A growing plant offers children a living lesson in change, patience, and measurement—but a row of numbers is not the only way to make growth visible. With string, a journal, and a simple observation routine, providers can help children compare plant heights and tell a story of growth over time... How Can You Build a Plant Growth Timeline With String Instead of Numbers?
One flashlight makes a familiar shadow—but what happens when a second beam joins the investigation? With a few safe materials, providers can turn this surprising question into a rich, hands-on lesson in observation and evidence. Explore Building Early Science Foundations to strengthen your str... Can One Object Make Two Different Shadows at the Same Time?
A backward stamp is not a mistake—it is an invitation to investigate how images move from one surface to another. Help children turn surprise into playful science and creative problem-solving with the Open Heart, Open Art course, which explores how open-ended art supports children’s soci... Why Did My Stamp Print Backward? Discover Reversal Through Printmaking
When a block rolls unexpectedly—or a can wobbles to a stop—children are already asking meaningful questions about shape, movement, and cause and effect. Try the Early Mathematics Through Play course to strengthen your strategies for bringing geometry, comparison, and mathematical reasoni... How Can Children Investigate Which Everyday Shapes Roll, Wobble, or Stop?
A simple piece of fabric can turn an everyday sound into a hands-on science question: what changes when sound meets different materials? Help children explore prediction, observation, and fair testing with the Building Early Science Foundations course, which offers practical strategies for nurturing... Can Fabric Make a Sound Quieter? How Can Children Investigate Materials That Muffle Noise?
A playground sign that tips over in a breeze is a practical engineering puzzle—and a chance for children to turn everyday observations into design thinking. Explore the Building Early Science Foundations course to strengthen your approach to children’s questions, experiments, and discove... How Can Children Design a Playground Sign That Stays Standing in the Wind?
When children make it “rain” on a toy house, they are doing more than making a splash: they are asking how materials work and how designs can solve a problem. Try the Building Early Science Foundations course to strengthen your understanding of play-based inquiry, then explore Basic Scie... Can You Keep a Toy House Dry? How Can Roof Materials Turn Play Into Early Science?
A seed’s outer covering is more than a wrapper: it protects the living plant inside and offers young children a fascinating starting point for science. Explore its purpose through a simple, hands-on investigation, and strengthen your teaching approach with Building Early Science Foundations, a... What Is a Seed Coat For, and How Can Children Investigate It Before Planting?
A cloudy day can seem to erase yesterday’s shadows—but it actually gives children a reason to test what they thought they knew. Revisit the prediction with a simple journal investigation, and explore Building Early Science Foundations to strengthen your skills in guiding developmentally ... Where Did Our Shadows Go on a Cloudy Day—and How Can We Revisit Yesterday’s Prediction?
Wet cloths can turn an everyday classroom moment into a lively investigation of materials, water, and change. With a few fabric scraps and a fair comparison, children can practice predicting, observing, and explaining; Building Early Science Foundations offers providers additional guidance for nurtu... Which Fabric Dries First? How Can Wet Cloths Become a Preschool Science Investigation?