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Motion of Objects
For young children, the study of motion extends beyond their own bodies to include the physical objects around them. Through exploration and hands-on experiences, children learn about the concepts of movement, force, and interaction with their environment. Simple activities like rolling balls, pushing toy cars, or dropping objects help children understand how objects move and behave in response to different actions. By observing cause-and-effect relationships, such as seeing a ball roll when pushed or fall when dropped, children begin to grasp fundamental principles of motion. Through play-based learning and guided experimentation, young children develop a basic understanding of concepts like speed, direction, and momentum. These early experiences lay the foundation for more complex scientific concepts in the future, fostering a lifelong curiosity about the physical world. Moreover, studying the motion of physical objects not only enhances children's cognitive development but also promotes fine and gross motor skills, spatial reasoning, and problem-solving abilities. By providing opportunities for hands-on exploration and discovery, caregivers and educators empower young children to become active participants in their own learning journey. |
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Objectives
- The children need to understand that objects have to be put in motion.
- The children will need to identify ways in which objects move (eg. roll, slide, etc.).
- The children will need to understand the impact that force has on an object.
How Objects move with the Environment
For infants and toddlers, understanding motion involves grasping fundamental concepts related to movement, speed, direction, and interaction with the environment. Here are some key concepts related to motion for infants and toddlers:
For infants and toddlers, understanding motion involves grasping fundamental concepts related to movement, speed, direction, and interaction with the environment. Here are some key concepts related to motion for infants and toddlers:
- Object Permanence: Understanding that objects continue to exist even when they are out of sight is a crucial concept related to motion. Infants and toddlers begin to grasp this concept as they observe objects moving in and out of their field of vision.
- Cause and Effect: Infants and toddlers start to learn that their actions can cause objects to move or change position. For example, they might realize that pushing a toy car makes it move forward or pulling a string makes a toy closer to them.
- Spatial Awareness: Developing an understanding of space and the relationship between objects is important for understanding motion. Infants and toddlers gradually learn about concepts like distance, proximity, and relative position as they interact with objects and explore their surroundings.
- Gravity: Infants and toddlers begin to understand the concept of gravity as they observe objects falling to the ground. They learn that objects are pulled downward by gravity and that heavier objects fall faster than lighter ones.
- Speed and Distance: Infants and toddlers start to develop a sense of speed and distance as they observe objects moving at different rates and over varying distances. They may begin to compare the speed of objects and notice differences in how far objects can travel.
- Directionality: Understanding the direction in which objects move is an important concept related to motion. Infants and toddlers learn about concepts like forward, backward, up, down, left, and right as they observe objects moving in different directions.
- Interaction with the Environment: Infants and toddlers learn that objects can interact with their environment in various ways. They may observe objects rolling, sliding, bouncing, or being pushed or pulled by external forces like wind or their own actions.
- Observation and Prediction: Infants and toddlers gradually learn to observe patterns in motion and make predictions about future events based on their observations. For example, they may predict where a ball will land when it's thrown or anticipate the movement of a toy car down a ramp.
- Experimentation and Exploration: Infants and toddlers learn about motion through hands-on experimentation and exploration. They engage in activities like rolling balls, pushing toys, and crawling or walking, which allow them to observe and experience motion firsthand.
How to Study the Motion of Objects
Young children can study the concept of motion with physical objects and their movements through hands-on, experiential activities that engage their senses and promote exploration. Here's how you can facilitate this learning:
Young children can study the concept of motion with physical objects and their movements through hands-on, experiential activities that engage their senses and promote exploration. Here's how you can facilitate this learning:
- Rolling Objects: Provide toddlers with balls, toy cars, or other rolling objects and encourage them to observe how these objects move when pushed or rolled on different surfaces. They can experiment with different forces and directions to see how it affects the motion of the objects.
- Push and Pull Toys: Give toddlers toys that they can push or pull, such as a toy wagon or a wooden block with a string attached. As they interact with these toys, they can explore the concepts of force and motion, learning that pushing makes objects move forward and pulling makes them move backward.
- Ramps and Tracks: Set up ramps or tracks using household items like cardboard tubes, blocks, or books. Toddlers can roll balls or toy cars down the ramps and tracks, observing how gravity and incline affect the speed and distance of the objects' movement.
- Drop and Fall Experiments: Provide toddlers with objects of different sizes, shapes, and weights (e.g., soft toys, wooden blocks) and invite them to drop them from varying heights. They can observe how objects fall to the ground and explore concepts like gravity and acceleration.
- Simple Machines: Introduce toddlers to simple machines such as ramps, levers, and inclined planes through age-appropriate toys and activities. For example, they can use a toy hammer to pound pegs into a pegboard or use a toy wheel and axle to turn objects.
- Sorting and Classifying Objects: Encourage toddlers to sort and classify objects based on their movement characteristics, such as objects that roll, slide, or bounce. This activity helps them develop classification skills and understand the properties of different objects.
- Water Play: Provide toddlers with containers of water and objects that float or sink. They can experiment with dropping objects into the water and observe how they move and interact with the water. This activity introduces concepts like buoyancy and fluid dynamics.
- Outdoor Exploration: Take toddlers outside to explore natural elements like wind, leaves, and shadows. They can observe how the wind moves leaves or how shadows change throughout the day, gaining an understanding of motion in the environment.
