What do you have in common with a pumpkin? Learn all about it in this pumpkin preschool science experiment! This science project is perfect for young children.
You and a pumpkin share something in common.
It protects you.
It keeps out germs.
It keeps your insides (and water) in.
Do you know what it is?
It is your skin!
Our preschoolers could tell me all kinds of information about our skin, but they were blown away by the idea that pumpkins had skin too! They embraced the idea pretty quickly, and were excited to investigate more:
Simple Supplies: little pumpkins, investigation tools (we used a cottonball, sandpaper, fork, wooden spoon, and pen, but you can use whatever you have available!)
Easy How To:
1- See how many things your kids can name that you have in common with pumpkins (skin, you both grow, you both need water, you both have DNA, etc...)
2- Find the skin on a pumpkin! Cut into a demo pumpkin so your kiddos can see how thick it is.
3- Talk about the skin's role and how it is similar in your bodies.
We had one pumpkin whose skin had been broken by our dog a few days earlier, and it was really fun to compare the strong, healthy pumpkins to the rotting, broken-skinned pumpkin:
4- Let your children touch the pumpkin skin and ask them how strong the pumpkin skin is. Explain that today's science experiment will be testing the strength of the pumpkin skin. Your children's job is to see what tools will break through the skin and which will not. Then hand them the tools and let them get to work!
We tried using our fingernails:
and cottonballs (we still have cottonballs and sandpaper from our Kindness lesson)
and a fork...
(The fork did make it through the pumpkin skin, but it was damaged during the process.)
and a pen...
Once the skin was broken and we could see inside, everyone wanted their pumpkins cut open so they could get a better look. Once the pumpkins were opened, everyone had different experiments they "needed" to do!
We had some seeds planted...
and we had some bubbles that needed blowing (this bubble in a pumpkin experiment is one of our favorite fall science activities too--we started the pumpkin bubbles trend about three years ago with this post).
In the end we spent about an hour experimenting with our pumpkins!
Do you love pumpkins and science? Then you will want to check out my {FREE} Pumpkin Preschool Theme and Halloween Science posts too!
We actually did this pumpkin science experiment to go with 5 Little Pumpkins for the Virtual Book Club! 5 Little Pumpkins (image below is affiliate link) is a delightful counting board book perfect for preschoolers and toddlers!
The Virtual Book Club brings you new activities every single week focused around a children's book! Learn more about the Virtual Book Club (and see this month's books) here and join in the weekly fun at the Virtual Book Club Facebook Page HERE!
This week we are doing PUMPKIN ACTIVITIES including more fun science projects!! Be sure to visit these other co-hosts and see which activities and science experiments look like fun to you:
Letters/Names:
Math:
Free Printable Pumpkin Shape Puzzles- School time Snippets
Science/Sensory:
Cooking:
Fine Motor:
Arts/Crafts:
Amazon Affiliate Links:
Happy Educating,
Carla
I may share at any of these parties!
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