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Wet & Dry Bags

In this activity, children experience and explore what we mean by wet and dry. Children can consider how they can tell the difference in this hands-on exploration with mystery bags.

Wet and Dry Printable guide.

This activity was developed and tested with preschool and kindergarten educators as part of Science World's Big Science For Little Hands program. Wet and Dry printable guide.

Objectives

  • Use the sense of touch to differentiate between wet and dry objects.

Materials

  • Per Student or Group:
    2 opaque plastic bags
    2 dishcloths or small towels, one wet and one dry (put them in separate bags before the activity begins)

Key Questions

  • How does your cloth/towel feel? Is it wet or dry? How can you tell?

What To Do

  1. Pass around the bags with the wet and dry cloths/towels.
  2. Have children put their hands in the bags without peeking, and see if they can tell whether the cloth they touch is wet or dry.

Extensions

  • The feeling of "wet" is a combination of cold and pressure. Try putting your hand into cold water while wearing a rubber glove. Even though you're not touching the water, your hand will still feel wet!
  • Repeat this activity with wet and dry sand to introduce the related activity: Sandcastles.

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