Young children had the opportunity to tinker with various science experiments Saturday morning during the Science and Nature Exploration Day hosted by the Macomb Township campus of Green Garden Child Development.
Children ages 5 and under could test the floating ability of different objects, press the paw prints of various animals into homemade playdough or snow, or even use different materials available to create their own experiment.
The idea was to introduce young people to science and nature while stimulating their creativity.
“We try to do a lot of nature-based things,” said Sarah Hodges, campus director. “We also want to show that it’s okay to get dirty and make a mess. »
A young boy had a lot of fun picking up various objects and placing them in a small pool of water to see if they floated. When something floated, he clapped his hands and smiled.
Since temperatures were a little cool for extended outdoor play on Saturday, snow was brought inside for the little ones to use in their experiments and explorations. Hodges said the center emphasizes nature and outdoor play, something many children need encouragement for.
“Especially after COVID, a lot of kids just wanted to stay inside and stopped going out as much as before,” Hodges said. “We also show them how to bring outdoor activities indoors on days when you can’t go outside.”
Hodges realizes that many activities today – even for very young toddlers – are meticulously planned and directed by adults. Science and Nature Exploration Day allows adults to take a step back while children’s curiosity emerges.
“We’re trying to move away from telling kids ‘you have to do this my way and this is how we do the activity’ and allow the child to express themselves and develop their creativity,” Hodges said .
Green Garden Child Development Center is located at 18600 23 Mile Road, just east of Romeo Plank Road in Macomb Township.