Science Activities for Preschoolers

Science is the study of all living and nonliving things and it helps us make sense of the world around us. It is also an extremely important part of a child’s education. The easiest way to get children interested in science is by introducing them to science from an early age. Hands-on experiments and science activities for preschoolers are a great way to make science learning fun and engaging for kids. 

These STEM activities for kids help children see science concepts come to life in front of them. This makes it easier for them to understand their science lessons and also makes them look forward to learning more about science. Here are some science activities for preschoolers that offer the perfect introduction to the world of science.

Easy Science Activities for Preschoolers

Science lessons can sometimes be abstract and too difficult for children to grasp. But fun experiments or activities that demonstrate the concept make understanding science very easy. Check out these easy science activities for preschoolers that make learning fun.

  1. Orange Volcano: This is one of the easiest and most fun science activities for preschoolers to do in summer.
  2. Things you’ll need: 1 orange, baking soda, vinegar, a knife, orange food coloring, spoon, 1 bowl and a measuring cup.

    Instructions

    • Cut the top of the orange and use the spoon to scoop out the insides until you have a hollow orange. 
    • Add a teaspoon of baking soda into the hollowed out orange.
    • Add a cup of vinegar to the other bowl and add a few drops of orange food coloring to it. 
    • Finally, pour the colored vinegar into the orange and watch the magic.
    • The orange erupts and spills out a mass of fizzy, orange bubbles. This happens because of the chemical reaction between vinegar, an aid and baking soda, an alkali. The two chemicals react and produce carbon dioxide. Check out how to make a volcano for kids for a more detailed explanation.
  3. Oil & Water Science Activity:
  4. Things you’ll need: baby oil, glass jar, blue, pink and green food coloring, 3 cups, water and 3 droppers

    Instructions

    • Fill the glass jar with baby oil.
    • Add water to the 3 cups and add 3-4 drops of food coloring into each one. Do not mix the colors.
    • Add a dropper into each cup. 
    • Squeeze the dropper to collect some color and drop it into the glass jar with oil. Repeat with the other colors.
    • You’ll notice that the colored water forms bubbles and floats in the oil without mixing.
    • This is because water and oil have different densities and do not mix. Check out the lava lamp experiment to know more about density.
  5. Freezing Bubbles: This is one of the best winter science activities for preschoolers
  6. Things you’ll need: 2 tbsps of corn syrup, 1 cup water, 4 tbsps of dish soap, a small bowl and bubble wands

    Instructions

    • Mix the ingredients in a small bowl until you see bubbles form.
    • Then dip your bubble wand in the bubble solution and start blowing bubbles.
    • Finally, wear warm clothes and go outside. Dip the wand in the bubble solution and blow bubbles in the cold air. 
    • You’ll notice that the bubbles start freezing and their surface becomes cloudy because of the cold air. Check out how to make bubbles for a more detailed explanation.
  7. Growing Seeds: This seed germination experiment is one of the best spring science activities for preschoolers.
  8. Things you’ll need: A 500 ml mason jar, bean seeds and pea seeds and paper towels.

    Instructions

    • Fold the paper towels and place them in the jar. Push them in slightly and add more until the jar is filled. 
    • Spray a bit of water into the jar to dampen the towels. But take care not to flood the jar.
    • Push the seeds into the paper towels and make sure they’re firmly held in place. Ensure that they are around the edge of the jar so that you can observe them. 
    • Over the next few days, you’ll see the seed germinate and become a sapling. First, the root pops out of the side and then you’ll notice root hairs sticking out. Then you’ll see a green shoot that goes upwards and slowly a leaf forms.
  9. Skittles Rainbow: This is one of the most exciting science activities for preschoolers to do at home.
  10. Things you’ll need: yellow, red, green, blue, orange and pink skittles, a deep plate and warm water.

    Instructions

    • Place the skittles in a wide circle around the edge of the plate.
    • Gently pour the warm water in the center of the plate until it goes past the skittles.
    • Now, watch the plate come alive with a beautiful rainbow.
    • The skittles leach their color into the water and it starts moving towards the center of the plate.
    • This is because skittles are made of sugar and food coloring. As the sugar and food coloring dissolves in the water, they start streaking down the plate to make a rainbow.
  11. Multicolor Celery Sticks: This is one of the best science activities for preschoolers to do in summer.
  12. Things you’ll need: 4 celery sticks, 4 mason jars, water, red, pink, purple and blue food coloring and a knife

    Instructions

    • Fill the mason jars with water until they’re halfway full.
    • Add 2-3 drops of red food coloring to the 1st jar and 2-3 drops of pink food coloring to the 2nd jar. Repeat with the purple and blue food coloring for the 3rd and 4th jars.
    • Trim the ends of each celery stalk and place one in each of the mason jars. 
    • Place the jars in front of a window or someplace with good sunlight and let it sit undisturbed for 4-6 hours.
    • After a few hours, you’ll notice that the celery stalks have changed color. They’ve become the same color as the water in the jar.
    • This is because the celery stalks absorbed the colored water. Check the celery food coloring experiment to know more.
  13. Gravity Experiment – This is one of the simplest physics activities for preschoolers.
  14. Things you’ll need: a leaf, a pencil, an eraser, a coin, a sheet of paper, a stick, a feather, a candle etc

    Instructions

    • Ask your kids to get on a chair and drop each of these objects to the floor. You can also do this from the first floor.
    • Ask the kids to observe that some things drop down immediately while others like the leaf, feather and paper float down slowly.

    Explain to them that this is because of gravity and the weight of the object. The heavier an object is, the more its gravitational force. Factors that contribute to its rate of fall are its mass, surface area, and acceleration.

    A digital-physical science game that teaches your child important Physics concepts is Osmo’s Newton. Check it out!

For more science experiments for kids, activities, games and worksheets that make learning fun, check our kids learning section.

Frequently Asked Questions on Science Activities for Preschoolers

What are the Science Activities for Preschoolers?

The Science Activities for Preschoolers are volcano, orange volcano, water and oil science activities for preschoolers, freezing bubbles, growing seeds, gravity science activities for preschoolers, etc.

What are the benefits of Science Activities for Preschoolers?

The benefits of Science Activities for Preschoolers are that kids can learn about the physical, chemical and biological properties of every element they use in everyday life.