EARLY CHILDHOOD ACTIVITIES - National Science Week
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Inspiring ideas for National Science Week EARLY CHILDHOOD ACTIVITIES
AN ANNUAL CORNUCOPIA OF
Credit: Early Childhood Australia
NATIONAL WEEK OF EVENTS
SCIENCE Over one million people
participate in more than 1000
National Science Week is
events across the country. Each
Australia’s annual celebration of
year these activities – from large
science and technology, running
public events to small private
each year in August. We’ve put
ones – stimulate participation
together this pack of science-
from children and adults, and
inspired ideas, instructions SCIENCE FOR
from science professionals
and activities to help early YOUNG CHILDREN
to science novices.
childhood educators, carers and
organisations plan an exciting Events are held by universities and This pack aims to support formal and
research institutions, museums and informal early childhood centres and
and engaging week of events.
science centres, libraries and schools. groups that haven’t participated in
This celebration of science is an National Science Week before. Some
These, as well as pre-schools, early
opportunity to acknowledge the early childhood education providers
learning centres, playgroups, childcare
contributions of Australian scientists to are already engaged in National
providers, toy libraries and similar
the world of knowledge. It also aims to Science Week activities, so we hope
organisations, play an important role
encourage a wider interest in science this pack provides further inspiration
in educating and inspiring the early
pursuits, and to encourage young and encouragement to stay involved.
childhood age group: 75 per cent of
people to be fascinated by the world.
brain development occurs during the The following pages include a list of
National Science Week is supported first five years of life. Children explore event and activity ideas, stories of
by the Australian Government their world, ask lots of questions, and successful events run previously, step-
in a variety of ways, including experiment to understand everything by-step science activities that are easy
through the $500 000 National around them. These informal and fun to do with an early childhood age-
Science Week Grants Program. learning activities nurture imagination group, helpful tips, and suggestions
Other partners include CSIRO, the and introduce the processes of on where to find inspiration and ideas.
ABC and the Australian Science observation, prediction, testing They can be run during National
Teachers Association (ASTA). and refining used by scientists. Science Week, or any time of the year.
It doesn’t matter if you’re running
a public event or a closed private
Register your events on activity, please show how you’re part
the National Science Week of the bigger picture by registering
website at https://www. your endeavour on the National
scienceweek.net.au/ Science Week website. This will give
event-holder-registration a snapshot of how early childhood
centres and groups are participating
each year, and how National Science
Week can provide support.
Natural Engagement
Credit: Jenny Lynch
Research shows that children naturally engage with scientific concepts and
processes in their play and as they explore their world. Early childhood
educators can recognise, celebrate and build on these moments. The
Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) suggests educators draw
on a ‘repertoire of pedagogic practices’, including learning through
play, creating learning environments that positively impact learning,
and through intentional teaching. The early childhood activities and
ideas presented in this pack are ways for you to consider engaging in
National Science Week through each of these pedagogic approaches,
adopting and revising as appropriate for the children in your context.
Dr Kate Highfield, Early Childhood Australia
2
INSPIRING IDEAS YOU’RE NOT ALONE
• Invite parents who are scientists There are resources available
or who work in science-related on the National Science
fields to share their knowledge Week website (https://www.
with children. Encourage the scienceweek.net.au), including:
parents to bring along safe objects
• instructions on how to run an event
for the children to look at and
hold, or pictures of their work. • logos and characters to add to
fliers, posters and advertisements
• Have a science dress up day,
daily reading and book displays. • a free teaching resource book
providing families with ideas
Seek advice from the Children’s full of ideas and activities
related to the children’s current
Librarian at a local library or
interests. For example, dressing • a free workplace or school science
look at the Early Learning STEM
as an animal that comes from quiz (Brain Break, see https://www.
Australia (ELSA) booklist for
an egg (butterfly, spider, bird, scienceweek.net.au/brainbreak),
ideas: https://bit.ly/2W076q9 including science activity ideas
dinosaur, fish); or wearing shapes
or colours related to the weather • Book an incursion to present for preschool-aged children
(rainbows, clouds, rain, sunlight). a hands-on workshop. Search • events and other activities planned
• Invite children to do a simple online or find providers listed for National Science Week
science activity at home with on the STARPortal: https://
• information on grants that are
their families. For example, mix starportal.edu.au
available annually; national large
vinegar and sodium bicarbonate • Book a Museum in a Box, with grants (up to $20 000, open
from the kitchen cupboard, or real museum specimens, casts, October for the following year)
look at the phases of the Moon. artefacts, dioramas, images, DVDs, and smaller rounds of grants from
• Decorate your space with science- CDs, books and resources from states and territories (various,
related images and invite children the Australian Museum: https:// open around February to May
to add colour to printouts of the australianmuseum.net.au/ depending on jurisdiction).
