water experiments for preschoolers
How to setup a Science lab for a preschooler in home ?

I have a basement and I would like to setup a mini science lab for my 4 yr old. Nothing outlandish, I would basically like to setup a play area for her where she can play with sand, water, do some mini science experiments with everyday objects but not making the basement too messy. How can I setup one without making it a construction project using concrete etc…

Just have laminate flooring, or cover floor in washable blankets-like ones used for camping! This way mess doesnt matter.

You can have cork boards on the walls for her to stick pictures and things up-also stops mess getting on walls.

You can have things like:
-as you said sand and water tray-maybe some boxes with buckets, spades, jugs, sponges, pipes (you can buy from DIY stores) etc so she can choose what to use and combine equipment.
-Nature area: maybe plants or things she’s collected from outside so she can see science in the natural world-eg growth of a flower! Or you can make a worm farm or ant farm to watch.
-Living creatures-similar to above-maybe fish or giant land snails for her to watch and care for.
-HAve messy play such as cornflour, playdough, jelly etc than she can explore and have fun with!
-Have open play area in their where she choose direction of the play-with long tubes, blankets, old boxes—then she has random materials for all her ‘crazy’ ideas

water experiments for preschoolers

Choose the Right Preschool: Montessori, Progressive, Traditional, Waldorf or Reggio Emilia

Preschool Admissions – Montessori, Progressive, Traditional, Waldorf and Reggio Emilia – Which Program is Right For Your Child?

Types of Schools From Which to Choose

When I sent my daughter to nursery school, I wanted the most nurturing environment I could find. I chose a wonderful progressive program in my neighborhood. A few years later, when we were interviewing for a selective girl’s school, the admissions director there told me that during my daughter’s interview, she would be expected to draw circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles. My eyes bugged open in shock and I said, “but my daughter doesn’t know how to draw those.” She looked at our file and said (rather snootily), “Oh yes, your daughter went to one of those downtown play schools.”

I was offended that she viewed the school we loved so much that way. But she did. Meanwhile, I ran into a neighbor who sent her daughter to a traditional nursery school uptown. She was applying to the same school for her daughter. When I told her what our girls would have to be able to do to get in, she said, “Erica can do that. They spent a whole month on a shape unit at her nursery school.”

So when you choose a preschool for your child, whichever type of school you choose, remember that in the end, there is a test if you want private school or a gifted and talented program. Even if you choose public kindergarten, your child will be tested for placement in ability groups as soon as school starts. All kids take the same test, no matter where they went to nursery school. Some schools prepare the kids and some don’t. Frankly, I would have chosen the same school we chose then no matter what because we loved it. But I wish I would have understood from the beginning that there would be an important test at the end, and if my nursery school didn’t prepare my child, I would have to.

I’m going to cover five of the most common types or philosophies of preschools – Montessori, Progressive, Traditional, Waldorf, and Reggio Emilia.

It doesn’t matter if you’re looking at a preschool in a church or temple, a co-op school, a public preschool or a private program – they are likely to have adopted one of these approaches to education.

Montessori

Personally, I love Montessori schools and encourage you to tour one and see it for yourself. Not only do kids learn a lot, they are taught not to start a new project until they put the materials they were working on away. My daughter has always been messy and I wonder if she wouldn’t have been had I started her at a Montessori school. The goal of Montessori is to establish independence, self-esteem, and confidence in a child while fostering learning at her own pace.

In a Montessori classroom, the main interaction is between the child and the materials, not the teacher and the child. At first, the teacher demonstrates to the children the proper use of each set of materials. Then, the child can take the materials out, place them on a mat, and use them as the teacher taught her. When she is finished, she puts it away before starting a new project. The emphasis is on self-directed learning.

Once the teacher has demonstrated the use of the materials, children work on them individually or in small groups. With this level of individualized instruction, children with learning delays or who are gifted often fare very well in a Montessori classroom.

