Kids and fun are a winning combination for summer, but kids can be any age, can’t they? On the weekend, there was a silly boat regatta which was tremendous fun for everybody. Even grownups need to play, which they did as they created boats out of some very silly materials, then raced them on the water, discovering what would float and what would sink. It’s an annual fund raiser for the Child Development Center and it included lots of fun activities for kids. Fun, play, and learning do not need a whole beach, though. Kids can try some float and sink in a pool or a tub of water.
Part of the appeal of play, is being able to explore and discover. With something that holds water, pool or tub, kids can try out a variety of items to see if they will float or sink. While adults know what will likely float or sink, kids do not so they will want to experiment for themselves. Some suggestions are: small plastic containers, toothbrush, plastic/wooden/metal spoons, facecloth, popsicle stick, dinosaurs, unbreakable cups and plates, wooden blocks, round-edge Duplos, smooth rocks, a flip-flop, egg turner, ice cube tray, ice cubes, plastic bottle, clean rubber boot, pail, and other bits and pieces that won’t poke a hole in the big container.
While little ones will be happy just scooping, pouring, and dropping items in the water, you can ask older kids to find out to guess which ones will float or sink before trying. This is, as you probably remember from science, the step in an experiment called making a hypothesis. Although it’s an advanced word, it’s actually something that kids do often as in, they guess the water in a puddle won’t get their feet wet and have to check to find out. Or, they figure they can squeeze the toothpaste by themselves only to discover it was maybe too easy. After guessing, kids can explore which items float or sink, or even do both. This is thinking and learning skill that will help for kindergarten readiness and advanced science.
Once kids know what will float and sink, they can try making a boat! Float and sink can be a fun activity. Depending on how much water there is, kids may need extra supervision. Even the adults had extra supervision for their water play. Will this idea float for your child today?