My kids are smart (yes, I am that typical insanely-proud mother). What surprises me even today is that my children actually have a fondness for books and encyclopedias, as compared to the iPhone-obsessed generation!
I won’t say that getting them into the habit of picking up a book for research instead of Googling it was an easy task, but it took efforts from both me and my husband and certainly helped fuel their curiosity! Efforts that included reduced TV time in the house, a compulsory reading time every evening, and frequent watching of documentaries and space movies. I think that is the reason why both my kids are absolutely obsessed with the world, their surroundings, and show immense curiosity towards things like photosynthesis (I know, genius, right?)
The other day as I was organising a clutter of books and encyclopedias, I thought having a place where you could have it all to read would be so cool! So, I compiled a small list of the most amazing, remarkably informative world facts for your kids to have a quick, fun read! Here are some things to talk to your kids about:
Earth Facts
- Earth is a complicated planet! It is made up of silicon, iron, and carbon, for the most part, however, you can also find magnesium here and there.
- Our home planet is old! Its age ranges somewhere between 4 and 5 billion years. Good thing it has its pals – the Sun and the Moon – who are also the same age.
- Our planet is the only one in the whole solar system that contains 21% oxygen in its atmosphere and water on the surface.
- Earth is home to more than 8.7 million unique species! Fascinating, huh?
- The reason why Earth is more susceptible to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes is because it is composed of tectonic plates floating on a rocky mantle, located between the core and the surface.
Environment Facts
- Plastic’s average time of decomposition is 450 years! Scary, huh?
- To manufacture toilet paper, an average of 27,000 trees are cut down on a daily basis.
- The meat industry is the biggest contributor to global warming, followed by deforestation.
- The world population currently stands at 7.7 billion and is expected to hit the 8 billion mark by the year 2025.
- 99% of the total species to have ever existed in our home planet have now become extinct!
Animal Facts
- Strange fact: All octopuses have – not one, not two – but three hearts!
- Male seahorses are the ones that give birth to their offspring, not the females. Weird, isn’t it?
- On average, a squirrel plants more trees than humans. Wondering how? It’s because they hide their nuts and acorns and then completely forget about them.
- A lioness does 90% of the hunting. Lions only step in when absolutely required.
- The Kakapo bird has a certain musty smell about it that easily attracts predators. This reason has caused the species to become endangered.
Apart from these mind-blowing facts, I have also mentioned a few questions that my kids ask me from time to time:
- Why are things of different colours?
It’s because when white light hits an object, some of it reflects back like a ball bouncing off of a wall. The other colours (rainbow colours) are absorbed and not reflected back!
- Can people hear each other in space?
No, it’s because of the vacuum, which is a lack of air in space.
- Why are stars always twinkling?
It’s because of constant turbulence in the Earth’s atmosphere. With the churning and disturbance in the atmosphere, the star’s light is refracted in various directions. Hence, ‘twinkle twinkle little stars’.
- Why is glass see-through?
This has to be my all-time favourite question. Glass transmits light, however, absorbs and reflects very little, hence it is see-through.
My kids’ innocent questions coupled with their utter curiosity about the world is so refreshing! It’s even more amazing when they are so vocal about their concerns. Have you also been on the receiving end of some of the most bizarre questions thrown at you by your kids? Let me know in the comments below!
