Children may become curious about temperature during extreme weather or discussions about climate change. The air can feel hot or cold, but objects and materials can too - like oven handles and ice cream.
Temperature relates to sensory play. It connects children to their world, which aligns with The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF).
- Temperatures make children curious (4.1) and provoke investigation of (4.2) different materials (4.4).
- Learning about the weather helps children respect nature (2.4).
Learning experiences
Play with temperature
- Play with ice, warm water, and even fire.
- Fill two plastic bottles, one with warm water and one with chilled water. Let children feel the difference.
- Play with hot/cold packs or heated sand for the sensory experience.
Heat and freeze
Cook something, using a stove and a freezer. Use kitchen thermometers. Observe how food changes when they are heated up or cooled down, such as watching water boil or seeing how an ice block melts.
Learn about weather
Read the weather report, and use a thermometer to check the air temperature indoors and outdoors at your childcare centre. Make a chart and record the air temperature taken at the same time of day for a month.
Play a dress-up game
An educator decides what temperature it is and a child finds appropriate clothes for that weather. This game can be played using costumes, flash cards, or magazine pictures.
Experiment with materials
Gather a selection of cups made from different materials (e.g. plastic, metal, ceramics). An educator pours hot water into each of the cups. After a few minutes, children can feel the sides of the cups to see which ones have become the hottest. The water will need to be hot enough for the experiment to work while ensuring the children's safety.