understanding world activities for toddlers?

[stacey w]

I'm really trying to come up with some fun and exciting science ideas for toddlers. I was thinking of taking the children out in the rain and squirting fairy liquid into puddles and letting the children see how bubbles are made if the splash in them (wellies a must). Anyone have any other good ideas i could use?

[Ruthierhyme]

Oh sounds great how about nets and leaf catching / scooping - covers many learning areas - wind, force, gravity, autumn - leaf colour changes

[stacey w]

Great idea Ruthie thank you

[sarahnev707]

If you are using puddles you could add poster paints, bubbles, smells (aromatherapy), leaves, twigs (floating and sinking experiments)...

Then we go through them with bike wheels, cars, wellies etc to see the patterns...

then collect some of the rainwater to take inside to look at carefully using the microscope or magnifiers to spot what else might live in a puddle.

Songs might include 'listen to the rhythm of the falling rain' by the Cascades - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQstQST1GiM;


enjoy

[ray]

how about putting oil in water...... it wont mix properly but the children love the feel of it. We have also put paint powder on paper with chunks of ice.. (melting ice is science too)
and combines mark making

[Chloe]

Looking at how ice turns into water is a great idea,children love it and so many obs can be taken!!

[alica]

You can also try molecule movement experiment. Just take two glasses with same amount of water one hot and one cold. Now add one drop of food coloring in both the glasses. You can see that food color molecules spread faster in hot water than cold. Isn’t it cool experiment?