National Science Week colouring learn/teachers/museum-box Your local Inspiring Australia manager
sheets: http://bit.ly/sciwkcolour or National Science Week coordinating
• Run a Little Bang Discovery
• Explore objects and hands-on Club, or collaborate with a local committee can help with advice
activities related to Indigenous on becoming involved in science
library: https://bit.ly/2W06TTV
science and technology, such activities, provide a list of science-
• Organise science-related related books, and connect you with
as animal tracks, the seasons,
and fish traps. The IndigiSTEM professional development for science experts. See https://www.
Activities Workbook and IndigiSTEM your educators to inspire them industry.gov.au/InspiringAustralia
Educator Notes include 20 STEM to incorporate science into their and https://www.scienceweek.
activities that incorporate Indigenous programming during National net.au/contacts for a list of
perspectives: https://www. Science Week and throughout contacts in your state or territory.
rileycallieresources.com.au the year, for example: https://
littlescientists.org.au
• Invite families to assist their
children to do a nature scavenger • Apply for a grant of up to $500 from
hunt, similar to this activity the Australia Science Teachers
organised by Sydney Creative Association in Term 1 to help
Play: https://bit.ly/2Dsdi34 fund your National Science Week
• Include science-related books in event (preschools and schools
only): https://asta.edu.au/
programs/natscienceweek
• If you’re running an event for the
general public or other audience, set
Credit: Early Childhood Australia
Credit: Early Childhood Australia
up a corner, activity or experiment
station for early learners; this
could include colouring-in the
Science Week characters, or
simple science-related activities
such as sorting objects by shape,
colour, number of legs, etc.
3
THE IMPORTANCE OF ‘They also participated in other A GARDEN OF THE
nature-focused activities. There
PLANTS was an etymological dig in the SENSES
Children aged from 4 to 5 at Rozelle garden where children could find, A garden that was themed around
observe and identify centipedes,
Public School Preschool grew the five senses helped pre-schoolers
slaters and other creatures… kids
succulents from small cuttings connect to nature at the Rockingham
love bugs,’ said Sepfora. ‘We also
to learn how plants grow. Early Learning & Child Care Centre.
had an archaeological dig where
The students brought in empty jars the children had to uncover buried The children looked at the shapes
and lids from home to put the plants dinosaur bones in the sand pit of leaves, listened to wind moving
in. They chose from a range of – they then had to identify them through the plants and wind chimes,
succulents, such as the jade plant. from the various books and charts smelled the crushed leaves, tasted
They put one cutting into a jar with about dinosaurs. They learned to
the herbs from the garden, and
do the investigating themselves!’
soil, and another into a jar with water touched the different textures of
so they could see the roots grow. ‘The succulent activity was the most leaves and the wriggling worms.
They watered their plant each time exciting for them because the parents
got their hands dirty,’ Sepfora reflected. ‘I wanted them to appreciate the
they came to preschool and observed
importance of feeling the wind on
the changes in growth. More than 40
our skin, the sun on our faces,
parents and grandparents came in to
see the beauty of the plants
help with putting the plants into the Making copies and feel the different textures
jars, making it a big community event.
Growing a new plant from a of nature,’ said Marina Roberts,
‘The children really liked that they cutting of a piece of stem is a Early Childhood Teacher.
had a project to do that was their form of ancient cloning – the new
The pre-schoolers made plant
own, and that it was ongoing. They plant that grows will be a genetic
replica. Some plants can even beds out of painted four-wheel
also got to take their plant home at
be grown from a cutting of a leaf. drive tyres. There was a range of
the end of the year,’ said Sepfora
sensory herbs that the children could
Amanatiadis, a teacher at the school.
smell, such as pineapple sage and
lemon verbena. They also planted a
range of native plants to encourage
birds and bugs into the garden.
