Science

Using Science to Teach Young Children

• Children learn through the use of their senses. Activities that require children to use their sense of hearing, smell, sight, taste, and touch help children make sense of the world around them.
• A natural curiosity exists in young children. This curiosity should be developed by caring adults.
• Things in nature are great conversation starters for adults working with young children. Adults should point out things in nature, such as birds, animals, clouds, leaves, and rocks. It is important to talk with young children about the colors, shapes, sizes, and textures found in nature.
• Items in nature are wonderful learning materials for young children. Take advantage of the resources in your yard or surrounding areas.

• Leaf Mobiles- Attach clean, colorful leaves of different sizes and textures to sturdy twigs. Hang the mobiles where the infants can see and touch the leaves. Talk with the infant about the colors, shapes, and textures of the leaves.
• Bird Feeders- Hang a birdfeeder on a branch near a window. Add sunflower seeds and birdseed. As the birds feed, position the infant near the window. Talk to the infant about the different birds and what the birds are doing.
• Fish- Set up an aquarium of fishbowl in an area out of the infant’s reach. Hold the infant near the fish and tell them about the fish.
• Nature Observations- Place the infant in a safe and comfortable seat. Position the seat on a level surface near a window. Sit near the infant and point to things outside. Talk to the infant about the things you see.
  
• Shimmering Shapes- Cover cardboard shapes with aluminum foil. Attach to a twig with string. Suspend in the sunlight and let the reflections dance around the infant.
• Nature Walks- Take the infant for a ride in a stroller. Point out animals, birds, and plants you find along the way. Talk to the infant about the color, size, and sounds of the things you find.
• Feather Fun- Lay the infant on a soft blanket under a tree. Remove the infant’s socks and tickle her toes with clean, soft feathers.
• Fill and Empty- Fill a container with items found in nature such as leaves, flowers, or rocks (these rocks should be smooth and larger than a quarter in size). Show the infant how to take items out of the container. When the container is empty, show the infant how to fill the container again.

Science Activities for Ones

• Bugs in a Jar- Collect several bugs and display them in plastic (not glass) containers. You may need to poke air holes in the lid of the container. Talk to the children about the bugs in the container. Release the bugs outside.
• Animal Sounds- Talk with the children about the different sounds animals make. Ask the children to try to make the same sounds.
• Seasonal Mobiles- Construct simple mobiles using twigs, string, and things found in nature. During the summer add green leaves and flowers. In the fall, add colored leaves and acorns. Some items for a winter mobile are pine needles and twigs without leaves. In the spring, add new green leaves and fresh flowers to the mobile.
• Growing Plants- Purchase non poisonous plants for your home. Talk to the children about the plant as you water and care for it. Let the children touch and smell the leaves on the plant.
  
• Leaf Books- Collect leaves with the children. Create a simple book by gluing or taping the leaves you find on paper. Punch holes along the side of the paper. Tie yarn through the holes. Look through the book with the children and point out the different colors, sizes, shapes, and textures of the leaves they found.
• Bubble Blowing- Purchase an inexpensive bottle of bubble mixture. Show the children how to blow bubbles with the bubble wand. Talk with the children about the bubbles. Ask them to try and catch the bubbles. When the bubbles pop, ask the children to tell you how the bubbles feel. Use caution when playing with bubbles. If the mixture spills on slick surfaces, such as tile or laminate flooring, children may slip and fall easily.
  

