Sunshine Artistry

• On a sunny day, have the 5-year-olds sit outdoors in a spot where they can feel the warmth of the sun and see bright sunshine. Place several sheets of dark-colored construction paper on the ground or on top of outdoor tables, making sure they are struck by the sunshine. Place a different object -- staplers, pencils, erasers, etc. -- on each piece of paper and leave them sitting out in the sunshine for several hours. The sun will bleach and fade the paper, but the sections of paper that are shaded by the objects will remain dark.
  
  

Magic Ice

• This project shows the children how a granular substance such as salt can bond with string. Place one ice cube into a glass that is nearly filled with water. Place a length of string across the top of the floating ice cube and ask a child to attempt to pick up the ice cube with the string. This will not work. Sprinkle some salt on top of the ice cube, wait a few seconds and have the child try again to lift the ice cube. It will now work, because the salt has bonded with the string and ice.
  
  

Touch, Feel and Look Closer

• This science project for 5-year-olds helps them understand textures and shapes of various objects. Gather objects with different textures and physical features and place them inside a bag. Have a child reach into the bag and grasp one object. Without pulling it out of the bag, ask the child to describe how it feels; hard, soft, squishy, fuzzy, etc. Now have the student remove the item from the bag, tell the others what the object is and what it's used for. Allow the kids to use a magnifying glass to see each object in more detail, and ask them to describe what that they could not see without the magnifying glass (cracks, ridges, different colors, etc.).
  
  

Volcano Explosion

• Create a simple, small volcano and make it erupt to the delight of the 5-year-olds. Use a baby food jar or similar small glass jar as the base of the volcano. Place the jar on a tray or piece of wood and use modeling clay to form the outside of the volcano. Place one drop of red food coloring into the now-hidden jar, along with a tablespoon of baking soda. Finally, pour vinegar into the volcano. As it mixes with the food coloring and baking soda, the chemical mixture will cause an eruption that will thrill any 5-year-old.