The materials used in a Montessori classroom are built around three areas. 1) Practical life skills (folding shirts, tying shoelaces), 2) Sensory (handling geometric shapes, putting blocks in the right holes), and 3) language and mathematical (handling sandpaper letters and numbers, counting beads on long chains). As you can imagine, children learn a great deal with this curriculum – numbers, letters, adding, subtracting, practical life skills, information, and more.

The Montessori classroom is very bright, warm and inviting. There are usually several different learning centers where children can explore via hands-on, tactical materials. Classes are of mixed ages, usually 3 – 6, with the older children helping the younger ones. Kids are encouraged to work at their own pace and build their own foundation of knowledge. When they emerge from Montessori, they are cooperative, organized, respectful of other children’s work, and able to work independently.

Progressive (a.k.a. Developmental, Child-Centered, Bank Street Model)

This is the model I chose for my kids and we loved it. Here, the philosophy is that children need to explore and learn through imaginative play, art, and block building. The progressive classroom is usually set up as a series of “centers” where learning can take place using open ended materials. There might be a fantasy play area, a cluster of easels with paint, a block corner, water tables, a puzzle area and more. Teachers set these environments up in response to what they see that the children are interested in. They move among the areas and encourage the kids to pursue their own projects and ideas at these centers. Play is considered the “work” of children and it is taken seriously.

Here, there is no pre-planned curriculum that kids follow. Since teachers are following the children’s lead, what kids learn from year to year and between the morning and afternoon sessions may be different. Children work at their own pace, learning through play. The interaction is between the children as opposed to between the children and the materials (as with Montessori). At no prescribed points are children expected to learn any particular skill. In fact, specific learning through teaching is frowned upon. This explains why my daughter never had a unit on “shapes.” It just wasn’t done.

Social interaction between children is very important in a progressive classroom. There is much talk about “community.” Separation between the child and parent is seen as a major developmental step and a lot of time and energy is spent on this. The atmosphere is informal; kids often call teachers by their first name and you would never find uniforms in such a program. The school is more relaxed about when a child should be toilet trained.

Children who attend progressive preschools are usually more independent, curious, creative and likely to ask questions. They often score higher on tests of problem solving and curiosity, but lower on IQ tests. If your child will need to be tested for private school or a gifted program after attending a progressive school, you will want to be sure he has gained all the abilities the tests will assess.

Traditional

In the traditional classroom, there is a structured curriculum with specific objectives for the children. Goals are built around teaching children math, letters, numbers, sounds, shapes, problem solving listening and more. The talk around the water table is most likely to be teacher directed instead of child led. Here, the teacher instructs, directs, explains, and organizes each lesson. Children learn from them instead of from their own explorations.

In this type of classroom, all the children are likely to be working on the same activity at the same time. For example, at Thanksgiving, they may all work on putting pre-cut construction paper together to make turkeys. The emphasis will be more on the finished product than the process. If you go into a classroom and see a bulletin board displaying twenty matching turkeys, you are probably in a traditional school. At this type of school, kids might be working with preschool worksheets to learn math and writing. There is an emphasis on school readiness.

Certainly there might be a free-choice period, but there is more emphasis on formal instruction. Children call teachers Mrs. X or Miss Y. You might find uniforms or dress codes at this type of school. At a traditional program, they will be strict about making sure that your child is toilet trained before the age of 3. Studies have shown that kids who attend traditional schools are less aggressive toward peers, more task oriented and do better on IQ and achievement tests. On the downside, they show less independence and initiative, their play is less imaginative, and they are less creative.

Waldorf

Developed by Rudolf Steiner in 1919, Waldorf programs aim to educate the whole child – “head, heart and hands.” Classrooms are warm and homey, creactive play is the order of the day, with a strong dose of teamwork and community. The teacher stays with the same class from preschool through eighth grade, which leads to a strong relationship where the teacher truly knows your child.

