12 Simple Science Activities for A 3 Year-Old

As we are both graduates of STEM majors, science is one of the topics that come up a lot in our discussions (before we started talking days and nights about parenting, of course). One day when we were discussing what we should teach our three-year-old since he is ready for new lessons. Science came back to us, and I thought it would be fun to start introducing science to my little boy. You might think science is way too complicated for a toddler. Don’t worry; science can be very simple and easy to explain to kids. Let’s walk through the 12 simple science activities you can start introducing to your toddlers in this post.

Why introduce science to kids at a young age?

Before we dive into the activities. Let’s review why science is important for kids.

• Science helps spark their curiosity and promote enjoyment in exploring the environment around them. Check out this article from NSTA for more information.
• It can help children increase focus and boost logical thinking.
• Science helps increase engagement time and spark creativity.
• It is magical and fun.

12 Simple Science Activities for Your Toddlers

• Walking on raw eggs. Let your child be amazed when he doesn’t break the eggs walking on them barefoot. The science behind this experiment: pressure distribution.
• Mixing colors: what is more exciting for kids than seeing a new color formed when mixing 2 or more colors together? The science behind this experiment: wavelengths and their reflections.
• Rainbow in a jar. Making a rainbow in a jar can be very fun and magical. The science behind this experiment: different liquid densities.
• Ice melting. Have fun rescuing animal friends by melting the ice. Kids love to be heroes. The science behind this: physical properties of water.
• Changing flower color. Let the kid observe the flowers changing colors. They will start asking lots and lots of questions. That is the best way to learn. The science behind this experiment: plants “drink” water.
• Music and water. The science behind this: different sounds correspond to different wavelengths.
• Rainbow walking water. Imagine how fun it would be to see the water travels from one cup to another. This is exciting to watch! The science behind this experiment: water traveling through the gap of fibers (similar to how plants drink water.)
• What is heavier? Kids will be able to learn about the weights of different objects by comparing them. The science behind this: the gravity effects.
• Crayons and rain. This is a fun activity to show kids that crayons help cover them from raindrops. The science behind this experiment: the hydrophobic property of wax.
• Egg and Vinegar. This experiment is also known as the bouncy egg. The shell will be completely removed from the egg, leaving the soft tissue. The science behind this experiment: the chemical reaction between vinegar and the eggshell (calcium carbonate).
• Magic Milk. Kids will have fun enjoying the formation of the multi-color marble surface. The science behind this experiment: the change in surface tension of the milk in the presence of soap.
• Invisible letters. Let’s get excited about writing secret letters. The science behind this experiment: the change in chemical properties of lemon juice when exposed to heat.

Conclusions

Science is a fun way to teach kids about different phenomena. With early exposure, kids are more likely to explore the world around them. In addition, doing science experiments is also a great way to spend quality time with your kids. 

Comment to let me know which activity is your kid’s favorite. Don’t forget to check out other activities you can do with your kids listed in this blog post.