Halloween treats are sweet to eat and just as sweet to use in some simple science experiments with toddlers and preschoolers. There are lots of great ideas on the internet and this is from someone else, but I have no idea who to thank for this suggestion.
This science fun comes in two parts and needs 2 gummy bears and 1 small bowl of water. First, you can ask your child if a gummy bear will float in water or if it will sink. It looks very light but try one and see. Did it float or did it sink?
Next, you can ask: Will a gummy bear change when it’s put into water? Put one bear into the water and leave one out to compare. The hard part is waiting for some change. This takes quite awhile so maybe set the timer for 30 minutes and then an hour and check when it rings. Has anything happened? Usually, the bear in the bowl will soak up some water and swell, but this might take a couple of hours. Sometimes, you can see little bubbles around the bear. Does anything happen to the water?
You can ask your child why s/he thinks the bear that was in the water is bigger than the one out of the water. Do kids get bigger when they have a bath or go swimming?
It’s fun to repeat this experiment with other candies, like Smarties and M&Ms. Will they float or sink? Do they get bigger or do they dissolve? What happens to the water this time?
Science and kids are a sweet combination. Kids are curious and ask lots of questions. Would you believe that kids ask more than 300 questions a day? I wonder who had the patience to count. What other science activities can kids do with Halloween treats and candies?