Week 7 — Discovery Days
A bright week of little scientists — put on the goggles, make a guess, then try it and see — that builds all week toward Friday's Discovery Fair, where each Little shows their classmates their favorite experiment and says "I thought this… then this happened!" July 13–17 · a full 5-day week · Littles classroom, ages 2–3.5.
This guide pairs with the General Planning Guide and applies Discovery Days to the Littles (2–3.5) daily schedule. This is a full 5-day week, and the big moment is Friday's Discovery Fair — each Little re-runs their favorite experiment for their classmates and tells the little story: "I thought ___, then ___ happened." The whole week is one happy game of "Change one thing — what if?": make a guess, try it, look at what happened, then change one little thing and guess again. Goggles on and hands-in-lap until "GO" is the quiet self-control rule that makes every experiment safe and lets the guessing land. Remember the morning order: Outdoor → Circle → handwash → Snack. Start with the prep block below, then run the five days.
Week Snapshot
Before You Run the Week
How this guide works, the skill we're growing, what to prep, and what to have on hand. Read these first; the five days follow.
How to use this guide. Each day below is the full run-sheet — every block of the Littles schedule, in order, so you can print one day and run it from the page. Transition and fixed blocks are kept brief; the guided blocks carry the detail.
The 📸 Brightwheel moments are built in. Look for the warm camera callout inside each day — it sits on the block where the photo happens, with the shot to grab and a ready-to-post caption. Goggled little-scientist faces are the most shareable photos of the summer.
New morning order. Littles come in from Outdoor Play to Circle Time (8:50–9:00), then handwash (9:00–9:15), then Morning Snack (9:15–9:35). Circle first, snack after.
A full 5-day week. Monday–Friday, no closures. Each day deposits one simple, repeatable experiment station, and Friday's Discovery Fair is the payoff — every Little picks a favorite and shows it off. There are five day-plans and five crafts, each one engineered so that day adds one more "guess, try it, and see."
The prediction chart. One big picture chart lives at circle all week. Before we test, each Little marks a guess with a picture icon or a 👍/👎; after we test, we look back and see if the world matched our guess. Seeing the guess next to the result is the heart of the week — and it doubles as a Brightwheel post.
The "Teacher Move." Each day has one small coaching note — a green aside — naming the single move that matters most that day. One per day, on purpose; ignore the rest of the polish and nail that one.
Crafts. Five simple science crafts anchor the Craft / Tables block — a Rainbow Mixing Card, a Sink-or-Float Sorting Page, a Roll-and-Splat painting, a Detective Nature Collage, and a My Discovery Book. Each one quietly asks the child to guess, sort, or notice a change. Keep them loose; finished products don't matter.
Printing. Use your browser's Print — each day breaks cleanly onto its own sheet.
This Week's EF Lens — Cognitive Flexibility
Change one thing — what if?
For a 2- or 3-year-old, "flexible thinking" is just beginning — and at this age it grows best in gentle, low-pressure ways, never a tricky "gotcha." It looks like guessing what two colors will make, then watching them mix, sorting the objects into "floaters" and "sinkers," then flipping the game to hunt for floaters only, changing one thing — a steeper ramp — and noticing the ball rolls differently, or answering the friendly question "what else could this be?" The scientist's move is small and joyful: make a guess, try it, and be happy to change your guess when the world shows you something new.
Your job is to make the guessing a game, then grow it a little each day. Monday they guess one thing and watch it happen; by Thursday they change one thing on purpose and guess again. And the self-control comes first — goggles on, hands in lap, wait for "GO." That little wait is what lets a Little pause, look, and think flexibly instead of just grabbing. Celebrate the flexible moment warmly: "You thought it would sink — and it floated! You changed your mind, just like a scientist!"
EF Research: at this age flexible thinking grows through low-pressure "change-one-thing" games — guess-and-test, sort-then-reverse-the-sort, and "what else could it be?" questions — while the ability to wait and hold still first is the gateway that makes it all possible. Tricky "switch-the-rule" tests come later; right now it's all warm, playful guessing. Google "cognitive flexibility activities toddlers guided play."
Watch for it when a Little…
- Makes a guess before we test ("it'll float!") — even a wrong one is great thinking.
- Looks surprised and updates — "it sank!" — instead of insisting on the first guess.
