The last two days have been so hot in the UK that we've had the paddling pool out, so it seemed like the perfect time to try some water based investigations.
For each mini investigation, I asked the children a question, and then we discussed what we thought would happen and why.
I've also got many non paddling pool water experiments you can try!
Five things to investigate in your paddling pool
Will the sun make the water warmer?
My five-year-old thought the sun would heat the water if we left the water in the paddling pool during the hottest part of the day. We didn't use a thermometer as I didn't have one to hand, but that would have been a good idea in retrospect.
We found that the water was much warmer if the paddling pool was filled up in the morning and left for a few hours in the sun rather than just filled and used immediately.
Can you make a boat move?
We used a small plastic boat. Z tried to move it by blowing initially, which worked well but found he could make it move much faster by placing the hosepipe behind it. We had lots of fun making the boat race around the pool.
Another idea is to make and test your boats made from recycled materials.
Will the water level rise if we all sit in the pool?
We decided the water level would rise, but the children couldn't tell me why. So we tried it, and the water did rise a little bit. Do you know why this is?
It's all down to the Archimedes Principle!
Will a heavy ball float?
Everyone thought the heavy ball would sink, but it floated!
If you can find a ball that does sink, try covering it with bubble wrap. It should now float, as adding bubble wrap makes it less dense.
Objects need to be less dense than water to float.
More Science in the Paddling Pool
Try making boats with tin foil and investigating how many coins you can put before they sink.
Mix sand with some water in a small pot or tray and leave in the sunshine while you splash around. The water will evaporate, leaving just the sand behind.
Freeze some plastic fish into ice cubes with string and do some paddling pool fishing!
Make a small toy figure float
Use materials from around the house to make a small toy figure float!
Can you think of any more science for the paddling pool?
Last Updated on June 28, 2023 by Emma Vanstone
shannonniebuhr says
You've tried a sink/float experiment already with "a heavy ball," and you could continue along those lines with sticks, rocks, etc. Some questions I'm going to address when the South African summer comes along, with our 2 1/2 year old, are: how much food coloring does it take to color the water? Could something like a piece of paper crumpled up stay dry in an upside-down bowl (like a diving bell)? If you take your hand or foot out of the water, does it feel warmer or cooler and why (evaporation)? My blog is at jozikaroo.com, and we'll post those experiments when the time comes and link back to you!
Jane @ Mama Pea Pod says
Great, simple ideas! As I sit here reading this my kids are in the paddling pool right now. Must go see if I can interest them in any of these ideas! Thanks for sharing at the Outdoor Play Party.
Carrie says
Oh, some wonderful ideas!! We are just getting some hot weather and I think our pool will be coming out this weekend. Thank you for sharing at Sharing Saturday!!