This Is a Research-Backed Way To Support Your Kids

By Olivia Barney

School is back in session, but the classroom isn’t the only place your child learns. Their young, developing brains are constantly taking in new information, making every environment feel like a classroom — no whiteboard or worksheet required.

Jack Rodgers

Ongoing research indicates that informal educational opportunities are vital for a child’s intellectual and psychological development, and it makes sense. Consider a preschool-aged child, for example. Pre-K children spend more than 80% of their waking hours outside of a traditional classroom, yet 34% enter kindergarten woefully unprepared with the knowledge required of them (literacy, math, self-regulation, social skills, etc.) (Alexandre et al., 2022). When so much of a young child’s time is spent outside of a formal classroom, supplemental learning experiences provide crucial opportunities to practice making connections, asking questions, and engaging with peers.

Fortunately, busy parents and grandparents don’t need a background in education to help their children succeed. Museums and other informal learning institutions provide research-backed ways to support these efforts without taking the “fun” out of school breaks or non-classroom hours. “[Their] unique setting, when implemented thoughtfully and with sufficient resources, creates a learning environment that encourages curiosity, critical thinking, and a love for discovery while empowering youth to do that which comes naturally – to learn and grow" (Price et al., 2025).

Museum visits are easy wins for guardians looking to support their child’s development, and museum programs take these benefits a few steps further. Many museums, like NHMU, provide supplemental programming designed for kids and teens, including internships, summer or day camps, and drop-in lab activities. These experiences provide ongoing learning and social opportunities which positively impact a child’s self-esteem, scientific identity, and sense of belonging (Price et al., 2025). They also allow young people to explore different sides of themselves. "With each science research experience, they are provided an opportunity to enact an identity as a science researcher — a trying on of a possible self — in a low-stake setting where collaboration is encouraged and failure is an option, with rich resources, and with caring and trusting adults and peers" (Habig et al., 2018).

Occasional museum visits or field trips have a profound impact on children, but those impacts become more impressive when museums are attended consistently. Museum educators know this, which is why they’re planning consistent programming (weekly, monthly, etc.), which gives attending children exposure to a variety of scientific topics and disciplines.

Several multi-year studies have evaluated the effects of repeated exposure to out-of-school programs which focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). In each case, those with sustained participation in this programming were significantly more likely to graduate from college, and in many cases, pursue STEM-centered majors.

The bottom line? Exposing your kids to STEM-based museum programming is an investment worth any amount of time, energy, or resources — and NHMU’s programs ensure it’s as easy and accessible as possible. Activities like School Break Mini Camps or Curiosity Club allow parents to drop kids off at the museum for hours of supervised fun, while drop-in programs like Family STEAM Explorations or Seasonal Science activities offer free or low-cost options that the whole family can participate in!

Even a single museum visit can spark curiosity! Parents looking to support their child’s development can start by planning a family visit to the Museum — which strives to reduce barriers to access by offering discounted tickets through the Museums for All program and provides a limited number of free tickets to Salt Lake County residents each year through the Zoo, Arts, and Parks (Zap) program.

References:

C. Aaron Price, Robert H. Tai, and Cindy La Nguyen. "A longitudinal study of a museum-based out-of-school time program’s impact on STEM career pathways." Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, Vol. 100, Article 101854, Aug. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2025.101854

Suzanne Alexandre, Yaoying Xu, Melissa Washington-Nortey, and Chinchih Chen. "Informal STEM Learning for Young Children: A Systematic Literature Review." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol. 19, No. 14, Article 8299, July 7, 2022. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148299

Bobby Habig, Preeti Gupta, Brian Levine, and Jennifer Adams. "An Informal Science Education Program’s Impact on STEM Major and STEM Career Outcomes." Research in Science Education, Vol. 50, pp. 1051–1074, April 4, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-018-9722-y

Taylor & Francis Online. "Journal Discovery and Publishing Platform." Accessed Sept. 23, 2026. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/09500693.2016.1251631

Claudia McLaughlin Ludwig, Rebecca A. Howsmon, Shelley Stromholt, Jacob J. Valenzuela, Rachel Calder, and Nitin S. Baliga. "Consequential insights for advancing informal STEM learning and outcomes for students from historically marginalized communities." Humanities & Social Sciences Communications, Vol. 11, Article 279, March 2, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-02797-w