- Sorts objects one way, then happily re-sorts them a new way when you ask.
- Notices that changing one thing changed the result ("steeper — it went faster!").
- Answers "what else could this be?" with a second idea.
- Waits with goggles on and hands in lap until "GO" — the self-control that comes first.
Before the Week
A little setup over the weekend or Monday morning makes a smooth, joyful 5-day week — the wet stations and goggles are the pieces to stage ahead, and a couple of items are best ordered early.
Supplies — Check & Request
Scan this against what's already in the room. Anything you're short on, send the checked list to Amy early — goggles, magnifiers, and pipettes especially, since those ship in. Items marked (parent) are family-supplied; on hand means it's already here. This is the gentle Littles version, so everything stays large and choke-safe — no small parts, no small float objects, no loose beads. Vinegar is for the adult-run demo only.
Signature Science Props · order early
- Kid safety goggles (class set, reusable)1/child
- Magnifying glasses (sturdy, kid-size)6–8
- Big easy-squeeze pipettes / droppers6–8
- Paper / butcher-paper lab coats1/child
- Large Prediction Chart + picture icons1
Water & Sink-or-Float
- Water bins / tubs2
- Large choke-safe float/sink set (cork, big spoon, cup, rock, sponge, toy boat)1 set
- Towels for wet-floor / slip watchlots
- Scoops & cupsfew
Color-Mixing & Ramps
- Washable liquid watercolors / food coloringset
- Clear cups (for mixing)lots
- Cardboard / block ramps2–3
- Balls & toy cars (large, choke-safe)basket
- Props to change ramp angle (low + tall blocks)few
Craft · the week's five
- Rainbow mixing cards (Mon)1/child
- Sink/float sorting pages (Tue)1/child
- Roll-and-splat paper + spare balls (Wed)1/child
- Detective collage pages (Thu)1/child
- My Discovery Book pages (4 sections, Fri)1/child
- Washable dot paint / bingo daubers6–8
- Glue sticks / wide tape (adult helps)set
- Smocks1/child
Music · Detective · Sensory
- "Did You Ever See a…?" / stop-and-go songready
- Shaker / drum for the "GO!" signal1
- Scarves for movement songsclass set
- Sorting trays / bowls (for detective finds)few
- Big nature bits (leaves, big pinecones — choke-safe, supervised)basket
Adult-Run Fizz Demo & Cleanup
- Baking soda + white vinegar (adult-run demo ONLY, no child access)office
- Tray / squeeze bottle for the demo1
- Hand soap + paper towelsstocked
- Dry wipeslots
Per-Child, Sun & Cleanup
- Sunscreen (check stock)2–3
- Sun hats (parent / spares)spares
- Water bottles (water-station days)1/child
- First-aid kit (check)1
Five Days That Build Toward the Discovery Fair
A warm, escalating arc — guess and watch, guess and revise, change one thing on purpose, look closely and sort a new way, then show off a favorite. Each day adds one more piece of the scientist's move, so by Friday every Little has an experiment they can re-run and a little story to tell about it.
The Daily Rhythm
Every day runs the identical clock, carried in full in each day plan below. Four blocks are fixed — snack, lunch, nap, afternoon snack. Everything else is flex.
Five Days, Fully Planned
Each day is the full run-sheet — every block of the Littles schedule, in order. The 📸 Brightwheel moment is tucked into the block where it happens, and the day's one Teacher Move sits with the block it matters most for.
Combined arrival care. All classrooms together — soft play and books until the Littles room opens. Stay present: circulate, narrate, and play alongside.
Outdoor Play · We're Little Scientists (anchor)
Sunscreen and hats at the door, then a big, happy welcome to Discovery Days. In the shade, put on the goggles and pass out the lab coats — "we're little scientists today!" The week's core game in its simplest form: hold up two clear cups of colored water — "this is yellow, this is blue" — and ask the friendly question: "What if we mix them? What color will it be?" Let each Little make a guess out loud (any guess is a great guess). Then test it: pour, and watch the green appear together. The magic is the little gasp when the guess meets the world.
Run it as I do → we do → you do: first you guess and mix ("I think… green! Let's see"), then you guess and mix together, then let a Little pick two colors, guess, and pour.
