The other day when we took the ferry from Hoboken to Battery Park City, it was just the muggiest, foggiest day.
The kids kept asking why we couldn’t see and I did my best to explain fog, but to be perfectly frank I do think it’s a little much to ask a two, or even four year old, to understand. We concluded it was like a cloud near the ground.
Surprisingly enough, a few days later when we went to the farmer’s market we found this book:
A book for learning about fog
The book Why is the Day All Gray, featuring your favorite Winnie the Pooh characters was a little wordy. However, in the back there was a little experiment for creating fog in a jar! The kids were super excited to try it at home! If you want to try, this is what we did.
How to Make Fog in a Jar
- Fill a jar with hot water.
- Pour out all but one inch.
- Put ice cubes on top of the jar.
- Watch the condensation form. You have Fog!
We tried this a few different ways and couldn’t quite get a perfect fog, but they were able to see the condensation pretty well!
Science for Preschoolers
We are big fans of hands on learning for little ones. In my opinion they are never too young to explore something they are interested in. As parents it’s our job to support that.
BUT, if your child is not interested in this type of activity, don’t do it! On the one hand it is great to expose children to many stimuli– easy when you travel.
On the other hand, there is no reason to “invent” activities for kids to do. And please no mama guilt if you are not into it! You do you! [end rant]
Here are more activities to try with your toddler or preschooler:
- Playing with pom poms for fine motor skills
- Three educational games best for age 2-3
- Indoor activities for all ages, not just toddlers