Show and Tell Takes on a Science Twist – Five Year Old Makes Science Fun

If you think back to your “show & tell” days, you probably brought your favorite stuffed animal or action figure to school. But some teachers are raising the bar by turning show & tell into more of a “demonstrate and learn,” and this little demonstrator is only five years old.

The Wilder Community Preschool is based in Littleton, Colorado and has an enthusiastic and knowledgeable team of teachers who focus on getting their children involved in their own learning on so many levels. I first introduced readers of this blog to the Wilder Preschool staff back in 2007 when I featured the staff on our 9News Mad About Science television segment. In terms of teaching science, the Wilder Preschool staff – Jane Carson, Julie Peterson and Betsy Henry – help their children build connections between clever science activities and real-world applications.

The budding young scientist pictured above – Science Guy Scott – is sharing a science experiment about finding the water-slurping powder in a brand new baby diaper. Believe it or not, toy manufacturers use the same water-absorbing powder (yes, it’s safe to touch and squeeze between your fingers) to make those creatures that grow in water.

It’s great to see early childhood professionals who are really teaching science and using the “gee-whiz” factor to encourage children to wonder, discover and explore their world.