Top Sensory and Science Activities for Kids (2024)

Start the new year out with a look back at the top science activities for kids from 2015. Be sure to add some of these to your list of preschool science activities! With each new year, I like to take a quick look back and see which Fun-A-Day posts resonated with my awesome readers!

In 2015, these were the top 10 sensory and science activities for kids, as decided by you (the aforementioned awesome readers). Be sure to check out the links at the bottom of the page for even more of the best kids activities of 2015.

Table of Contents

the best sensory & science activities for kids from 2015

Silver and Gold Homemade Slime
This was probably one of my favorite slimes yet, probably because of how sparkly and glittery it turned out! The kids had an amazing amount of fun with it, too – stretching it as far as possible, making imprints in it, and just letting it run through their fingers.

Scented Rainbow Science and Sensory Play
Such a fun mix of science and sensory play with our fizzing rainbow! All that’s needed are a few simple household ingredients, along with a “secret” ingredient to make it smell amazing.

Colorful Coffee Filter Flowers
My preschool students could not get enough of these coffee filter flowers! I loved the combination of science and art with this project. It was a blast to watch and listen as the children made observations throughout the process.

Jell-O Soap Foam
My son and I put a new spin on the classic soap foam sensory play by adding scent to it. I love how the colors turned out, as well. It led to hours and hours of play outside during the summer.

Fizzing Planets
Yes, all things fizzing and foaming are always a hit with my students and my son! Our fizzing planets were no exception. These are great for use during a space theme, or with kids who love space or Star Wars.

Pumpkin S.T.E.M.
This was a really interesting project we tried out during the fall using play dough and old pumpkin candies. The children did an amazing job exploring math, engineering, and technology along the way. They even turned the experience into a class book.

LEGO Science Scavenger Hunt
My son and a few buds had way too much fun with this science scavenger hunt I put together! Using LEGO pieces gave it an added dimension.

Stellaluna Bat Sensory Bin
This simple sensory bin was inspired by a favorite children’s book. I love how we made the “bats”, and how easy it was to put everything together.

Colorful Pumpkin Seed Discovery Bottles
I am still absolutely in love with these colorful pumpkin seeds! They didn’t take very long to make, and we had them in the classroom science area for months. Even better, we were able to use them for a ton of other activities.

Cat in the Hat Play Dough Activities
Play dough allows for so much sensory play! This set up was inspired by a favorite Dr. Seuss book, and it led to a variety of sensory, math, and literacy activities.

What were some of your favorite sensory and science activities for kids from 2015? I’m looking forward to even more in 2016.

more of the best kids activities from 2015

Top Sensory and Science Activities for Kids (12)

Click on the links below for even more ideas from last year –

CRAFT POSTS:


EDUCATION POSTS:


PARENTING POSTS:

Sensory Materials

Sensory play is so great for preschool-aged children because it’s tons of fun while also providing an enriching experience. I love to create sensory items (like slime!) with my students. The kids get more excited to use items that they made with their own hands. And the process of creating many of the sensory materials can be a great lesson in math or science (or both!).

While I do love making our sensory materials for the classroom, sometimes we just don’t have the time. In that case, I use store-bought sensory materials. There are a few specific products that I like to keep on hand. They’re really convenient and don’t require much, if any, preparation.

Check out the list below for my favorite store-bought sensory materials. I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Done-for-You Preschool Resources

Planning meaningful lessons for students week after week, all while balancing other teaching responsibilities and a personal life, can be a daunting task. That’s wherePreschool Teacher 101comes in to save you time!

Preschool Teacher 101 is excited to share with you some amazinglesson plans, activity packs, andmuch more! We offer a wide variety of themes that are frequently used in preschool classrooms, as well as some less common (but super interesting) themes.Click on the image below to learn more aboutour 5 senses lesson plan product!

Top Sensory and Science Activities for Kids (13)

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Top Sensory and Science Activities for Kids (2024)

FAQs

Top Sensory and Science Activities for Kids? ›

Sensory activities facilitate exploration and naturally encourage children to use. scientific processes while they play, create, investigate and explore. Sensory activities allow children to. refine their thresholds for different sensory information helping their brain to create stronger.

What is a science sensory activity? ›

Sensory activities facilitate exploration and naturally encourage children to use. scientific processes while they play, create, investigate and explore. Sensory activities allow children to. refine their thresholds for different sensory information helping their brain to create stronger.

