Preschool Physics – Fun with Hills

Have fun with your preschooler on cool fall days with an easy preschool experiment where you experiment with one of your preschooler’s favorite activities, rolling things down a hill. Teach your preschooler about movement, gravity and friction with this fun and easy preschool physics experiment.

About movement, gravity and friction

Chalk
A timer
A pencil
A matchbox car
An apple
Tape
Rubber Bands

Find a hill. Driveway hills are often great, but you will need to watch your preschooler carefully so they don’t run out into traffic.

Using your chalk, mark a start line at the top of the hill and a finish line at the bottom.

Put your matchbox car at the start line and have your preschooler release it. Try not to let them give the car a push. 

Using your timer, time how long it takes for the car to reach the finish line.

Take the car back up the hill and have your preschooler give it a push when they release it. Time it again. What changed?

Now start rolling the pencil down the hill, timing it with a push and without a push. Wrap tape around the pencil. Did it slow down? How about a rubber band?

Take your apple and roll it down the hill with the stem pointing off to the side. Time the amount of time it takes to travel from start to finish. What happens if you turn the apple so the stem is pointing up?

Keep up the experiment using other things from around your house. Try stuffed animals, trains, spoons and other kitchen utensils. If your preschooler is old enough, have them note the results of the experiment in their scientific journal.