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by Carrie Ann Cain
Topics: Second Grade, Science

This activity will help your child get a grasp of different states of matter in a hands-on, interactive way.


What You Need:
Solids, liquids, and gases found around the house.

 
What You Do:
 
Step 1:
Begin the activity by briefly reviewing with your child the characteristics of a solid, liquid, and gas. For example, discuss how solids have a definite shape, while liquids and gases do not. Let your child know that you will be going on a “solid, liquid, and gas” scavenger hunt around the house, looking for examples of each of these three categories of matter.

 
Step 2:
Begin the hunt by searching for solids first, which are often the easiest for kids to spot. Have your child write a list of all the solids she finds. Or, for a simpler version of the hunt, just have your child shout out the names of the solids as she finds them. Examples of solids include tables, chairs, the floor, windows, toys, and anything else a kid can grab on to.

Step 3:
After your child explores all the solids she can find around the house, switch gears and have her hunt for liquids. Examples of household liquids include water, milk, orange juice, cleaning products, or the condensation on glasses.

Step 4:
When your child is finished naming all the liquids she can find around the house, have her hunt for gases. This is the trickiest part of the scavenger hunt, since virtually all household gases are invisible. One way to experiment with gases is by breathing in oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide. If there are balloons in the home, discuss how helium is the gas that makes balloons float in the air. Having trouble coming up with gases? Put a pot of water on the stove and as the steam rises from the pot, talk about the fact that steam is the gaseous stage of water.
 
This hunt is a quick and easy way to introduce kids to many examples of different states of matter. As your child gets better at it, you can challenge her with a set number of items to find in each category. Or, send her online, for a virtual hunt.