Basic Science Equipment for Early Childhood

Basic Science Equipment for Early Childhood
Basic science/discovery materials promote observation of the natural world, data collection, and the conduction of experiments.

This figure is a table with five rows and five columns. The first row has the text "Observing: Prisms, magnifying glasses, magnifier stand, butterfly cage," and has illustrations of a prism, a magnifying glass, a magnifying stand with two magnifying glasses embedded in a small table, and a butterfly cage with two butterflies and a tree branch. The second row has the text, "Classification: Sea animals, rocks, insects, shells," and has illustrations of plastic sea animal figures: a seal, a shark, a fish, and a lobster; a collection of rocks and plastic insect figures; a grasshopper, a butterfly, and a caterpillar; and a collection of seashells. The third row has the text, "Sensory Exploration and Discrimination: Montessori color tiles, Montessori baric (weight) tablets, feely box, Montessori smelling jars," with illustrations of six similarly colored tiles, five wooden squares, a wooden box with an opening on one end for a child to place their hand through to feel the object inside the box, and three jars filled with scented salts. The fourth row has the text, "Ecology: Planting equipment, composting box, rain gauge, thermometer," with illustrations of two packets of seeds with a shovel and terra cotta pot filled with soil, a wooden box filled with compost, a plastic cylinder filled with rain, and a thermometer. Row five has the text, "Physical Science: Gears/pulleys, balance scale, ramps, balls, magnetic wands," with illustrations of three interconnected gears, a balance scale, two towers with ramps connecting them and marbles to roll down the ramps, a magnetic wand with paper clips.

A mathematics area should have ample space on the floor or tabletop for children to spread out materials and work in small groups. The science/discovery area should be located as close to a water source as possible. As with other classroom interest areas, materials should be organized and labeled for easy access and cleanup. Clear storage containers or open baskets make it easy for children to choose items and also provide sorting and classification practice when they are being put away.

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