Science Table: Hands On, Interactive Science

Have you ever made a science table in your home for your kids?  We offer these simple guidelines for how to make a hands-on table for kids to explore.  Kids Activities Blog loves open-ended learning and interactive science.

Science Table

An indoor science table in a perfect learning spot for children.  Recently this texture themed science table was set up on my son’s work table. He loves nature and explore the outdoors. The science table brought elements from the outdoors inside for him to observe and investigate.  I selected texture as the table’s theme. There are so many different textures that can be found in just our own backyard.  Each of the nature elements presents a different texture that we have seen or heard about in our yard or neighborhood.

What can be found on the science table above?

• Leaves
• Plastic Container with magnifier
• Bark
• Magnifying glass
• Plastic snake ( We have seen are real one and I don’t think I would bring one in the house if we had. They are in our neighborhood.)
• Twigs
• Gift bag with a snake skin texture
• Crayons
• Paper
• Real live pictures of textures featured.

How the elements can be explore:

• The leaves can be observed in the container with a magnifying glass lid or the magnifying glass.
• The leaves can be placed under paper and a rubbing can be done of them with a crayon.
• The bark can be observed with or without the  magnifying glass.

 

Hands On

• The bark and the sticks  can be described based on its feel, sound or view.

 

Interactive Science

• The snake textured bag can have rubbing done of it as can the rubber snake.
• The pictures of textures found outdoors can be talked about and observed.

There probably a zillion outdoor elements and science themed object in and around your house. I bet you could create a wonderful science table for your children.

Here are some things you might what to think about as you create one:

What  science topics are my children interested in now?  (light, specific animals, plants, magnets, gravity)

What science tools do you already own that would be great for a science table? (plastic  droppers, magnifying glasses,  magnets, microscopes,etc…)

How can they record there observations? (drawings, journals, checklists)

Where will it  be setup? ( You will want it to be on a table where it can say on display for a few days. Children loves to stop by a science center again and again.)

What senses will the science center be engaging? ( Involving three or more senses seems to help keep children involved in the science center.)

How will I display information and pictures? ( I created stands out of cereal boxes for the pictures and the sign displaying the science centers theme.)

My son really loves having an indoor science center. I hope you will try one out at your house. I bet your children will too.

More Kids Activities

A science table allows for so much discovery learning.  Kids will have fun while learning with hands on objects for them to explore.  For more science related kids activities, you might want to take a look at these ideas:

• Make a Science Table for Kids {From An Everyday Story}
• Hands On Science Experiment: Water Absorption
• Interactive Science and Nature: Take a Walk!