Header photo - A kid lying on the sofa / © Arina Krasnikova
Author: MANEL DRARENI
Date 13/01/2025
Rainy days don’t have to be boring! Explore 10 fun and educational indoor science activities that will keep your preschooler learning, playing, and smiling all day long.
Turn bath time or a large bowl of water into a science lab! Gather household items (e.g., spoons, sponges, corks, small toys) and let your child predict whether each will sink or float. Encourage them to test their hypotheses and sort items into groups. This activity strengthens critical thinking and introduces basic scientific principles.
What you need:
• A bowl or tub of water
• Small household items
• Towel for cleanup
Why it works: This easy-to-set-up activity is not only fun for your little one, but it also teaches them cool science concepts like buoyancy* and how different materials behave.
(*buoyancy is the force that pushes an object up when it's in a liquid)
Photo 1 - A duck floating on a pond / © Andre Moura
2. Household Science Hunt Challenge
Science is everywhere! Create a game where your preschooler identifies and collects everyday objects around the house that show different science concepts, like solids, liquids, or things that stick to a magnet. For added fun, draw a chart to track how many solids, liquids, or magnetic items they find.
What you need:
• A clipboard or paper
• Drawing materials
Why it works: It’s an interactive way to teach basic science concepts like materials, states of matter, and simple machines while improving observation and categorization skills.
Photo 2 - Mom with kids making arts and crafts / © Artem Podrez
3. DIY Shadow Science Show
Dim the lights, grab a flashlight, and create a magical world of shadows! Use your hands or cut out simple shapes to explore how light makes shadows. You can even talk about how different objects create different shadow shapes. Invite your child to experiment with their own shapes and see what happens!
What you need:
• Flashlight
• Blank wall or sheet
• Paper, scissors, and tape (optional)
Why it works: This activity teaches your preschooler about light, shadows, and how objects block light to create shapes. It’s a fun, hands-on way to learn about basic science concepts while encouraging creativity and curiosity.
Photo 3 - A kid playing shadow theatre / © Ron Lach
4. Rainy Day Science Scavenger Hunt
Create an indoor scavenger hunt with science clues and challenges! Ask your preschooler to find objects that represent different science ideas, like things that float, items that are heavy or light, or things that grow. Reward their efforts with stickers or a small prize!
What you need:
• List of science scavenger hunt items (e.g., something soft, something heavy, something that floats)
• Small prizes or stickers
Why it works: This activity encourages your child to explore science concepts like buoyancy, weight, and textures, all while promoting problem-solving and physical movement.
Photo 4 - Kids playing together / © Kindel Media
5. Mini Volcano Science Experiment
Bring science to life with a mini volcano! Using baking soda and vinegar, you can create a safe, bubbling eruption. Add a few drops of food coloring for extra flair.
What you need:
• Baking soda (a few tablespoons)
• Vinegar (a few tablespoons)
• Small container (like a cup)
• Food coloring (optional)
• Liquid soap (optional - a few drop for a foamy effect)
Why it works: Preschoolers love the dramatic visual effect while learning about chemical reactions.
Photo 5 - A kid pouring liquid into a spoon / © cottonbro studio
6. Science Puzzle Building Station
Set up an area with science-themed puzzles or create your own by cutting images of animals, plants, or simple machines into pieces. Encourage your child to put the puzzles together and talk about what each picture represents, like how plants grow or how a lever works.
What you need:
• Science-themed puzzles or printed images to cut (e.g., animals, plants, simple machines)
• Flat surface to work on
Why it works: This activity helps develop problem-solving skills, fine motor coordination, and patience, while also introducing basic science concepts like the animal life cycle, plant growth, or simple machines.
Photo 6 - A kid making a puzzle / © Freepik
7. Create a Nature Collage
Bring a bit of the outdoors inside! Use leaves, twigs, or flowers from a previous outing and let your preschooler glue them onto paper to create a beautiful nature-inspired collage.
What you need:
• Leaves, twigs, or flowers
• Glue and paper
Why it works: It connects art with science while nurturing fine motor skills.
Photo 7 - A kid making a collage with leaves / © RDNE Stock project
8. Storytelling with Science Props
Gather random items from around the house and create a “science story bag.” Take turns pulling out an item and weaving it into a science-themed story. For example, a spoon could become a tool for exploring space, or a rock could be part of a story about Earth's layers!
What you need:
• Random household items (e.g., a spoon, rock, leaf, toy animal)
• A bag or box
Why it works: This activity boosts imagination, narrative skills, and vocabulary development while introducing fun science concepts like nature, exploration, and the world around us.
Photo 8 - Kids playing together / © Ivan Samkov
9. Indoor Earth & Life Science Obstacle Course
Turn your living room into an exciting earth and life science-themed obstacle course! Kids can crawl under tables, step over cushions, and balance on pillows while exploring how animals move and how plants grow. Encourage them to jump like a kangaroo, crawl like a snake, or tiptoe like a flower swaying in the wind!
What you need:
• Cushions, pillows, and chairs
• Tape or masking tape to mark paths
• Simple toys or household objects for added obstacles (e.g., toy animals, plants, rocks)
• Cushions, pillows, and chairs
• Tape or masking tape to mark paths
• Simple toys or household objects for added obstacles (e.g., toy animals, plants, rocks)
Why it works: This activity keeps kids active while teaching them about how animals move, how plants grow, and the Earth’s surface. They’ll develop coordination and motor skills by comparing their movements to those in nature, like jumping like frogs or crawling like worms.
Photo 9 - A kid inside a cardboard box / © cottonbro studio
10. Earth Science Rain Art
Let your child create unique rain art by painting nature-inspired pictures (e.g., flowers, trees, or the sky). After they finish painting with vibrant watercolors on watercolor paper, briefly step outside and place the paper in the rain. Watch as the raindrops blend the colors and create fascinating patterns! Discuss how rain affects the environment, like helping plants grow or shaping the land.
What you need:
• Watercolor paper
• Watercolors and brushes
• A safe outdoor space to place the art in the rain
Why it works: This activity combines art with a natural phenomenon, allowing your child to explore how rain shapes the Earth while encouraging creativity and scientific curiosity.
Photo 10 - Kid relaxed feeling happy and laughing / © Jose Ibarra
•••
A Rainy Day Solution for Busy ParentsLooking for more ways to keep your preschooler happy and learning on a rainy day?
Our Rainy Day Boredom Buster Pack is what you need to turn a
boring day into a fun day!
Check it out
↓
Credits
Header photo - by Arina Krasnikova on Pexels.
Photo 1 - by Andre Moura on Pexels.
Photo 2 - by Artem Podrez on Pexels.
Photo 3 - by Ron Lach on Pexels.
Photo 4 - by Kindel Media on Pexels.
Photo 5 - by cottonbro studio on Pexels.
Photo 6 - Photo by Freepik
Photo 7 - Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.
Photo 8 - Photo by Ivan Samkov on Pexels.
Photo 9 - Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.
Photo 10 - Photo by Jose Ibarra on Unsplash.