Science Experiment Toddler
Toddlers can learn a lot from science experiments that use common household items. These toddler science activities introduce kids to concepts like gravity, air pressure and chemical reactions.
Watch seeds grow in a jar or demonstrate how plants absorb water through capillary action with this super cool science experiment. The marbled milk experiment is also sure to get lots of oohs and ahhhs from young kids.
Fine Motor Skills
A fine motor skill is the ability to coordinate precise movements of your hands. These movements are necessary to do many things, such as buttoning a shirt or putting on earrings. Some fun activities that engage fine motor skills include squeezing putty, threading beads on a string and picking up coins with pincer grip. Playing games that require the use of cards or playing pieces, such as memory or sequencing cards also engages fine motor skills.
Try this hands-on sink or float science experiment with kids to introduce them to the concept of density. It is a great way to show them how hot water rises and cold sinks. It also encourages them to think about what happens to air when it is heated or cooled, a big concept for toddlers!
Sensory Skills
Toddlers have a natural curiosity about the world around them. Tap into that curiosity by incorporating sensory activities in your experiments. Some of these experiments require messy materials like bubbles, water, or rice. Be sure to have clean up tools such as a dustpan and brush or wet wipes nearby to help keep the mess at bay.
Use different textures to explore sensory materials such as rice, sand, and cotton balls. You can also add in scented sensory experiments, such as lemon scented playdough or Kool Aid slime to stimulate children’s sense of touch and smell.
Try this super cool Rainbow Jar Science Experiment. Kids can learn about colors, density, and chemical reactions all at once! Explore gravity with a fun experiment using cars. Or let kids dig like archeologists in this Jello Earth layer science activity. Or try this magnetic discovery bottle for kids to learn about magnetism.
Language Skills
Science experiments toddler provide opportunities for children to use their language skills. They may be asked to predict what will happen, communicate their results and explain why something happened. These are all important language-development activities.
Students with limited English proficiency benefit from science experiments that allow them to express their understanding in their first language. For example, if they set up a butterfly habitat in the classroom with milkweed and a caterpillar, students can write a small observation each day, or draw a picture of the stages of the caterpillar’s life cycle, to record their experience.
Making slime is not only a fun way to work on fine motor skills, but it also teaches kids about chemical reactions and the properties of different materials. This baking soda and vinegar erupting volcano is another fun, educational experiment that allows students to learn about chemistry. Or, try this water xylophone science experiment that combines music and learning about water absorption.
Social Skills
Toddlers and preschoolers are curious and ask questions about the world around them. Providing them with the opportunity to explore, learn and experiment can help develop their scientific curiosity. However, it is important to make sure any science experiments are age appropriate and that they don’t contain allergens or small parts that could be a choking hazard.
For example, try this classic will it sink or float science activity that is great for toddlers and preschoolers. Or try a baking soda and vinegar volcano or this fun water xylophone.
These experiments are also a great way to introduce the scientific method. While toddlers may not be able to remember all of the steps, scaffolding the scientific process and teaching them key concepts like hypothesis, experiment and results is an important part of their learning.