Learning is hands-on, through cooking, art projects, storytelling, singing, puppet shows, dress up and play. Academics are not emphasized in the early years, with reading readiness beginning in kindergarten and actual instruction starting in first grade. “Main lessons” are taught in blocks of 1.5 to 3 hours a day with each subject block lasting three to five weeks. This way, children experience curriculum deeply and vividly as possible. Activities that are seen as extras at many schools are core to the Waldorf philosophy – art, gardening and foreign language. In the early years, much learning takes place through art versus lecturing and rote learning. All children learn to knit and play the recorder.

In the early years, Waldorf schools don’t use textbooks. Instead, children have their own “main lesson books” which they fill in during the year, recording their experiences. Later, textbooks are introduced for certain classes such as math and grammar. Grades do not begin until middle school. Instead, teachers write detailed reports about each child’s development and progress. The use of electronic media by young children, especially TV, is discouraged in Waldorf schools.

Reggio Emilia Schools

Loris Malaguzzi founded the Reggio Emilia approach at a city in Italy called Reggio Emilia. Newsweek Magazine hailed them the best preschools in the world in 1991. Their approach sees children as being competent, resourceful, curious, imaginative and inventive.

In a Reggio Emilia school, educators pay close attention to the look and feel of the classroom, which is often referred to as the “third teacher.” The goal is to create a room that is beautiful, joyful, inviting, and stimulating. Children’s work is on display, along with collections of leaves or rocks they have made after field trips. There is natural light, plants, mirrors, photographs, and children’s work to capture attention. Different centers are located throughout the classroom devoted to dramatic play, art, writing, sand/water exploration, math, manipulatives, blocks and science. Much thought goes into the design of a Reggio Emilia classroom in order to support their multi-sensory approach to learning.

After the teacher organizes a classroom rich in possibilities, she invites the children to undertake exploration and problem solving. By observing the children, she learns what they are interested in and uses that information to act as a resource for them, asking them questions, discovering their ideas, helping them create hypotheses and theories to test. There is no pre-set curriculum. Teachers and parents are seen as partners in learning with the children.

Teachers document the children’s discussions, remarks, and activities through notes, videos and photographs. This makes learning visible, helping parents understand what their children are learning, teachers understand the children better, and children see that their work is valued.

Long-term projects emerge out of spontaneous play and exploration with children. They may last from days to several months. Depending on children’s interests, topics for projects are decided (with the children’s input). Teachers bring in materials, books, questions, and opportunities for the children to explore the topic further. Exploration may take place through field trips, discussion, drawing, sculpture, puppetry, drama, shadow and dramatic play, and writing.

Combination Schools

Some schools use a mixture of the approaches mentioned above. You might find a program using the best of Montessori, while also spending time on separation and socialization, which a pure Montessori class wouldn’t. Some very structured and traditional schools will throw a few elements of progressive in the mix and say they are a combination school. That wouldn’t be a true combined approach unless the teachers are allowing the academic work to evolve out of the kids’ interests.

How do you know which educational philosophy a school follows?

Look at their materials. Ask when you visit. But most of all, observe. Many schools are very clear about who they are and what philosophy they follow. Other directors will tell you that they are a mixture of progressive and traditional, but when you observe, you will clearly see they are one or the other.

Which philosophy is best?

Children attending a traditional or Montessori school are more likely to “graduate” with the types of skills private schools will be looking for. Traditional schools teach the skills and Montessori materials lend themselves to children gaining these abilities independently. That isn’t to say that children attending a progressive, Waldorf, or Reggio Emilia school won’t acquire these skills through the program – many do. But if your child doesn’t, you won’t be getting a call from the Director raising a red flag that your child can’t draw circles and squares. They are more relaxed and believe that children will learn these skills when they’re interested and developmentally ready.

One approach isn’t necessarily better than another. My recommendation is that you visit each type of school and try to determine which type of program feels right for your child and family.

