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Explore · Wild and Tumble activity

Sink or float?

Will it bob or will it plop? Guess, drop and find out with things you've found outside.

  • 15 min total
  • Some mess
  • Ages 2–5*
  • Indoors or out
  • Any season
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 prepare · 10 min to explore · 2 min to tidy. It's fine to stop early.

Before you start

What you’ll need

  • A washing-up bowl of water
  • Six or so found things, such as a leaf, a stone, a twig, a feather, a conker and a pine cone
  • A towel

Let's begin

Four simple steps

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

  1. Line up your found things next to the bowl.

  2. Hold one up. Do you think it will sink or float?

  3. Drop it in and see. Were you right?

  4. Sort them into two piles, sinkers and floaters.

All done!

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

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