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  • Launchpad - Introducing the topic (10–20 mins)

    Step 1

    Begin by gathering a variety of toy animals (or images) and inviting the child to sit on the mat or blanket with you. Show the child the containers labelled ‘Can fly’ and ‘Cannot fly’.

    Step 2

    Introduce the activity by showing a few toy animals and asking simple questions like, ‘Do you think this animal can fly?’ and ‘Where do you see this animal, in the sky or on the ground?’ Encourage the child to touch the images or hold the toy animals, making it a sensory experience.

  • Discover - Exploring the topic (20–30 mins)

    Step 1

    Lay out all the toy animals or images on the mat. Pick one up at a time and ask the child if the animal can fly or not. For example, ‘Can this bird fly? Yes, it can! Where should we put it?’

    Step 2

    Guide the child to place the animal in the correct container. If the child is very young, demonstrate by placing the first few animals yourself.

    Step 3

    Continue this process with all the animals, encouraging the child to make guesses and giving gentle corrections when needed. Use descriptive language to explain why certain animals can fly (e.g. ‘Birds have wings that help them fly’) and why others cannot (e.g. ‘Elephants are too heavy to fly and they don’t have wings’).

    Step 4

    Once all the animals are sorted, sit with the child and discuss why animals that can fly must come back to the ground.

    Use simple language to explain gravity: ‘Gravity is a force that pulls everything back down to the ground. Even birds need to come back down to rest, find food and sleep.’

    You can demonstrate gravity by gently tossing a toy bird in the air and watching it come back down, saying, ‘Look, even though the bird can fly, it always comes back down because of gravity!’

    Step 5

    Wrap up the activity by asking some clarifying questions such as:

    • Which animals can fly? Can you tell me why?
    • Where do birds live?
    • What about the animals that cannot fly? Where do they live?

Showcase

– Sharing the outcomes (15+ mins)
Select any option from the table or try our recommendation.

  • Make

    Record a video documenting the activity, including interviews with those involved sharing their insights and reflections. This may include filming each step of the flower-pressing process or the child explaining the parts of the flower that they have labelled on their flower-press diagram.

    Compile photos, drawings and notes from the activity into a scrapbook, highlighting what has been learned and enjoyed.

    Use materials from the activity to build a model or prototype of something related to the topic, fostering hands-on learning and creativity.

    Create a game related to the activity, such as a trivia game or charades, to reinforce learning in a fun way.

  • Play

    Set up simple hands-on experiments or demonstrations that promote repeated practice, discussion and ongoing investigation.

    Invite the child to act out different animals, showing how they fly, where they live and what they eat. This helps reinforce their understanding of animal habitat and behaviour.

    Create a sensory box filled with materials related to the topic and let them explore, touch, feel and manipulate the items freely.

    Sing songs (known or made up) and encourage dancing or movement in ways that explore or mimic the concepts being explored.

  • Write

    If the activity involved a visit to a museum or community centre, write thank-you notes to any instructors or organisers, reflecting on what has been learned.

    Collaborate on writing a fictional story or play inspired by the themes or concepts explored during the activity.

    Reflect on what has been learned during the activity and write letters to be opened at a later date, sharing thoughts, goals and aspirations.

    If the activity involved outdoor exploration, begin a nature journal to document future outdoor adventures and observations.

  • Plan

    Brainstorm ideas for a follow-up activity or experiment inspired by what has been learned during the initial activity.

    Take time to reflect on how the activity could inspire new goals, discussing ways to incorporate similar experiences into your routine in the future.

    If the activity involved a specific topic or field of study, reach out to experts or professionals for interviews or Q&A sessions to deepen understanding.

    If you enjoyed the activity, why not share it with other families within your community? Plan a workshop or invite a friend over to re-create the experience and share your new knowledge.

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