Materials — goggles, lab coats, clear cups of pre-mixed colored water, big pipettes, towels down.
Show it, then hand it over. Don't just pour for them — first you guess out loud and mix so they see how a scientist thinks, then guess and mix with them, then step back and let a Little pick the colors, make the guess, and do the pour. That "I do → we do → you do" hand-off is what turns watching into a guess they own.
Circle Time (10 min)
A tight, cheerful circle. Hello song, a peek at the picture schedule, and meet the Prediction Chart: hold up two colors and ask "what will they make?" Let each Little mark a guess with a picture icon. Then mix and check the chart together — "we guessed… and it made…!" End with a stop-and-go song: dance, then freeze on the drum — a first happy practice of waiting for the signal.
Handwash / bathroom. Wash up for snack.
Fixed
Morning Snack
A calm, cozy snack after our first experiments.
Craft / Tables · Rainbow Mixing Card
Each Little gets a card with two color blobs side by side and a blank space where they overlap. Here's the gentle rule that makes it a thinking game: guess the new color first, then dab the two washable colors so they touch and mix in the middle — "red and yellow will make…?" Say the guess, then dab and see. Loose and sensory; table toys alongside for those who'd rather build.
Materials — rainbow mixing cards, washable dot paint (red/yellow/blue), smocks.
Handwash / bathroom. Quick wash and reset.
Music & Movement · Stop-and-Go Scientists
Dance with scarves, then freeze when the drum stops — "hold still, scientists!" Waiting for the signal and holding the freeze is the self-control that makes every experiment safe. Then GO again. Pure giggles, and the gateway skill for the whole week.
Guided Centers · The Color Lab
Set out the color-mixing station (clear cups, pipettes, colored water), plus a couple of quieter table options. Move among the children with one little game: "what if we add one more drop of blue — will it change?" Guess, add, look. A first, easy "change one thing and see." Goggles on at the wet station; towels down for slip watch; keep the guessing joyful.
There's also lighter, child-led exploring here — stay in it: circulate, narrate, and play alongside. The guess-and-test games are the part you lead.
Handwash / bathroom. Wash up for lunch.
Fixed
Lunch
A calm, social meal.
Handwash / bathroom. Wind-down begins.
Closing Circle
Quiet play settling into a soft closing song — a calm wind-down to ready bodies for nap. A gentle "what did we discover today?" before the song.
Fixed
Nap / Quiet Time
A full 2.5-hour nap. Soothe and settle.
Wake-up · handwash / bathroom. Slow, gentle waking.
Fixed
Afternoon Snack
Refuel after nap.
Outdoor Activity / Play (hot window)
Peak heat — keep it light and shaded. Gentle shade play; one easy "what if we mix them?" with a couple of color cups if they're up for it. Short is fine, indoors on a hot day.
Handwash / bathroom. Tidy hands and faces.
Cleanup & room reset. Everyone helps with the cleanup song; tuck the goggles and cups into the "lab."
Closing Circle
A short goodbye song and a wave. "We were little scientists today — we mixed colors!" Send them off happy.
Combined Active Engagement — Departure. Classrooms combine; soft play and warm handoffs. Teachers stay present and narrate.
Combined arrival care. Soft welcome until the Littles room opens. Teachers circulate and play alongside.
Outdoor Play · Sink or Float? (anchor)
The guessing game grows a little today. Goggles and lab coats on, gather around a water bin in the shade. Warm up by recalling yesterday ("what did we discover with the colors?"), then hold up a big cork: "Will it sink or float? Make your guess!" Everyone guesses — thumbs up for float, thumbs down for sink — then drop it and watch. Here's the flexible move: when a heavy-looking sponge floats, cheer the surprise and let them change their rule: "We thought big things sink — but this one floats! Let's find out about the next one." Keep the guessing joyful and the guesses safe to be wrong.
Materials — goggles, lab coats, water bin, large choke-safe objects (cork, big spoon, cup, rock, sponge, toy boat), towels down.
Being wrong is where the thinking happens. When a Little guesses "sink," sees it float, and cheerfully says "it floated!" instead of insisting they were right — that little update is flexible thinking in its earliest form. Celebrate the surprise, never correct the guess: the goal is a child who's happy to change their mind when the world shows them something new.
