Introduce color and light science activities for kids during the winter season.
Lights are everywhere, and papers, ribbons and objects that glitter, sparkle and reflect are easily available.
Give students plenty of hands on experiences by collecting or borrowing flashlights, LED lights, a lightbox (plastic, not glass), kaleidoscopes, electric tea lights, prisms and transparent plastic objects. These will permit them to have lots of hands on experiences to learn about transparency, reflections and shadows.
Also introduce sources of light, that light is all around us and it comes in many forms. Use non-fiction books to simplify science concepts for young children.
Light Sources
- Brainstorm with the kids to see how many light sources your students can think of. They may say: the sun, the moon, the stars, flashlights, light bulbs, fire, fireflies, rainbows, matches, fireworks, lamps, and lasers.
- Have the students make a book or poster about sources of light to record their thinking. Have the children draw and cut out sources of light or use the FREE LIGHT SOURCE TRACERS here.
Materials to Gather for Science Activities
- flashlights
- led lights
- plastic light box
- a light brite™
- Old shiny cds that reflect light
- a collection of papers:
- black construction
- colored tissue – light and dark
- transparent papers
- cellophane paper in different colors
- wax paper
- glittery christmas cards
- reflective ribbons
- metal mirrors
- concave and convex lens (plastic)
- kaleidoscope
- plastic prisms
- optical illusions and blind spot pictures
- glitter and glitter paint
- shiny stickers with stars, circles, or light source shapes
Make a “lights in the sky” picture
Children learn that the sun is our main source of energy. Show dark and light, day and night, and sources of light in the sky. Use stickers to make the moon, sun and stars. Add glitter to the light circle.
- Black circle for dark
- Yellow circle with glitter on the edges for Light
- Half black circle on a white circle for night and day
- White circle with a yellow circle sticker for the sun
- White circle with an orange circle for the moon
- White circle with star stickers for the stars
Margaret Wise Brown’s classic “Goodnight Moon” is a wonderful tale. As you read through the story, the light in the room gently fades until the room is dark.
A wonderful winter tale.
In the great green room
There was a telephone
And a red balloon
And a picture of the cow jumping over the moon
And there were three little bears sitting on chairs
And two little kittens
And a pair of mittens
And a little toy house
And a young mouse
And a comb and a brush and a bowl full of mush
And a quiet old lady who was whispering “hush”
Goodnight room
Goodnight moon
More fun with light and science here…