Drink Glasses:

Fill the same type of glasses with different amounts of water. Have your preschooler gently clink on the glass and see how the sound is different.

Rubber Band:

Thread a thick rubber band across a small cardboard jewelry box or if your rubber band is big enough, a small shoe box. Thread a thinner rubber band across the same box. Have your preschooler pluck it. What's going on?

Drumming:

Take different sized metal bowls or pots. The ideal is going to be bowls or pots made from the same material, but are different sizes. Have your preschooler bang on them with a wooden spoon. What do they notice? Then have them bang on them with a plastic spoon. What happened? Then try with a metal spoon. Try filling the bowls with water, what happens? Try filling them with vegetable oil. Does something change? What about if you put a small object in?

Bells and Water:

Get a small bell and have your preschooler ring it. Put the bell into a bowl of water and then ring it. What do you and your preschooler notice?

Paper Towel Roll and Rice:

Take a cardboard paper towel roll, and close off one end with tape and plastic wrap. Add rice to the open end and then close off the open end with your tape and plastic wrap. Have your preschooler shake it.

Take another paper towel roll and gently push tacks or small pins into the cardboard in a spiral pattern around the outside. Be careful with this step since you don't want your preschooler to get poked with the pins or tacks. Seal off one end with your tape and plastic wrap. Add rice and seal off the other end. What happens now to the sound?

Hi! I'm Theresa Halvorsen, the preschool science and nature writer for Preschoolrock.com. I have twin boys and am blown away by their fascination with preschool science and how the world works around them. I am always looking for fun and simple science activities so preschoolers can learn about science and the natural world. Please contact me with any suggestions, ideas or questions you have about this site.

Helpful Tips for Parents

• Use correct scientific vocabulary from the start: observe, predict, experiment, hypothesis, result, evidence. Children absorb vocabulary in context without explicit teaching.

• Give children real tools: a real magnifying glass, real measuring cups, a real thermometer. Toy versions deliver less sensory and intellectual feedback than actual instruments.

• Integrate science into daily routines: cooking (chemistry), gardening (biology), building (physics), weather watching (meteorology). A science-rich home requires no special equipment.

• Document seasonal science observations over months and years. A child who tracks the same tree across four seasons has done longitudinal observational science — genuinely impressive.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I keep science learning going between experiments?

Science is a mindset, not a schedule. Keep a magnifying glass accessible for impromptu investigation. Ask "why do you think...?" during daily life. Notice scientific phenomena out loud: "Look at how steam rises from the soup — where does it go?" Maintain a simple nature observation area (a window bird feeder, a terrarium, a weather chart). The child who develops the habit of curiosity about the physical world is doing science continuously, not just during scheduled experiments.

At what age can preschoolers do science experiments?

Simple science exploration begins in infancy — dropping objects (gravity), banging surfaces (acoustics), mouthing materials (texture and taste). By age 2, children engage meaningfully with water play, sand science, and simple mixing experiments. Between ages 3–5, children can follow simple experimental protocols: predict, observe, record, and discuss results. The scientific method — hypothesis, experiment, conclusion — is accessible at age 4 with appropriate support. The best preschool science is the child's own curiosity, not a formal curriculum.

Related reading: See also our science experiments at home and our nature walks guide for more ideas on this topic.

🎓 Skills Your Child Will Develop

• 💬 Science Vocabulary — Science introduces children to precise vocabulary — observe, predict, hypothesis, dissolve, absorb, transparent — that dramatically expands language range and supports the academic vocabulary children need in school.
• 😌 Patience & Delayed Gratification — Experiments with delayed results — growing plants, watching crystals form, tracking weather — teach children to wait for outcomes rather than needing immediate feedback, a skill that predicts academic and life success.
• 🌍 Nature Literacy — Learning the names, habits, and relationships of plants, animals, and natural phenomena builds the nature literacy that connects children to the living world and lays the groundwork for environmental stewardship.
• 🔄 Flexible Thinking — When an experiment produces an unexpected result, children practice adapting their thinking — a form of cognitive flexibility that makes them more resilient learners across all subjects.

A great way to teach preschoolers about sound waves is by making music. Using objects you can find around your home you and your preschooler can create your own musical band and learn all about sound.