Abstract
When select scientific picture books to read to children and read them to children, it provides an opportunity for those children to develop an interest in the world around them and nurtures their budding interest in science. This study clarifies the criteria for selecting picture books to read to children and examines methods for incorporating scientific education into childcare and reading aloud. The results of questionnaire survey of students majoring in childcare showed that 78.9% of the respondents selected “age of the child” and 68.4% selected “season” as their picture book selection criteria, confirming previous research. However, none of the students selected “scientific picture books”. To demonstrate a method of incorporating scientific picture books into childcare, the author conducted a practice childcare exercise with students called “Making Teaching Materials for playing with Magnets.” This exercise incorporated an activity in which students read a scientific picture book and examined related books for comparison. In a post-activity questionnaire survey, all the students indicated an increased interest in reading scientific picture books and conducting “science play” with children. The exercise of incorporating science picture books into childcare situation therefore also influenced the students’ own interest in science and promoting scientific education. The study demonstrated that by linking “science play” and scientific picture books, students were more likely to choose scientific picture books for reading aloud. To foster early science education for children, it is therefore important for future childcare professionals to themselves become acquainted with “science play” and related scientific picture books.
https://ror.org/01crm2177 