To see reviews of kindergarten test preparation materials you can use to get your preschooler ready for private school admissions testing, gifted and talented program qualification, and public school ability group placement, visit www.kindergartentestingwithouttears.com.

About the Author

Karen Quinn is the author of Testing For Kindergarten, a parent’s guide to getting your preschool child ready for ERB, Stanford-Binet, WPPSI-III, OLSAT or other IQ tests for private school admission and GATE or gifted and talented program qualification. She is a former kindergarten admissions advisor from NYC and is the inventor of IQ Fun Park, an IQ test prep kit (that feels like play) for children ages 3 to 6. Visit her at
www.testingforkindergarten.com.

How can I design a better science experiment for preschoolers dealing with flour?

We are going to read a book about cupcakes and then for science I’d like to do an experiment with flour. Without actually cooking anything. Is letting them play with the flour and then mixing in water to see the change enough? Is there anything I can add to it?

You can make non cooked play dough. It will require mixing but at least you don’t have to cook it on a stove.

Here is a recipe I found

NO – COOK PLAY DOUGH

1 c. water
3 c. flour
1 1/2 c. salt
1/4 c. oil
Food coloring

Combine ingredients in bowl and mix. Add more flour if mixture is too sticky. Store in a plastic zip-lock bag.

Learn Science through Home Experiments -Under Water Volcano

Def Leppard English Flag Coolie Cup $9.99 Keep your drink cold while rocking out with this coolie…

Alex Super Baking set – 18 Piece Metal and Plastic Set $12.49 Measure, mix, prep, and bake some imaginary treats| This 18-piece set features a loaf pan, bear pan, heart pan, mixing bowl, rolling pin, whisk, measuring spoons and cup, pastry wheel, 2 star cookie cutters, 2 heart cookie cutter, and an oven mitt. Bon Appetit|…

Set of 2 Heated Stainless Steel Travel Mugs Product Description Keep your favorite beverages hot at all times with this set of 2 stainless heated travel mugs. Plug the detachable cords into any standard 12v car adapter of your car truck or R/V. Durable stainless-steel construction and locking lids ensure a safe trip anywhere. Product Details 12V Heated Travel Mugs – Set of 2 • Capacity: 16 ozs. • Airtight l…

Comforter – Crumble Bear $17.99 This is a soft plush comforter from the Once Upon a Time collection, featuring Crumble Bear. This super soft comforter is perfect to hold on to. Crumble is the feature of this comforter, his head and arms are built into the design. It doubles as a…

Passion of the Christ: Songs (Original Songs Inspired by the Film) $16.99 …

Egyptian Hieroglyphs Made Easy $19.99 Learning and understanding of the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic language. The hieroglyphic script was the longest lived and earliest form of the Egyptian language. Its use was limited primarily to religious and monumental inscriptions, whereas a more cursive script called hieratic was preferred for administrative and epistolary purposes. Hieroglyphic Egyptian employs pictures of objects, each with…

GE 37771 R40 Heat Lamp, Red, 250-Watt $3.39 250 watt 120 volt R40 Medium Screw (E26) Base Red Heat Lamp Red Incandescent GE Light Bulb…

Scarface – Vinyl Wall Decals Murals Stickers Art Graphic – 44H x29W – by üBer Decals $44.99 Better than wallpaper, wall stickers are a perfect way to decorate your room and express yourself. They are a fun, easy and removable decor solution. These stickers are pre-cut and will only take you several minutes to apply on any surface – walls, doors, windows, and more. Each of our designs come with easy instructions to follow. This is an original design from uBer Decals. All other sellers are…

Coconut Palm Tree – Vinyl Wall Decals Murals Stickers Art Graphic – 72H x 41W – by üBer Decals $64.99 Better than wallpaper, wall stickers are a perfect way to decorate your room and express yourself. They are a fun, easy and removable decor solution. These stickers are pre-cut and will only take you several minutes to apply on any surface – walls, doors, windows, and more. Each of our designs come with easy instructions to follow. This is an original design from uBer Decals. All other sellers are…

