Science Tables Made Exciting

by Donna Swistun

Children are naturally curious. Their innate desire to ask questions, explore and manipulate their environment sets the stage for future learning. Science tables are an ideal way to give children valuable hands-on experience while exploring the wonders of nature. Whether children are watching frog's eggs hatch, stroking a furry caterpillar or making their own fossils out of plaster, science tables can help them gain a deeper and broader understanding of the world around them.

Unfortunately, it is not unusual to walk into a child care centre and see the science table hidden in an isolated corner of the room, showcasing a few shells, a half-dead plant and a magnet. Certainly, the display at the Seven Oaks Child Day Care Centre in Winnipeg was beginning to look like that a few years ago. Since then, the science table has been completely transformed by moving it to a prominent area of the room and giving each staff member the task of coordinating the display for one week. The result has been a fun, creative exhibit of science-related objects and hands-on, self-guided activites that are thoroughly enjoyed by both the children and their parents.

At Seven Oaks, each staff member is responsible for coming up with a theme, setting up the science table and ensuring that the activities are safe. Decorating the table with colourful signs or cutouts from magazines (such as Owl or Chickadee magazines) can help make the display more attractive. If possible, books related to the science table should be placed in the centre's reading area and science-related puzzles should be placed in the puzzle area. To come up with ideas, check out the books at your local library, organize brainstorming sessions at work, and find out what the children are interested in. Of course, do not forget that parents can also provide valuable suggestions and materials -- just ask!

The following chart provides a list of some of the unusual and exciting exhibits that staff at the Seven Oaks Child Day Care have presented over the past few years. I hope they inspire you to create some entertaining, educational science tables of your own.

Theme of science table Props

Diane's Old Bones
(fossils) Use magnifying glasses, limestone rocks containing fossils (if available) and plaster fossils made by the children.

Diana's Dinosaur Park
Madalana's Dinosaur Garden
Display is based on the book Patrick's Dinosaur by Carol & Donald Carrick.
Set up a dinosaur park on the floor using sand and rubber dinosaurs. Children can help make a cave (a box covered with papier mâché), trees (toilet paper rolls) and pools of water (if you are brave enough).
Display is based on the book Dinosaur Garden by Liza Donnelly.
To make a terrarium: plant seeds in an aquarium; add rocks, miniature dinosaurs and a pool (using a small tin foil plate); cover the top with plastic; and watch a prehistoric jungle grow.

Our Galaxy

Pat's Working Astronauts To make starscopes: take a toilet paper roll and cover one end with construction paper; pin prick the big dipper and other constellation patterns into the paper; and cover with clear tape.
To make star dust: fill 3/4 of a baby food jar with corn syrup; add water and food colouring to bring the liquid to the top; add star shaped sequins or bits of foil; and glue the lid on top.
Life on the moon: use rocks, sand, rockets (made from foil and toilet paper rolls) and plastic astronauts (e.g. the L'il Playmate space sets).
Working in outer space: tape men's gloves to dryer vent hoses to make sleeves and have children use salad tongs as tools to pick up things.

Life in the Forest All about trees: feature pine cones, pine boughs, slices of pine trees, pieces of pine, pictures of pine furniture, and photos of logging, lumber and carpentry activities.
Animals of the forest: create a display with rocks, tree branches, a tree stump and animal figurines (e.g. Wintergreen's Classic Forest Animal Collection).

Donna's Bones Feature a skeleton (a plastic model called the Bones Book), a bone from a chicken leg, a beef bone (the knuckle bone will show how the joint works), a cast and X-rays (check with your local hospital).

Fun on the Farm In a wading pool, place a bale of hay or straw and plastic farm animals.
We even arranged for two piglets to visit our centre. First, the children built a pen out of large waffle blocks, then they lined the bottom with plastic and straw. The visitors arrived in a dog kennel. Although the piglets were noisy and smelly, they were well worth the effort.

All About Air Set up wind chimes, fans and windmills.
To make magic balloons: blow up balloons, tie the ends and hang them from the ceiling (for safety reasons).
Rub balloons to create static electricity and hold them above sugar or torn pieces of tissue paper.

Spring To grow tulips: plant bulbs in flower pots in the fall, place them in the fridge and take them out six weeks before spring.
Pick some pussy willows.

Lisa's Tadpoles Get some frog eggs and let them hatch. Watch the complete change from tadpole to frog. A few helpful hints: use only pond or rain water in the aquarium, aerate the water (using air stone) and feed the frogs fish food. Also, add some rocks for the frogs to sit on and include leaves and water plants from the pond where you found the frog eggs. Remember to release the frogs after they have gone through the change of life.

Insects Show magnifying glasses and containers of deceased bugs.
Live insects can be brought in and released at the end of the day. If you can find a caterpillar, it may spin a cocoon and hatch into a moth.
To make an ant farm: layer sifted dirt and sand into a large jar, gather ants together (using sheets of paper sprinkled with honey or crumbs) and place them in the jar. Add a wet sponge (so the ants have something to drink), bread, cookie crumbs and small seeds. Put the jar in a dark place and give the ants time to build tunnels. Bring the jar into the light to observe the tunnels.

Growing things Before Christmas we always plant an Amyrillis bulb, chart its growth (math skills) and watch it bloom. It usually takes about four to six weeks. Some of the bulbs have wonderful names, like Red Lion, that the children really enjoy.

Shapes To make shadow shapes: have children trace blocks of different shapes and colour them in. Then, have the children match the blocks to their shadows.
To make a shadow theatre: in a dark part of the room (perhaps under the science table), have one child hold a flashlight while another works a puppet (cardboard cutouts attached to a straw).

