50 Science Week Ideas for ECEC-Theme Innovation: Powering Future Industries
Updated: Aug 14, 2023
Play based Ideas with links to NQF-National Science Week dates are from 12 to 20 August.
Science holds a crucial role in early childhood settings as it nurtures holistic development by fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and hands-on exploration. Engaging in scientific activities supports language and communication skills, cultivates an understanding of the natural world, and prepares children for future learning in STEM disciplines. Science experiences promote effective communication, connections with the environment, and active learning, while also encouraging positive attitudes towards challenges and innovation. Ultimately, integrating science into early childhood education not only enhances the quality of learning but also lays a foundation for lifelong curiosity, learning, and success.
The school theme for National Science Week in 2023 is Innovation: Powering Future Industries. What does this mean, for young children? "Imagine, little adventurers, that innovation is like a magical key that helps us create amazing things and discover new ways of doing stuff! When we talk about 'Powering Future Industries,' we're talking about using our creative ideas and clever thinking to make all sorts of cool stuff that will help the world in the future. Just like inventing new toys, making super fast cars, or even finding better ways to take care of our planet! So, during Science Week, we get to play and do fun activities that help us learn how to be really smart and use our imaginations to make awesome things that could change the world someday!"
Here are 50! activities you can do with children over science week !
1. **Magnet Maze:** Create a maze using cardboard and magnets to explore magnetic forces and spatial reasoning. (Learning Outcome 4 - Children are confident and involved learners who experiment with objects to explore their properties, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills.)
2. **Recycled Robot Sculptures:** Use recycled materials to build and decorate imaginative robot sculptures, encouraging creative expression and sustainable practices. (Learning Outcome 5 - Children are effective communicators who express themselves through different art materials, promoting environmental awareness.)
3. **Solar-Powered Cars:** Design and race toy cars with small solar panels to introduce solar energy and basic engineering concepts. (Learning Outcome 4 - Children are confident and involved learners who engage in hands-on experimentation, fostering scientific exploration and innovation.)
4. **Paper Airplane Challenge:** Fold and test paper airplanes to learn about aerodynamics and how different designs affect flight. (Learning Outcome 4 - Children are confident and involved learners who engage in experimentation to explore the properties of materials and objects.)
5. **Building with Light:** Use flashlights and transparent building blocks to create structures and learn about light transmission. (Learning Outcome 4 - Children are confident and involved learners who experiment with objects to explore their properties, promoting an understanding of light and shadows.)
6. **Sound Wave Art:** Experiment with sound waves and vibrations to create unique art pieces using sand or colored rice. (Learning Outcome 5 - Children are effective communicators who express themselves through creative activities, exploring the relationship between sound and visual art.)
7. **Electric Dough Circuits:** Build simple circuits using conductive playdough to power LED lights and introduce basic electrical concepts. (Learning Outcome 4 - Children are confident and involved learners who engage in hands-on experimentation, fostering understanding of circuits and innovation.)
8. **Pulley Playground:** Set up a pulley system using buckets and ropes to understand mechanical advantage and simple machines. (Learning Outcome 4 - Children are confident and involved learners who engage in experimentation to explore the properties of materials and objects.)
9. **Rainwater Harvesting:** Collect rainwater in buckets or containers to introduce sustainable water practices and discuss water conservation. (Learning Outcome 2 - Children are connected with and contribute to their world by engaging in environmental awareness and responsible practices.)
10. **Wind-Powered Art Gallery:** Create wind-powered art installations using pinwheels, wind chimes, and mobiles to explore wind energy and kinetic art. (Learning Outcome 5 - Children are effective communicators who express themselves through creative activities, fostering an understanding of renewable energy sources.)
11. **Coding with Cubes:** Use coding cards and color-coded cubes to introduce basic programming concepts through hands-on activities. (Learning Outcome 4 - Children are confident and involved learners who engage in experimentation and problem-solving, promoting computational thinking.)
12. **Exploring Shadows:** Use flashlights and toys to create and explore shadows, promoting an understanding of light and shadow. (Learning Outcome 2 - Children develop a strong sense of identity as they investigate natural phenomena.)
13. **Sensory Light Box:** Create a sensory light box using a clear container and colorful transparent materials to explore light and colors. (Learning Outcome 5 - Children are effective communicators who express themselves through sensory exploration and creative activities.)
14. **Straw Rocket Launch:** Build and launch simple straw rockets to learn about propulsion and basic physics principles. (Learning Outcome 4 - Children are confident and involved learners who engage in hands-on experimentation and scientific exploration.)
