Your children will enjoy experimenting on their own with differently weighted objects. This activity will validate the similarities and differences they see in objects of the same size.

What this activity will develop:
Maths and thinking skills

What you'll need:

• Moulding clay (non-toxic)
• Balance scale
• Various items of the same size and shape; for example cotton balls, rocks, roll of tape and so on
• Waxed paper

What to do:
Place a balance scale and a large container of moulding clay on a low table where the children can work. Instruct the children to, one at a time, pull off a small amount of clay and roll it into a ball. Have them place the ball on one of the trays of the balance scale. Then have them make another ball and place it on the other side of the scale. Show the children that one side of the scale is hanging lower than the other side; this means that one clay ball is heavier than the other. Have the children try to equalise the scale trays by making one of the clay balls smaller or the other larger. Place a sheet of waxed paper by the scale for children to place equal-weight balls on.

Once they've played with the clay, have children do the same thing with other objects. For example, have them try to balance a small rock and a wad of cotton balls. Or compare the cotton balls to one of their clay balls.

Select more skills:
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