Credit: Sepfora Amanatiadis
Credit: Sepfora Amanatiadis
4
‘As a not-for-profit, one of our goals GERMS THAT GLOW
was linking with the local community
and this project was great for that. Young children learned about how
The community includes our families, bacteria can transfer from person
which is where some of our plants to person, by using glowing fake
came from. Local businesses were germs at the Pelican Pre-School &
also really generous and helped Long Day Care in Shellharbour.
supply the resources. We didn’t pay ‘When we tell the kids, ‘If you touch
for paint, or tyres, and the delivery someone, your germs will go onto
was free,’ Marina explained. them,’ they say, ‘But our hands aren’t
‘It’s a work in progress and an dirty!’ The experiment helped us to
ongoing activity,’ said Marina. ‘We explain to them that it’s the micro-
did an activity in National Science organisms that you can’t see that can
Week and it’s now become a stay on your hands,’ said Rebecca
Eshman, Centre Director of the
Credit: Rebecca Eshman
part of our daily interaction.’
Pelican Pre-School & Long Day Care.
The school bought a science
Tasting with experiment kit to demonstrate
the importance of hand washing
your nose
and hygiene. The children applied
The taste of food is a clear-drying cream from the kit that
combination of signals from contained small plastic ‘germs’ that ‘The kids really loved the novelty
our taste buds as well as our can be transferred by touch. They of going into the storeroom in
sense of smell. If you hold then shook hands to test how easily the dark to see the glowing
your nose while you eat, germs can go from one person to
‘germs’,’ said Rebecca.
you’ll notice that food doesn’t another, and also put some on toys
to see how germs are transferred ‘We were surprised ourselves how
taste quite the same.
through play. They then went into far the ‘germs’ could go. They’re
More info: https://www. the dark storeroom with a UV light, not just passed on to one child and
rockinghamearlylearning.org.au which lit up the ‘germs’ bright blue and then gone: they keep going on.’
revealed how far they had spread.
She said it was a really great
educational tool for the importance
of washing hands, especially when it
comes to cold and flu season. Families
were invited along to participate as
well. Visitors are meant to sanitise
their hands at the pre-school but not
everyone does this, so the activity was
a learning exercise for parents as well.
Tiny living things
Germs are very small living
things. There are four kinds:
bacteria, viruses, fungi and
protozoa. Even though they
are smaller than the eye
Credit: Rockingham Early Learning
can see, they can cause
sickness in people when
they start to multiply.
More information: https://
www.pelicanpreschool.nsw.
edu.au/index.php/homepage
5
FAMILY SCIENTISTS anything hands-on. They had a real
connection to the people visiting,
Family members from different which increased interest,’ said Olivia.
science-related professions visited
The children were engaged with
Margaret Ives Community Children’s
the talks, and it prompted them to
Centre (MICCC), Norwood, to
question what the world around them
show children from 2 to 5 years
was made of. ‘One child who was
old what they do for a job.
curious about a vomiting bug wanted
‘We had an overwhelming response to research online what vomiting
from families when we invited them to germs look like under a microscope.’
visit. We had multiple people visiting
‘The children also talked about
each day during Science Week and
Science Week a lot at home,’
Credit: Olivia Lauder
even some before and after Science
explained Olivia. ‘There was a lot of
Week too,’ said Olivia Lauder, an excitement about each day and the
Educational Leader at MICCC. connections between the children,
They had a diverse range of science- science, the community and their
related professionals come into the home were strengthened. Children
centre. A paramedic opened up their explored their curiosity and new
ambulance, let children explore it and knowledge in their play and were SCIENCE AND
sit in the driver’s seat, and put the walking around in doctors’ outfits SCONES
siren on; a medical researcher brought with stethoscopes for weeks.’
The Australian Institute of Early
in petri dishes to incubate bacteria; Childhood Studies hosted a STEM
a geologist brought in different rocks
and fossils for the children to touch;
Scientists are curious morning tea for children aged 3 to
5 and their families in Shailer Park.
a radiographer X-rayed toys to show The scientific method is about While nibbling on jam and scones,
what they looked like on the inside; asking questions and then adults and children alike could move
an audiologist played different sounds doing experiments to find between different science activities.
and talked about hearing; and a the answer. One of the most
surgeon even brought in a pig’s trotter important parts of science ‘We invited the local schools and
and showed them how to suture a cut. is to make a hypothesis – a other learning centres to come in
possible explanation of what and join us for the morning. We
The family members wore their work had a big STEM celebration with
might be happening.
uniforms and brought in as much children and families!’ said Marice
equipment as they could – anything More information: https://
Watts, Head Trainer at The Australian
visual to help demonstrate their www.margaretives.com.au
Institute of Early Childhood Studies.
job. ‘The children really enjoyed
Making paper aeroplanes, discovering
what would float and what would
sink, and crafting bee houses were
just some of the activities on offer.
