Coins in a Water Jar

Here is a very simple activity that engages children of all ages.  Instead of practicing putting coins or buttons in a bank, try putting them in a clear container with water in it.  It is mesmerizing and pretty to watch them float to the bottom.  Lightweight, colorful buttons were fun to watch.  Fake coins were interesting because some didn’t always sink.  We moved on to then checking whether items would sink or float.  We found small items that could fit through the slot i.e. beads, coins, popsicle sticks, etc.    The toddler keeps going back to this activity (of course make sure they do not put anything small in their mouths)For the older kids, we started a game of whether you could hit an object inside the container with a coin.  We placed one of the magic grow animals (from the dollar store) in the container to watch it grow over time but then started trying to hit coins with it.  If you hit the object with a coin you got a point.  It was lots of fun – not much strategy just luck.This activity encourages: