We would like to share an activity to try at home which involves the fun of water play alongside some science learning.
• Collect a selection of toys and other suitable objects which will not be damaged by being put in water. Put some water in a basin, a bucket or a sink.
• Encourage your child initially to make predictions about whether the objects will float or sink then get them to test their theories.
• Discuss where the toys sit in the water – are at the top or the bottom of the basin? Discuss with them why they think the objects floated or sunk.
• Use the terms ‘float’ and sink’ to help the children use the correct vocabulary.
• Fruit like apples and oranges can give surprising results. If you have an orange, try testing it with the peel on then peel it and try it again.
• The children can then sort the objects into a group that floats and a group that sinks. Help them to count how many are in each group and discuss which group has more.
We hope that you can have fun with a little floating and sinking. We would love to hear how you get on with this activity.