- Nature Walks: Take toddlers on nature walks and encourage them to observe and interact with natural elements like rocks, sticks, and plants. They can investigate how these objects move or are moved by wind, animals, or other forces.
- Hands-On Exploration: Start by providing a variety of objects for children to explore, such as balls, blocks, and toy cars. Encourage them to roll or push these objects on different surfaces, such as carpet, tile, or grass. Ask questions to prompt their curiosity, such as "What happens when you push the ball?" or "How does the block move when you give it a little push?"
- Observation and Inquiry: Encourage children to observe and compare how different objects move. Ask them to notice the differences in how easily each object rolls or slides across the surface. Encourage them to think about why some objects move more easily than others and what factors might be influencing their motion.
Consider this: Spin a Top and ask "How hard do you have to push each type of top before it begins to spin? Are light or heavy tops easier to spin? Are tall or short tops easier to spin? Can a top with a penny taped to it maintain a spin?Try rolling or pushing various objects, such as balls, a block, or a toy car. Why do some objects roll easily while others require more effort? Do heavy objects roll more easily than lightweight ones? Does the surface they roll on make a difference?"
Exploring Motion + Inertia
Introduce the concept of inertia by explaining that it's the tendency of objects to resist changes in their motion. Help children understand that objects at rest prefer to stay at rest, while objects in motion prefer to keep moving at a constant speed and direction. Use examples they can relate to, such as a toy car continuing to roll until it's stopped by something else. Toddlers can learn about exploring motion and inertia through simple and engaging activities that allow them to observe and interact with their environment. Here's how you can introduce these concepts to toddlers:
Introduce the concept of inertia by explaining that it's the tendency of objects to resist changes in their motion. Help children understand that objects at rest prefer to stay at rest, while objects in motion prefer to keep moving at a constant speed and direction. Use examples they can relate to, such as a toy car continuing to roll until it's stopped by something else. Toddlers can learn about exploring motion and inertia through simple and engaging activities that allow them to observe and interact with their environment. Here's how you can introduce these concepts to toddlers:
- Rolling Objects Experiment: Provide toddlers with various objects of different shapes and sizes, such as balls, toy cars, and blocks. Encourage them to roll these objects on a flat surface and observe how far they travel. Discuss with them why some objects roll farther than others, introducing the concept of inertia.
- Push and Stop Activity: Set up a line of blocks or toys on a smooth surface. Have toddlers push a toy car or ball towards the line of blocks and observe what happens when it collides with them. Discuss how the objects stop moving when they encounter an obstacle, demonstrating inertia in action.
- Balloon Rocket Experiment: Inflate a balloon and attach a piece of string to it. Tape the other end of the string to a surface, such as a chair or table. Let toddlers pull the balloon back and release it to see it zoom forward. Discuss how the balloon moves due to the force exerted by the air escaping from it, demonstrating Newton's third law of motion.
- Spinning Tops: Provide toddlers with spinning tops or simple gyroscopes and let them observe how they spin and wobble. Encourage them to experiment with spinning the tops on different surfaces and observe how they behave differently based on their motion and inertia.
- Sensory Bins with Moving Objects: Create a sensory bin filled with rice, sand, or water and add objects that move easily, such as marbles or toy cars. Let toddlers explore the bin and observe how the objects move through the sensory material, experiencing inertia firsthand.
- Rollercoaster Building: Use blocks, tubes, and other building materials to create a simple rollercoaster or marble run. Let toddlers experiment with rolling marbles or small balls down the track and observe how they move and interact with the track's twists and turns.
- Bouncing Balls Experiment: Provide toddlers with balls of different sizes and materials, such as rubber, foam, or bouncy balls. Let them drop the balls from various heights and observe how high they bounce back up. Discuss how the balls' motion demonstrates the concept of inertia and elastic collisions.
- Outdoor Play with Swings: Take toddlers to a playground with swings and let them experience the sensation of swinging back and forth. Discuss how their motion changes as they swing higher and higher, experiencing inertia and the effects of gravity.
- Storybooks and Videos: Use age-appropriate storybooks or educational videos to introduce toddlers to the concepts of motion and inertia. Look for materials that feature simple explanations and colorful illustrations to capture their attention and interest.
- Experiment and Explore: Encourage toddlers to ask questions and make predictions about how objects move and behave. Provide opportunities for hands-on exploration and experimentation, allowing them to learn through trial and error
Consider this: Try rolling or pushing various objects, such as balls, a block, or a toy car. Why do some objects roll easily while others require more effort? Do heavy objects roll more easily than lightweight ones? Does the surface they roll on make a difference?
Force + Motion
One type of physical science is the study of forces and motion. Forces could include gravity, magnetism, friction, buoyancy and momentum.
Young children are constantly in motion. Using their everyday actions about objects they encounter every day is an easy way to begin teaching the concepts of force and motion. As children play, they can explain why and how things move the way they do and begin to compare those movements with other objects and activities.
Concepts
Toddlers can begin to understand the concepts of force and motion through simple and hands-on activities that engage their senses and promote exploration. Here are some ways to introduce these concepts to toddlers:
One type of physical science is the study of forces and motion. Forces could include gravity, magnetism, friction, buoyancy and momentum.
Young children are constantly in motion. Using their everyday actions about objects they encounter every day is an easy way to begin teaching the concepts of force and motion. As children play, they can explain why and how things move the way they do and begin to compare those movements with other objects and activities.