EF Research: gentle guess-test-and-update games — where a young child predicts, sees the result, and revises — are a well-supported, low-pressure way to grow early flexible thinking, long before tricky "switch-the-rule" tasks are a fair ask. Google "prediction sink or float toddlers science flexible thinking."
Towels down, slip watch on. Water on the floor is slippery — keep towels under and around the bin and mop spills fast. Large, choke-safe objects only in this room — no small floats, marbles, or beads. Adult within arm's reach of the water bin the whole time; roll sleeves and keep it in the cool morning window.
Circle Time (10 min)
Hello song, picture schedule, and the Prediction Chart: hold up two objects, and let each Little mark 👍 float or 👎 sink before we test. Then we test at the bin and check the chart — "we guessed… and look what happened!" Add a stop-and-go song: dance, then freeze and hold a scientist pose until "GO."
Handwash / bathroom. Wash up for snack.
Fixed
Morning Snack
Cozy snack after our splashy experiments.
Craft / Tables · Sink-or-Float Sorting Page
A page with a "floats" side (water at the top) and a "sinks" side (bottom of the bin), and a few big picture cards of the objects we tested. The gentle rule that makes it a thinking game: place each picture where it belongs from what we discovered — "the rock… where did it go? The cork?" And then the flexible twist: "can you find me all the floaters?" — re-sorting the same pictures a new way. Loose and sensory; table toys alongside.
Materials — sink/float sorting pages, big object picture cards, glue sticks (adult helps), smocks.
Ask an open "what if," then wait. Instead of telling them where the rock goes, ask "will it sink or float — what do you think?" and give a real pause for the guess to come up. Then, once they've sorted, flip it: "now can you find just the floaters?" Those open questions with wait-time make the child think it through and re-sort — which is where flexible thinking grows — instead of copying you.
Handwash / bathroom. Quick wash and reset.
Music & Movement · Stop-and-Go Scientists
Dance with scarves, then freeze — but today hold the freeze a beat longer before "GO." Waiting a little longer builds the self-control that makes the experiments work. Add a "float like a bubble, sink like a rock" verse to tie in the day. Repeat as long as they're laughing.
Guided Centers · The Water Lab
Set up two or three little stations — the sink/float bin, a sorting tray for "floaters vs. sinkers," and a quiet table option. Move among the children: at the bin, guess-then-test a new object; at the tray, sort the objects two ways ("all the sinkers… now all the round ones"). Keep turns short and the guesses safe to be wrong. Goggles on, towels down.
Handwash / bathroom. Wash up for lunch.
Fixed
Lunch
Calm, social meal.
Handwash / bathroom. Wind-down begins.
Closing Circle
Quiet play softening into a calm closing song before nap. A soft "what floated today? what surprised us?" to wind down.
Fixed
Nap / Quiet Time
Full nap. Soothe and settle.
Wake-up · handwash / bathroom. Gentle waking.
Fixed
Afternoon Snack
Refuel.
Outdoor Activity / Play (hot window)
Peak heat — light and shaded. Quiet shade play; short on a hot day, indoors if needed.
Handwash / bathroom. Tidy hands and faces.
Cleanup & room reset. Cleanup song; everyone helps dry and stow the water bin. Towels up.
Closing Circle
Goodbye song and a "we found out what sinks and floats today!" wave. Off they go.
Combined Active Engagement — Departure. Soft combined play and warm handoffs. Teachers stay present.
Combined arrival care. Soft welcome until the Littles room opens. Teachers circulate and play alongside.
Outdoor Play · Change the Ramp (anchor · change one thing)
Today the "change one thing" move gets really visible. Goggles and lab coats on. Set a ramp on a low block and roll a ball: "watch it roll!" Then make the guess: "What if we make it steeper — will the ball go faster or slower?" Prop the ramp up higher — the one thing we change — and roll again. Watch it fly. The whole idea in one delighted moment: change one thing, and the world changes with it. Let each Little pick the ramp height, guess, and roll. Warm and unhurried.
Materials — goggles, lab coats, 2–3 ramps, basket of large balls & cars, low + tall blocks to change the angle.
Now they're the ones making the change. Monday and Tuesday, the world surprised them; today they change one thing — the ramp's steepness — and predict what it'll do. Choosing a variable, guessing, and checking is a notch harder and more flexible than just reacting to a surprise. That's on purpose: it's the exact move they'll re-run at Friday's fair.
