How to Support Preschool Science Education: A Guide for Parents

Preschoolers are natural-born scientists, aren't they? They're constantly exploring the world around them, touching everything, asking endless questions, and making fascinating discoveries every day.

As parents and educators, you have an amazing opportunity to nurture that natural curiosity when it comes to science!

But sometimes, it can be challenging to know how to keep those young minds engaged and spark their interest in scientific concepts. You might wonder how to explain complex ideas in a way they can understand. You may also feel overwhelmed by the thought of setting up elaborate science experiments.

That's where this blog post comes in!

We'll explore fun, easy, and engaging ways to introduce science to preschoolers. These methods use simple, everyday materials and activities that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine, whether you're at home or in the classroom.

We'll share practical tips and creative ideas to help you develop your child's love of science and make learning an exciting adventure.

First, let’s understand how you can encourage your child to learn scientific concepts.

How to Encourage Scientific Enquiries in Preschoolers

Young children are naturally curious. They love to ask "why?" and explore the world around them. You can help them learn and grow by encouraging their curiosity and creating a fun learning environment.

Let's Talk and Explore Together!

• Value Their Questions: When children ask questions, it means they are curious and want to learn. Listen to their questions and answer them patiently, even if they ask the same thing over and over again! Encourage their curiosity by asking them questions in return, like, "What do you think will happen if...?"

• Explore Together: Do fun activities with children that let them explore and discover new things. Visit museums, go on nature walks, or simply explore your own backyard. Talk about what you see and encourage your child to ask questions and make observations.

• Teamwork: Encourage children to play and learn together. This helps them share ideas, learn from each other, and develop important social skills. Set up a simple science experiment and let them work together to make predictions and observe the results.

Fun with Science!

• Simple Experiments: Try easy science experiments at home or in the classroom. There are tons of fun and simple experiments you can do with everyday materials, like the Magic Milk Experiment or creating a baking soda volcano. These hands-on activities make learning exciting and memorable.

• Playful Learning: Let children explore different materials, like cornstarch and water, to see how they behave. Sensory play is a fantastic way for children to learn about the world around them.

Give your child lots of different things to touch and play with! This could include soft blankets, rough rocks, smooth stones, colorful toys, and objects made of different materials like wood, metal, and plastic.

Look Closely and Ask Questions!

• Guide Their Curiosity: Help children learn by asking them questions that make them think and observe. Ask open-ended questions like, "What do you notice about this?" or "How do you think this works?" to encourage critical thinking.

• Tools for Exploring: Give children tools like magnifying glasses, rulers, and binoculars to help them explore the world in more detail. These tools extend their senses and allow them to make new discoveries.

• Nature Indoors: Even without a garden, children can learn about plants by planting seeds inside and observing their growth. Create a mini indoor garden or sprout seeds in a jar to teach children about the life cycle of plants.

• Draw and Record: Encourage children to draw pictures or take photos of what they observe. This helps them remember what they learned and express their understanding in a creative way. They can even create their own science journals to document their explorations.

Want to raise a curious and inquisitive child who loves to explore the world?

The School House Anywhere (TSHA) believes in developer a sense of wonder and discovery in young children. Our curriculum encourages children to ask questions, experiment, and explore the world around them, laying the foundation for a lifelong love of learning and scientific thinking.

Here's how TSHA encourages scientific inquiry:

• Open-Ended Exploration: We let kids explore, try new things, and ask lots of questions so they can learn and discover new things on their own!

• Hands-On Activities: We believe that children learn best by doing. Our curriculum includes lots of hands-on activities and experiments that bring science to life.

• Nature-Based Learning: We encourage children to connect with nature and learn about the world around them through outdoor exploration, nature walks, and gardening activities.

• Teacher Support: Our experienced educators are available to answer your questions and provide guidance as you develop your child's scientific curiosity.

Ready to help your child become a lifelong learner and explorer?

Explore The School House Anywhere Today!

Science starts with curiosity, and one of the simplest ways to spark it is through comparisons!

Simple Activities to Explain Science Concepts to Preschoolers

Preschoolers are naturally curious about the world around them. They love to explore, experiment, and discover new things. You can help your child learn about science in a way that's fun and exciting for them!

