STEM & Exploration
Encourage curiosity with hands-on STEM experiments, building challenges, and discovery activities for preschoolers. Did you know STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths!
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Our related blog articles on STEM & exploration can be read by clicking on the titles below;
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Exploring STEM in Preschool: Hands-On Science and Math Activities
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10 Things to Do with your children around Greater Manchester
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Top 10 Hands-On Activities for Preschoolers to Boost Learning
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The Building Blocks of Creativity: The Benefits of LEGO for Children
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Creating a Home Learning Environment for Preschoolers: Expert Advice
At Home Experiments & Investigations
Encourage curiosity, problem-solving, and discovery through at-home experiments.
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Please print off the sheet below, and ask your child to make their predictions on whether the items will sink or float when placed in a bowl of water!
For all details, please click here.
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EXPERIMENT: SOUND SCAVENGER HUNT WORKSHEET
Print off both of these scavenger hunt worksheets, go on a walk with your child, and mark off all items you hear!
For all details, please click here.
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EXPERIMENT: BUBBLE MAKING STATION WITH PIPE CLEANERS
Bubbles are beneficial for preschoolers' development as they improve hand-eye coordination, visual tracking, strengthen oral motor skills and support language and social skills through taking turns during play. Bubbles can also foster creativity, especially via this experiment! Grab some pipe cleaners, beads, scissors, bubble solution and optional cookie cutters (to use to make unique shapes). For more information, click here, courtesy from Kids Kubby
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EXPERIMENT: MAGNET GAME - CAR TRACK
Magnets are great for preschoolers to boost fine motor skills, cognitive abilities, encourage creativity and imagination, and foster problem-solving as children explore cause and effect and experiment with attraction and repulsion of magnets! All you'd need is a car track (feel free to print off the template below), a paperclip, and a magnet (ideally a magnet with a long handle). Add the paperclip to the car, and use the magnet to move the car around the track!
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EXPERIMENT: Balloon-Powered Car
Build a balloon-powered car from recycled materials around your home. You could even make two and race! You will need a straw, a balloon, cardboard for the 'car' (either a toilet roll, or a flat piece of cardboard, or a empty plastic bottle), tape, and wheels (CDs, bottle caps, round cut out pieces of cardboard etc.) Get as creative as you'd like to build your own car, or use a toy car and attach a balloon.
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EXPERIMENT: ICE EXCAVATION ACTIVITY
Provided by eyworks.co.uk, Ice excavation links to the EYFS to understanding the world, physical development via fine motor skills, and mathematics via observing changes in size and shape as ice melts/chipped away. Grab some of your child's favourite small plastic toys, and place them into separate bags of water and freeze overnight! Place the frozen toy in a messy play table, provide different tools, and explore frozen play, helping the toys escape the ice. You could even add a bowl of warmer water, and watch how heat helps ice melt - the options are endless!​​​​​​​
EXPERIMENT: SHADOW PLAY ACTIVITY
Provided by eyworks.co.uk, shadow exploration links to the EYFS to understanding the world via exploring light and shadows, and expressive arts and design via encouraging creativity in shadow play. Create the shadow play area with a blank surface (white wall, bed sheet hung up etc.) and a source of light (lamp, torch), grab various items and toys to create shadows - discuss how the shadows change in appearance when the items are rotated or moved closer to the light source.​​​​​​​
EXTERNAL RESOURCES
www.sciencebuddies.org
Science Buddies is a FANTASTIC free website to use to find STEM activities for children. Click the link above to find hundreds of STEM experiments you can do at home, for children of all ages!
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www.eyworks.co.uk
EY Works has an article with 10 great STEM experiments to do at home, and discusses how they all align to the EYFS framework we use at all Ducklings preschools.
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Click here to load up ALL 8 British Science Week experiments you can try.
Tunnel Engineers experiment. Preschoolers will investigate different materials and tools for building and constructing their own tunnel.
Slippery slopes experiment. Preschoolers will investigate and compare how different liquids move down surfaces at different speeds.
