The Best Math & Science Activity Ideas to Do with Preschoolers
In today’s world, STEM courses and occupations are gradually taking the lead. In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, STEM-related occupations are expected to grow by 8% by 2029. This number is significantly higher than the expected growth for other occupations – 3.7%.
Thus, for any parent, it’s never too early to introduce proper math courses to a child, either through math lessons or fun experiments. While children might not be able to understand advanced math and science, trying out kid-friendly activities sets a solid foundation for further studying. Fortunately, we’ve collated some of the best math and science activities for your preschooler. Let’s get into it, shall we?
The oil and water experiment
This science activity is a fun way to teach your preschooler that oil and water don’t mix. The best part? All the items you need can be found in your kitchen.
What you need: a glass of water, food coloring, a few tablespoons of vegetable or olive oil.
How to play: Mix the food coloring with a few tablespoons of oil. Once you’ve done this, pour the mixture into a glass of water. Naturally, the oil will remain at the top of the glass because it has a lower density than water. On the other hand, the food coloring will sink to the bottom (since it’s water-based) and create a really colorful firework effect. Sounds great, doesn’t it?
Homemade slime
Everyone loves slime, from preschoolers to adults. Playing with slime offers your toddler a great sensory experience and could even help develop their motor skills.
To create your own homemade slime, combine a bottle of glue with 1¹/² tablespoons of contact solution and half a teaspoon of baking soda. To make your slime stretchier and more colorful, you could also mix in warm water and some food coloring.
Roll and cross
Roll and cross is a fun math for kids activity that can be added to any preschooler’s routine. It utilizes the core principle of the math learning platform Brighterly.com: game-based learning. With this activity, you can teach your kid all about numbers.
Get a dice and write down numbers 1-6 on a sheet of paper (write 1-12 if you’re using two dice). Next, have your kid roll the dice and cross out the corresponding number. For instance, if they roll the dice and it lands on 4, they have to cross out the number 4 on the paper.
To make this activity more fun, you can create a head-on competition between your kids. The first one to cross out all their numbers wins.
Shape sorting
This is yet another fun math activity for kids. Geometry can be pretty tricky and thus, it’s advisable to “catch them young” by teaching kids about shapes in preschool. Get a piece of cardboard and cut out multiple circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles. Next, ask your preschooler to sort the shapes in groups. This game will teach them to recognize and identify shapes.
Volcanic eruption
To try out this fun preschool science activity, get some baking soda and vinegar. Mixing these two ingredients in equal amounts will create a fizzing effect that resembles a volcanic eruption. Your child will certainly find this experience exciting! To get more out of this activity, you can switch up the measurements and see how the results will change.
Final Thoughts
Looking to help your child create a strong foundation in STEM? Try out these fun math and science activities. They’ll not only help your kid learn core concepts but also give them an opportunity to have fun.
Good luck!