Here are a few simple activities that can spark your child's interest in science using everyday objects and experiences.

Fun with Floating!

• Sink or Float: This is a fun game where kids can guess if things will sink or float in water. Then, they can test their guesses and see what happens! Gather a variety of objects, like a toy boat, a rock, a sponge, and a metal spoon. Have your child predict whether each object will sink or float, then test it out in a sink or bathtub filled with water.

• Why Do Some Things Float? Help kids understand why some things float and others sink. This helps them learn about science in a fun way. Explain concepts like density and buoyancy in simple terms. You can say, "Things that are heavier than water usually sink, while things that are lighter than water usually float."

Melting in the Sunshine!

• What Melts in the Sun?: Kids can guess which things will melt in the sunshine, like ice or chocolate. Then, they can watch and see what happens! Place different objects in a sunny spot, like an ice cube, a piece of chocolate, a crayon, and a small rock. Have your child predict which objects will melt and which will stay the same.

• Were They Right? Help kids compare their guesses with what really happened. This helps them learn about making predictions and observing. Discuss the results and explain why some objects melted while others didn't. This is a great way to introduce the concept of states of matter (solid, liquid, gas).

Science is Everywhere!

• Exploring Everyday Things: These activities help kids learn about science using things they see every day. Encourage your child to be curious about the world around them and ask questions about how things work.

• Making Connections: When kids do experiments, they learn how things work and why things happen. Help them make connections between their observations and the scientific principles involved.

• Science is Fun! Make learning about science fun and exciting for kids. Use hands-on activities, experiments, and games to keep them engaged and curious.

To continue making learning fun and engaging, you can also explore more creative lesson plans for preschoolers. Check out our guide, Preschool Education Lesson Plans: A Guide to Effective

Preschool Activities, for more ideas on how to incorporate exciting activities into your preschooler's daily routine.

Once kids start noticing differences, hands-on experiments make learning even more exciting.

Fun Science Experiments to Support Science Learning of Preschoolers

Science can be so much fun for preschoolers! Doing simple experiments is a great way to spark their curiosity and help them learn about the world around them. Here are a few easy and exciting science experiments that you can try with your child:

Grow a Rainbow!

• What You Need: Clear cups, water, paper towels, and washable markers.

• What To Do: Color stripes on the paper towels with the markers, then dip the ends of the paper towels in the water. Watch as the colors climb up the paper towels and create a rainbow!

• What They Learn: This experiment teaches children about capillary action, which is how water can move upwards against gravity. It's the same process that helps plants draw water up from their roots to their leaves.

Sink or Float?

• What You Need: A tub of water and different objects, like a spoon, a toy, and a cork.

• What To Do: Ask your child to guess whether each object will sink or float, then test it out in the water! Encourage them to observe and describe what happens.

• What They Learn: This experiment introduces children to the concept of density and buoyancy. They learn that objects less dense than water will float, while objects denser than water will sink.

Color-Changing Milk!

• What You Need: Milk, a dish, food coloring, dish soap, and a cotton swab.

• What To Do: Put drops of different food coloring in the milk. Then, dip the cotton swab in dish soap and touch the surface of the milk. Watch the colors move and swirl!

• What They Learn: This experiment demonstrates the principles of surface tension and how soap can weaken the bonds between milk molecules, causing the colors to spread and mix. It's a fun and visually appealing way to learn about chemical reactions.

Walking Water!

• What You Need: Several clear cups, water, food coloring, and paper towels.

• What To Do: Put water in some of the cups and add different colors to each one. Then, use paper towels to connect the cups, making sure the paper towels dip into the water of adjacent cups. Watch as the water "walks" from one cup to the next!

• What They Learn: This experiment, like the rainbow experiment, demonstrates capillary action and how water can move through porous materials. It's a great way to visualize how water travels through the stems of plants.

Want even MORE exciting science experiments for your preschooler?

The School House Anywhere (TSHA) offers a curriculum packed with hands-on science fun! Your child will love exploring, experimenting, and discovering new things about the world around

them.

Here's a sneak peek at some of the fun science activities in the TSHA curriculum:

• Building a volcano that erupts!