EF Research: "change-one-variable" play — a child alters a single thing (steeper ramp, more water) and predicts the new outcome — is a strong, age-appropriate way to build early flexible thinking, because it links a choice to a result the child can see. Google "ramps and rolling cause and effect toddlers STEM."
Circle Time (10 min)
Hello song, picture schedule, and the Prediction Chart: show a low ramp and a steep ramp and ask "which one makes the ball go faster? Make your guess." Test both and check the chart. Play "what else could it be?" — hold up a ramp and ask what else it could be (a slide? a bridge? a hill?). Stop-and-go song with a longer freeze.
Handwash / bathroom. Wash up for snack.
Fixed
Morning Snack
Cozy snack.
Craft / Tables · Roll-and-Splat Painting
Dip a ball in washable paint, set it at the top of a little ramp over a sheet of paper, and let it roll — the ball paints a track. The gentle rule that makes it a thinking game: "what if we change the color? what if we roll from higher up — will the line look different?" Change one thing, roll again, and compare the tracks. A gorgeous, sensory "change one thing." Loose and messy; table toys alongside.
Materials — roll-and-splat paper, spare balls, washable dot paint, little ramp or tray, smocks.
Handwash / bathroom. Quick wash and reset.
Music & Movement · Fast & Slow Scientists
Move fast, then slow, then freeze on the drum — like a ball rolling down a steep ramp then a gentle one. "What if the music goes faster?" Change one thing (the tempo) and change how we move. Longest freeze yet before "GO." Repeat as long as they're laughing.
Guided Centers · The Ramp Lab
Two or three little stations: a ramp station (change the angle and roll), a "what rolls?" tray (ball, car, block, cup — guess which rolls), and a quiet table option. Move among the children with the "change one thing" game — "what if we use the heavier ball? what if it's steeper?" — guess, change, roll. Goggles on; keep the guessing joyful.
Lighter, child-led building here too — stay in it: circulate, narrate, and play alongside. The guess-and-change games are the part you lead.
Handwash / bathroom. Wash up for lunch.
Fixed
Lunch
Calm, social meal.
Handwash / bathroom. Wind-down begins.
Closing Circle
Soft play into a calm closing song before nap. A gentle "what did we change today?" to wind down.
Guess it, try it, then look back at it. All week, bookend a station with two tiny questions — "what do you think will happen?" before, and "what did happen? Was it like you guessed?" after. That little guess-then-review loop is one of the strongest ways to grow young thinking, and it's exactly the story each Little will tell at Friday's fair: "I thought ___, then ___."
Fixed
Nap / Quiet Time
Full nap.
Wake-up · handwash / bathroom. Gentle waking.
Fixed
Afternoon Snack
Refuel.
Outdoor Activity / Play (hot window)
Peak heat — light and shaded; one easy round of "what rolls faster?" with a ramp in the shade, short on a hot day.
Handwash / bathroom. Tidy hands and faces.
Cleanup & room reset. Cleanup song; everyone helps stow the ramps and balls.
Closing Circle
Goodbye song — "we changed the ramps and made the balls go fast!" — and a wave. Off they go.
Combined Active Engagement — Departure. Soft combined play and warm handoffs. Teachers stay present.
Combined arrival care. Soft welcome until the Littles room opens. Teachers circulate and play alongside.
Outdoor Play · Detective Walk (anchor · look closely)
Goggles on, magnifiers in hand — "we're detectives today!" A slow, wondering walk in the cool early shade, looking closely at big, safe treasures: a leaf, a big pinecone, a smooth rock. Hold the magnifier over a leaf: "What do you see? What else could it be?" — a leaf could be a boat, a hat, a fan. Collect a few big, choke-safe finds in a basket. Then the flexible move: sort them one way (all the leaves), then re-sort a new way (all the smooth ones). Looking closely and seeing more than one idea in the same thing is flexible thinking blooming. Warm and unhurried.
Materials — goggles, magnifiers, basket, big choke-safe nature bits (leaves, big pinecones, smooth rocks), shade.