Concepts
- Speed – what does it mean and how can we manipulate it?
- Force – what is it and how can we affect it?
- Friction – how does it work and how do different types of friction compare?
- Leverage – how can utilizing a simple machine change the outcome of the tests.
Toddlers can begin to understand the concepts of force and motion through simple and hands-on activities that engage their senses and promote exploration. Here are some ways to introduce these concepts to toddlers:
- Push and Pull Toys: Provide toddlers with toys that they can push or pull, such as toy cars, wagons, or blocks on strings. Encourage them to experiment with applying force to make the toys move and observe how the direction and strength of the force affect the motion.
- Balloon Rocket Experiment: Inflate a balloon and attach a piece of string to it. Hold the other end of the string and let toddlers pull the balloon back and release it to see it zoom forward. Discuss how the force exerted by the escaping air propels the balloon forward.
- Ramp Races: Set up ramps using cardboard, books, or blocks and let toddlers roll toy cars or balls down the ramps. Encourage them to experiment with adjusting the angle of the ramps to see how it affects the speed and distance the objects travel.
- Blowing Bubbles: Provide toddlers with bubble wands and bubble solution and encourage them to blow bubbles. Discuss how the force of their breath creates air pressure that pushes the bubble solution out of the wand, causing bubbles to form and float away.
- Jumping Games: Play games with toddlers that involve jumping, such as jumping over lines drawn on the ground or hopping from one spot to another. Discuss how they use force to push off the ground and propel themselves into the air.
- Bath Time Experiments: During bath time, provide toddlers with cups, containers, and toys that float or sink. Encourage them to pour water into different containers and observe how the force of the water affects the motion of the objects.
- Tug-of-War: Play a gentle game of tug-of-war with toddlers using a soft rope or scarf. Encourage them to pull on the rope and feel the force exerted by their hands as they try to move the object.
- Outdoor Exploration: Take toddlers outside to explore natural elements like wind, leaves, and water. Encourage them to observe how the force of the wind moves leaves or how water flows and splashes when poured or tossed.
- How Toys Work: Explore how toy cars work. Share with preschoolers that toy cars need a source of energy or some type of force to move. Ask children, “How do toy cars move?” and allow them to share their ideas. Some toy cars are powered by springs, gears or batteries, and other cars move as people are the source of energy and push or pull the toy cars. Give children time to explore different types of toy cars such as wind-up cars or cars with gears (friction- powered cars). Children can explore which cars go farthest or fastest. Discuss “why” and continue to observe, experiment and discuss.
- Sink or Float: Children can explore buoyancy or what happens when items are placed in water by discovering which objects sink and which objects float. Provide preschoolers with a container of water and a variety of objects. Let the children predict whether each item will sink or float before they place the object in the water. Discuss whether the prediction was correct. Encourage children to think about what is similar and what is different about the objects that sink and float. Promote children’s language and literacy development during the exploration by using vocabulary words such as sink, float, heavy, light, bottom and top. Create a chart listing items that sink and items that float.
- Ramp and Tunnel Building: Create ramps and tunnels by using pool noodles (cut lengthwise), gutters, PVC pipe or empty carpet rolls. Roll marbles or cars down the ramps.
Visit a Playground
Visit a playground and explain to them about force and motion through the swings, slide and teeter-totter. Model the concept of applying force to an object to make it move by pushing children on the swings. Demonstrate for children what happens when you sit on a teeter-totter without someone on the other side. After the visit to the playground, help children list all of the motions they demonstrated while playing that day.
Visit a playground and explain to them about force and motion through the swings, slide and teeter-totter. Model the concept of applying force to an object to make it move by pushing children on the swings. Demonstrate for children what happens when you sit on a teeter-totter without someone on the other side. After the visit to the playground, help children list all of the motions they demonstrated while playing that day.
Spinning
Introducing toddlers to spinning motion can be a fun and engaging way to teach them about movement. Here are some age-appropriate activities to explore spinning motion with toddlers:
Introducing toddlers to spinning motion can be a fun and engaging way to teach them about movement. Here are some age-appropriate activities to explore spinning motion with toddlers:
- Spinning Toys: Provide toddlers with spinning tops, fidget spinners, or pinwheels. Show them how to spin the toys and encourage them to try it themselves. This simple activity introduces toddlers to the concept of spinning motion and allows them to observe the spinning action.
- Dance and Twirl: Put on music and encourage toddlers to dance and twirl around. Demonstrate spinning in place and encourage them to imitate the motion. Dancing and twirling help toddlers experience spinning motion in a playful and natural way.
- Spinning in Circles: Take toddlers to an open space and encourage them to spin in circles. Hold their hands for support if needed, and slowly spin together. This activity helps toddlers experience the sensation of spinning motion and develop balance and coordination.
- Spinning Toys in Water: Fill a basin or tub with water and add floating toys that spin, such as plastic boats or whirligigs. Let toddlers play with the toys and observe how they spin in the water. This sensory activity combines water play with exploring spinning motion.
- Gyroscope Toys: Introduce toddlers to simple gyroscope toys designed for young children. These toys demonstrate the principles of spinning motion and can provide hands-on exploration of how spinning objects behave.
