Will it stick? Will it fall? Let’s give it a try!
It’s painter’s tape and a few items from the junk drawer. – Are you surprised? Will it stick is a super fun preschool thinking activity that all three of my boys jumped into.
Sometimes the most straightforward ideas take the cake – and this, my friends, is a winner.
Truly, I grabbed anything and everything
I know this idea is so simple that it leaves us wondering what’s happening behind the scenes. We have a collection of different items with different materials, and the idea is to see which things stick to the tape.
What my preschooler is also learning:
- hypothesis
- problem-solving
- investigating weights
- building conversations
- making observations
- hand-eye coordination
- grip and holding a steady hand when placing each object
Pretty basic, right? Not really. (wink, wink)
My preschooler tested one object at a time
Wondering what we have here? It is everything I could find in under three minutes from my kitchen drawer.
Supplies will change depending on what you find in your junk drawer. Here’s what I gathered:
- dice
- broken crayon
- popsicle stick
- fork – yes, a fork
- marker
- Jet
- rubberband
- plastic spider
These objects are relatively small, which improves fine motor strength. Activities like this also help prepare for pencil grip down the road.
RELATED: We keep activities super simple on purpose. See our supply list here.
Here’s how I set this preschool activity up
I know you don’t have these blocks – but you do have something that you can use to hold the tape in place. Try using the tape from one end of the table to a chair a few feet away.
- Place the tape sticky side down from end to end.
- Gether a few objects and place them below the tape.
- Invite your child to test each item.
PRO TIP: Try keeping a few items on the tape at a time and see which item lasts on the tape the longest!
As he tested each object, he made an observation
Most objects stuck, and when they didn’t, he naturally commented on his reason why they fell back to the table.
RELATED: Looking for play ideas? Start with these kid activities!
Want to level this preschool activity up?
Try adding a simple chart that your child can mark if the object stuck to the tape or not. Extend the conversation by talking about how many stuck and how many things fell off.
Time to clean out the junk drawer.