Last Night Gus $1.99 …

Google AdWords for The Small Business $16.99 Do you want to create stellar ads that turn into leads and sales? Do you want to minimize the costs of your ad campaigns? Are you spending a lot for a little return? This DVD can help and I believe save you $1,000′s. Do not go it alone; it will cost you in time and money. Learn from this product and get ahead of the pack. Knowing more than your competition is the only thing you need to beat him. …

Charlie Rose – ‘What Just Happened?’ / Religulous (October 13, 2008) $24.95 A conversation about the film ‘What Just Happened?’ with Robert De Niro, Barry Levinson and Art Linson. || A conversation about the film Religulous with Bill Maher and Larry Charles.This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com’s standard return policy will apply….

Gecko Nasal Pad – Large, 4.12 Long $24.95 The Gecko Nasal Pad (formerly the Sleep Comfort Care Pad by Sequal) is intended for patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) who experience pain and discomfort on or around the bridge of their nose associated with using nasal or full face masks. The pad acts as a cushion between the patient’s face and mask, and is simply placed across the bridge of the nose under the mask. The protective polyme…

N.4 High Performance Hair Care – Jour d’automne Mighty Hair Spray – Style Collection 10 oz Aerosol $21.00 A strong, yet flexible hold hair spray that remains in place under high humidity conditions. Keeps hair soft and chic with a no hair spray feeling. Water-free, dry brushable spray gives strong support with no flakes or frizz. Hot tool and root lift values protect hair from heat. Innovative technology provides additional sunscreen properties. Creates long-lasting hair styles and immediate results f…

Kuzy® – AQUA BLUE Keyboard Silicone Cover Skin for Macbook / Macbook Pro 13 15 17 Aluminum Unibody $1.00 Dress up your MacBook Pro in fashionable color, silicone protection now. *** Will Not fit MacBook Air 11″ ***…

Kuzy – GREEN Keyboard Silicone Cover Skin for Macbook / Macbook Pro 13 15 17 Aluminum Unibody $1.00 Dress up your MacBook Pro in fashionable color, silicone protection now. *** Will Not fit MacBook Air 11″ ***…

ASUS (RT-N10+) Wireless-N 150 Entry Home Router: Fast Ethernet and support upto 4 Guest SSID(Open source DDWRT support) $25.98 The ASUS RT-N10+ EZ N Wireless Router can provide four wireless networks which feature dynamic bandwidth allocation and access control. With the ASUS RT-N10+ EZ N Wireless Router, you can allow guests to access the Internet without sharing your password and private network devices by creating a virtual wireless router for guest. Keep the high bandwidth and secure private network for yourself. Purc…

Arm And Hammer Large Drawstring Liners – 29210 – Bci $6.25 Provides natural odor control from baking soda.For pans up to 18.5 x 14.75 x 9.75 .Size12 COUNTColor BCI – 684487…

Arm And Hammer Hooded Pan System – 22118 – Bci $20.04 Compatible with arm and hammer deodorizer dispenser (sold seperately).Carbon/zeolite filter for odor control.Continuous antimicrobial protection.Door included.Easy to clean.Infused with arm and hammer odor neutralizers.SizeJUMBOColor WHITE/TANBCI – 684535…

Cow Ears Case Of 50 Pack of 50 Vanilla Case Of 50 $55.95 Package of 50. Cow Ears Case Of 50 Pack of 50 Vanilla Case Of 50 Best Buy Bones All-natural and healthy pet treat. Baked, making these chews low fat and high in protein. Great alternative to rawhide. Ingredients…

