Book Logo Science icon.

Science

Materials:

Purple flower

Balls, blocks, toy car or other objects that roll

Your Child Will Learn

Early science concepts about motion, cause and effect, problem-solving, comparing objects, and using language to describe what they see.

rolling-explorers

Rolling Explorers

Here's What To Do

1

Place a few objects on the floor such as a ball, a block, and a toy car.

2

Invite your child to push each object and watch what it does.

3

Encourage your child to notice which objects roll, slide, or stay still.

4

Ask your child to try rolling the objects on different surfaces like carpet and a smooth floor.

Mother and child play together (animated).

Put PEER Into Action

P

Pause:

  • Take a moment to sit with your child, slow down, and notice the objects together before you begin exploring how they move.
E

Engage:

  • “What do you think will happen when we push this one?”
  • “Which object do you want to try rolling next?”
E

Encourage:

  • Give your child time to try things on their own before offering help.
  • Let your child choose how to explore and support them only when they need it.
R

Reflect:

  • “Which object did you like rolling the most today?”

Not quite ready?

Show how each object moves and let your child explore freely without expecting them to compare or describe the movements.

Ready for more?

Encourage them to try rolling objects down a small ramp, like a book propped on a pillow and talk about what happens.

Variable color muffin tins (animated)

As your child masters this skill...

You’ll notice your child intentionally rolling objects and reacting with excitement when they notice differences in how things move.

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