Understanding of the World

Age 4 - 6 | Autumn Science Experiments | Early Years Science | Science and Maths | Seasonal Science | Understanding of the World

Easy Autumn Estimating Jars
ByEmma Vanstone October 30, 2013October 8, 2024

I love autumn, and my 5-year-old loves exploring and numbers, so today, we combined all three to make a fun estimating activity using estimating jars. We traipsed through the woods collecting leaves, pinecones and horse chestnuts as we travelled. Once back home, we laid all our ‘treasures’ out to dry and returned to them the next…

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Magic Science Experiments | Understanding of the World

Make an Optical Illusion
ByEmma Vanstone October 18, 2013February 13, 2025

This super simple optical illusion lets you turn two pictures into one! Did you know your brain uses shortcuts in order to process all the millions of things we see at any one time? An optical illusion “tricks” your eyes and brain. When you spin the pencil, your brain sees one image first and then…

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Age 4 - 6 | Chemistry | Early Years Science | Preschool Science | Science and Maths | Scientific Enquiry | Understanding of the World

Candy sorting
ByEmma Vanstone August 19, 2013March 24, 2025

In the UK, we have chocolate covered sweets called Revels. Inside each bag are different-flavoured chocolates: Maltesers, plain chocolate, coffee, orange, toffee, and chocolate-covered raisins. They are delicious and great for a yummy sorting activity. I set the children the task of sorting the Revels into different flavours without eating them. We talked about how we…

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Biology | Early Years Science | Sensory and Messy Play | Understanding of the World

Germs and worms
ByEmma Vanstone June 27, 2013September 8, 2023

Where possible I always get my children to wash their hands before eating. The bigger two have made up a song to encourage little H to wash hers properly, it goes something like this: Rub and scratch, rub and scratch Or you’ll get worms and germs worms and germs. la la la la Lovely, don’t…

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Age 4 - 6 | Biology | Early Years Science | Humans and Health | Preschool Science | Understanding of the World

Is your arm span equal to your height?
ByEmma Vanstone May 21, 2013July 31, 2023

Did you know arm span ( also known as wingspan or reach ) is approximately equal to height? How to calculate arm span We tested this against a wall using chalk to mark our reach and then standing next to the wall to see if it matched our height. You should measure from fingertip to…

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Age 4 - 6 | Early Years Science | Preschool Science | Science and Maths | Understanding of the World

Weighing and measuring
ByEmma Vanstone April 2, 2013June 23, 2023

Z has been learning about units of weight and measurements in school and has been keen to put what he has learned into practice at home with the girls with this fun weighing and measuring activity. I gave them the kitchen scales and various things to weigh, and Z designed his own table to record the…

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Age 4 - 6 | Early Years Science | Humans and Health | Playful Science | Preschool Science | Understanding of the World

Draw Your Body!
ByEmma Vanstone February 7, 2013March 18, 2025

This simple, fun activity for learning about the body can be adapted for kids of all ages. Young children can draw features like eyes, nose, mouth, nails, etc. Older children can draw body parts, organ systems or even bones and muscles! What’s inside your body? STEM Challenge You’ll need: A roll of paper – something…

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Age 4 - 6 | Early Years Science | Human Health and the Immune System | Humans and Health | Understanding of the World

How to make a stethoscope
ByEmma Vanstone January 20, 2013March 18, 2025

Stethoscopes are used to listen to a person’s heart and breathing. You can make a very basic stethoscope easily using just a cardboard tube, tape and a funnel. This is a brilliant science activity for younger children as part of a doctor role play activity. How to make a stethoscope What you need: Kitchen roll…

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Halloween Science | Holiday Science | Kitchen Science | Understanding of the World

Fun with pumpkins
ByEmma Vanstone October 22, 2012October 2, 2024

Today we set about exploring some lovely pumpkins from a local farm. Before we carved them up, we weighed and measured them. I gave the children 2 medium sized pumpkins and asked them to feel them and think about which was the heaviest. After they guessed, we weighed the pumpkins to see if they were…

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Early Years Science | Preschool Science | Understanding of the World

Fun with Shadows and Shapes
ByEmma Vanstone October 19, 2012April 4, 2025

Shadows are formed when light cannot pass through an object. As light moves in a straight line, shadows are the same shape as the object making the shadow. To demonstrate this, you can make shadow puppets. Easy shadow puppets for kids What you need What to do: Try moving the puppet further from the wall to…

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