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Hands-On Science Activities for Preschool

One of the many positive aspects of teaching preschoolers is that almost everything is new and interesting to them. So, it's easy--yet still engaging--to teach lessons by simply dropping raisins into carbonated water and letting the children watch how the bubbles make the raisins rise and fall. The key to using hands-on activities is asking exploratory questions, which will help the children understand the reactions that take place in each project.
  1. Hairy Eggs

    • In this activity, students get to create their own version of a Chia pet using all-natural materials. Take one egg and hard boil it. Using a spoon, knock off the top and let a child eat the contents of it out, leaving the cleaned-out shell. Fill the shell with potting soil and let the child paint a face on it. Plant a dime-sized amount of grass seed in the potting soil, then prop the egg in the windowsill. The egg will begin to sprout "hair."

    Fossil Prints

    • Let children make their own dinosaur prints using modeling clay. Teach them about dinosaurs and dinosaur fossils, then let them use chicken bones, leaves, sea shells, and their own hand prints to make fossils. They can make molds of items such as sea shells; once those harden, cast a new sea shell "fossil" from the mold.

    Sun Painting

    • For this project, let the students collect odd-shaped objects. Take a packet of construction paper, and let them choose their favorite colors. Going out to a sunny place, lay the papers on a table in direct sunlight, then let the children arrange their objects on the papers. Leave the objects alone for a few hours. When they return, the paper would have faded from the sunlight around the objects, creating a design.

    Mold Terrarium

    • Take a large jar, like an empty pickle jar, some slices of fruit, bread, cheese cut into chunks, and a small bowl of water. Set them on a table. Have students dip each piece of food into the water and lay it in the jar. Keep the jar on its side to help spread the food out. When food is arranged in the jar, close the lid and label it "Mold Terrarium: Do Not Open!" The children should be able to watch the food decompose and observe mold grow for about two weeks before changes stop occurring. Discard the jar after the experiment. Do not use meat or fish in the jar, as this will create a most offensive odor.

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