science for preschoolers

[kakies]

Our hs support group is having a science fair next month and they are encouraging children of all ages to participate. It doesn't matter how simple the project is. I think it's a good idea would like my dd's to be a part of it.

Do you have any ideas on fun and easy science projects that a 3yo and a 5yo can do together?

[rbeaufoy]

typing with one hand......sorry!

Plant some seeds....record their growth with drawings, photographs, etc. Make a poster board display...the kids can help glue and arrange the pics, etc.

better yet, plant some seeds in two pots, water and feed one pot....ignore the other. Record and compare the different results.

still thinking, more later! R

or...water both pots, but only fertilize one....so many options!

[beanma]

worm bin! composting food leftovers and learning about life cycles and worms. got a website for you that my 6 yr old loves although it's aimed for a little older (maybe 9, 10?) -- http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/worms/ . my 3 yr old likes it, too. you can get the worms at a fishing store if you've got one locally or order online. get "red wigglers" not "night crawlers" . have fun!

[CO Mommy]

We just checked out a couple of books from the library that are pretty cool. They are from Janice Vancleave's series called "Play and Find out About ..." We checked out the human body and nature ones. The description is "easy experiments for young children." So far they seem pretty good, although I haven't actually done any of the experiments with my kids yet. It might be worth checking out, if your library has them.

[Aurie]

Simply mixing food coloring to produce other colors. Using the primary colors to make the, orange, green and purple colors.

[rbeaufoy]

back again...

buy some ph strips at your local pet store and test the ph of some different things....juice, water, milk, vinegar, cleaning solution of some sort. Not sure that a 3 year old will really grasp what ph measures, but they could still have a good time participating in the testing.

still thinking.

I'm sure there are a ton of websites with good ideas too.

[Rivka5]

Cut away one side of a milk carton and replace it with clear plastic. Then fill it with dirt and plant a seed right up against the plastic. Elevate the other side (away from the window) of the milk craton an inch or so. When the plant grows, the roots will grow against the clear plastic, so you can watch growth above and below the ground.

[Catherine12]

Originally Posted by rbeaufoy

back again...

buy some ph strips at your local pet store and test the ph of some different things....juice, water, milk, vinegar, cleaning solution of some sort. Not sure that a 3 year old will really grasp what ph measures, but they could still have a good time participating in the testing.

still thinking.

I'm sure there are a ton of websites with good ideas too.

Did you know that there is a substance in red cabbage that is a natural pH indicator? It's pretty easy to make, and use. Here's a link:

http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/aa012803a.htm

[tuffykenwell]

They have some really cool ideas on the Zoom website. My favorite is "Caldron Bubbles"....if you colour the oil with powdered tempera paint first you can REALLY see the dissolving action....it was really fun for both my 4.5 and 2 year olds

Steph

[kakies]

Wow I really enjoy putting these ideas on my 'to do with the kids' list... please keep them coming. Thanks

[NoHiddenFees]

We liked some of the projects in Mudpies to Magnets and More Mudpies to Magnets.

[ZanZansMommy]

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[kakies]

Fun, fun, fun! There are so many cool things to experiment with that I'm sure we will be trying them out one by one even after the science fair is over. Thanks to all.

[Hera]

I don't quite know how it could be related to a science fair yet, but cornstarch and water mixes together to form a really bizarre substance, not really liquid or solid. It's equal parts, I think, but you can search for a recipe. Some people call it "Oobleck" after the Seuss book.

My kids, 7 and 2, had a lot of fun playing with the stuff.

[bwylde]

Oooh my kids loved ooobleck! I couldn't stop playing with it

Magnets are fun. DS likes to make a compass with a magnetized needle on a cork floating in a bowl of water.