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More Simple Science

by Rae Pica

This week’s science lessons involve Newton’s third law of motion (for every action force there is an equal and opposite reaction force) and that most mysterious of scientific concepts: gravity. Fortunately, young children don’t have to understand either of these concepts in order to experience them!

Rock My World. To introduce your child to Newton’s law, simply sit facing her, with the soles of your feet together and your hands grasped in front of you. Then rock back and forth. When you lean back, your child must lean forward; and the reverse. Begin by moving slowly and gently. How slowly can she go? When you feel she can handle it, pick up the tempo a bit.

By the way, playing on a seesaw is also an example of action and reaction. And it teaches lessons about balance and levers, two more scientific principles!

The Gravity of Gravity. Give your child a chiffon scarf to toss into the air as “hard” as he can. Does it come back down slow or fast? Does it make any difference in how fast it comes down if he throws it more gently?

Next, invite your child to try the same with a lightweight ball and, finally, with a beanbag. Of the three items, which came down fastest? Which came down slowest? Why does she think that might have happened? Why does she think everything eventually comes down? (This question could provide some interesting answers!)

You can also conduct a similar experiment with a parachute, first using cotton balls and then beanbags. Which are hardest to lift into the air? Which comes back down to the parachute most quickly?