Replication is Child’s Play

Open science teaching is becoming more common in higher education but introducing it to younger students can be equally valuable. Teaching open science early can prepare students for scientific careers, and enhance their scientific literacy, helping them navigate a world full of information that requires validation and critical reflection. We developed and delivered four workshops at a Belgian primary school centered around visual illusions and perception, reproducibility, and a replication study. In this article, we share our materials and reflect on our experiences regarding teaching open science concepts to children to assist others interested in implementing similar workshops. Our key insights include that it is possible to have fruitful discussions with this age group about psychological concepts, reproducibility, replication, and open science. However, it remains important to address challenges in science thoughtfully to maintain the children’s trust in science.