Colours of the rainbow Glass frames covered with coloured acetate allow the children to see the world through coloured eyes.
To make coloured carnations: put water and food colouring in a jar and add carnations. Leave the flowers in a warm room and, in about an hour, the carnations will begin to change colour. Split the stems in half and watch for two-tone flowers.
Where did the colour go? Take a circle of cardboard and colour different sections red, blue, yellow, green and purple. Poke a pencil through the centre, spin the circle around and watch what happens!

Making Music To play the bottle xylophone: take eight same-sized bottles and pour varying amounts of water into them (food colouring can also be added). Have the children tap the bottles with a metal spoon to make their own music.

Donna Swistun is the assistant-director of Seven Oaks Child Day Care Centre, a preschool child care program in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

This article appeared in Interaction (Fall 1994), published by the Canadian Child Care Federation.

Posted by the Canadian Child Care Federation, August 1997.

Theme of science table	Props
Diane's Old Bones (fossils)	Use magnifying glasses, limestone rocks containing fossils (if available) and plaster fossils made by the children.
Diana's Dinosaur Park Madalana's Dinosaur Garden	Display is based on the book Patrick's Dinosaur by Carol & Donald Carrick. Set up a dinosaur park on the floor using sand and rubber dinosaurs. Children can help make a cave (a box covered with papier mâché), trees (toilet paper rolls) and pools of water (if you are brave enough). Display is based on the book Dinosaur Garden by Liza Donnelly. To make a terrarium: plant seeds in an aquarium; add rocks, miniature dinosaurs and a pool (using a small tin foil plate); cover the top with plastic; and watch a prehistoric jungle grow.
Our Galaxy Pat's Working Astronauts	To make starscopes: take a toilet paper roll and cover one end with construction paper; pin prick the big dipper and other constellation patterns into the paper; and cover with clear tape. To make star dust: fill 3/4 of a baby food jar with corn syrup; add water and food colouring to bring the liquid to the top; add star shaped sequins or bits of foil; and glue the lid on top. Life on the moon: use rocks, sand, rockets (made from foil and toilet paper rolls) and plastic astronauts (e.g. the L'il Playmate space sets). Working in outer space: tape men's gloves to dryer vent hoses to make sleeves and have children use salad tongs as tools to pick up things.
Life in the Forest	All about trees: feature pine cones, pine boughs, slices of pine trees, pieces of pine, pictures of pine furniture, and photos of logging, lumber and carpentry activities. Animals of the forest: create a display with rocks, tree branches, a tree stump and animal figurines (e.g. Wintergreen's Classic Forest Animal Collection).
Donna's Bones	Feature a skeleton (a plastic model called the Bones Book), a bone from a chicken leg, a beef bone (the knuckle bone will show how the joint works), a cast and X-rays (check with your local hospital).
Fun on the Farm	In a wading pool, place a bale of hay or straw and plastic farm animals. We even arranged for two piglets to visit our centre. First, the children built a pen out of large waffle blocks, then they lined the bottom with plastic and straw. The visitors arrived in a dog kennel. Although the piglets were noisy and smelly, they were well worth the effort.
All About Air	Set up wind chimes, fans and windmills. To make magic balloons: blow up balloons, tie the ends and hang them from the ceiling (for safety reasons). Rub balloons to create static electricity and hold them above sugar or torn pieces of tissue paper.
Spring	To grow tulips: plant bulbs in flower pots in the fall, place them in the fridge and take them out six weeks before spring. Pick some pussy willows.
Lisa's Tadpoles	Get some frog eggs and let them hatch. Watch the complete change from tadpole to frog. A few helpful hints: use only pond or rain water in the aquarium, aerate the water (using air stone) and feed the frogs fish food. Also, add some rocks for the frogs to sit on and include leaves and water plants from the pond where you found the frog eggs. Remember to release the frogs after they have gone through the change of life.
Insects	Show magnifying glasses and containers of deceased bugs. Live insects can be brought in and released at the end of the day. If you can find a caterpillar, it may spin a cocoon and hatch into a moth. To make an ant farm: layer sifted dirt and sand into a large jar, gather ants together (using sheets of paper sprinkled with honey or crumbs) and place them in the jar. Add a wet sponge (so the ants have something to drink), bread, cookie crumbs and small seeds. Put the jar in a dark place and give the ants time to build tunnels. Bring the jar into the light to observe the tunnels.
Growing things	Before Christmas we always plant an Amyrillis bulb, chart its growth (math skills) and watch it bloom. It usually takes about four to six weeks. Some of the bulbs have wonderful names, like Red Lion, that the children really enjoy.
Shapes	To make shadow shapes: have children trace blocks of different shapes and colour them in. Then, have the children match the blocks to their shadows. To make a shadow theatre: in a dark part of the room (perhaps under the science table), have one child hold a flashlight while another works a puppet (cardboard cutouts attached to a straw).
Colours of the rainbow	Glass frames covered with coloured acetate allow the children to see the world through coloured eyes. To make coloured carnations: put water and food colouring in a jar and add carnations. Leave the flowers in a warm room and, in about an hour, the carnations will begin to change colour. Split the stems in half and watch for two-tone flowers. Where did the colour go? Take a circle of cardboard and colour different sections red, blue, yellow, green and purple. Poke a pencil through the centre, spin the circle around and watch what happens!
Making Music	To play the bottle xylophone: take eight same-sized bottles and pour varying amounts of water into them (food colouring can also be added). Have the children tap the bottles with a metal spoon to make their own music.