15. **Smartphone Microscope:** Turn a smartphone into a makeshift microscope by attaching a magnifying glass, exploring microscopic worlds. (Learning Outcome 4 - Children are confident and involved learners who use tools to investigate and explore their environment.)
16. **Innovative Instrument Making:** Create musical instruments using recycled materials to foster creativity and explore sound vibrations. (Learning Outcome 5 - Children are effective communicators who express themselves through creative activities, promoting an understanding of sound and engineering.)
17. **Robotic Dance Party:** Use small robotic toys or simple DIY robots to explore movement and dance, introducing basic robotics concepts. (Learning Outcome 5 - Children are effective communicators who express themselves through movement and creative activities, fostering an understanding of technology.)
18. **Solar Oven S'mores:** Build a simple solar oven using a pizza box and aluminum foil to make delicious s'mores, exploring solar energy and heat transfer. (Learning Outcome 4 - Children are confident and involved learners who engage in hands-on experimentation, promoting an understanding of renewable energy.)
19. **Nature-Inspired Innovations:** Explore nature for inspiration and design your own inventions based on animal adaptations and plant structures. (Learning Outcome 2 - Children are connected with and contribute to their world by observing and understanding the natural environment.)
20. **Floating and Sinking Submarines:** Design and test small "submarines" made from plastic bottles to learn about buoyancy and displacement. (Learning Outcome 4 - Children are confident and involved learners who engage in hands-on experimentation and scientific exploration.)
21. **Paper Circuit Greeting Cards:** Create illuminated greeting cards using LEDs and conductive tape to learn about circuits and electricity. (Learning Outcome 5 - Children are effective communicators who express themselves through creative activities, fostering an understanding of technology.)
22. **Innovative Sculpture Garden:** Design and build a sculpture garden using natural materials and recycled objects, exploring art, and environmental consciousness. (Learning Outcome 5 - Children are effective communicators who express themselves through creative activities, promoting sustainable practices.)
23. **Magnetic Art Gallery:** Use magnets and metal objects to create interactive magnetic art pieces on a magnetic board or wall. (Learning Outcome 4 - Children are confident and involved learners who engage in experimentation and exploration of materials and properties.)
24. **Ramp Races:** Design and race toy cars down ramps of different heights to explore gravity and motion. (Learning Outcome 4 - Children are confident and involved learners who experiment with objects and materials to explore their properties.)
25. **Color-Changing Flowers:** Place white flowers in colored water to observe how they change color through capillary action, exploring plant biology. (Learning Outcome 4 - Children are confident and involved learners who engage in hands-on experimentation, promoting understanding of plant processes.)
26. **Bubble Science Spectacular:** Experiment with different bubble solutions and wands to explore surface tension and bubble shapes. (Learning Outcome 4 - Children are confident and involved learners who engage in hands-on experimentation, fostering an understanding of scientific principles.)
27. **Rainbow Reflections:** Use mirrors to create and explore colorful reflections and symmetry, fostering an understanding of light and optics. (Learning Outcome 4 - Children are confident and involved learners who use tools to investigate and explore their environment.)
28. **Innovative Building Blocks:** Provide a variety of building materials to create innovative structures, fostering creativity and engineering skills. (Learning Outcome 5 - Children are effective communicators who express themselves through creative activities, promoting problem-solving and design.)
29. **Marble Run Masterpieces:** Build elaborate marble runs using cardboard tubes and other materials to explore motion and gravity. (Learning Outcome 4 - Children are confident and involved learners who experiment with objects and materials to explore their properties.)
30. **Artistic Circuits:** Create circuit-based artworks using conductive materials and LEDs to explore basic electronics concepts. (Learning Outcome 5 - Children are effective communicators who express themselves through creative activities, promoting an understanding of technology.)
31. **Exploring Rainbows:** Use prisms or glass objects to separate light into its component colors and explore the science of rainbows. (Learning Outcome 4 - Children are confident and involved learners who use tools to investigate and explore their environment.)
32. **Sensory Innovation Station:** Set up a sensory table with various materials to explore textures, colors, and shapes through tactile play. (Learning Outcome 5 - Children are effective communicators who express themselves through sensory exploration and creative activities.)
33. **Kitchen Chemistry:** Conduct simple kitchen experiments using baking soda, vinegar, and other household items to introduce chemical reactions. (Learning Outcome 4 - Children are confident and involved learners who engage in hands-on experimentation and scientific exploration.)
