What your Preschooler will Learn about Adding Water to a Christmas Tree:

- Why your Christmas tree (and all plants) need water

- Where the water goes

- How water moves up your Christmas tree and other plants.

What you will Need:

- Two white carnations

- Two vases or glasses

- Water

- Food coloring

- A small label

What To Do:

Step one: Put water in one of your vases or glasses

Step two: Mark on your vase the water level with your small label

Step three: Have your preschooler add a few drops of food coloring to the water in your vase. Note: Food coloring does stain, so use caution

Step four: Submerge the stem of your carnation in the separate basin of water and cut the bottom off

Step five: Quickly move the carnation into your vase or glass filled with colored water

Step six: Do not add any water to the other vase, but add your carnation

Step seven: Over the next few days, compare the two vases. Here's what you'll notice:

- The flower without water will wilt or dry out

- The flower in the colored water will stay fresh

- Your flower in colored water will absorb the color of the water. Over a few days, the petals in your carnation will change to the color you added to the water

- The water level will go down as your flower absorbs the water same as it does in your Christmas tree

Variations:

- Rather than a white carnation, you can use a celery stalk with the leaves still attached. Make sure you make a clean cut in the bottom of the celery stalk or this preschool science experiment won't work.

- If you don't like carnations, you can also do this preschool science experiment with a white daisy. Just follow the same instructions.

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

• 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.

• Science fear is learned, not innate. Preschoolers approach science with natural confidence — protect that confidence by keeping science joyful and low-stakes.

• The best science projects are the ones children generate themselves by noticing something in the world and asking why. Adult-imposed experiments are valuable; child-generated experiments are extraordinary.

• Safety first: always supervise, taste-test nothing, wash hands after experiments. Model good safety habits — goggles, careful pouring, cleanup. Safety habits built in preschool persist.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I explain the science behind experiments, or let children discover it?

Sequence matters enormously: always let children observe and wonder before explaining. "What do you notice?" and "Why do you think that happened?" should precede any explanation. If children ask why, give a simple, accurate answer — never give incorrect explanations to protect the mystery. After the child has observed and hypothesized, confirming or expanding their theory with correct information is appropriate and satisfying. Explaining first removes the inquiry that makes science learning durable.

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.

Related reading: See also our nature walks guide and our color mixing science for more ideas on this topic.

🎓 Skills Your Child Will Develop

• 🌍 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.
• 📏 Early Math & Measurement — Measuring ingredients, comparing quantities, and observing size changes connects science directly to mathematical thinking — making science experiments some of the richest early math experiences available.
• 🏗️ Engineering Thinking — Testing structures, materials, and designs to see what works develops engineering intuition — the practical understanding of forces, materials, and design that underlies all physical construction and problem solving.

As you add water to your Christmas tree, is your preschooler wondering why? Are they wondering where all that water goes, and why the tree needs it? With this fun preschool science experiment, you can teach your preschooler why your Christmas tree (and all plants) need water and how water moves up all plants, including your Christmas tree.