Seeing more than one possibility is the flexible move. When a Little says a leaf could be a boat, or sorts the finds by color and then by size, they're holding the same objects in mind and looking at them a fresh way. "What else could it be?" and "sort it a new way" are gentle, age-right ways to stretch flexible thinking — no tricky rule-switch, just warm wondering.
EF Research: open "what else could it be?" questions and re-sorting the same set by a new feature are well-supported, low-pressure ways to grow flexible thinking in twos and threes — the child stays in charge and there's no wrong answer, so the guessing stays joyful. Google "reverse sorting what else could it be preschool cognitive flexibility."
Big, choke-safe finds only. Collect only large items — big leaves, big pinecones, palm-size rocks — no small stones, seeds, or berries in little hands. Early-morning shade, hats and water, and an adult scanning what goes in the basket. Nothing in mouths; wash hands after the walk.
Circle Time (10 min)
Hello song, picture schedule, and a "what else could it be?" round: hold up a find and let them name a second idea. Then spill the basket and sort it together two ways ("all the leaves… now all the brown ones"). Tell them the big news: "Tomorrow is our Discovery Fair — you'll each show your friends your favorite experiment!" Stop-and-go freeze song.
Handwash / bathroom. Wash up for snack — and after our detective walk.
Fixed
Morning Snack
Cozy snack after the detective walk.
Craft / Tables · Detective Nature Collage
A collage page where the Littles glue down their favorite big finds from the walk. The gentle rule that makes it a thinking game: as you place each one, tell me "what else could it be?" — a leaf becomes a tree, a rock becomes a mountain. And before you glue: "could you group the leaves together? now the smooth things?" A proud detective keepsake. Loose and sensory; table toys alongside.
Materials — detective collage pages, big nature finds, glue sticks (adult helps), washable markers, smocks.
Handwash / bathroom. Quick wash and reset.
Music & Movement · The Adult Fizz Surprise (demo)
A short, wondrous adult-run demo: goggles on, everyone guesses "big fizz or little fizz?", then you add baking soda to a tray and pour the vinegar — whoosh! Then "what if I add more?" — change one thing, guess, pour again. Children watch and guess from a safe distance; they do not touch the vinegar or the tray. Then a joyful bubble-pop movement song to shake it out.
Teacher runs it; children only watch and guess. Vinegar is an eye irritant — goggles on for everyone, no child access to the vinegar, no tasting, no touching the tray. Keep the tray at the adult's spot, children seated a safe distance back. Wipe up and wash hands after. It's a "wow" to watch, not a hands-on station in this room.
Guided Centers · The Detective Lab & Fair Warm-Up
Set out the magnifiers, the sorting trays, and — the important part today — quietly bring back the color, water, and ramp stations too, so each Little can revisit favorites and pick the one they'll show tomorrow. Move among them: "which one do you love? Tomorrow you'll show your friends — what will you say happened?" Rehearse the little story: "I thought ___, then ___." Goggles on at the wet stations, towels down.
Handwash / bathroom. Wash up for lunch.
Fixed
Lunch
A happy, social meal — lots of "I want to show the ramp tomorrow!" chatter.
Handwash / bathroom. Wind-down begins.
Closing Circle
A wondering circle — "what did you see up close today? What else could it be?" Soft play into a calm closing song before nap. A gentle nudge toward tomorrow: "think about which experiment you'll show."
Ask open, wide-open questions — then wait. "What else could it be?" has no wrong answer, so give a long, patient pause and welcome every idea. Open-ended questions with real wait-time are what pull a second, flexible idea out of a young child — where a yes/no question would shut the thinking down. The more you wonder aloud, the more they wonder back.
Fixed
Nap / Quiet Time
Full nap.
Wake-up · handwash / bathroom. Gentle waking.
Fixed
Afternoon Snack
Refuel.
Outdoor Activity / Play (hot window)
Peak heat — light and shaded; a quiet magnifier peek in the shade or gentle play. Short on a hot day, indoors if needed.
Handwash / bathroom. Tidy hands and faces.
Cleanup & room reset. Cleanup song; everyone helps. Set out tomorrow's fair stations near the door so they're ready.
Closing Circle
Goodbye song — "tomorrow is our Discovery Fair, and you'll be the scientist!" — and a wave.
Combined Active Engagement — Departure. Soft combined play and warm handoffs. Teachers stay present.
