4 Science Projects for Preschoolers

Topics: Outdoor Activities 

Age Range: Preschool 

Children learn through hands-on experiences, and are endlessly curious. You can help your preschooler learn more about the world around them and basic science concepts with these four easy experiments you can do together.

1) Water Displacement Experiment

This experiment can help your preschooler learn about buoyancy, volume, and mass. It can also be done easily with items you already have around the home. Fill a transparent jar or large bowl with a medium amount of water, and gather several small objects such as coins, toy cars, and stones. Mark the level of the water on the container, and help your child begin to place the objects into the container.

As the water level rises, you can begin to make observations together. Are the stones heavier than the toy cars? How many of each object does it take to make the water overflow? Does the size of the item make the water level rise faster?

2) Gummy Worm Ice Cubes

With Halloween just a few weeks away, gummy worm ice cubes are a fun activity that will also teach your preschooler about turning liquids into solids. You can ask your child what they predict will happen, and find out together how the ice cube will change once it’s placed in a drink.

You can find the instructions for making gummy worm ice cubes here.

3) Turning Grapes into Raisins

Grapes and raisins are both favorite child-sized snacks, but helping your preschooler see how one food transforms into another can be exciting. Allow for approximately three days of sunny weather for this experiment.

Start with clean, fresh grapes, and make sure they are thoroughly free from external moisture. Your child can help you select the best ones and spread the dry grapes on a baking tray. Cover the tray with a kitchen towel to keep the grapes undisturbed as they sit outside in a sunny area for two to three days. You may want to bring the tray inside overnight if it gets damp. Check the raisins and discard any that may have rotted.

As the days pass, you and your child can observe the experiment. How are the grapes changing? Are the raisins getting smaller and lighter? You can help your child understand evaporation caused by the heat from the sun.

4) Catching Bugs with Fruit

If your preschooler is interested in insects and living creatures, you can work together to understand how they live and behave with this simple project using only a grapefruit. Even a child who seems indifferent about insects might feel curious enough to participate, and they can observe from a distance if they are squeamish. You can ask questions about the sorts of insects you might see, and why they seem to enjoy the fruit. You can then begin to ask questions about the insects themselves, such as, “How do you think all those legs help it?” Your preschooler will begin to think more about other creatures and how they behave.

You can learn more about this insect science experiment here.

Helping your child learn basic science concepts can be easy, fun, and affordable. Try these four science projects for preschoolers today to help them develop their science and problem-solving skills.