Who will fit where? Making life rafts for small toys

2 min read

Small plastic animal toys, or small toy cars – they will get wet so make sure they can withstand some splashing
A set of plastic stacking cups, plastic food containers or other objects which will float in water

On or just after a rainy day, find some puddles. If this isn't practical fill a large container, like a bucket, with water or even do the activity in the bath.
Float the stacking cups in the water and show your toddler how you can add a small toy to the cup and keep the ‘raft’ floating.
Let your toddler add toys to the rafts and experiment with how many can be added before they sink, and which sized animals fit on each raft.
With experience they might show that they realise that smaller toys fit best on the smaller rafts, and bigger toys can fit on the bigger rafts.

This activity helps your child to begin to make sense of volume and capacity, as well as understanding what materials float and what sinks.
Giving them the chance to play with the items and experiment freely with the water and 'rafts' means your child will get real-life experience of these complex concepts, which is essential to support their understanding as they grow.

Offer your child smaller rafts, or larger items, and see how they adjust their expectations of what will float.
Try offering your child small items which are heavier than the ones they've been using. Will they be able to make these float?

Safety note: Never leave your child unsupervised around water, no matter how shallow the water is.