Every molecule of water that was present when the Earth’s oceans were formed millions of years ago is still present today. That means the water you drink is the same water dinosaurs drank! All living things need water: plants, animals and people. Water is important to us for many purposes such as drinking, bathing and growing our food.
Set up stations for children to explore water. Supply scoops, cups and other tools for filling, dumping and exploring. Supply cold water, warm water, and ice. If possible, boil water to show children water in its gas form – steam.
Ask children:
- Do you use water?
- How do you use water?
- Who else uses water?
- Do animals use water? Plants?
- Where do you find water? At your home? Outside?
- What do you like about water?
Invite children to think of different words that describe water such as wet, cool or splash.
Collect items from outside on your playground such as rocks, sticks, leaves or seeds.
- Which do they think will float?
- Which do they think will sink?
Allow children to experiment with each item in the water.
Create water collages. Have children look through magazines for pictures of water or people and/or animals using water. Let them cut out the pictures they want and glue them to a piece of paper. You could also incorporate the letter W into the collages.
Click here to check out this list of books with “water” in the text from the Kindernature.org book search!
For this and other activities, crafts and snack ideas use Growing Up WILD’s “Aqua Charades.”
- Aqua Charades Show Me Wildlife – Mallard (YouTube video)
- Aqua Charades Home Connections Card (PDF)