Quick & Easy Pond Life STEAM for Preschoolers

Create a quick & easy pond habitat with your little kids! This Pond Life STEAM pretend play activity is a wonderful way for preschoolers & kindergartners to learn more about wetland habitats. You’re definitely not going to want to miss it! 

collage of pond STEAM images with text: Pond Life STEAM Dramatic Play for PreschoolersI can’t believe we’re getting close to the end of our preschool pond theme. It’s bittersweet, that’s for sure. Today’s Quick & Easy Pond Life STEAM for Preschoolers was of course fantastic and just one more reason why we’re all in love with learning about wetland habitats. 

play silks and various pond items arranged on table
Next month, it’s on to Birds & Eggs and I’ve already taken a sneak peek at our Teacher Guides. Let’s just say that it’s going to be a blast! 

This post may contain affiliate links which means I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you if an item is purchased through one of these links.  For more information, see my disclosures here.

A huge thanks to Experience Early Learning (formerly Mother Goose Time) for providing us with their Experience Preschool curriculum for free in exchange for sharing our honest and authentic stories resulting from our personal experiences. It’s been such a huge blessing to us! As always, my opinions on awesome stuff for little kids are 100% my own.

Keep in mind that all preschoolers do things in their own time and on their own terms. What one is ready for, another might not be. Please use your best mama judgement when planning activities for your little kids. 

child playing with frog figurine
Each month’s curriculum kit includes quite a few STEAM Station ideas. Basically there’s one for every topic. 

duck manipulatives on stones
Set up your environment to encourage children to test out new ideas through free-play. Create these stations at the beginning of the week and leave them open every day for continuous, repeated play. 

toddler playing with duck manipulatives and small stones
This particular Investigation Station was somewhat similar to the Preschool Pond Theme Blocks Activity that we did last week. Both little kids of course loved today’s version just as much. There’s for sure something about the dramatic play activities that resonates with both of them. 

Pond Habitat Dramatic Play Investigation Station

Set Up

  • Set out blue fabric on the floor.
  • Set out nature items, pond animal figurines, duck counters, and other pond-related items on the fabric.
  • Encourage children to create a pond environment. 

Big Questions

  • What types of living and nonliving things might you find in a pond? 
  • How do you know something is alive?
  • Where would fish live? Turtles? Plants? Mayflies?
  • What do you think is at the bottom of a pond?

Experience Early Learning (formerly Mother Goose Time) has definitely nailed it with the continuous, repeated play. I’ve noticed that when I put together the Investigation Stations, both the little guy and baby girl go back to them over and over again.

child holding handful of small stones
The little guy was totally enjoying balancing the duck counters on the clear gems. What a great fine motor activity for him, don’t you think? And as usual, baby girl was happy to just fill up the tray and then empty it again. No surprises there!  

You know what, though? It was a wonderful way for her to practice her pincer grasp. Don’t forget to use items that are large enough to not be a choking hazard if you have toddlers tagging along who still put things into their mouths. After all, you can never be too safe. 

toddler exploring pond manipulatives
Either way, this Pond Life STEAM gave both of them the opportunity to explore in an age appropriate way and no doubt have lots of fun in the process.

The fact that I can take the lesson plans and adapt them for both my toddler and my kindergartner is just one of the many reasons why we’re head over heels in love with this preschool curriculum. 

Don’t forget to check back if you’re interested in seeing what we’re up to next week with our pond theme from Experience Early Learning (formerly Mother Goose Time). And if you missed this year’s preschool homeschool space post, you can check it out here.

Looking for more insight & inspiration? Here are the top 10 most popular posts from The Keeper of the Memories. You’re definitely not going to want to miss these!

As an Experience Early Learning Blog Ambassador, I receive the Experience Early Learning Preschool curriculum in exchange for my honest and authentic stories resulting from our personal experiences. As always, my opinions on awesome stuff for little kids are 100% my own. Keep in mind that all preschoolers do things in their own time and on their own terms. What one is ready for, another might not be. Please use your best mama judgement when planning activities for your little kids. #preschool #homeschool #mgtblogger

Experience Early Learning
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collage of pond STEAM images with text: Pond Life STEAM Dramatic Play for Preschoolers

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