Time to recruit five-year-olds to ensure future prosperity

We all remember the era of popular science in the media. Julius Sumner-Miller and his mad experiments asking: "Why is it so?" The Curiosity Show with Rob and Dean and the latter's well-practised "I'm glad you asked" in response to the imagined questions of querying children. Doctor Karl on Triple J taking talkback questions on everything under the sun, from the weather to laughter to why static makes skirts stick to your stockings.

It's this kind of thirst for knowledge and irrepressible curiosity that we need to encourage among Australian children.

Hands-on science exhibition centres such as Canberra's Questacon, the National Science and Technology Centre can help show us the way. With its mission to "make science fun", one visit quickly reveals just how amazing and enthralling children can find science. We need a strong program of popular science in our schools that starts from childrens' first day.

If "chalk and talk" and "rats and stats" were the trademarks of 20th century science teaching, then it's time to introduce a culture of "touch and wonder" to 21st century science. Tackling Australia's skills crisis is a serious task. So serious that it's time we enlisted Australia's five-year-olds to help steer us towards future prosperity.