For the build-a-beehive activity,
the organisers gave the children
‘provocation images’ of what
beehives can look like, plus a lot
of recycled cardboard materials.
‘The children folded, rolled, padded
down or combined the materials
to form a shape. This made
little houses for bees, with little
grooves and gaps for the bees to
crawl into,’ explained Marice.
It was a day of designing and
Credit: Olivia Lauder
redesigning: children also competed
to get their paper planes to go the
furthest. ‘We would try putting a
weight on them to see if that made
them go further, or used long and
6
MAGNETIC MARVELS
Families marvelled at magnets during
an event held by the Goldfields
Regional Toy Library and Wanslea
Early Learning and Development
in Kalgoorlie. The local community
Credit: Michelle Hassel
hall was filled with 12 hands-on
activities aimed at under 10s.
Children were creative with ‘magnetic
paintings’, using a magnet to make
Credit: AIECS
metal bits and pieces dance across
the surface of a wet painting.
Michelle said the favourite activity
They created interesting patterns
was the simplest to make. Children
then short pieces of paper. Although using paperclips and steel wool.
we had instructions for them, we stuck googly eyes onto magnetic
‘We got a lot of ideas from the internet wands, which they dipped into a
allowed them to do it however
they wanted to,’ said Marice. but then rebuilt them ourselves using bowl of cut-up pipe cleaners to make
different pieces of equipment,’ said
crazy hairdos. ‘Kids would just sit and
‘It was great watching children Michelle Hassel, President of the
gravitate to what they were interested dip them for ages. It brought really
Goldfields Regional Toy Library.
in, and explore and experiment easy joy to everybody,’ she said.
without having to have a particular Children also made their own
outcome,’ she said. ‘They would trial magnetic slime from glue and iron
and discover things for themselves.’ filings, put magnets on toy cars so
they could be pushed and pulled
along a race-track, and created
How things fly a game of ‘magnetic fishing’.
There are four ‘aerodynamic’ The organisers bought magnetic toys
forces that enable paper (and in bulk for the day that could then
real) aeroplanes to fly. ‘Thrust’ be put into the library’s catalogue for
is the forward motion, when you use in future. ‘Children could build
first throw the plane. ‘Lift’ is the really big intricate structures using
force under the wings that lifts the magnetic tiles we bought; they
the plane up. ‘Gravity’ is what really enjoyed that freedom,’ explained
pulls the plane down. ‘Drag’, Michelle. ‘Typically, parents can only
caused by friction with the air, afford one or two kits, which is about
is what slows the plane down. 40 pieces. When you’ve got 400
More info: pieces, the sky’s the limit! Those sets
Credit: Michelle Hassel
https://www.aiecs.com.au have been borrowed again and again,
over twenty times in the past year.’
Earth is a big magnet
The outer core of the Earth
is made of molten iron,
which is constantly moving.
This movement creates a
magnetic force that makes
compasses point north.
More information: https://
Credit: AIECS
www.facebook.com/
GoldfieldsRegionalToyLibrary
7
COLOURFUL Exploring liquids and colours
CHEMISTRY with plastic pipettes
Explore density, colour and
the properties of liquids
ACTIVITY IDEA: Fireworks in a jar
TYPE OF ACTIVITY: Small
group demonstration
MATERIALS: Tall glass (or glass jar),
water, small measuring cup, vegetable
oil, food colouring (a few different
colours) in dropper bottles, fork
METHOD:
• Half-fill the tall glass with water.
• Pour about 50 mL of vegetable
oil into the measuring cup.
• Add food colouring to the oil
(three drops of each colour).
