British Science Week is a 10 day celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths, otherwise known as STEM. The children in Cart Mill have been exploring many aspects of science through their water play.
Children can learn lots about maths and measurement through water play. We have explored this by adding a variety of containers to our water tray to allow the children to observe which container fills up the fastest and which shape and size holds the most water. This also allows children to use vocabulary related to measurement such as full, empty and some.
Some of the children helped with a colour mixing experiment in the water tray. J decided that he wanted to choose blue and orange and selected them from the art trolley himself. The children used their hands and utensils such as wooden spoons to see what happens when the two colours mixed together. They discovered that it turned a yucky colour!
‘’that’s like mud outside’’
‘’it’s the same colour as clay’’
The children also discovered, that by mixing the paint into the water, they created bubbles!
‘’Look at that one, it’s so big!’’
‘’I want to pop it’’.
The children were able to watch the bubbles form in front of their eyes knowing that they were creating them by mixing the water together with soap. Bubble experiments endorses scientific thinking through observation and exploration.
The children suggested that maybe next time we put some items into the water tray to see if they ‘’go under’’ or ‘’stay at the top’’ so next time, we will be exploring sinking and floating. I wonder what objects the children will choose…
Article 31: I have the right to play
Article 29: I have the right to an education which develops my personality.