We're on a Roll! - STEM Investigation Activity for Preschoolers
An #Oskarslittlelearners Activity Tutorial by Kate Kwijas for Oskar's Wooden Ark
November 03, 2021
Your little learner’s world, and everything in it, is constantly moving and changing. Why and how things move depends on a variety of factors. These concepts (movement and change) are important in understanding and making sense of the world around us.
So, what can do to you help your little learners develop an understanding of how and why things move? Through investigations!
Step 1:
Let’s begin by going on a hunt for things that move. Take your little learners on a walk; around your house, around your property, down your street. What can you see that moves? How does it move? You might like to document your observations with photographs, illustrations and/or words.
Step 2:
After this, collect a variety of toys that move in different ways (toys that bounce, roll, spin). Ask your little learner to look at the toys and suggest ways they can make them move. For example, “I can make the ball bounce! I can make the car roll!” Discuss the parts that allow the toy to move (wheels, springs, shape, material). Observe the toys moving and discuss what you see. You might like to create a Venn diagram together comparing toys that move in different ways (roll and push, bounce and spin, etc).
Step 3:
Finally, ask your little learner to find some toys that roll. Set up a ramp (you could use a Pikler triangle with slide, craft a ramp out of recycled boxes or use blocks and building resources that you have at home), predict whether the object will roll easily or not.
Step 4:
Test your predictions! Why are some objects easy to roll and others not? Which object travelled the furthest? Why? You might like to go one step further and change the surfaces upon which your toys roll. You could add bubble wrap or double-sided sticky tape to your ramp and observe the effects. This is a fabulous opportunity to talk about fair tests in experiments!
Benefits and Learning Outcomes:
This fun activity is a great way to improve your children's understanding of how and why things move, which is important in making sense of the world around us.
