Kid Activities, Crafts and Printables for Fun Learning and Creativity

Corn and Popcorn Fall Science & Sensory Play for Kids

It’s science time! Grab a bag of popcorn and get ready to learn with this simple and inexpensive kid activity. We recently did Apple Graphing and I thought this would be a great way to review graphing along with practicing life skills like measuring, pouring, counting, and weighing.

It’s science time! Grab a bag of popcorn and get ready to learn with this simple and inexpensive kid’s activity + Free Printable (measuring, pouring, counting, graphing, and weighing, fall kids activity).

This post is part the first post of the school year for our Creative Preschool Team. Make sure to check out more Corn Activities to do with your kids at the bottom of this post. Last year’s themes included: Shapes, Science Experiments, Learn About Food, Fine Motor Skills, Hair & Body, Fairy Tales, Ocean, Rain Forest, Flower & Plants and Solar System.
It’s science time! Grab a bag of popcorn and get ready to learn with this simple and inexpensive kid’s activity + Free Printable (measuring, pouring, counting, graphing, and weighing, fall kids activity).
Pin me please! 🙂

The day before we did our experiment I let the kids play and explore with our corn kernels so that when it came down to our experiment, they would be ready to follow directions. It was certainly a fun Sensory Activity–the kernels are fun to dig into, pour, feel, and even listen to as they plink into the bowl. They used measuring cups, spoons, containers, and funnels. Little Tiger realized that when she used her large measuring spoon the kernels would get stuck in her funnel, but if she used her small measuring spoon they could flow through. Little Dragon pointed out the largest spoons and cups and observed that they held the most because he could make big scoops.

We watched this slow motion YouTube video of popcorn popping (by Diogo-Just me) and my kid’s thought it was so cool! I explained to them that corn kernels pop open to make popcorn because inside the kernel is a little space with a tiny amount of water. When the water gets hot enough in the microwave, it builds up pressure and finally explodes open. Then I found some “granny” kernels (do you call then that?–you know, the ones that aren’t popped all the way) and we lined them up in order from beginning to end of the popping process. This experiment reminded me of our Soap Blowup Experiment, which also results in something small turning into something big due to heat and tiny air pockets like the ones inside popcorn kernels.

Corn vs. Popcorn Science for Kids

It’s science time! Grab a bag of popcorn and get ready to learn with this simple and inexpensive kid’s activity + Free Printable (measuring, pouring, counting, graphing, and weighing, fall kids activity).
Pin me please! 🙂
 

Supplies:
Corn Graph (available for download at the end of this post)
Corn kernels (I love this pack of All Natural Red, White, and Blue Popcorn Kernels-affiliate link)
Popcorn
Small Scale (affiliate link) (If you don’t have one the kids can just hold the corn and popcorn, then decide which one is heavier)
Cup of water
1/4 C. Measuring cup
Bowls
Pen

Directions:
1.  Print out the graph; make a bowl of corn kernels and a bowl of popcorn. I suggest also having a small bowl or popcorn designated as the eating bowl because I guarantee your kids will want to eat during this activity.

2.  Have kids feel, touch, smell, and observe the kernels and the popcorn and record their observations.

3.  Give kids a cup of water and have them test the kernels and popcorn to see if they float or sink in water and record their observations. This was my kiddos favorite part and when we were all done with the activity they did this step until they had emptied our bowls.

It’s science time! Grab a bag of popcorn and get ready to learn with this simple and inexpensive kid’s activity + Free Printable (measuring, pouring, counting, graphing, and weighing, fall kids activity).

 

4.  Fill the measuring cup up with popcorn, count the popcorn, and record the number. Fill the measuring cup with kernels and count them. We counted to 200, which appeared to be about half, then we estimated that we probably had around 400 kernels. The goal is to realize that even though we had 1/4 of a cup of each item, due to size, we did not have the same amount when we counted them.

5.  Weigh the kernels and weigh the popcorn, then record the number. Our scale wasn’t sensitive enough to weigh 14 pieces of popcorn so I had the kids add some pieces until it read .1.

6.  Review graph and talk about observations.

It’s science time! Grab a bag of popcorn and get ready to learn with this simple and inexpensive kid’s activity + Free Printable (measuring, pouring, counting, graphing, and weighing, fall kids activity).
Pin me please! 🙂

DOWNLOAD THE PRINTABLE HERE:

Don’t see the box? CLICK HERE to be directed to the download.

Corn Activities by the Creative Preschool Team

Candy Corn Pizza Craft  By Artsy Momma Easiest Cardboard Rainmakers ever!By Pink Stripey Socks Preschool Corn Counting Activity with Printable By I Heart Crafty Things STEAM: Candy Corn Pop Art By Hand Made Kids Art Printable Candy cornBingo Game By School Time Snippets

  More Science Activities Magnets & Lids Candy Solubility ExperimentPop Rock Balloon ExperimentLearning About our Body

It’s science time! Grab a bag of popcorn and get ready to learn with this simple and inexpensive kid’s activity + Free Printable (measuring, pouring, counting, graphing, and weighing, fall kids activity).

Thanks for learning with us today. If you enjoyed the free printables and activities please pin & share it with others! Love, Katie & the Kiddos (Updated: 8/29/2016 Original Post Date: 9/8/2015)

Filed Under: Creative Preschoolers, Fall, Fall Printables, Graphs, Kindergarten, Learn, Preschool, Printables, Science

Top Resources

Follow Us on Pinterest

  • These little bugs took no time at all to make and are a pretty self-guided craft for kids. Little Tiger finished chopping potatoes while helping me make dinner and found our bags full of lids on the counter (3 bags to be exact–no lid gets left behind in our house :). Before long I looked over and there were 3 bugs staring back at me and no mess in sight! Since the little bugs sitting on my counter make me smile when I look at them I thought you should have some too.
  • This activity helps kids learn to count to 100, introduces them to place values, helps with number recognition and number relationships while allowing them to be actively involved as they learn instead of just staring at a chart with lots of numbers which can be overwhelming.
  • We love stars around here so naturally one of our favorite things that live in the ocean is starfish aka sea stars. They come in all different shapes, sizes, and textures so we have provided you with a free craft template to make a big, medium, and small size starfish craft with your kids. We also show you how to take your craft to the next level by giving it texture and folding it to give it dimension, and if you want you can give it added color with paint. Each one will turn out amazing!
  • When this sunset Tissue Paper Craft is hung in a window it magically seems to glow resembling the beauty of a real sunset on the horizon. No glue or scissor skills are required, so this craft is easy to clean up and perfect for kids of all ages!
  • One of the most beloved children’s authors has to be Dr. Seuss who happens to have a birthday coming up on March 2nd. Did you know he wasn’t technically a doctor?– but that’s okay we still love him anyways! To start celebrating my kids picked out Horton Hears a Who!
  • The set comes in a print-in-color or a color-me (coloring book) version. You can print the set out and assemble it, or extend this activity further by letting your students color their own spinner increasing their recognition of each picture.
Follow Me on Pinterest

Comments