What happens if you push or pull an object? What happens if you push harder? Where do animals live and why do they live there? What’s the weather like today and how is it different from yesterday?
These are the kind of kindergarten science questions that kids are expected to ask and answer this year. Kindergarten science is all about observing patterns, understanding the concepts of cause and effect, and learning about ecosystems. Your child will be learning about the interdependence of science, engineering, and technology and how these fields influence society and the natural world.
In kindergarten science:
- Kids learn about weather
Kids will observe patterns and variations in the local weather, talk about forecasting the weather, and learn about preparing for severe weather. For example: Tomorrow’s forecast is 30 degrees, with snow and wind: how will you prepare differently than today, which is 45 degrees and sunny? - Kids learn about push and pull
Kids will experiment with how different strengths and directions of pushes and pulls affect the motion of an object. What’s more powerful: a bat hitting a baseball or a bat hitting a nerf ball? - Kids learn about plants and animals
Kids will hear about what certain plants and animals (including humans) need to survive. They’ll learn about the relationship between their needs and where they live. For example, What does your dog need to survive? How is that the same or different from what you need to survive? What about your house plant or a tree outside?
As students explore the weather, learn the physics of motion, and better understand animal and plant ecosystems, they will develop and use simple models, plan and carry out simple investigations, analyze data the class collects, and engage in lots of discussions about what they’re learning and how it relates to the world around them.
How parents can help kindergartners learn science
How can you help your child explore science without feeling like you’re turning into a teacher? Simple. Play with them and include scientific concepts! Hands-on learning that introduces these ideas will help your child. Here are three different play sessions that will prepare your child to understand the kindergarten science standards this year.
Kindergarten physics
Get out a ball, blocks, toy cars, or marbles and get your child to play with moving them around. These are all good toys for learning about physics because they allow children to learn about the concepts of push and pull and how they affect motion.
As you play with your child, ask, “What will happen if you push this down the hill? How about up the hill?” and “Does the ball roll faster on the carpet or the linoleum? Why?”
Try this kindergarten science worksheet:
Kindergarten biology
Talk about your child’s favorite animal and do a little research about how it lives. Then imagine your child is that favorite animal and talk about how life would be different. “If you were a bunny, what would you eat? Where would you live? Would you still breathe air?”
Talk about your child’s favorite plant or flower and explore some of the same questions. What do plants eat? How do they survive? Where do they get their food?
Have your child pretend to be different animals and plants by acting out how they eat, drink, and where they live. You guess which animal they are. Now it’s your turn!
Try this kindergarten science worksheet:
Kindergarten earth science
This might sound like the most difficult, but talking about the weather is something that kids love to do. Ask your child to name all the different elements of weather: rain, snow, sun, temperature, and wind. Then talk about people can prepare for extreme weather of different kinds.
Now play dress up! Have your child dressing up in different clothing so that you can guess what kind of weather they are preparing for. Then check the weather prediction for the week and ask your child to plan what she will wear based on the forecast.
Try this kindergarten science worksheet:
Most importantly, make sure to have fun! Science is about exploration and curiosity. All children are instinctively curious, so keep it playful and your child will cultivate her inner scientist.
