What is Citizen Science? (update 2025)
Educational and Fun Activities
Written by Gregg Payne
18 September 2024
? 10 min
Citizen science is an exciting movement that shows science isn’t just for professionals — it’s for everyone! In today’s world, more and more families, children, and communities are stepping into the role of citizen scientists, helping researchers collect valuable data and make new discoveries. Whether it’s counting butterflies, measuring light pollution, or monitoring local wildlife, citizen science brings learning to life and creates meaningful connections between people and the world around them. As we head into 2025 and beyond, citizen science offers a brilliant way to foster curiosity, build critical thinking skills, and show children that their observations and efforts truly matter. At Science of Sound, we love how citizen science transforms everyday activities into powerful learning opportunities. Let's dive into what citizen science is all about, why it matters, and how you and your family can become part of real scientific adventures!
1. What is Citizen Science?
Citizen science is the practice of everyday people—families, children, and individuals—contributing to real scientific research without needing formal scientific training. It's a wonderful way to make science more inclusive, accessible, and exciting for all ages!
✅ Anyone can participate. You don't have to be a scientist to join. All you need is curiosity, enthusiasm, and a willingness to follow a project's instructions.
✅ Wide range of topics. Citizen science covers areas like wildlife monitoring, climate research, astronomy, environmental conservation, and more. Whether you love animals, plants, stars, or the environment, there's a project for you!
✅ Real scientific contribution. Data collected by citizen scientists helps researchers answer important questions and tackle big challenges that would be impossible for professional scientists alone.
✅ Family and school-friendly. Many projects are specifically designed for families, children, and schools, making it easy to integrate learning and exploration into daily life.
By participating in citizen science, families can turn ordinary outings or hobbies into extraordinary opportunities to make a real-world difference and spark lifelong scientific curiosity.
2. Why is Citizen Science Important?
Citizen science plays a crucial role in modern research and education, offering countless benefits for communities, scientists, and young learners alike.
✅ Gathering large-scale data. Many scientific questions require massive amounts of data across different locations and time periods. Citizen scientists help gather this vital information, making studies possible that would otherwise be too large for a single research team.
✅ Connecting communities to science. When families get involved, they become more aware of important environmental and scientific issues. Citizen science encourages stewardship, responsibility, and a deeper understanding of our world.
✅ Inspiring future scientists. Participating in real research can spark a lifelong passion for science in children. They see firsthand how data leads to discovery and how their small actions can contribute to larger scientific efforts.
✅ Building transferable skills. Children develop critical thinking, observation, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities—all essential skills that benefit them academically and in everyday life.
Citizen science reminds us that scientific discovery isn’t limited to laboratories; it’s a dynamic, collective effort where every observation matters!
3. Examples of Citizen Science Projects
There are countless exciting citizen science projects that children, families, and schools can participate in—many of which offer unique ways to connect with nature, technology, and real scientific research.
✅ The Big Butterfly Count (UK). Participants record butterfly sightings to help scientists monitor population trends and assess the health of local ecosystems. It's a brilliant way to get outdoors and learn about biodiversity!
✅ Globe at Night. Families measure the brightness of the night sky in their area to contribute to studies on light pollution and its impact on wildlife and human health.
✅ FrogWatch USA. Volunteers listen for and record frog and toad calls, helping scientists monitor amphibian populations—important indicators of environmental health.
✅ Zooniverse. This online platform hosts dozens of projects, from classifying galaxies to identifying animals caught on wildlife cameras. Children can become citizen scientists from the comfort of home!
✅ Local conservation projects. Many nature reserves and councils run bird counts, plant surveys, and climate monitoring projects. These are perfect entry points for new citizen scientists.
Through these projects, children see that real science is happening all around them—and that they can be a part of it!
4. How to Get Involved in Citizen Science
Becoming a citizen scientist is easy and accessible—whether you're at home, in the garden, or out exploring nature. Here’s how families can jump into meaningful science projects together:
✅ Find a project that interests you. Browse platforms like Zooniverse, SciStarter, or local conservation organisations to discover projects in wildlife tracking, astronomy, weather monitoring, and more.
✅ Learn the project guidelines. Each citizen science project will have simple instructions to ensure the data collected is useful. Read through them carefully with your child to build good scientific habits from the start.
✅ Start observing and recording data. Whether counting birds, measuring rainfall, or observing the stars, encourage children to be detailed and precise in their observations.
✅ Submit your findings. Most projects have an easy online portal or app for submitting data. Kids will love seeing how their contribution fits into larger scientific efforts.
✅ Join the community. Many citizen science projects have online communities where participants share findings, ask questions, and celebrate discoveries. Getting involved deepens engagement and learning.
Citizen science shows children that no contribution is too small to make a difference—and that science is an adventure open to everyone!
5. Benefits for Children
Getting involved in citizen science offers children much more than just a fun project—it builds essential skills, fosters curiosity, and connects learning to the real world in meaningful ways.
✅ Hands-on learning experiences. By participating in real scientific projects, children gain practical skills in observation, measurement, recording data, and critical analysis.
✅ Understanding the scientific method. Citizen science helps children see science as a process: asking questions, gathering evidence, making conclusions, and understanding that mistakes and new discoveries are part of learning.
✅ Real-world relevance. Kids realise that science isn’t just something in textbooks—it affects wildlife, the environment, technology, and their own communities. They see how their actions contribute to a bigger picture.
✅ Building confidence and ownership. Completing citizen science activities gives children a sense of accomplishment. They feel proud knowing they have contributed to meaningful scientific work.
✅ Encouraging lifelong curiosity. Early engagement with real-world science often sparks a love for learning that lasts well beyond childhood, encouraging exploration, innovation, and future STEM involvement.
Citizen science empowers children to believe they can ask questions, seek answers, and actively shape the future—one observation at a time!
Final Thoughts
Citizen science offers a powerful way for children and families to connect with the natural world, build scientific skills, and contribute meaningfully to real research efforts. It shows that science is accessible, dynamic, and exciting—and that anyone, regardless of age or background, can make valuable discoveries.
By getting involved in citizen science projects, children learn observation, critical thinking, and teamwork in authentic and empowering ways. They come to see themselves not just as learners, but as active participants in shaping the future of science, technology, and environmental stewardship.
If your child loves hands-on science activities, they’ll be thrilled by our Science of Sound holiday camps, after-school clubs, and workshops. Each session is designed to spark curiosity, build skills, and nurture a lifelong love for exploration and discovery. Explore our latest programmes and give your child the tools to make science a joyful part of their everyday lives!
Every observation counts—and every young scientist has the power to change the world.