- Spinning Games: Play games with toddlers that involve spinning, such as "Spin and Stop" or "Spin and Catch." Encourage toddlers to spin a toy or themselves and then try to stop or catch it. This game helps toddlers practice controlling spinning motion and develops hand-eye coordination.
- Spinning Tops Art: Dip spinning tops in paint and place them on paper to create spinning art. When the tops spin, they will leave colorful patterns on the paper. This creative activity combines spinning motion with artistic expression.
- Sensory Bottles: Create sensory bottles filled with liquid and glitter or small objects. Seal the bottles tightly and let toddlers shake and spin them to watch the contents swirl and twirl inside. This activity provides visual stimulation and encourages exploration of spinning motion.
- Spinning Storytime: Read storybooks that feature spinning motion, such as "The Spinny Icky Showdown" or "The Spinny Icky Smackdown" by Laurie Berkner. Encourage toddlers to act out spinning motions described in the story as you read together.
- Outdoor Spinning Play Equipment: Take toddlers to a playground with spinning equipment, such as merry-go-rounds or spinning chairs. Supervise toddlers as they explore these spinning structures, providing support and ensuring their safety.
At Home: How many things spin in your home? What objects rotate around a fixed point? (For example, you may have in your home: toys with wheels or spinners, a microwave with turning plate, a blender or mixer, a washer or dryer, a fidget spinner, a doorknob . . . ). What spins fast? What spins slow? Why?
Around Town: How many different types of movement can you see as you walk around the neighborhood or play at the park? Look for up and down, side to side, rotating, fast and slow, jerky and smooth. Try to find fun, creative words to describe what you observe! Does a squirrel run, scamper, bolt, sprint? Does a bird fly, soar, dive? Do you notice something rolling or sliding?
What Moved it?
Help students understand that humans are not the only forces that can cause things to move. Provide students with pictures of a sailboat, a horse and buggy, a water wheel and a train and ask them to guess what makes it move. Create a class chart labeling the objects with the forces that move them.
Help students understand that humans are not the only forces that can cause things to move. Provide students with pictures of a sailboat, a horse and buggy, a water wheel and a train and ask them to guess what makes it move. Create a class chart labeling the objects with the forces that move them.
Can you Move the Ball?
To teach children about invisible forces, place a lightweight ball, such as a craft foam ball, and a meter stick on the floor. Explain to the children that they have to move the ball to the end of the meter stick without using any hands or feet and ask if anyone has any ideas on how that can be done. Demonstrate how to blow on the ball to make it move. Have children practice blowing on the ball to make it move.
To teach children about invisible forces, place a lightweight ball, such as a craft foam ball, and a meter stick on the floor. Explain to the children that they have to move the ball to the end of the meter stick without using any hands or feet and ask if anyone has any ideas on how that can be done. Demonstrate how to blow on the ball to make it move. Have children practice blowing on the ball to make it move.
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Classifying Objects
Present children with pictures of toys, vehicles and animals. On large pieces of chart paper, list motions such as roll, bounce, fly, slither, slide and swing. Help the children classify the pictures by how the object in the picture moves, gluing each picture to the appropriate piece of chart paper. Moving Toy Cars
Many students love to play with toy cars. Turn this simple activity into a lesson of force and motion by explaining to students how the cars move. Create ramps for the cars out of building blocks and have children explain what happens to the car when it goes down the ramp. Moving with Magnets
While many young children will have difficulty understanding magnetic force, it is not too early to expose them to the concept. Create a fishing pole by attaching a piece of string to a stick and tying a magnet on the end. Have students fish for nuts and bolts or place magnets on the back of construction-paper fish so students can go "fishing." |
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Push + Pull
Children should understand that a force, such as pushing or pulling, can move an object. To teach students this concept, provide them with a variety of activities that allow them to practice pushing and pulling objects and share examples of objects in real life that are pushed or pulled.
As you investigate pushes and pulls with your child, introduce words — like stable, direction, balance and collide — that help them express what they are doing, noticing and thinking about. Individual children will be interested in exploring different things, so remember to follow your child’s lead!
Studying push and pull concepts in a motion investigation is important for toddlers for several reasons:
Children should understand that a force, such as pushing or pulling, can move an object. To teach students this concept, provide them with a variety of activities that allow them to practice pushing and pulling objects and share examples of objects in real life that are pushed or pulled.
As you investigate pushes and pulls with your child, introduce words — like stable, direction, balance and collide — that help them express what they are doing, noticing and thinking about. Individual children will be interested in exploring different things, so remember to follow your child’s lead!
Studying push and pull concepts in a motion investigation is important for toddlers for several reasons:
- Understanding Cause and Effect: Learning about push and pull helps toddlers understand cause and effect relationships. They learn that pushing an object makes it move away, while pulling it brings it closer. This understanding lays the groundwork for their comprehension of how actions lead to specific outcomes, a crucial cognitive skill.
- Physical Development: Engaging in push and pull activities promotes toddlers' physical development. These actions require the use of different muscle groups and coordination skills, contributing to the development of their gross motor skills. Pushing a toy car or pulling a wagon, for example, helps toddlers build strength and balance.
- Spatial Awareness: Through push and pull activities, toddlers develop spatial awareness as they navigate objects through their environment. They learn to judge distances and angles when pushing or pulling objects, enhancing their understanding of space and spatial relationships.
