Preschool Physics Experiment- Fun with Static Electricity

Is your preschooler getting a shock when you touch something metal or notice that your clothing sticks together when it comes out of the dryer? This is static electricity and it’s easy to do some preschool physics experiments to explain all about static electricity to your preschooler.

 

Static electricity happens with the movement of pieces of atoms, called electrons between different objects. While your preschooler may not understand this concept, you can have lots of fun with static electricity and your preschooler. 

 

Drag slippered or socked feet across a carpet and then touch something metal. If it’s dark, you and your preschooler may actually see the shock of static electricity. Be cautious about teaching your preschooler about this though, they may learn to shock you when you least expect it.

 

Take a balloon and rub it across your preschooler’s head. Their hair will stick up.  Take pictures so your preschooler can show their new hair style to their friends.  

Take a comb and run it through your hair or against a wool sweater. Put a few rice kernels into a plastic bag. Hold the comb close to the bag and watch the rice kernels jump around the bag.  You also may be able to pick up small, light objects such as tissue paper or plastic with this comb.  

 

Rub that balloon against your preschooler’s hair and then try to get it to stick to a wall. 

 

Turn on a faucet so the water is slowly moving out of it, but is not dripping. Run a comb through your hair or rub it on a wool sweater. Hold the comb next to the water and watch the water try to move toward the comb. 

 

Try this easy experiment with static electricity for a dramatic spark from the Exploratorium. The Super Sparker.