Put some science on your children's Christmas list this year

SMALL PRINT:'MUM, how does the sky get dark at night? Why can dogs not live under the sea but fish can? And if I keep counting long enough do I eventually come back around to zero?" It's often said that children are natural scientists, constantly asking questions and intensely curious about the workings of nature and the universe.

So why not nurture that scientific streak with a few well chosen gifts this Christmas? The chemistry set is one relatively inexpensive option. And while it may not be the most suitable gift for younger children, older kids can don the safety goggles and get stuck in for some messy science fun.

Or if you don't just want to stick to chemistry, the DK Science Kit(around €25) is a popular buy at the Science Gallery shop at Trinity College Dublin, and it includes more than 100 experiments. Meanwhile, W5 Interactive Discovery Centrein Belfast reports that its best-sellers include pump rockets, robotic hands, slime and Horrible Science kits.

A microscopecan also open up new worlds to curious eyes, young and old. Hand-held scopes, which are like souped up magnifying glasses with some focusing function, are inexpensive and nifty for when you urgently need to look at something up close on the spot (try examining the fabric on your clothes for a start). More elaborate light microscope kits are available too, but reviews have been mixed, both online and in this household.

And from gazing at the tiny to the enormous: a telescope can turn those dark cloudless nights into exploration time.

Blackrock Castle Observatoryin Cork sells some kid-friendly telescopes at the cheaper end of the market, and if you are looking to invest in a more expensive piece of kit for viewing stars and planets, drop the observatory a line at info@bco.ie and it should be able to offer some advice to help you make a wise purchase.

Or if the observatory is within striking distance of people on your gift list, you could also take out annual membership for any budding astronomers –

individual membership is €30 annually, dual membership is €50 for the year and a family pass for 12 months will set you back €75. See bco.ie for more details.

Depending on the geography, an annual pass for Dublin Zoomay also be a good bet for enthusing kids about the animal kingdom: a 12-month pass costs €100 for an individual or it is €160 for a family pass.

The Dublin Zoo annual pass also grants entry to Fota Wildlife Park in Cork and Chester Zoo, Edinburgh Zoo and Paignton Zoo in the UK.

To find out more and purchase a pass online, go to dublinzoo.ie and click on “buy tickets online”, where there’s also an option to “adopt” an animal on someone’s behalf as a gift.

And, of course, there are the science books: perfect for settling down with on the couch after Christmas dinner.

Usborne's See Inside Scienceby Alex Frith and Colin King is a colourful jaunt through the Universe, life, matter, elements and experimentation and it has plenty of lift-the-flap entertainment to keep little hands busy.

For slightly older kids, keep an eye out for author Glenn Murphy, whose Science Museumbooks Why is Snot Green?and How Loud Can You Burp?can offer some educational insights.

Science-related gifts are a great way to nurture your children’s natural sense of curiosity