What’s happening? More colourful
Oil and water do not mix well and chemistry ideas
• Mix the oil and food colouring
oil floats on water because it is less • Use plastic pipettes to transfer
with the fork to break up
dense. The food colouring sinks coloured liquids between containers,
the drops of food colouring
through the oil towards the water exploring the properties of fluids
to make smaller drops.
because it is made of pigment and developing fine motor skills.
• Slowly and carefully pour mixed with water. When the colour Cheap pipettes are available from
the vegetable oil and food pigment reaches the water, it creates discount stores and craft shops.
colouring from the jug into the streamers that look like fireworks.
glass of water and notice how • Draw on a strip of paper towel
Density is a measure of the amount of using water-soluble markers and
the oil floats to the top.
mass in a given volume. It is a difficult stand the strip of paper in a cup of
• Watch as the drops of food colouring concept to introduce to young children, water. Watch as the colours move
slowly sink through the oil. As but exposing children to activities up the paper. For darker colours,
each drop reaches the water, you related to density provides them the different pigments in the ink will
will see a burst of colour in the with experiences that will help them separate as they move up the paper.
water. Invite children to describe build knowledge and understanding.
what is happening and to explain • Create a role play chemistry
Knowing ‘what’ happens will give
why they think it is happening. laboratory with test tubes,
a child the experience they need
beakers and flasks made
to learn ‘why’ these things happen
from recycled materials.
as they grow older and move into
higher levels of education. • Research traditional paints used
in Indigenous art and how the
different colours are created
from natural materials.
• For 0 to 2 year olds, fill small plastic
bottles with various liquids such as
different amounts of coloured water,
vegetable oil and water, and make
glitter bottles using warm water, gum
glue and glitter. Close the bottles
tightly and secure with duct tape.
Fireworks in a jar
8
GROOVY GRAVITY • Ask the children to predict whether More groovy
a toy hammer or a feather will hit
Explore the force that makes the ground first before dropping
gravity ideas
things fall and how air them at the same time. The • Make a hole in the side of a plastic
resistance slows them down toy hammer falls quickly, while cup, close to the bottom. Fill the
the feather floats slowly to the cup with water and observe how the
ACTIVITY IDEA: Fastest fall
ground due to air resistance. water pours out through the hole.
TYPE OF ACTIVITY: Guided discovery Cover the hole with a finger and refill
• What would happen if the hammer
the cup with water. Ask the children
MATERIALS: Sheets of paper, balls of and feather were dropped on
to predict what will happen if the cup
various sizes, feathers, toy hammer the Moon where there is no air?
of water is dropped from high above
Watch the video of Apollo 15
METHOD: the ground. Drop the cup and notice
astronaut David Scott dropping
that the water falls with the cup and
• Hold two identical sheets of paper, a hammer and a feather on the
does not pour out of the hole in the
flat on outstretched hands, and ask Moon in 1971 (http://apod.nasa.
side of the cup while it is falling.
the children to guess which piece gov/apod/ap111101.html).
of paper will hit the ground first if • Play with paper aeroplanes
• What if there was a place on Earth
they are dropped. Drop the sheets and ‘Roto-copters’ (mini paper
that did not have any air? Watch
of paper at the same time and helicopters: see https://www.
the video of a bowling ball and
watch as they drift to the ground. exploratorium.edu/science_
feather falling in a vacuum chamber
explorer/roto-copter.html) to
• Repeat Step 1, but this time, (https://youtu.be/E43-CfukEgs
explore air resistance and flight.
scrunch up one of the sheets of – skip to 01:25 for the objects
paper into a ball. Drop the two falling in air, and 02:50 for no air). • Research boomerangs using
pieces of paper at the same time books and videos and make
and ask the children to describe What’s happening? cardboard boomerangs that
what happens and why. The force of gravity pulls objects can fly (https://www.abc.net.
towards the Earth and air resistance au/science/experimentals/
• Ask the children to fan their
slows down falling objects. The shape experiments/episode10_2.htm).
cheeks with their hands, and
discuss how air cannot be seen, of an object affects how much air it • For 0 to 2 year olds, provide children
but it can be felt. This may lead has to push through. Heavier objects with ramps, toy cars and trucks, and
to a discussion about how air can push against air with more force than balls of various sizes and weights
make things move, such as leaves lighter objects, so heavier objects tend to roll down the ramps. Build block
moving in the wind, a kite flying, to fall faster than lighter objects of the towers and knock them down.
or clouds moving across the sky. same size and shape. On the Moon,
or in a vacuum chamber, where there
• Invite the children to test how fast
is no air, objects fall to the ground
other objects fall, such as balls
at the same rate, regardless of their
of various sizes and weights,
size, shape or weight. A person can
feathers, and sheets of paper
jump higher on the Moon than on
of various sizes and shapes.
