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Explore · Wild and Tumble activity

Leaf bubbles

Leaves breathe too! Put a fresh leaf in water in the sun and watch tiny bubbles appear.

  • 10 min + an hour
  • Low mess
  • Ages 3–5*
  • Outdoors
  • Sunny days, spring to autumn
Let's do this

*Illustrative age guidance. Your child's development and circumstances matter more than a number.

A tiny plan for your day

Estimated time: 3 min to set up · 5 min to explore · 2 min to check later. Plus waiting time: an hour. It's fine to stop early.

Before you start

What you’ll need

  • A fresh green leaf, just picked
  • A clear bowl of lukewarm water
  • A small stone
  • A magnifying glass

Let's begin

Five simple steps

That's the whole activity. Tick each step off as you go, and stop whenever you like.

  1. Put the leaf in the bowl of water.

  2. Pop a small stone on it so it stays under.

  3. Leave it in a sunny spot.

  4. Come back after an hour. Can you see tiny bubbles?

  5. Those bubbles come from the leaf making its own food!

All done!

That's every step. However it went, you made a little moment together.

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