Remember the last time you tried something – perhaps a new recipe, strumming your first chords on a guitar, or trying your hand at planting or setting up a fish tank! Sure, you may have watched YouTube videos, followed a relative’s idea or a friend’s suggestion. But the real learning? That happened when you did it by yourself. Maybe you figured you could tweak the process to make it better. That’s the power of experiential learning. 

At CurioSci, we believe that the act of doing transforms understanding. We use experiential learning to communicate scientific concepts. This is because science is not restricted to the labs. It is all around us, deeply embedded in all the processes we do and observe! 

What is experiential learning? 

Experiential learning involves engaging the body, senses, and active thinking to build knowledge through real experiences, followed by reflection and discussion. From nature walks to learning about the genetic basis of your taste preferences, from simple chemistry in your kitchen to questioning why leaves change colour—this kind of learning sticks because it means something to you. 

Why does it work? 

When we touch, feel, build, or explore something ourselves, our brain forms deeper connections. Sensory experiences trigger emotional responses that light up more parts of the brain than passive learning. So you remember better and engage more. You see, our brain is built on connections. The more connections you make, the better you remember. 

The Benefits 

Young learners become active explorers, asking bold questions, experimenting and forming their ideas instead of having a preconceived notion provided by someone. 

Adults rediscover curiosity, creativity, and the thrill of discovering something firsthand.

Many adults who have been associated with our workshops say, “I wish I had learned this way as a child.”

The good news? It’s never too late.

Learning is for Life

We are constantly flooded with information that we succumb to without actually pausing to think, “Wait, is that true”? 

Experiential learning builds not just knowledge, but it also helps chisel out the lazy chunks of the brain that merely accept and do not think. 

At CurioSci, we aim to provide scientific experiences to everyone from different walks of life that will promote thinking, observing, questioning, hypothesising, experimenting, and reflecting. Pause and think. 

Adding on to this, discussions consolidate what you learn. Participating in discussions with a group of individuals, who each have their own perspective on the same experience, can enrich the experience of the entire group.

Experimenting, observing, and evaluating by ourselves is how we remember the longest. And yes, it’s how we can enjoy learning the most.

So whether you’re 15 or 50, it’s time to revisit learning.

Write to us and/or join us for one of our workshops. Learn with your hands. Think with your senses. Stay curious. 

What was the last thing you learnt by doing that has stayed with you?