Science isn’t scary. It’s all around us! And there is no better way to get kids excited about the wonders of the natural world than to experiment with the magical properties of sunlight. Here are a few fun-in-the-sun science experiments for preschool and kindergarten:
- Sun Prints- Place several objects (key, rock, leaf) on a piece of dark construction paper. Leave it in the sunshine (indoors or out) for a few hours. Invite kids to remove the objects to reveal their sun prints!
- Shadow Tracing- invite children to trace shadows with chalk on a paved walkway or driveway. If there are no fixed-object shadows to trace (trees, signs, etc.) encourage children to trace each others shadows. Be sure to trace around the feet of the standing child to make sure they can get back into the same position later in the day. A few hours later, return to the tracings. Are the shadows still within the traced lines?
- Rainbow Makers- Grab a hose and a spray attachment. Spray a mist of water into the air on a sunny day and encourage children to look for the rainbow!
- Shadow Shapes- Invite children to make shadow shapes with their arms or whole bodies. If you’re on a paved surface, capture the shapes by tracing them.
- Warming Up Water- set out a small metal (or other dark and non-breakable) bowl with water in a sunny spot. Place another small bowl of water in a shady spot. After a few hours, bring the bowls together and invite children to compare the temperatures of the water.
As you do these experiments with children, ask questions. What do you think will happen? What did happen? Why?
These experiments will get kids thinking about:
- the source of sunlight
- the properties of sunlight
- how the sun moves through the sky
- the relationship between light and heat
- the power of sunlight
Filed under: Activities for Kids, Preschool, Themes | Tagged: Activities for Kids, Importance of Play, kindergarten, Preschool, Teaching, Themes
