Build It theme which is all about construction and materials. We have stacks of building blocks and cardboard bricks to use. There are opportunities for families to work together as a team to create something big or a parent and child to create something amazing from their imaginations.

Through the use of well-known stories and nursery rhymes we think about materials and how we use different materials for different purposes. We use the Three Little Pigs story to create context for choosing materials suitable for the job. Children can also help Humpty Dumpty by choosing the best materials to protect him when he falls off the wall.

There are also activities where families can investigate balance. Using see-saws and scales they can try and work out when something is balanced. Not only are they developing scientific investigation skills, they are also building on their numeracy skills by thinking about and counting out quantities they need to balance the scales. 

If that wasn't enough to tire them out, they can play in the Big Explorer, a gated exhibition area for ages 7 and under which also contains a wee soft play area for babies. There's so much to explore and wonderful opportunities to learn together. We hope you join us this weekend!