Just the thought of doing science with kids can be pretty scary for parents but it’s easy for kids to have some science fun with magnifying glasses. Kids are born scientists and love to explore and discover.
Good, sturdy magnifying glasses are available at toy stores or online. Office or reading magnifiers will also work but are more dentable and breakable. Although the one in this photo is just a toy and somewhat scratched, it has been well used. Often, when there is something different, it gets hauled out from a drawer in the kitchen for a closer look. This could even be the breakfast cereal in the morning or a piece of lint on the carpet on the way to bed. I suspect this having to inspect is a delaying tactic but it’s hard to squelch science.
Kids are intrigued with making things bigger. At first, kids hold a magnifying glass right up to their eye. When they are ready, we can show them how to hold one a little bit away from their eye and what happens when they move it farther away. Before they check out details and features, kids like to experiment with magnifying glasses and how they can move one back and forth and changes sizes.
One’s hand has some amazing lines and patterns. Hold the magnifying glass to show your child some parts on your hand. Ask your child to take a good look at his/her hand and see if there are some things different and the same. Check out scrapes, bruises, and scratches since kids usually have an assortment.
Magnifying glasses are especially fun outside. Kids can see the tiny details on bugs and plants that were too small to notice before.
For some more ideas, the book You Can Use a Magnifying Glass by Wiley Blevins, is a great resource with cool photos.
Doing science with kids does not have to intimidate parents and caregivers. Instead, will this science fun with magnifying glasses interest you and your family?
As another resource, Like 123Kindergarten on Facebook.