There’s something magical about water in a preschool classroom. It’s sensory-rich, functional, and full of possibilities for play, exploration, and communication. Whether we’re learning about the water we drink or the fascinating creatures living in the ocean, water-themed lessons provide a strong foundation for meaningful and accessible learning experiences for all students.
Spring and summer are the perfect seasons to dive into this topic, and in this post, I’m going to show you how I bring the The Water Study Bundle Curriculum to life in my classroom.
This bundle is packed with everything you need to explore water science through structured supports like adapted books, arts and crafts, sensory play, and ready-to-use activities.
💧 Water Study Activities
Water Routines
Incorporate everyday water-based tasks like washing hands, brushing teeth, and pouring water into your daily schedule. These activities are great opportunities to model and practice step-by-step routines using visuals and prompts.
Sink or Float Science
Fill a clear bin with water and gather items like toy animals, sponges, spoons, blocks, and plastic fruits. Have students make predictions using visuals, then test each item and chart the results. It’s hands-on science at its best!
Rainy Day Weather Fun
Let students use spray bottles on chalkboards or windows to “make rain.” Pair this with visuals and language supports to explore words like wet, cold, drip, and splash.
Ice Cube Exploration
Use ice cubes to build patterns, count, and sort letters with the Ice Cube Activity Pack. . It’s a great way to bring sensory play into academic learning.
Explore the Water Cycle
Create a mini water cycle by filling a plastic bag with colored water and taping it to a sunny window. Students can observe evaporation and condensation over time. Add sensory tubes to represent the different states of water (solid, liquid, gas) for an interactive science experience.
Painting With Water and Ice
Use a watercolor palette to paint with watercolors. Take it one step further and paint with ice. Fill ice cube tray with water and add food coloring to each sqaure. Stick a popsicle stick in and freeze. Once it’s frozen, use it to paint!
📚 Water Study Books
- “Raindrop, Plop!” by Wendy Cheyette Lewison – Great for sequencing and counting.
- “Water Can Be…” by Laura Purdie Salas – Simple, poetic text exploring all the ways water shows up in our lives.
- Drop: An Adventure through the Water Cycle (A Science Pals Book) by Emily Kate Moon
- Water Study Adapted Books
- I Am Water by Jean Marazollo
- Little Cloud by Eric Carle