3 Easy Pre-K Science Hacks
A classroom designed to support Science and STEAM based learning helps foster a child’s problem solving skills, natural curiosity, inquiry, dialog, and critical thinking. Try these inexpensive hacks below to easily boost learning.
1.) CREATE STEAM BINS Bins placed strategically throughout the classroom promote independent exploration. Use inexpensive dollar store bins and supplies to support theme based discovery. Gather items such as pipe cleaners, noodles, cotton balls, beads, beans, rice, magnifying glasses, natural materials (sticks, leaves, stones), child friendly tweezers, and large plastic nuts and bolts. Add or subtract items based on curriculum. I.e. adding apple seeds, cinnamon sticks, stems, for fall.
2.) ADD BOOKS WITH SCIENCE CONTENT Use story or circle time as an opportunity to foster a child's natural scientific curiosity by asking "Why?" questions about their world around them. Looking in the library for books about where their food comes from or what they eat is a great starting point.
3.) EXPLORATION WALKS A child's classroom is a fantastic environment to encourage scientific exploration. Walk around the room making observations and posing questions about what the children see. Where does the sunlight come from? What about the sink? Why do we drink water or wash our hands? How tall are our chairs? What is the biggest thing in our classroom? What about the smallest? The heaviest? Lightest? Try placing children’s everyday items on a light table, like a piece of clothing or a scrap from their lunch and make observations. Use classroom items to make noises with each other and compare and contrast, for example, how does the ball sound when we bounce it on the carpet vs the hard floor, and why?
