As a science teacher with three boys aged 5-14, I have actively included Science in our home learning and play especially during home-school. I’m going to share with you why it is important to start learning Science during Early years education and what this might look like at home. I’m aware many parents and carers feel overwhelmed with the thought of teaching Science, especially if they found it challenging at school themselves. The aim of this blog is to inspire activities that you feel confident and comfortable to do with your little ones at home or in other early years provision. 

When Are Children Ready to Learn Science?

Almost all young children are already learning science naturally, without any prompting. Most of the time they actively search for new knowledge and experiences in the world around them. They develop theories about what they see and how it works.

Young children are naturally curious and as a parent or early childhood teacher I’m sure you have been bombarded with a variety of questions from your children about how things work and why things happen. 

This natural curiosity is what drives them to explore and investigate and we should nurture their enthusiasm for scientific discovery.

 The many benefits of exposing your child to science include:

  • Developing critical and creative thinking as well as problem-solving.
  • Worldliness as they become interested in the world around them and discover how things work
  • Critical thinking and the ability to form their own opinions and draw conclusions from observations
  • Enhanced vocabulary, math and physics skills
  • Resilience, perseverance and an understanding that failure helps them learn
  • Patience as they observe nature around them, and discover some changes may take time

Science is an extension of their everyday world and by setting up investigative play spaces where children can experiment and explore curriculum concepts, where they can practice and learn important skills.

 Year 1 is when the Science programme of study begins. However, before this Science is covered as part of the ‘Understanding the World (UW)’, one of the four specific areas of learning in the EYFS framework. It involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology, and the environment.

As part of your invitations to play there is probably already an element of science within there without you realizing. With some tweaking and emphasis on these elements the benefits of learning science will be enhanced. 

Some fun science activities to try with children that you can do are the typical ones you have probably already heard of:-

Sink and float

Magnetic or not magnetic

Bicarbonate of soda and vinegar reactions

Looking at seeds and watching them grow

Investigating habitats such as birds, bugs and bees.

Here are some of the ideas of how we have incorporated science, it's not only the activities but the conversations about their observations, predictions and explanations provided to explain the world around us. 

Changes of State

We have looked at changes of state by experimenting with snow, ice and water. We go on treasure hunts to find examples of leaves, flowers and seeds. We try to classify the natural loose parts we find and learn to recognize them. We also reuse any potion plays or flowers by freezing them for another play.

world-science-day-activities
Shop Our Potion Pots

Colours

We have explored colours through activities such as chromatography flowers, magic reveal with tissue paper and a walking water colour mixing activity. Chromatography flowers is when you use circular filter paper and place a soluble near to the center. You then fold it and place the bottom in the water. Which seeps up taking the ink with it. You can use kitchen roll to create magic reveal images. Using permeant markers, the coloured image is underneath and an outline image is on top of it. We have used pipettes to reveal, drop in water or even allow the rain to reveal.

world-science-day-activities

Lifecycles and habitats

One of our favourite science activities is to explore different lifecycles and ‘dissect’ objects to look inside. We have explored inside apples, pumpkins, horse Chestnut, pinecones as well as dissect flowers to be able to name the parts. We use playdough to make impressions and make models of lifecycles too. We have explored habitats, recreated habitats and matched plants and animals to their habitats. Getting them to compare habitats and the organisms found there, using their senses when visiting them in person.

Magnetism

We have use the magnetic tray many times in our play and the magnetic chips. To identify everyday materials and with recycling play. We have also been out on a litter pick and I have placed items on a tray for them to sort for recycling. We also try and use recycle materials for stem builds and crafts. You can often still recycle them after too.

Chemical reactions

The potions set is great for exploring density of different liquids, doing float/sink investigations and looking at reactions. The classic is baking soda and vinegar, but you can also try salt and fizzy pop or citric acid and water. Potion play can encourage them to make predictions. Practice skills such as pouring and using pipette droppers. We have also used them to do a pancake day play where they follow instructions on how to make pancakes.

Shop our Giant Masher & Mixing Bowl

Thank you for reading the blog and I hope we have inspired you to develop your children's understanding. awareness and enthusiasm for science. Please check out our Instagram account for more science and stem ideas. Sarah from @mylittlebrightsparks.