Common objects are made of materials that have obvious physical features which, although readily observable, may be overlooked by children. Helping young children to notice characteristic features -- scientifically referred to as properties -- equips them to discern common and distinct (diagnostic) features. Once children begin to recognise…

The topic of living things is ideal for exploring the ideas of children in the early years of school. Preschool and primary school teachers are reasonably confident with the subject matter and all children will have had some life experiences that contribute to their prior knowledge. For this reason, the question 'Is it alive?' is one that…

In this paper, we explore how an intentionally planned learning environment, rich with material resources and inquiry questioning practices, supported young children's engagement with an integrated science and mathematics learning experience. A practitioner-researcher, named 'Jenny', from an Australian early year learning centre, partnered with…

Through Preschool and Foundation Level, children are confident in their knowledge about rocks. Five- to six-year-olds have firm ideas on what they consider rocks are and where they might be found (Preston, 2018). With the exception of children who are avid rock collectors, such knowledge usually comprises general, inconsistent ideas formed from…

Magnifying objects can foster wonder in young children because they can make new observations of familiar things. This activity helps children explore common substances and familiar materials using a magnifying glass. Magnification can help people observe living things more closely providing a link to the work of scientists and the magnifying…

If you think of play as "the work of children" (Whitebread, Basilio, Kuvalja & Verma, 2012) then toys are surely the "tools of their trade". The involvement of scientific principles in how they work makes certain toys ideal stimuli for science investigations. This article describes a practical investigation suitable for…

Young children love to draw, and should be encouraged to explore drawing as a communication tool. Drawing is a means by which children can express their thoughts, interests and feelings, long before they learn to write. We know that: "children's drawings are vehicles for expression and communication" (Chang, 2012, p. 187). This form of…

This article is the first in a new series of hands-on activities designed especially for early childhood students to encourage their natural curiosity and promote development of scientific thinking. The activity presented was created to help children learn how to make scientific observations using their senses. Children develop science inquiry…