Albert Einstein once said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge." In order to develop his theories, he had to use his imagination and go beyond the facts generally accepted. He needed time to think and to imagine. Knowledge has a valuable part to play, but the current emphasis in England on end-of-key-stage assessments and National Curriculum levels can do immense damage to children. In their anxiety to do well, to achieve a given level, and to remember a key word, the true essence of science can be lost. The author, a nursery teacher, lecturer, and mother of three, shares her concerns about how developments resulting from the National Curriculum have impacted her children's science learning.