Kids are naturally curious about the world, and one great way to encourage their natural interest in everything around them is through play. Science activities work perfectly alongside play and are so much fun kids won't even realise they are learning.
Using educational craft projects
Kids love assembling things: being given parts and using glue, tape, and scissors to put them together. Educational craft projects or mini STEM challenges are perfect for this kind of play-based learning.
3 examples of educational craft projects
Rockets
Designing and building rockets is one idea. A simple air rocket launcher can be made from a small segment of PVC pipe and a plastic bottle.
We make a basic rocket by rolling paper around the PVC pipe and sellotaping the top and sides. Children can then experiment by adding decorations or using other materials to investigate how that changes the rocket's flight.
Three Little Pigs Build a House STEM Challenge
Another educational craft project is a house building STEM challenge inspired by the story of the Three Little Pigs. Children build houses made from different materials and then test them to find out how strong they are.
Habitat Models
Habitat models made in a shoebox offer lots of creative and educational opportunities. Children can research their chosen habitat, select suitable materials, and finally construct it.
Playing with food (educationally)
Teaching kids not to waste food is important, but when you use food to learn science, you’re not wasting it and can often eat it afterwards. Kitchen science experiments are great fun and tasty too!
We love making towers with candy or meringue. Gumdrop and toothpick towers can be placed in different edible foundations for learning about earthquakes and red cabbage makes a great indicator.
Creating fruit or vegetable batteries
Fruit and vegetable batteries are another brilliant visual science activity. You'll need a few special items, but the end result is worth it!
Simple chemical reactions
Everyone loves a fizzy potion! Chemical reactions are a wonderfully visual way to get children interested in science. Baking soda and vinegar volcanoes or a cola and mento eruption are good first choices.
Building and testing bridges
Bridges are another easy STEM challenge bursting with learning opportunities.
The easiest way to set up a bridge building challenge is to use paper folded in different ways and add small toys until it collapses.
If you want to try something a bit trickier, Leonardo da Vinci's self supporting bridge is the ultimate challenge!
If the ideas above aren't quite what you're looking for, take a look at my playful science series. It's full of imaginative play-based science ideas for preschoolers and younger children.
Last Updated on May 7, 2024 by Emma Vanstone
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