What are four activities where learners are engaged in sensory motor play? ›

Some fun sensory play activities to do with your children that are at the age before they start school include: Making shapes and patterns using sand. Playing musical instruments. Playing outside with nature which is filled with colour, movement, texture, sounds and smells.

What is an activity that can build science skills in preschoolers? ›

Science activities for preschoolers
  • Grow a rainbow. The concept behind this experiment is capillary action, which is the spontaneous flow of liquid into a porous material. ...
  • Sink or float. ...
  • Color-changing milk. ...
  • Water absorption. ...
  • What melts in the sun? ...
  • Bubble towers. ...
  • Hands-on air pressure. ...
  • Static comb.

What is the best experiment for kids? ›

It's simple, fun and colourful.
  • Water Bottle Chimes. ...
  • Create Your Own Sugar Crystals. ...
  • Dancing Raisins. ...
  • Egg Drop. ...
  • Layers of the Earth Dessert Pots. ...
  • Mouldy Bread Experiment. ...
  • Make a Mini Ecosystem. ...
  • Water Cycle in a Bag Experiment.

What are the 5 sensory play? ›

From birth children engage with and learn about the environment around them by interacting with the world through their senses. From sight to sound, touch, taste and smell, children use all five to help them make sense as they explore, investigate, play and learn.

What are the 5 senses that can be used in a science experiment? ›

To spark your student's curiosity about science and help them develop observation skills, encourage them to use their five senses. By seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, and tasting something, they are actively engaged in learning through observation.

What are sensory play activities? ›

Sensory play is any activity that stimulates our senses – touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste. It helps children interact with and make sense of the world that surrounds them.

What are the 4 learning activities? ›

What are the four learning styles? The four core learning styles in the VARK model include visual, auditory, reading and writing, and kinesthetic.

What are the three learning activities? ›

The three basic types of learning styles are visual, auditory, and kinesthetic.

How do you teach science in a fun way? ›

Some practical ways to offer exciting & fun science lessons for kids in schools:
  1. Exploring Nature. If you're looking for ways to make science fun for kids in school, you may have heard about the concept of exploring nature. ...
  2. Animated & Multimedia Learning. ...
  3. Kitchen Gardening. ...
  4. Practicing Science. ...
  5. Field Trips. ...
  6. Interesting Games.

How do you teach science creatively? ›

5 Creative Ways to Teach The Scientific Method
  1. Use Interactive Models and Simulations. ...
  2. Learning with Games and Activities. ...
  3. Infusing Technology into Study Plans. ...
  4. Inspiring Learners by Connecting to Career Prospects. ...
  5. Connecting the Topic to Real-World Applications. ...
  6. Final thoughts. ...
  7. References.

What everyday activities involve science? ›

Science is involved in cooking, eating, breathing, driving, playing, etc. The fabric we wear, the brush and paste we use, the shampoo, the talcum powder, the oil we apply, everything is the consequence of advancement of science. Life is unimaginable without all this, as it has become a necessity.

What is a simple science project? ›

1) Make a Bouncy Egg

If you've got an egg and a couple of days, you can make a bouncy egg. Yes, you heard us right: a bouncy egg. A super simple chemistry activity that's sure to amaze, all you need for this experiment is an uncooked egg, food coloring, and vinegar.

What is magic milk? ›

Pour milk into a tray so that the bottom is just covered. Carefully put drops of food colouring in a circle near the middle of the tray. Dip a cotton bud in washing-up liquid… … and then in the centre of the milk. Watch the colours swirl!

What is the meaning of sensory science? ›

A scientific method used to evoke, measure, analyze and interpret those responses to products as perceived through the senses of sight, smell, touch, taste and hearing”. ( Institute of Food Technology 1975)

What is the activity of sensory? ›

Sensory play is any activity that stimulates our senses – touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste. It helps children interact with and make sense of the world that surrounds them.

What skills can be enhanced through science and sensory activities? ›

Benefits of Sensory Play
  • Language Development. ...
  • Gross Motor Skill Development. ...
  • Fine Motor Skill Development. ...
  • Stronger Brain Connections. ...
  • Improved Social Development. ...
  • Enhanced Problem-Solving Abilities. ...
  • Better Self-Calming Skills. ...
  • Boosted Creativity.

What is a scientific activity? ›

Scientific and technological activities (STA) are defined as systematic activities which are closely concerned with the generation, advancement, dissemination, and application of scientific and technical knowledge in all fields of science and technology.

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