Homeschool Helper with Charisse Van Horn

 Here is a great project that will help children determine the different types of properties that are inherent in objects.  Place a variety of different objects on a table and let children hold and examine each one.  It doesn’t matter how old your child is as long as he or she is able to speak you can perform this activity.  Ask the child to describe how the object feels, looks, etc.  While you engage the child in discussion, he or she will be developing awareness that different objects have different properties.  It doesn’t matter whether or not your child can describe the object accurately; just engage in conversation with your child, describing the different aspects of each item.

This is a fun experiment that you can do with young children.  Get some brown paper bags, and put different objects in each bag.  Take the bag and have your child place his or her hand inside.  You can have the child try to guess what object is inside the bag.  This is a great experiment for developing their sense and recognition that each object has different properties and characteristics.  You can also develop your child’s vocabulary skills by having him or her come up with several words to describe what they feel.  For instance, if you put a stuffed animal in one bag, they can describe the feeling such as fluffy, soft, etc.  If you put a rock in one bag, they might describe it as smooth or rough, cold, depending upon the shape of the object.