• Creating a mini ecosystem in a jar!

• Growing a crystal garden!

• Making homemade slime!

• Exploring the life cycle of a butterfly!

Ready to make science an adventure for your child?

Learn More About The School House Anywhere!

But science isn’t just about experiments—it’s also about stories that make concepts come alive for young minds.

How to Integrate Science with Arts and Literacy

Science and storytelling might seem like different subjects, but they can actually work together beautifully! Using stories and pretend play can be a fantastic way to introduce scientific concepts to young children and spark their curiosity about the world around them.

Here's how you can combine science and stories in your homeschooling:

Acting Like Scientists!

• Pretend Play: Encourage your child to pretend to be scientists or explorers. This helps them learn about observing the world, asking questions, and experimenting to find answers. They can dress up like scientists, use magnifying glasses to examine objects, and conduct simple experiments with household materials.

• Thinking Skills: Acting things out and engaging in pretend play helps children develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. They learn to analyze situations, consider different perspectives, and come up with creative solutions. This type of play also encourages language development and imagination.

Books Bring Science to Life!

• Science Stories: Read books with science themes, like "If I Built a Car" by Chris Van Dusen or "What Do You Do with an Idea?" by Kobi Yamada. These books introduce scientific concepts in an engaging and accessible way.

• Talking About Science: As you read, ask your child questions about the story and help them understand new vocabulary. Discuss the scientific concepts presented in the book and relate them to your child's own experiences. This helps them connect the story to the real world and deepen their understanding.

• Making Predictions: As you read, ask your child: "What do you think will happen next?" This helps them think ahead and understand the science in the story even better. After reading, you can even try some of the experiments or activities mentioned in the book together.

Telling Science Stories!

• Sharing Experiments: Help your child tell stories about their own science experiments. This helps them think about what they did, put their ideas in order, and tell others about it in a way that's easy to understand and interesting.

• What Happened First, Next, Last?: Help your child explain their experiments step-by-step, using sequencing words like "first," "next," and "last." This helps them develop their narrative skills and understand the importance of order and process in scientific inquiry.

• Talking and Listening: Encourage your child to share their ideas and listen to others' perspectives. This develops collaboration and communication skills, which are essential for scientific exploration and discovery.

Science is Everywhere!

• Connecting Science and Stories: Help your child see that science is not just a subject in school but a part of their everyday lives. Point out scientific concepts in the world around them, from the changing seasons to the way things work.

• Exploration and Discovery: Make learning about science fun and exciting! Let your child explore, ask questions, and try new things! It's the best way for them to learn and discover the world around them.

• Learning for Life: By developing a love of science and storytelling, you're helping your child become a curious and engaged learner who is excited to explore the world and discover its wonders.

While integrating science with arts and literacy is a fun and creative way to engage your child, it’s also important to track their progress. If you're looking for a simple way to assess your child’s learning, check out our blog on Creating a Simple Homeschool Report Card Template: Tips for Parents.

Wrapping Up

Nurturing a love of science in preschoolers is all about supporting their natural curiosity and creating opportunities for exploration and discovery. When you encourage kids to ask questions, try things out, and explore the world, you help them love learning and become great thinkers!

Remember to keep it simple, hands-on, and fun! Use everyday materials, tell stories, and create a playful learning environment. With a little creativity and encouragement, you can spark a passion for science that will last a lifetime.

Want to Spark Your Child's Love of Science?

The School House Anywhere (TSHA) knows that science can be an amazing adventure for young children! Our curriculum is packed with fun, hands-on science activities that encourage exploration, discovery, and a love of learning.

Here's how TSHA makes science fun for preschoolers:

• Hands-on Experiments: We do cool experiments with everyday materials, like creating volcanoes with baking soda and vinegar, building towers with blocks, or making slime.

• Nature Exploration: We go on nature walks, explore our backyards, and learn about the plants and animals around us.

• Storytelling and Science: We use stories and songs to introduce science concepts and make learning more engaging.

• Playful Learning: We make learning fun! Kids can explore, try new things, and ask lots of questions without being afraid to make mistakes.

Ready to help your child discover the wonders of science?

Sign Up Today!