Sony ICF-C05iP Clock Radio for iPod (White) $49.99 With the Sony ICFC05iPWHT Clock Radio you can charge your iPod’s battery while you sleep. This Sony ICFC05iPWHT Clock Radio is the space-saving bedside accessory for iPod® and iPhone® users. Set the alarm to wake to the radio, iPod®, or a buzzer. The charging tray ensures both you and your iPod/iPhone® start the day with a fully charged battery. Plus, The Sony ICFC05iPWHT Clock Radio features …

Lilyette Women’s Minimizer Bra #427 $32.00 Experience the elegance of our Lilyette® Simplex Minimizer Bra with Embroidery!Minimizes your bust    Elegant embroidery adds femininityNo wire poke throughFlexible fitFabric ContentCups: 69% Nylon, 31% Lycra® ElastaneEmbroidery: 57% Rayon, 31% Nylon, 12% PolyesterBack: 92% Nylon, 8% Lycra® ElastaneImported…

Maidenform Flexees® Ultimate Slimmer Unlined Minimizer® Body Briefer Your flawless look will be complete with Flexees® Ultimate Slimmer Unlined Minimizer® Body Briefer!      Minimizes and shapes the body Matte and shine fabric and lace accents provides feminine styling  Perfect under all types of clothing      Decreases the bust-line a full size      Provides a flawless look under clothesFabric ContentCups and Front Panel: 78% Nylon, 22% ElastaneB…

Western Chief Boys 2-7 Batman Raincoat Okay seriously? How cool is this Batman raincoat by Western Chief? Your little superhero will wear it rain or shine. In fact, you might just have to pry him out of it at the end of each day. With front snap closure, deep pockets, hood and built-in cape, this coat is sure to be a huge hit! Matching rain boots and umbrella are also available to complete the look. Imported….

Green Toys Sand Play Set $11.00 Kids will ‘dig’ building castles and hunting for buried treasure with the environmentally friendly Sand Play Set from Green ToysTM. Made of recycled plastic, this classic 4-piece collection of tools consists of a bucket, sand castle mold, shovel and rake. Made in the U.S.A from recycled plastic milk containers, which helps save energy, reduces landfill waste, and lowers greenhouse gas emissions, a…

Power Wheels Dune Racer $199.99 The Power Wheels Fisher-Price Stinger XS is a 2 seat, 12v BPRO with large off road tires. This cool dune buggy’s main feature is Monster Traction which delivers superior terrain performance versus other BPROs. * The Power Wheels Fisher-Price Stinger XS is a 2 seat with front storage comparment and seat belts for added play. * Drive two forward speeds 2.5-5 mph and 1 reverse speed 2.5 mph. * Incl…

Alex Toys Draw like A Pro $31.54 A fun and easy way to draw…just turn down the lights, switch on the projector, insert a preprinted slide and trace away| Comes with 124 slides, 6 markers, 10 sheets of paper, and a flip book….

Spark Plugs Pack 10 $1.91 For automotive, motorcycle and marine engines. Unique copper core and exclusive electrode design assures fast starts, peak performance and long life. Chosen by more engine builders and car makers than any other. The source for serious power. . Sold in standard packs only. Package subject to change….

MANIFOLD SET R134a $83.99 Features and Benefits: Anti-flutter gauges smooth out needle movement Yellow hose includes shut-off valve Piston type free-floating valves reduce o-ring wear Extra access port for vacuum line Gauges can be recalibrated to maintain accuracyR-134A Brass Manifold with 3 60″ nylon barrier hoses and standard R-134A Couplers. Coupler sizes 14mm, 15mm, 16mm, 17mm, 18mm and 19mm.  Inner nylon layer …

TOYOTA AVALON 2006-2012 CAR SUV Truck Auto Center Armrest Cover Center Armrest covers protect, renew and add comfort to the center console of your vehicle. This cover fits a 2006-2012 TOYOTA AVALON. Picture shown is of an example of our product on a center armrest. Cover is made from a fleece fabric and is machine washable…

Be Sociable, Share!

•