- Problem-Solving Skills: Exploring push and pull concepts encourages toddlers to experiment and problem-solve. They may encounter obstacles or challenges while pushing or pulling objects, requiring them to find solutions to overcome these barriers. This fosters their critical thinking skills and encourages them to persevere when faced with challenges.
- Social and Emotional Development: Push and pull activities often involve collaboration and social interaction, providing opportunities for toddlers to engage with peers and caregivers. They learn to take turns, communicate their intentions, and cooperate with others, fostering their social and emotional development.
- Introduction to Physics Concepts: Studying push and pull concepts lays the groundwork for understanding fundamental physics principles. Toddlers begin to grasp concepts such as force, motion, and inertia through their hands-on exploration of push and pull activities. These early experiences pave the way for further learning in science and related fields as they grow older.
Pushing + Pulling On the Playground
Take students outside on a playground to learn about the concept of pushing. Students can take turns pushing each other on the swings or down the slide and pulling up on monkey bars or climbing up a jungle gym. Point out other ways that students push and pull, such as opening or closing a gate at the playground. Or involve students in a game of tug-of-war to make the concepts even clearer.
Take students outside on a playground to learn about the concept of pushing. Students can take turns pushing each other on the swings or down the slide and pulling up on monkey bars or climbing up a jungle gym. Point out other ways that students push and pull, such as opening or closing a gate at the playground. Or involve students in a game of tug-of-war to make the concepts even clearer.
Push + Pull Venn Diagram
Create a giant Venn diagram, or two intersecting circles, on chart paper. Label one circle "push," the other circle "pull" and the area where the circles intersect "both." Provide children with pictures of objects that are traditionally pushed or pulled. Allow students to take turns taping the pictures in the appropriate area of the Venn diagram.
Create a giant Venn diagram, or two intersecting circles, on chart paper. Label one circle "push," the other circle "pull" and the area where the circles intersect "both." Provide children with pictures of objects that are traditionally pushed or pulled. Allow students to take turns taping the pictures in the appropriate area of the Venn diagram.
Push to Move
Explain to students that pushing an object can help it move and the force of the push can change how fast and how far the object moves. Practice pushing toy cars across the floor. Ask children to push a toy car softly and see how far it moves. Then push the car with more force and note that it moves farther. Set up a ramp using a piece of wood or cardboard and show students that a car needs less of a push to move down the ramp at high speeds.
Explain to students that pushing an object can help it move and the force of the push can change how fast and how far the object moves. Practice pushing toy cars across the floor. Ask children to push a toy car softly and see how far it moves. Then push the car with more force and note that it moves farther. Set up a ramp using a piece of wood or cardboard and show students that a car needs less of a push to move down the ramp at high speeds.
Try This!
Materials Needed:
Various toys and objects that toddlers can push and pull (e.g., toy cars, wagons, stuffed animals, empty boxes)
Open space for the parade (indoor or outdoor)
Instructions:
Gather Objects: Collect a variety of toys and objects that toddlers can push and pull. Ensure they are safe and age-appropriate for the toddlers participating in the activity.
Introduction: Gather the toddlers together and introduce the concept of push and pull. Explain that when we push, we use force to make things move away from us, and when we pull, we use force to bring things closer to us.
Demonstration: Demonstrate how to push and pull different objects. Use simple language to describe what you're doing, such as "I'm pushing the toy car forward" or "I'm pulling the wagon toward me." Encourage the toddlers to watch and imitate your actions.
Parade Setup: Set up a designated parade route using cones, tape, or markers to create a path for the "Push and Pull Parade." Ensure there's enough space for the toddlers to maneuver their objects along the route.
Parade Time: Invite the toddlers to participate in the parade. Encourage them to choose an object to push or pull along the parade route. Cheer them on as they navigate the course, using their strength and coordination to move their chosen objects.
Obstacle Course: For added fun, create an obstacle course along the parade route. Include objects like pillows to crawl over, tunnels to crawl through, or hoops to push objects through. This adds an element of challenge and excitement to the activity.
Rotation: Encourage toddlers to take turns pushing and pulling different objects along the parade route. This promotes sharing and cooperation while giving each child a chance to explore the concept of push and pull.
Reflection: After the parade, gather the toddlers together to reflect on their experience. Ask open-ended questions like "What was your favorite part of the parade?" or "What did you learn about pushing and pulling?" Encourage them to share their thoughts and observations.
By organizing a "Push and Pull Parade," toddlers have the opportunity to engage in hands-on exploration of push and pull motion while also promoting their physical, cognitive, and social development. It's a playful and interactive way to introduce and reinforce the concept of push and pull in a fun and memorable way.
- Push and Pull Parade
Materials Needed:
Various toys and objects that toddlers can push and pull (e.g., toy cars, wagons, stuffed animals, empty boxes)
Open space for the parade (indoor or outdoor)
Instructions:
Gather Objects: Collect a variety of toys and objects that toddlers can push and pull. Ensure they are safe and age-appropriate for the toddlers participating in the activity.
Introduction: Gather the toddlers together and introduce the concept of push and pull. Explain that when we push, we use force to make things move away from us, and when we pull, we use force to bring things closer to us.
Demonstration: Demonstrate how to push and pull different objects. Use simple language to describe what you're doing, such as "I'm pushing the toy car forward" or "I'm pulling the wagon toward me." Encourage the toddlers to watch and imitate your actions.
