Autumn is sometimes viewed as a shoulder season, straddling the carefree summer and the cold and cozy winter. But the fall brings dramatic changes to the landscape, and opportunities for preschool children to learn about change, pattern, and climate. Three fall science experiments you can do with your own children mirror some of the activities we at Kids Konnect enjoy doing at preschool. (We really are giving you five experiments, because we really like science and kids).
Changing Trees
Autumn is the time when chlorophyll (absorbing red and blue light; reflecting green) drops from trees’ leaves, leaving behind carotene (absorbing blue and blue-green light; reflecting yellow) and anthocyanins (absorbing blue, blue-green and green light; reflecting red).
Classifying and Organizing Leaves
The chemistry of tree leaves may be far too complicated for preschoolers, but you can have them observe these reactions by collecting leaves that appear green, yellow, and red.
Have them also collect coniferous leaves (pine needles and the like) so they can see firsthand why conifers are called evergreens. Organize the leaves into small bins or trays. Help your child to rearrange them by color, shape, and size.
Leaf Rubbing
Perhaps the simplest science you can do with your child, leaf and texture rubbings help show patterns in nature. Scientists in the field often draw what they observe, and a rubbing is a great way to highlight the veins and ribs of leaves.
Have your child collect three or four leaves of different shapes. Have on hand a few simple tools:
- Flat crayons or soft pencils
- Tissue paper or similar thin paper
- A flat, smooth work surface
Place each leaf on the flat surface and put the tissue paper over it. Use either a flat crayon or a soft pencil to gently rub over the paper, so the leaf’s shape transfers to the paper. When you use pencil, it should be held at a low angle to the paper, not with the point down. Have your child compare the different shapes and patterns in the leaves.
Pumpkins
Even if farmers in your part of the country do not typically raise pumpkins, plenty of pumpkins and gourds of all sizes are available everywhere this time of year. Three experiments you can do with your preschoolers allow them to understand the circle of life, the role of decomposers, and a bit about chemical reactions.
Pumpkin Life Cycle
If you can get your kids out to a real pumpkin patch, show them the pumpkin vine that leads to the pumpkin (the fruit of the plant). If not, say the experts at TeachPreSchool.org, you can show them the stages using prepared samples or simply pictures:
- Seed
- Vine
- Flower
- Pumpkin
To help preschoolers understand the complete process, slice a small pumpkin in half so they can see the seeds inside the pumpkin, ready to start the growth cycle all over. The cut halves can lead to the next experiment!
Decomposing and Decomposers
Living things break back down into simpler things. This is easy to show your preschooler when you let the half pumpkin rot at its own pace. Place one pumpkin half outside on a small cookie sheet and simply let it decay. Have your child either draw a picture or, with your help, take a snapshot of the pumpkin every other day. In less than a month, say our neighbors at Kids Activities Blog, the pumpkin will have broken down, with the help of decomposers like insects and worms, into the raw materials for other things to grow.
What to do with the other half? Freeze it, to show your child that decomposition depends on two things: oxygen and warmth. Each time you and your preschooler look at the yucky pumpkin, pull out the frozen one to compare.
Pumpkin Volcano
This is very easy and dramatic fun for you and your children. Take several small pumpkins, say the folks at Little Bins For Little Hands, and carve them out, leaving a small (3 cm or so) hole where the stem had been. Assemble these simple ingredients:
- Dishwashing liquid
- Food coloring
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- Turkey baster or eye dropper
- Spoon
- Cup
Clean out the pumpkins or leave them as they are, seeds and all. Spoon a few heaps of baking soda into each. Add a few drops of dishwashing liquid to each pumpkin, and food coloring as desired. Stir gently. Poor vinegar into a cup and let your children use the baster or dropper to transfer vinegar into the pumpkins. The foamy, bubbly froth is from a chemical reaction: acid-base neutralization (baking soda is a base; vinegar contains acetic acid).
How have you shown your own children the beauty and wonder of nature through scientific investigations? At Kids Konnect we want to share your thoughts with our readers, so everyone benefits. Please comment below.