Solid, Liquid, and Gas
Although you may not present your preschooler with in depth details about the inner workings of quantum physics, there are science concepts that they are able to understand. The key is to present the ideas at their level. The concepts of solids, liquids, and gases are great concepts to present to preschoolers because they are everywhere, and children can concretely experience them everyday. Giving your child the opportunity to play with water in all three forms while using basic science vocabulary will help them better understand the world around them.
Begin by letting your child partially fill a white container with water. Let your child describe how the water moves. Add a packet of drink mix and watch as it swirls and floats in the water. Allow your child to stir the solution gently until the drink mix is dissolved.
Pour the water into a pot and turn on the burner. Heat the water until it begins to boil. VERY CAREFULLY allow your child to watch the boiling water, and have her describe what she sees. Let her feel the inside of a metal lid. Notice that it is cool and dry. Hold the lid over the boiling water and collect water on the lid. If you can see the steam, point it out. Have your child hypothesize how the water has gotten on the lid.
Allow the solution to cool, and then pour some of it into an ice cube tray. Ask her to think about what will happen when the water goes into the freezer, and then allow her to play with a colored ice cube once they have frozen. She can even paint with them (but they will be sticky).
Be sure to use science words throughout the activity. Also ask your child for other examples of solids, liquids, and gases. Note that gases are a difficult concept for a preschooler because she cannot touch them as easily. However, you can use examples like smoke and fog to describe them since your child can, at least see these.
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Written by BRWI Staff on August 16, 2010
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