Parade Setup: Set up a designated parade route using cones, tape, or markers to create a path for the "Push and Pull Parade." Ensure there's enough space for the toddlers to maneuver their objects along the route.
Parade Time: Invite the toddlers to participate in the parade. Encourage them to choose an object to push or pull along the parade route. Cheer them on as they navigate the course, using their strength and coordination to move their chosen objects.
Obstacle Course: For added fun, create an obstacle course along the parade route. Include objects like pillows to crawl over, tunnels to crawl through, or hoops to push objects through. This adds an element of challenge and excitement to the activity.
Rotation: Encourage toddlers to take turns pushing and pulling different objects along the parade route. This promotes sharing and cooperation while giving each child a chance to explore the concept of push and pull.
Reflection: After the parade, gather the toddlers together to reflect on their experience. Ask open-ended questions like "What was your favorite part of the parade?" or "What did you learn about pushing and pulling?" Encourage them to share their thoughts and observations.
By organizing a "Push and Pull Parade," toddlers have the opportunity to engage in hands-on exploration of push and pull motion while also promoting their physical, cognitive, and social development. It's a playful and interactive way to introduce and reinforce the concept of push and pull in a fun and memorable way.
Questions/Discussion
- What did you enjoy pushing or pulling during the parade? This question encourages toddlers to reflect on their favorite parts of the activity and express their preferences.
- How did you make the object move when you pushed or pulled it? By asking this question, toddlers can think about the actions they took to move the objects and reinforce their understanding of push and pull.
- Did you find it easier to push or pull the objects? Why? Encourage toddlers to think about their experiences and compare the differences between pushing and pulling objects. This promotes critical thinking and observation skills.
- What obstacles did you encounter along the parade route? How did you overcome them? This question prompts toddlers to reflect on any challenges they faced during the activity and how they problem-solved to navigate the obstacles.
- Did you notice any differences in how the objects moved on different surfaces? Encourage toddlers to think about how the surface they were pushing or pulling the objects on may have affected their movement. This promotes awareness of the environment and its impact on motion.
- How did you feel during the parade? Allow toddlers to express their emotions and share their experiences. This helps them develop self-awareness and emotional intelligence.
- What did you learn about pushing and pulling today? This open-ended question encourages toddlers to summarize their learning and articulate their understanding of the push and pull concepts.
- Would you like to do the Push and Pull Parade again? Why or why not? Encourage toddlers to reflect on their overall experience and whether they would like to repeat the activity. This provides valuable feedback and insight into their engagement and enjoyment.
- What other objects do you think we could include in our next parade? Stimulate toddlers' creativity and problem-solving skills by inviting them to brainstorm ideas for future parades. This encourages them to think critically and apply their knowledge of push and pull motion to new situations.
- Who did you enjoy participating in the parade with? Encourage toddlers to share their experiences of interacting with their peers during the activity. This promotes social development and reinforces the importance of collaboration and teamwork.
Family Connection
To extend learning from the "Push and Pull Parade" activity that was done at school, families can engage in the following activities at home:
To extend learning from the "Push and Pull Parade" activity that was done at school, families can engage in the following activities at home:
- Push and Pull Toy Exploration: Encourage families to gather toys and objects from around the house that toddlers can push and pull. Set up a designated play area where toddlers can continue exploring the concept of push and pull motion with different toys and objects. Families can observe and discuss together how various objects move when pushed or pulled.
- Indoor Mini Parade: Families can recreate a mini version of the push and pull parade at home. Set up a small parade route using masking tape or string, and invite toddlers to choose objects from their toy collection to push or pull along the route. Encourage families to cheer on the toddlers as they navigate the parade route, and discuss the different movements they observe.
- Push and Pull Story Time: Choose books from the library or online resources that feature characters or objects engaging in push and pull activities. Families can read these books together and discuss the push and pull motions depicted in the stories. After reading, families can act out scenes from the books or create their own push and pull stories.
- DIY Push and Pull Toys: Families can engage in a creative craft activity by making their own push and pull toys at home. Using recycled materials like cardboard boxes, paper towel rolls, and string, families can work together to create simple toys that toddlers can push or pull around the house. Encourage families to experiment with different designs and materials.
- Push and Pull Sensory Play: Set up a sensory bin filled with materials like rice, beans, or sand, along with small toys and objects for toddlers to push and pull through the sensory material. Encourage families to explore the different textures and movements as they push and pull objects through the sensory bin.
- Push and Pull Nature Walk: Take a nature walk as a family and observe how various objects in nature are moved by forces like wind or water. Encourage toddlers to collect items like sticks, leaves, or pinecones and experiment with pushing and pulling them along the ground. Families can discuss together how these natural objects move in response to different forces.
- Push and Pull Dance Party: Families can have a dance party at home where toddlers can dance and move around using push and pull motions. Play music with a lively beat and encourage families to dance freely, incorporating actions like pushing and pulling into their dance moves. Families can take turns leading the dance and exploring different movements together.
- Obstacle Course Challenge: Encourage families to create a mini obstacle course at home using everyday items like pillows, cushions, and cardboard boxes. Toddlers can navigate through the course by pushing and pulling objects, developing their gross motor skills and problem-solving abilities.
- Push and Pull Sorting Game: Families can gather various household items and sort them into categories of objects that are pushed or pulled. Toddlers can practice identifying and categorizing objects based on their movement, reinforcing their understanding of push and pull concepts.