Earth because the force of gravity
is not as strong on the Moon.
Dropping paper – which one
will hit the ground first?
Credit: Jenny Lynch
Credit: Jenny Lynch
Roto-copters spin due
to air resistance
9
SUPER SPACE • Ask the children to describe the More super space
craters made by the marbles
SCIENCE and balls of different sizes held
science ideas
Explore the Moon, the Solar from different heights. Compare • Create a Space display and role
the results to images of Moon play area with astronomical images,
System, and beyond!
craters, either in books or books and toys related to the Moon,
ACTIVITY IDEA: Crazy craters downloaded from the NASA website planets, stars, and space travel.
(https://moon.nasa.gov).
TYPE OF ACTIVITY: Guided • Make planets from craft materials,
discovery and free play • During free play in a sandpit, provide
using different colours and textures
the children with balls of different
MATERIALS: Large baking tray, plain to represent the real planets. The
shapes and sizes and encourage
flour to cover the tray to about 2 cm them to create moon craters by NASA website has high quality
deep, powdered drinking chocolate dropping the balls on the sand. images and detailed information
(e.g. cocoa), fine strainer or sieve, about all of the planets (https://
HINT: Recycle the flour and
small and large marbles or small balls solarsystem.nasa.gov).
powdered chocolate by using
METHOD: it to make play dough. • Play with straw rockets (https://
www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/
NOTE: This is a messy activity What’s happening?
activity/straw-rocket) and stomp
and is best done outside,
Craters form when asteroids hit the rockets (https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/
sheltered from wind.
surface of a moon or planet. Asteroids edu/teach/activity/stomp-rockets)
• Spread the plain flour evenly over are made of rock and the shape of and read books about space travel.
the baking tray to about 2 cm deep. a crater depends on the size and
speed of the asteroid that created • Encourage families to look at
• Use the strainer to sprinkle
it. The Earth has been hit by a lot the stars with their children at
a fine layer of powdered
of asteroids, but most of the craters home and use free mobile apps
chocolate over the flour.
have been worn away by wind, rain such as ‘Star Chart’ or ‘SkyView
• Invite the children to take turns to and oceans. Unlike Earth, Mercury Free’ to locate planets and
select a marble or ball, choose how has a lot of visible craters because constellations in the night sky.
high to hold it above the tray, and it doesn’t have an atmosphere
• Explore Indigenous astronomy,
drop it straight down onto the tray. or oceans to wear them away.
such as the ‘Emu in the Sky’,
which is made up of the dark
spaces between the stars of
the Milky Way (http://www.
aboriginalastronomy.com.au).
• For 0 to 2 year olds, use cushions
to make a Moon crater and add
cars and trucks to represent
moon buggies to push around
blocks or pretend rocks.
Making craters in flour
and cocoa powder
Credit: Jenny Lynch
10More Beautiful
Biology ideas
• Provide children with small toy
animals and invite them to find or
make places for the animals to
hide by matching each animal’s
colour to its surroundings.
• Research stick insects and
adopt one as a pet (https://
australianmuseum.net.au/learn/
animals/insects/leaf-and-stick-
insects-order-phasmatodea).
• Create a ‘found on the ground’
treasure hunt by asking children to
make a collection of objects that
have fallen to the ground, such as
Credit: Jenny Lynch
dead leaves, sticks, and tree seeds,
and then discuss the origin of each
object. To hold their collections,
Can you find green circles
hiding in grass? provide each child with a basket or
bag, or make boards with wooden
pegs glued to one side (pictured).
BEAUTIFUL BIOLOGY • Provide children with magnifying
glasses and a variety of natural
Explore camouflage, objects, such as shells, seeds,
collecting, and categorising leaves and rocks. Include tongs
ACTIVITY IDEA: Camouflage race
or jumbo-sized tweezers and a
sorting tray with compartments to
TYPE OF ACTIVITY: Small group game allow children to decide how to
sort and categorise the objects.
