Preschool Fall Science Center Ideas
Science Table Set Up for Young Children to Explore Nature Indoors
Sep 26, 2008
Preschoolers will engage in hands on science exploration as they weigh, measure, dissect and classify natural materials during sorting activities, matching activities, fine motor skill activities and more. An eye catching science table set up and a “do touch” policy for exploring nature indoors will attract young children to discover the wonders of science in their preschool classroom.
An effective fall science center for preschoolers is one that invites active science exploration. Preschool teachers can encourage in depth science discoveries by planning fall science centers around seasonal nature items. The most educational science explorations happen when young children are able to pick apart and truly investigate natural items in their world.
The way a science table is set up can be a valuable tool to increase the amount of time that preschoolers spend exploring science. Placing age appropriate discovery tools in a preschool fall science center allows young children to become active scientists doing work such as pulling corn kernels from the cob with tweezers.
Young Children Explore Science with the Senses
Because young children are concrete thinkers, they learn best by exploring science with their senses. Using real items for science in the preschool classroom allows young children to learn with several senses when exploring nature indoors. Real items provide sensory information that allows young children to experience smell, texture, weight, color, size and variety.
Preschool Science Center Set Up
Preschool teachers only need to set up a preschool science center with interesting materials and science exploration tools. Naturally curious preschoolers will choose sorting activities, matching activities or fine motor skill activities according to their current interests.
Pumpkin and Gourd Science Exploration
- an assortment of small pumpkins and gourds
- muffin tin
- tape measure
- balance scales
- paint sample chips that match the colors of the pumpkins and gourds
- clothespins
- several small bowls or baskets
- magnifying glass
- large tongs
- laminated magazine pictures or calendar pictures of pumpkins and gourds
- books about pumpkins, especially non-fiction books
- clip board holding plain (unlined) sheets of paper
- crayons
Sunflower Science Exploration
- sunflowers – note: sunflowers will last longer if they are kept in water when not in use and if a floral water tube covers the stem while preschoolers explore the sunflowers.
- tape measure
- paint sample chips that match the colors of the sunflowers
- clothespins (to clip paint sample chips onto bowls)
- magnifying glass
- laminated magazine pictures or calendar pictures of sunflowers
- books about sunflowers, especially non-fiction books
- clip board holding plain (unlined) sheets of paper
- crayons
- small bowls or containers
Corn Science Exploration
- dried Indian corn
- fresh yellow and white corn with husks on (refrigerate when not in use)
- plastic tweezers
- large tongs
- paint sample chips that match the colors of the corn
- clothespins
- magnifying glass
- baking sheet or plastic tray
- laminated magazine pictures or calendar pictures of corn and corn fields
- books about corn, especially non-fiction books
- clip board holding plain (unlined) sheets of paper
- crayons
Fall Leaf Science Exploration
- dried fall leaves
- magnifying glass
- paint sample chips that match the colors of the leaves
- clothespins
- small bowls or containers
- books about leaves, especially non-fiction books
- laminated magazine pictures or calendar pictures of fall tree scenes
- clip board holding plain (unlined) sheets of paper
- crayons
- leaf field guide such as the Fandex Family Field Guide: Trees
Preschool teachers can invite young children to discover fall nature items by setting up a science table that allows preschoolers to choose their own science explorations. Gourds, pumpkins, corn and leaves all are naturally made in a variety of colors and shades providing opportunities for preschoolers to match paint chips and notice color variations in nature.
Preschoolers will feel the smoothness or bumpiness of pumpkins, gourds, leaves and sunflowers. If preschoolers choose to tweeze corn kernels from a corncob, they might observe that the hulls are smooth and the insides are squishy. Real pumpkins, gourds, leaves and corn can be held and placed on a balance scale to demonstrate weight properties. Clipboards and paper can be used to record observations through writing or drawing pictures.
The science exploration possibilities are endless when young children are allowed to choose their own adventure from a preschool fall science center.
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