- Outdoor Play: Encourage families to spend time playing outdoors together and explore push and pull motion in their environment. Toddlers can play with outdoor toys like swings, slides, or ride-on toys that involve pushing and pulling actions, promoting physical activity and outdoor exploration.
- Science Experiment: Families can conduct simple science experiments at home to explore push and pull forces. For example, they can fill a basin with water and experiment with different objects to see which ones sink or float based on their weight and buoyancy, introducing concepts of force and motion in a hands-on way.
More ideas to Discover Motion
Watch How Items Fall: You and the children can explore how things move by dropping a variety of objects one at a time off an elevated area, such as a deck or playground structure. Make sure nobody is standing below! Gather items like feathers, pennies, pebbles and pieces of newspaper and drop them one at a time. Talk about how feathers flutter down, pebbles drop down and how a penny or piece of paper falls quickly or slowly.
Move at the Playground: The playground is a great place for you to help children explore motion and develop his large muscle skills and balance at the same time! Encourage him to use slide, swings, bouncers and balance beams and draw his attention to how he is climbing, sliding, swinging, rocking and balancing. Introduce and use positional terms like You are climbing up so high/sliding down so fast/swinging back and forth/rocking side to side!
Observe How Things Move at the Market: Once you and your child start looking for things that move, it’s amazing what you can find! At the market, the wheels on the cart go around and around when you push it; the pan on the scale goes down and back up when you put vegetables in and take them out; and the conveyor belt at the register moves sideways with your groceries. What other moving things can we find at the market? Can we find more things that go around and around, up and down or sideways?
Play With Push and Pull Toys: Lots of toys for two-year-olds are made for pushing and pulling — like dogs to pull by a string, doll strollers to push and toy trains to pull and push along a track. As your child plays, draw her attention to how these toys move as a result of her actions. Whoops! The dog fell over when you pulled it around the corner! or Your doll carriage is stuck in the doorway! How can you push it over the threshold? You can also support her learning about pushes and pulls by joining in her play with ramps, cars and blocks. The car rolled all the way down the ramp! How can you get it to go back up?
Pound Playdough: Explore how pushes and pulls can change the shape of some materials with store-bought or homemade playdough. Encourage children to pat, squeeze, tear and pound the dough and show her how to make balls, snakes and pancakes by rolling or flattening it with her hands or on the table. For more exploration, add some Popsicle sticks, spoons or shells and other objects to make impressions in the playdough.
Play Catch and Investigate Motion: You can explore motion with your child by playing catch with a large ball. Ball games also help children practice letting go of objects and sharing them. Throw, roll or bounce the ball back and forth with your child. As you play, talk about how far it is flying, rolling or bouncing. How can we make it go further? Play with other large balls like beach balls, basketballs, soccer balls and rubber balls. Which one is your favorite? Why do you like that one the best?
Explore How Block Structures Fall: Knocking block structures down — although it might annoy older siblings — is one way that two-year-olds investigate pushes and pulls. Help your child build a simple block tower and then invite her to knock it down. How do the blocks fall when you push on the tower hard? What about when you push it gently? Try pushing or pulling a block out from the top, middle or bottom of the tower. What happens? Remind her that it’s only okay to knock down her own towers!
Play a Balloon Game: Children can explore pushes and pulls by playing a fun balloon game — this is a great activity for a family party! Blow up and tie some balloons and invite your child to toss one in the air. Take turns tapping it to keep it afloat, counting your taps out loud. Keep it in the air as long as you can! How do you have to hit the balloon to keep it up? Try playing the balloon game outdoors. Is it easier or harder to keep the balloon in the air outside? Why do you think so?
Roll Balls on Playground Slides: When the playground is not too busy, you can help the children investigate how balls roll down slides. Encourage your child to drop a ball at the top of steeper and less steep slides. How does it roll down the different slides? How far does it fly off the end of each slide before falling to the ground? Try different types of balls, like bouncy balls and tennis balls. How do different balls roll the same? How do they roll differently? Roll the balls down a spiral slide if one is available. How do the balls move? Which way do they go when they leave the slide? Share your ideas about why balls roll differently on different slides.
Watch and Listen for What the Wind Blows: When you and children are out and about on a windy day, you can investigate wind and how it moves things. How does the wind feel and sound? What is the wind doing to your hair and your jacket? Encourage your child to look and listen for other signs of wind. What are the leaves on the trees doing? The leaves on the ground? What about flags? Suspended signs or traffic signals? Invite your child to move like he is being blown around by the wind. Introduce words like flapping, swaying, tumbling and tossing.
Use a Helium Balloon to Make Objects Fly: Do you ever buy helium balloons for family birthdays or other events? Once the party is over, use the balloons to help children investigate pushes and pulls! Gather some toy figures, blocks, rocks and other small objects of different weights and tie one to the end of each of the balloon strings. Which objects pull the balloons down? Which ones get lifted up by the balloons? Share ideas and help your child draw and write about your findings.
