Children are naturally curious about the world around them. There is no better way to satisfy the inquisitive nature of a child than by letting her explore, observe, and experiment outdoors. Here are some fun and easy backyard science activities kids will enjoy.
Backyard Exploration With Magnifying Glasses
The backyard is filled with things for kids to explore – twigs, leaves, pine cones, rocks, grass, dirt, and nuts. Let children collect some of these items and take them back to a table to explore with magnifying glasses. Youngsters can also walk around the backyard and use their magnifying glasses to explore trees. During the exploration activity, encourage conversation and challenge children to expand their thinking by asking open-ended questions.
Bird Watching With Binoculars in the Garden
Kids can make simple birdfeeders to attract birds to the backyard, and then use binoculars to observe them. One of the easiest ways to make birdfeeders is to spread peanut butter on pine cones and cover them with birdseeds. Tie pieces of yarn around the tops of the pine cones so kids can hang them from nearby trees.
From a distance, some types of birds look similar. So instead of giving children toy binoculars, let them use real ones so they can get a close-up view of each bird. Children can expand on the bird watching science activity by snapping photos and using journals to document the kinds of birds that visit their feeders.
Backyard Bug Observation Science Activity
Let children use bug boxes with built in magnifying glasses to observe some of the bugs that live in their backyard. Before beginning this activity, remind youngsters that bugs are living things and they need to be handled with care.
Kids can use an index card to gently scoop the bugs up and put them in the boxes. During observations, encourage children to discuss the different characteristics of the bugs they observe. Release the bugs unharmed when kids are done with their observations.
Science and Nature Photos in the Backyard
The backyard is filled with plenty of interesting things to teach children about science. Give kids cameras and let them take snapshots of bugs, flowers, trees, birds, grass, leaves, and twigs. Once the pictures are developed, youngsters can label them and put them in a scrapbook or personalized keepsake box.
Backyard Nature Collage
A nature collage is a fun way for kids to combine science lessons with creativity. Let children scour the backyard and collect twigs, leaves and other things they find interesting. After the items are gathered, kids can glue them on construction paper or cardstock, and hang the collages on their walls.
Labs and classrooms are great, but they are not the only places kids can get hands-on science lessons. Backyard science activities such as taking nature photos, making nature collages, observing birds and insects, and exploring with magnifying glasses gives youngsters the perfect opportunity to discover amazing things about the world.
Charlina Stewart - Charlina has dedicated more than a decade of her life making a positive difference in the lives of children. During her time as an early ...