Science Activities for Twos and Threes

• Nature Centers- Create a nature center in your home on a low shelf or window sill. Add items such as clean feathers, smooth stones (that are larger that a quarter), houseplants, and seashells that do not have sharp edges. Add pictures of things in nature such as rainbows, rivers, and animals. Look for plastic magnifying glasses in discount stores. Add these to the center for explorations. Encourage the children to add items from nature to the center. Change the items in the center often.
• What to Wear?- Collect an assortment of clothing worn during each of the four seasons, such as bathing suits, jackets, mittens, and shirts with short sleeves. Talk with the children and decide which clothing should be worn during warm weather and which should be worn when it is cold outside.
• Binoculars- An adult should cut a clean, empty paper towel roll in half. Show the children how to glue the rolls side by side. Punch a hole in the outer edge of both rolls, string yarn through both holes, and tie. Encourage the children to use the binoculars to look for birds, animals, or clouds.
• Nature Feely Bags- Hide objects from nature, such as feathers, rocks, or flowers, in clean, empty socks. Let the children slide their hands into the socks and try to guess what the item is by touching it.
• Nature Collections- Ask parents to save clean, empty egg cartons. Let the children look for items in nature to put in these cartons. These collections can be added to the indoor nature center.
• Growing a Garden- An adult should prepare a small area outside for planting seeds. Let the children help plant and water seeds. As the plants begin to grow, take crayons and paper outside to the garden area. Encourage the children to draw pictures of the plants they see in the garden.

Science Activities for Fours and Fives

• Magic Pennies- Gather a group of old, tarnished pennies for cleaning. An adult should help the children measure 1/2 cup of vinegar and 1 tablespoon of salt. Mix the vinegar and salt together in a plastic bowl. Let the children use the mixture to clean the pennies. Provide paper towels for easy clean up.
• Bird Feeders- Collect clean, empty milk jugs. An adult should cut a four inch circle in each jug. Show the children how to add spoonfuls of birdseed and sunflower seeds inside the jugs. Help the children hang the birdfeeders in bushes and trees. Encourage them to check the birdfeeders regularly and refill them when empty.
• Sorting Heavy and Light- Collect a supply of clean, empty film canisters. An adult should fill the canisters with beans or rice. Fill some canisters completely full of the beans or rice. Fill other canisters only half way. Leave some canisters empty. Snap the lids on the canisters and ask the children to hold them. Ask the children to tell which canisters feel heavy and which feel light.
  
• Magnet Play- Purchase inexpensive magnets at discount stores. Encourage the children to find things indoors and outdoors that attract to the magnet. Supervise play with magnets! Magnets can damage computer and television screens and erase VCR tapes.
• Dancing Raisins- An adult should help children pour gingerale or other clear carbonated soda in clear plastic cups. Let the children put several raisins in the mixture. The raisins will float up and down in the soda.
• Guess that Smell- Collect a supply of clean, empty film canisters. An adult should poke small holes in the canister lids. Drop a cotton ball that has been dipped in peppermint or vanilla extract, coffee, perfume, lemons, or cinnamon in each canister. Snap the lids on and let the children smell each canister. Encourage them to identify the smell in each canister.
  

Science Ideas

• Pine Cone Birdfeeders- Mix equal amounts of peanut butter and cornmeal. Cover a pinecone with the peanut butter and cornmeal mixture. Roll in birdseed and sunflower seeds. Use yarn to hang the bird feeders from low branches.
  
  
• Leaf Mobile- Help the children collect an assortment of leaves from outside. Tie pieces of yarn around one the stem of each leaf. Tie the opposite end of the yarn pieces to a stick. Hang the sticks from a window or ceiling and let the leaves hang down below.
  
  
• Beautiful Bubbles- Create a bubble mixture using:
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons liquid dishwashing detergent
• 1 tablespoon glycerine (available at a drug store)

Slowly mix the items together and let the mixture sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Make bubble wands from pipe cleaners or use plastic rings from drink cans for blowing bubbles.


• Ocean Bottles- Gather 1 clean and empty plastic bottle. Fill the bottle half way with water and add two or three drops of food coloring. Fill the bottle to the top with vegetable oil and glue the top on the bottle using heavy-duty glue. Water and oil will not mix. Instead, “waves” will form inside the bottle.
  

References

Cryer, D., Harms, T., & Ray, A. R. (1996). Active learning for fives. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. 357-358, 365, 367.

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