SciencePreschoolers15 Comments
Get ready, get set, and get wet with easy water experiments for kids to do this year!
I’m always looking for fun ways to add science experiments to our hands-on learning fun. When we have summer days heating up, my boys are just begging to go outside and get wet.
Easy Peasy & Fun Water Experiments for Kids to do This Summer!
Water experiments are a favorite of my boys. Really, it’s just water generally that they love. But they love most science activities as well, so these two combined are magical in our house.
But learning with water is even better, right? And it’s always fun to experiment with things!
Kids don’t really even know they’re learning anything because it’s just all fun!
Learning with water science experiments!
In the summer, we’re all about water experiments. Cooling off plus learning? Perfect!
But it can also be so challenging to keep coming up with ideas all on your own day after day.
How can you learn the most with simple science experiment for young kids?
Put the scientific method to use.
Give your child a pencil to jot down information, or have them record their voice.
Record their predictions prior to starting the water experiments.
Form a hypothesis.
What do you think you will happen?
During the experiment, you are gathering data about what is happening.
Do more questions arise?
What would happen if we tried ____?
Test our your questions that are coming up.
This is a very simplified way to apply the scientific method when doing science experiments with toddlers and preschoolers.
They may not be able to identify what it is exactly that they’re thinking might happen, so use this as a simple way to explore.
What are things you do with water to experiment & learn?
- What Absorbs Water? A stem activity to see what items from nature will absorb the water into them rather than displacing.
- Sink or Float Water Experiment! This is a fun science lesson about density to see what items from around the house, their favorite toys, will sink to the bottom of a tub versus stay on top.
- What Dissolves in Water? We did this water experiment with glasses of water or plastic cups, we’ve also done it in mason jars in the past. Gather some pantry items and put a spoonful in the water and give it a stir! What happens?
- Water Cycle Experiment. Have your preschooler give you predictions! What will happen to an ice cube as it gets heated? Explore the full water cycle in this simple stem activity.
- Colorful Water Play. Mixing up different colors to see what color you can make. Check out this variation as well.
Water Displacement with Pennies. Kids Activities Blog has explored what coins do with a cup of water! - Liquid Layering Tutorial. Check out Whiz Kid Science for a full tutorial on how to layer different colors of liquids based on their densities.
- Egg Float Experiment. Nerdy Science has how to make an egg float.
- Reverse Water Pollution. Head over to Along the Way to check out this experiment on reversing water pollution.
- Magic Pepper Water Experiment. All you need for this simple experiment is some water, pepper and a drop of dish soap! It so much fun to watch as the dish soap breaks the surface tension.
- Water Xylophone! Ever wanted to make music with cups of water? It’s not as hard as you think! Check out the tutorial.
- What Holds More? Grab some of your child’s favorite toys that can double as containers (we used wagons) and predict and test what holds more water!
- Walking Water Experiment. Pour water into a couple mason jars and add food coloring to each. Connect the two with a paper towel and see what happens. Get all the details here.
What are your favorite ways to learn with your kids with water? Share your ideas with us!
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April Joy Bernas says
I will try these activities, although I don’t have children yet. I will make sure my nieces and nephews will enjoy these things, especially now that they just gonna look at their phones and gadgets all day…lol :-) Wish me luck…and thank you.
Gameiva says
amazing experiment with water..thanks for sharing ..you can even perform this experiment from an amazing science game ..this is totally amazing
lucy says
Found this page really interesting.
George says
Great list Jamie, thanks!
Our kids enjoy experiments like these. We generally pick one from here http://www.schoolofdragons.com/how-to-train-your-dragon/science-experiments
jagadeesh says
Thankyou.. ….
Jessica says
Very fun ideas! I’m pinning the page. Thanks for linking to the Nerdy Science experiment.
Jamie Reimer says
Thanks Jessica! :)
Amanda @ notjustcute says
Thanks for including my post, Jamie! I also love the changing states of water experiment. I did it once in my first grade classroom (with the addition of some salt during the ice stage) because a child had asked why cars had all that white stuff on them in the winter time. (We use salt on the snowy roads here.) Nothing teaches like hands-on doing!
Jamie Reimer says
Our water cycle experiment also included salt for the same reason. I have an inquisitive child as well. Love your absorbing experiment – we did it the other day outside. I’ll be sharing that soon.
Erin- The Usual Mayhem says
Great collection of ideas, Jamie! Pinned and shared.
Jamie Reimer says
Thank you Erin!
Ann @ My Nearest and Dearest says
Thanks for including our reflections investigation, Jamie!
Jamie Reimer says
You’re welcome :) Thanks for submitting it here!