simple science activities

Cars, trucks, train cars, and other toys get to be part of some science fun and learning with this play-of-the-day. All aboard for some simple ramp science.

While grownup engineers want to know how to construct the safest, most efficient roads, kid engineers only want to know how to make toy cars go faster. The name of their game is often zoom, zoom. When kids are playing with transportation toys, we can ask them if they have an idea about how to make them go faster. They may suggest some things to try. We can also show them a simple ramp.

To make a ramp, we used a piece of cardboard from a box in the recycling and an upside down plastic tub. Big Sister soon figured out that the ramp made the Duplo car go faster. She added a box from a puzzle on the shelf to raise it even more. She spent a good chunk of time playing with toys and the ramp. Baby Sister wanted to push the cars but it was too much work to push them up the hill so she used the piece of cardboard to be a flat road.

We can introduce a new idea into children’s play and then let them explore on their own. Simple ramp science is an idea kids can use in their play and build on. Not all kids will be ready, just as Baby Sister wasn’t, but her older sister figured it out. She was interested enough to test her thoughts about ways to make the cars go even faster.

She likes the animals that fit on the Duplo cars so she added these too. This independent questioning and investigation is only one of the purposes of children’s play. It’s critically important as parents, caregivers, and teachers, that we make sure kids have time and space to play.

Will there be time and space for some simple ramp science play for your child today?

This boat float or sink play-of-the-day is brought to you by World Ocean’s Day. The kitchen sink or a container of water will be your child’s ocean.

Kids are natural scientists, exploring constantly. This boat float or sink play is a voyage of discovery, fun, and learning that happens right at home, at the kitchen sink or with another large pan of water.

The recycling box at home likely holds a treasure of things to use, such as styrofoam containers, corks, plastic and metal lids, popsicle sticks, applesauce or yogurt cups, even a small egg carton. Include some items to put in the boats, like rocks, buttons, or beads. With these materials kids can float some boats, or will they sink?

Everyday children are trying and figuring out how things work around them. This is what scientists do. We can extend their play by talking with them about what they see happening and asking questions.

What way do they have to put things together to make a boat that floats? Can it go in the water upside down or sideways? What happens then? How about if there’s something in the boat?  How much is too glub, glub, glub, much? By asking questions and inviting kids to explain to us, they attach words to what they are discovering.

This activity kept Big Sister busy for a long time as she tried many different combinations. Little Sister is pretty good about not putting things in her mouth and loves water play too. She mostly liked to just put things in the water and wasn’t really interested in making boats.

Kids will play at their own level and investigate what interests them. Older kids may want to create their own boats using recycled materials or even lego. Plasticine will also work to make boats, but needs to get dried off so it doesn’t get gooey.

Some of us are quite lucky–except when the ferry is late or we miss it–and get to take a boat often but kids can take their own boats anytime without leaving home. Could boat float or sink be part of your child’s play today?

Science can be easy and still amazing. These simple straw rockets are super fun and use the most ordinary of materials. The results are exciting. To make a straw rocket, you will need paper, scissors, tape, and a straw. Cut a sheet of regular, photocopy paper in any color. Fold it in half the short, … Continue reading Transportation Play Activities #5: Simple Straw Rockets →