Preschool Physics: Having a Ball With Books

This fun and easy activity requires very little prep work and is the perfect way to get preschoolers interested in reading and physics! 

Age: Preschool (can also be adapted to elementary age students)

Objectives:  Encourage curiosity and introduce the scientific method including developing and testing a hypothesis

Step 1:

Gather a few different sports balls.

Step 2:

Experiment to see which balls bounce the highest.

Step 3:

Make predictions about what ball will hit the ground first when dropped at the same time.  Find a spot to test your hypothesis.

Step 4:

Grab a bucket of water and see which balls float and which sink.

Step 5:

Combine the previous two steps by dropping the balls from a height into your bucket of water.  Which makes the biggest splash?

Step 6:

Make a connection to literature by reading a fun book about balls like Watch Me Throw the Ball by Mo Willems or Big Kicks by Bob Kolar.