Sled and Roll Down Hills: Sledding in the snow is a fun way to investigate motion with the children ! Sled down a snowy hill together. How fast did you we go? Did we go faster at the top or the bottom? Experiment with sliding on cardboard, plastic bags and store-bought metal or plastic saucers. Which one makes us go faster and farther? Why do you think so? Visit the library and check out Ten on the Sled by Kim Norman, a book with some great movement vocabulary like whirled, flipped, muddled and bailed. If snow isn’t available, try rolling down a hill with your child. Once you get to the bottom, talk about the experience. Could you feel your body going faster and faster?
Watch How Items Fall: You and the children can explore how things move by dropping a variety of objects one at a time off an elevated area, such as a deck or playground structure. Make sure nobody is standing below! Gather items like feathers, pennies, pebbles and pieces of newspaper and drop them one at a time. Talk about how feathers flutter down, pebbles drop down and how a penny or piece of paper falls quickly or slowly.
Move at the Playground: The playground is a great place for you to help children explore motion and develop his large muscle skills and balance at the same time! Encourage him to use slide, swings, bouncers and balance beams and draw his attention to how he is climbing, sliding, swinging, rocking and balancing. Introduce and use positional terms like You are climbing up so high/sliding down so fast/swinging back and forth/rocking side to side!
Observe How Things Move at the Market: Once you and your child start looking for things that move, it’s amazing what you can find! At the market, the wheels on the cart go around and around when you push it; the pan on the scale goes down and back up when you put vegetables in and take them out; and the conveyor belt at the register moves sideways with your groceries. What other moving things can we find at the market? Can we find more things that go around and around, up and down or sideways?
Play With Push and Pull Toys: Lots of toys for two-year-olds are made for pushing and pulling — like dogs to pull by a string, doll strollers to push and toy trains to pull and push along a track. As your child plays, draw her attention to how these toys move as a result of her actions. Whoops! The dog fell over when you pulled it around the corner! or Your doll carriage is stuck in the doorway! How can you push it over the threshold? You can also support her learning about pushes and pulls by joining in her play with ramps, cars and blocks. The car rolled all the way down the ramp! How can you get it to go back up?
Pound Playdough: Explore how pushes and pulls can change the shape of some materials with store-bought or homemade playdough. Encourage children to pat, squeeze, tear and pound the dough and show her how to make balls, snakes and pancakes by rolling or flattening it with her hands or on the table. For more exploration, add some Popsicle sticks, spoons or shells and other objects to make impressions in the playdough.
Play Catch and Investigate Motion: You can explore motion with your child by playing catch with a large ball. Ball games also help children practice letting go of objects and sharing them. Throw, roll or bounce the ball back and forth with your child. As you play, talk about how far it is flying, rolling or bouncing. How can we make it go further? Play with other large balls like beach balls, basketballs, soccer balls and rubber balls. Which one is your favorite? Why do you like that one the best?
Explore How Block Structures Fall: Knocking block structures down — although it might annoy older siblings — is one way that two-year-olds investigate pushes and pulls. Help your child build a simple block tower and then invite her to knock it down. How do the blocks fall when you push on the tower hard? What about when you push it gently? Try pushing or pulling a block out from the top, middle or bottom of the tower. What happens? Remind her that it’s only okay to knock down her own towers!
Play a Balloon Game: Children can explore pushes and pulls by playing a fun balloon game — this is a great activity for a family party! Blow up and tie some balloons and invite your child to toss one in the air. Take turns tapping it to keep it afloat, counting your taps out loud. Keep it in the air as long as you can! How do you have to hit the balloon to keep it up? Try playing the balloon game outdoors. Is it easier or harder to keep the balloon in the air outside? Why do you think so?
Roll Balls on Playground Slides: When the playground is not too busy, you can help the children investigate how balls roll down slides. Encourage your child to drop a ball at the top of steeper and less steep slides. How does it roll down the different slides? How far does it fly off the end of each slide before falling to the ground? Try different types of balls, like bouncy balls and tennis balls. How do different balls roll the same? How do they roll differently? Roll the balls down a spiral slide if one is available. How do the balls move? Which way do they go when they leave the slide? Share your ideas about why balls roll differently on different slides.
Watch and Listen for What the Wind Blows: When you and children are out and about on a windy day, you can investigate wind and how it moves things. How does the wind feel and sound? What is the wind doing to your hair and your jacket? Encourage your child to look and listen for other signs of wind. What are the leaves on the trees doing? The leaves on the ground? What about flags? Suspended signs or traffic signals? Invite your child to move like he is being blown around by the wind. Introduce words like flapping, swaying, tumbling and tossing.
Use a Helium Balloon to Make Objects Fly: Do you ever buy helium balloons for family birthdays or other events? Once the party is over, use the balloons to help children investigate pushes and pulls! Gather some toy figures, blocks, rocks and other small objects of different weights and tie one to the end of each of the balloon strings. Which objects pull the balloons down? Which ones get lifted up by the balloons? Share ideas and help your child draw and write about your findings.
Sled and Roll Down Hills: Sledding in the snow is a fun way to investigate motion with the children ! Sled down a snowy hill together. How fast did you we go? Did we go faster at the top or the bottom? Experiment with sliding on cardboard, plastic bags and store-bought metal or plastic saucers. Which one makes us go faster and farther? Why do you think so? Visit the library and check out Ten on the Sled by Kim Norman, a book with some great movement vocabulary like whirled, flipped, muddled and bailed. If snow isn’t available, try rolling down a hill with your child. Once you get to the bottom, talk about the experience. Could you feel your body going faster and faster?
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