This sink or float activity is great for either indoor or outdoor play.
Even though this is a simple activity there’s tons of learning opportunities for infant, todds and preschoolers.
What you’ll need
Waterproof toys, house hold items or natural materials
A clear container
Pro Tip: If you're doing it indoors lay down towels or plastic table cloth to catch the extra spilled water.
How to implement the activity?
Begin by collecting items for your experiment. You can make a list and turn it into a scavenger hunt.
Then fill the container with water.
Before adding your objects to the water, ask your children to predict which objects they think will sink and which will float. You can make a chat to document your findings.
The Science behind the sink and float experiment
While conducting the experiment ask your child why they think an object sinks or floats.
Then, explain that items sink or float based on their density. Density is how close or far apart molecules are within an item. Molecules are tiny and only visible by a microscope. You can refer to the video link below for a different explanation.
Learning opportunities
Language development: Using descriptive words to express ideas and opinions.
Make connections with real life experiences.
Promote scientific thinking: predictions, observations, comparison, reasoning, data gathering, experimentation and evaluation
Hand-Eye Coordination and Control
Cause and Effect
Concentration
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