Credit: Jenny Lynch
MATERIALS: Green, white,
brown, black and red cardboard • Learn the Indigenous names for
shapes (small squares, circles some local plants and animals
Categorising natural
or triangles, or plastic counters), objects in a sorting tray and find examples of bush foods,
approximately 10 of each colour such as wattleseed, lemon myrtle
or finger lime. Australian Native
METHOD: images from the internet (https://
Food and Botanicals has detailed
• Explain to the children that when you listverse.com/2013/05/08/10-truly-
fact sheets on a range of bush
say ‘Go!’ their challenge is to quickly amazing-animal-camouflages).
foods (https://anfab.org.au).
collect the cardboard shapes from • Provide a range of colourful dress
• For 0 to 2 year olds, fill a treasure
the ground before you say, ‘Stop!’ up clothes and invite children
basket with natural objects that
to camouflage themselves
• Scatter the cardboard shapes over will not easily break into smaller
to blend in with different
an open area of grass and say ‘Go!’ pieces, such as large pebbles,
backgrounds (e.g. wear a red
shells, and banksia cones.
• When about half of the shapes dress to sit on a red chair).
have been found, say ‘Stop!’
What’s happening?
• Ask the children to tell you how
many shapes they collected of The colour and texture of an animal
each colour and discuss why can help it blend into its surroundings.
they may have collected more This is important for animals to hide
of one colour than the other. from predators that might eat them,
and for predators to sneak up on
• Try repeating the activity on different
their prey! However, some animals
coloured surfaces, such as brown
Credit: Jenny Lynch
use the opposite strategy to survive:
mulch, black soft fall playground
their bodies are brightly coloured
surface, and white concrete.
and they stand out to warn other
• Look at images of animal animals to stay away because they Found on the ground
camouflage in books or download are poisonous (e.g. corroboree frogs).
11TOP TIPS low waste by using recycled
or reusable materials.
• Start planning early in the year
to be ready for National Science • Aim for open ended experiences,
Week in August, especially if you and embrace the mess: be
want to apply for a grant or book an prepared for the kids to take the
incursion as providers book out fast! activity somewhere unexpected
as they follow their interest.
• Sign up for the National
Science Week newsletter to • Allocate tasks to share the load! For
receive updates about grant example, each staff member can be
rounds and other opportunities responsible for running one hands-
(https://www.scienceweek. on activity, setting up a display, or
net.au/subscription). creating an area for discovery play.
• Register your event on the National • Do a risk assessment for each
Science Week website (https:// activity and be sure to consider: RESOURCES
www.scienceweek.net.au). allergies (e.g. nuts, latex, egg), the
There are lots of online
strength of materials and whether
• Find guides, ideas and other resources that can help. Here
they might break if dropped by a
resources for event holders on the young child, small parts that can be are some to get you started.
National Science Week website a choking hazard for children under • Search for science resources
(https://www.scienceweek.net.au/ the age of 3, and good hygiene from Early Childhood
get-involved/organise-an-event). practices such as hand washing Australia: https://www.
• Make your event waste free or and regular cleaning of equipment. earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au
• Look for discovery centres, including
science centres, zoos, botanic
gardens and museums in your area
for activity ideas and excursions:
https://www.scienceweek.
net.au/discovery-centres
• Watch preschool science activities
in action in Questacon Science Time
videos: https://www.youtube.com/
playlist?list=PLDB39
B71C547E6E83
Credit: Jenny Lynch
• Check out activities from Children’s
Discovery Museum in the Little
Bang Book of Discovery: https://
childrensdiscovery.org.au
Contact us
Follow National Science Week on Facebook (https://www.facebook.
com/nationalscienceweek) and Twitter (@Aus_ScienceWeek) and
tell us what you’re doing by tagging #scienceweek.
For general information about National Science Week,
contact the National Science Week Team at:
Email scienceweek@industry.gov.au
Phone 02 6270 2880
Post Questacon, PO Box 5322, Kingston ACT 2604
Register your events on the National Science Week website at
https://www.scienceweek.net.au/event-holder-registration
THANK YOU | National Science Week would like to acknowledge the helpful assistance in finalising
this information pack from Early Childhood Australia. Thanks also to groups around Australia that
provided insightful comments and photos about their exciting events targeting the early childhood
age-group. Content by Scientell and Creative Science Australia, design by Hodge Environmental.
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