Preschool Science Activity: Planning One
by Sue Chehrenegar

In addition to singing, storytelling, arts and crafts and outdoor activities, the instructor at a preschool will want to expose the young students to some sort of preschool science activity. For these very small future scientists, the best activities involve simple hands-on science.

Even the youngest toddler can make important observations. The preschool science activity that is selected might be one that makes use of these observational abilities. There are, for example, two very simple activities that will teach young children about the science of air pressure. One involves no more than having the children drink from a straw. The other requires only the availability of a cup of water and the kitchen tool that is used to baste a turkey. Both of these can become a preschool science activity that demonstrates how everyday happenings come about because of the way that air pressure acts to fill a vacuum.

Water is the surest resource for multiple preschool science activities. Let the preschool children observe for themselves the surface tension that is an important property of water. One preschool science activity that does this is the blowing of bubbles. Another activity calls for the presentation to the young students of a cup of water and a pile of paper clips. Let the students keep adding bubbles to the cup while they watch the water level rise above the rim of the cup. Show them how the water tension keeps the water from dripping over the rim.

Water can also be used to busy the preschool children with an opportunity to do some sorting. Like observation, sorting is a skill that even the youngest child can seem to master. One preschool science activity that involves sorting is one in which the students explore what objects can float on top of water, and what objects will sink to the bottom of a water-filled container. The students should be asked to observe what floats and what sinks, and then they should be asked to sort the “tested” objects according to what they observed.

Another preschool science activity that can lead to a period of sorting is one that makes use of a magnet. Do not use small magnets or small objects, as these could be swallowed. Secure some large magnets and then some decent-sized pieces of metal, of wood, of plastic and of whatever else is of an appropriate size. Let the students discover which of the objects will stick to the magnet, and which will not. Have them then sort the objects into two groups (one group that clung to the magnet and another that would not stick to the magnet)

Once you get started on doing preschool science activities, you will find that you can picture any number of new ways to busy your active students. A pair of binoculars or a magnifying glass can be the focus of a great preschool science activity. Anything that asks a preschooler to observe or to sort is science.

A Resource for Your Preschool Science Activity

Help With Finding a Safe Preschool Science Activity

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