Combined arrival care. Soft welcome until the Littles room opens — happy fair-day energy building. Teachers circulate and play alongside.
Outdoor Play · Warm-Up & Get Ready (before the fair)
A gentle outdoor warm-up in the cool morning. Sunscreen, hats, water, goggles and lab coats on. One last happy round at a favorite station in the shade, and a rehearsal of the little story: "I thought ___, then ___ happened!" Let a few Littles practice out loud — you model it first ("I thought the sponge would sink, then it floated!"). Keep bodies calm and proud and ready.
Materials — goggles, lab coats, one or two favorite stations, shade, water.
Circle Time (10 min)
A short, warm circle to set up the fair. Look back at the whole Prediction Chart from the week — "remember when we guessed…?" Practice the sentence together one more time: "I thought ___, then ___!" Remind them: goggles on, wait for "GO" at each station. Calm, happy, proud.
Handwash / bathroom. Wash up for snack.
Fixed
Morning Snack
A cozy snack to fuel up before the fair.
🎉 The Discovery Fair · Show & Tell Your Favorite (anchor · the payoff)
The big moment, in the cool morning. Set up two or three favorite stations from the week — most likely color-mixing, sink-or-float, and the ramps. Each Little, with their teacher alongside, goes to the station they love, re-runs the experiment, and tells the little story to their classmates: "I thought ___, then ___ happened."
Now they use everything from the week: they make a guess, test it, and put words to what happened. No child has to perform — pointing and one word ("float!") counts, and watching from a lap counts. Celebrate every scientist warmly. Goggles on; wait for "GO" at each station; towels down at the wet ones.
Materials — goggles, lab coats, the favorite stations (color cups + pipettes, water bin + objects, ramps + balls), Prediction Chart, towels down.
The behavior to celebrate: a Little who makes a guess ("it'll float!"), tries it, and tells you what really happened — even happily changing their guess ("I thought sink, but it floated!"). That guess-test-and-tell is early flexible thinking you can point to — far better proof than any score. Share it warmly at pickup.
EF Research: a young child who can make a guess, test it, and talk about the surprise is building the flexible thinking that predicts smoother learning and problem-solving later — grown through repeated, playful guess-and-test practice like this week, not born. Google "cognitive flexibility school readiness preschool."
Fade your help — let them be the scientist. All week you've modeled the guess and the story. At the fair, pull back: ask "what did you think would happen? What happened?" and let the Little tell it in their own words. The fair is the "you do" — the proof they own the thinking. Step in only where a child still needs a prompt, and keep every station safe and calm.
Handwash / bathroom. Wash up after the fair stations — soap, water, towels.
Craft / Tables · My Discovery Book
A little 4-section book to fill in right after the fair, while it's fresh. The gentle rule that makes it a thinking game: fill each page with an experiment we did — "what did you guess? what happened?" — sticker or draw one discovery per page (colors, sink/float, ramp, detective). Capturing the week on paper is one last "I thought ___, then ___" rep. A proud keepsake to take home. Loose and sensory; table toys alongside.
Materials — My Discovery Book pages (4 sections), washable markers / dot paint, large stickers (close supervision), smocks.
Handwash / bathroom. Wash up for lunch.
Fixed
Lunch
A happy, social meal — lots of "remember when it fizzed?!" chatter.
Handwash / bathroom. Wind-down begins.
Closing Circle
A glowy circle after the fair — "what was your favorite experiment? What surprised you this week?" Let them tell one last story. Soft play into a calm closing song before a well-earned nap.
Fixed
Nap / Quiet Time
A deep nap after a big week.
Wake-up · handwash / bathroom. Gentle waking.
Fixed
Afternoon Snack
Refuel.
Outdoor Activity / Play (hot window)
Peak heat — light and shaded; gentle, quiet play to close the week. One easy "what if we mix them?" with a couple of color cups in the shade if they're up for it.
Handwash / bathroom. Tidy hands and faces.
Cleanup & room reset. Cleanup song; gather the goggles and lab coats into the "lab." Send My Discovery Books home.
Closing Circle
A proud goodbye: "What a week of discoveries — you were all little scientists!" Send them off happy with their Discovery Books, and remind families about next week's adventure.
Combined Active Engagement — Departure. Soft combined play; share fair photos at warm handoffs. Teachers stay present.