34. **Nature's Engineering Feats:** Explore natural structures like beehives, spider webs, and bird nests to learn about animal engineering. (Learning Outcome 2 - Children are connected with and contribute to their world by observing and understanding the natural environment.)
35. **Innovative Sensory Bottles:** Create sensory bottles filled with various materials to explore motion, density, and visual effects. (Learning Outcome 5 - Children are effective communicators who express themselves through sensory exploration and creative activities.)
36. **Eco-Friendly Art Supplies:** Experiment with natural and eco-friendly art supplies like vegetable-based paints and recycled paper. (Learning Outcome 5 - Children are effective communicators who express themselves through creative activities, promoting environmental awareness.)
37. **Paper Plate Pinwheels:** Design and assemble pinwheels using paper plates and sticks to explore wind energy and movement. (Learning Outcome 4 - Children are confident and involved learners who experiment with objects and materials to explore their properties.)
38. **Floating Nature Boats:** Create and test small boats made from natural materials to explore buoyancy and water displacement. (Learning Outcome 4 - Children are confident and involved learners who engage in hands-on experimentation and scientific exploration.)
39. **Innovative Storytelling:** Use puppets, props, and imaginative play to create stories about future industries and innovative technologies. (Learning Outcome 5 - Children are effective communicators who express themselves through imaginative play and creative activities.)
40. **Nature Scavenger Hunt:** Explore outdoor spaces to find items that could be used in innovative ways, fostering creativity and connection to the environment. (Learning Outcome 2 - Children are connected with and contribute to their world by engaging with their environment.)
41. **Rainstick Sound Exploration:** Create rainsticks using cardboard tubes and rice to explore sound vibrations and sensory experiences. (Learning Outcome 5 - Children are effective communicators who express themselves through sensory exploration and creative activities.)
42. **Bubbling Volcanoes:** Combine baking soda and vinegar in a volcano model to simulate eruptions and explore chemical reactions. (Learning Outcome 4 - Children are confident and involved learners who engage in hands-on experimentation and scientific exploration.)
43. **Wind Energy Windsocks:** Design and decorate windsocks to observe wind direction and explore wind energy. (Learning Outcome 4 - Children are confident and involved learners who experiment with materials and engage in scientific exploration.)
44. **Innovative Construction Zone:** Provide building materials like cardboard, tape,
and paper for children to design and construct their own "future industries." (Learning Outcome 5 - Children are effective communicators who express themselves through creative activities, fostering engineering and design skills.)
45. **Natural Dye Experiments:** Use fruits, vegetables, and natural materials to create plant-based dyes and explore color chemistry. (Learning Outcome 4 - Children are confident and involved learners who engage in hands-on experimentation and scientific exploration.)
46. **Exploring Microscopes:** Use simple magnifying glasses or toy microscopes to examine everyday objects in detail and learn about microscopy. (Learning Outcome 4 - Children are confident and involved learners who use tools to investigate and explore their environment.)
47. **Innovative Sensory Playdough:** Create sensory playdough using scents, textures, and colors to explore sensory experiences and creative expression. (Learning Outcome 5 - Children are effective communicators who express themselves through sensory exploration and creative activities.)
48. **Upcycled Art Gallery:** Transform recyclable materials into innovative artworks that reflect future industries and sustainable practices. (Learning Outcome 5 - Children are effective communicators who express themselves through creative activities, promoting environmental awareness.)
49. **Simple Circuit Games:** Build simple circuit-based games using paper and conductive materials to introduce electrical circuits and problem-solving. (Learning Outcome 4 - Children are confident and involved learners who engage in hands-on experimentation and technological exploration.)
50. **Future Industry Role Play:** Set up dramatic play areas representing various future industries, encouraging imaginative play and discussions about innovation and careers. (Learning Outcome 5 - Children are effective communicators who express themselves through imaginative play and creative activities, fostering an understanding of future industries.)
Have you seen our Learning Outcome Activity Binder? Hundreds of activities at your fingertips aligned to each learning outcome. A must-have resource for all Early Learning Centres'...
This Binder Includes
Hundreds of play-based activity ideas
Each activity has materials needed and instructions
Each activity has an analysis of learning in relation to its learning outcome.
3 extension activities for every activity.
Whatever you have planned for science week, we have a learning story pack below you can use to document all the learning and discussions over Science Week with quick links to NQF. (only 5.95)
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