I need to explain evolution to a six year-old. (God)

[Nanda]

Any suggestions? Yesterday my son asked "Where did the first people come from?" and I found out that it's somewhat difficult to explain evolution to a small child without sounding like you've lost your mind.

[angellous_evangellous]

HAHAHAH good luck

[mball1297]

I might not be the best to go by, but I'd say something like: A long, long time ago, there were no humans or animals. At some point, a little living cell formed. That little thing changed and became different kinds of little living things. Over the course of many, many years these little living things kept changing until they had changed into animals. These animals also changed depending on their environment. Apes were one of these animals, and somewhere along the line, some of the apes changed into humans. The first humans were not much different from apes, but over thousands of years they changed too, into what we are today.

I'm not used to talking to a 6-year-old, so I don't know whether that's too involved or what, but hopefully it can give you some kind of help.

[Halcyon]

Originally Posted by Nanda

Any suggestions? Yesterday my son asked "Where did the first people come from?" and I found out that it's somewhat difficult to explain evolution to a small child without sounding like you've lost your mind.

Pictures are better than words. I'd imagine there are probably some good childrens books out there that teach simple evolution.

I can remember seeing something similar to this at a very young age, I don't remember finding it that confusing;
http://www.open2.net/nextbigthing/ev.../ev_of_man.jpg

(My god though, trying to find that pic through all the crappy joke pictures on google was a nightmare)

[Sola'lor]

Originally Posted by mball1297

I might not be the best to go by, but I'd say something like: A long, long time ago, there were no humans or animals. At some point, a little living cell formed. That little thing changed and became different kinds of little living things. Over the course of many, many years these little living things kept changing until they had changed into animals. These animals also changed depending on their environment. Apes were one of these animals, and somewhere along the line, some of the apes changed into humans. The first humans were not much different from apes, but over thousands of years they changed too, into what we are today.

I'm not used to talking to a 6-year-old, so I don't know whether that's too involved or what, but hopefully it can give you some kind of help.

She's right you did sound like you've lost your mind. Hehehe. Just kidding... But seriously.

[Sunstone]

Originally Posted by Nanda

Any suggestions? Yesterday my son asked "Where did the first people come from?" and I found out that it's somewhat difficult to explain evolution to a small child without sounding like you've lost your mind.

Use charts and graphics:

[Nanda]

Originally Posted by mball1297

At some point, a little living cell formed.

First I'd have to explain what the heck a "cell" is, which may prove just as difficult.

[mball1297]

Originally Posted by Sola'lor

She's right you did sound like you've lost your mind. Hehehe. Just kidding... But seriously.

Well, I'm not a good example, considering I have actually lost my mind.