Guest post by Matt Newnham, creator of Space Ranger Fred
There’s nothing quite like watching your child light up when something clicks — when they figure out how a puzzle works or realise they’ve solved a tricky question on their own. But for many parents, especially when it comes to math and science, helping kids reach that moment of joy can feel more like a struggle than an adventure.
I get it. Numbers and formulas, scientific theories and vocabulary, it can all seem overwhelming. And when kids say things like, “I’m just not good at math,” or “Science is boring,” it’s hard to know how to respond. That’s why I believe storytelling has a superpower. Not just in teaching, but in transforming the way children — and parents — feel about learning.
As a children’s author and the creator of Space Ranger Fred, I’ve spent years weaving math, science, and big ideas into wild space adventures full of silly gadgets, exploding cakes, and characters with more heart than logic. And in doing so, I’ve seen how stories can unlock curiosity, build confidence, and most importantly, make learning fun.
With the upcoming release of Space Ranger Fred and the Great Galactic Bake Off in late October 2025, I’m more excited than ever to share how storytelling can turn STEM — Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math — from something intimidating into something magical. Let’s explore how and why it works, and how you, as a parent, can use stories to bring learning to life.
The Problem with Pressure
Let’s start with something we can all agree on. Education today is intense. Kids are learning more, earlier, and faster than ever before. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it often leaves little room for exploration, creativity, or play.
Math and science, in particular, tend to be taught in a way that focuses on right and wrong answers. There’s a heavy emphasis on getting it correct the first time, which can make children feel anxious. They fear mistakes. They stop experimenting. And slowly, they start to believe that STEM subjects just aren’t for them.
As a parent, watching this unfold can be frustrating. You know your child is bright and capable. But how do you help them feel excited about math when worksheets bring them to tears? How do you get them interested in science when the textbooks feel cold and dull?
That’s where storytelling comes in.
Stories Speak Their Language
Children are natural storytellers. From a young age, they make sense of the world through narrative. Whether they’re pretending to be a superhero or explaining why the cookie jar mysteriously emptied, they rely on stories to understand and communicate.
That’s why stories are so effective at teaching. They meet children where they are. Instead of presenting abstract facts, stories offer context. They take dry ideas and give them meaning. They turn a scientific concept into a challenge that a character must solve or a mathematical principle into part of a grand adventure.
In Space Ranger Fred and the Great Galactic Bake Off, for example, when practicing to make a cake a zero gravity oven makes a cake explode because the instructions for the oven have been confused with a vacuum cleaner. Sounds silly? It is. But hidden beneath the frosting and flying dough is a lesson about chemical reactions, temperature, and time. Without realising it, children reading or listening to the story are absorbing scientific ideas and learning how to solve problems creatively.
Math in Disguise
One of my favourite things to do as an author is sneak math into stories in a way that feels natural and fun. Fred’s world is full of countdown timers, patterns, quantities, sequences, and puzzles. In one story, the fate of an entire mission hinges on whether a wind-up timer can measure the right amount of time before a rocket cake finishes baking.
By embedding math into a plot, children engage with it emotionally. They care about the outcome. They follow the logic because it’s tied to the characters they’re rooting for. They might not even realise they’re doing math because it’s disguised as part of the fun.
This is the perfect opportunity for parents. If your child struggles with numbers on a page, try switching it up. Read a story where math is essential to the plot. Then pause and talk about it. “What would you do if the timer stopped at the wrong time?” or “Can you figure out how many cupcakes they need to bake?” Suddenly, math becomes part of a game, not a chore.
Science as Story
Science, too, thrives in story form. At its core, science is about curiosity — asking questions, making observations, and finding out how things work. But when taught from a list of facts or dense diagrams, that sense of wonder can get lost.
In Space Ranger Fred, science comes alive. Zando Centauri, Fred’s mentor and a lovable (if scatterbrained) senior space ranger, is full of strange inventions. Some are brilliant. Others barely function. One of his proudest creations is a peg sticky-taped to a spaceship seat, which he claims is “highly advanced technology for holding on in zero gravity.”
Children laugh at the absurdity, but they’re also learning. They begin to understand concepts like gravity, motion, magnetism, and force through story moments that stick. They see trial and error in action, without fear of failure. They learn that being curious — even if the results are messy — is a valuable part of scientific thinking.
Turning the Page Together
The beauty of storytelling is that it’s something parents and children can share. You don’t have to be a math expert or science teacher to read a book with your child and talk about what happens. In fact, the less you explain and the more you explore together, the better.
Try asking open-ended questions during or after a story:
- “What would you have done in Fred’s place?”
- “Why do you think the cake exploded?”
- “How could they fix the countdown clock next time?”
Let your child take the lead. Encourage them to ask questions of their own. Even if they come up with wild or impractical answers, they’re practicing problem-solving. They’re engaging. They’re thinking.
That’s the goal.
Building Confidence Through Characters
Another reason storytelling is such a powerful teaching tool is because it helps children build confidence. When they see characters who make mistakes, get things wrong, or feel unsure, it gives them permission to do the same.
Fred is a space ranger, but he’s also a regular kid. He makes mistakes. He doubts himself. He tries something that doesn’t work. But he keeps going. He asks for help. He finds new solutions. And in the end, he succeeds — not because he’s perfect, but because he’s persistent.
Children relate to that. They see themselves in Fred. And that makes them believe that maybe they, too, can figure things out if they just keep trying.
Not Just for Bedtime
Stories don’t have to be limited to bedtime either. They can become part of your routine throughout the day. Listen to audiobooks on the way to school. Watch animated story episodes together. Use story-inspired games and activities on weekends.
You can even invent your own STEM stories at home. Ask your child to make up a tale about a scientist who lost their measuring cups or a robot who can only count in threes. You’ll be amazed at how creative they get — and how much learning happens when they’re in control of the story.
The Upcoming Bake Off Book
With the release of Space Ranger Fred and the Great Galactic Bake Off this October, I’ve tried to take everything I’ve learned about storytelling and STEM and mix it into a recipe for fun and learning. There are exploding cakes, kitchen gadgets that definitely don’t meet safety standards, and a countdown timer that’s actually a wind-up egg timer with a bell.
But more importantly, there are lessons about cause and effect, teamwork, measurement, and perseverance. There’s laughter, confusion, triumph, and most of all, discovery.
I hope it inspires children to ask questions, to test things out, and to laugh when things go wrong. Because that’s what real science looks like. And when math and science feel like stories, they become something kids want to be part of.
Final Thoughts for Parents
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to support your child in learning math and science. You just need to be willing to explore, to wonder aloud, and to share stories that make learning feel joyful.
Storytelling is a bridge. It connects the abstract with the personal. It makes the complicated feel simple. And it turns the intimidating into the inviting.
So the next time your child says, “I’m not good at math,” or “Science is boring,” hand them a book. Share a laugh. Ask a question. Turn the page together. You might just find that a little story can go a long way.
And if there happens to be an exploding cupcake in there, even better.
About the Author
Matt Newnham is a British children’s author and the creator of the Space Ranger Fred series, blending humor, adventure, and STEM-friendly concepts to inspire curiosity in young readers. His mission is simple. To show children that learning can be fun, science can be exciting, and kindness always wins.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
