Explore the Amazing World of Materials with Seven Hands-On Activities
Transform your Year 2 Science lessons with this comprehensive resource featuring seven engaging activities that help children investigate material properties, understand suitability for purpose, and develop environmental awareness through practical exploration.
Seven Complete Activities Included:
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Materials Around The House: Go on a material hunt! Identify and classify everyday objects by the materials they're made from—wood, metal, plastic, glass, fabric, and more—developing observation skills and material vocabulary
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Comparing Properties: Investigate what makes materials different! Use Venn diagrams and sorting activities to compare properties like hard/soft, rough/smooth, shiny/dull, waterproof/absorbent, flexible/rigid, building scientific comparison skills
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Suitable Materials: Discover why certain materials are chosen for specific jobs! Explore which materials are best for umbrellas, windows, saucepans, and clothing, understanding the link between properties and purpose
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Identify Material Origins: Investigate where materials come from! Learn which materials are natural (from plants, animals, or the ground) and which are man-made, understanding the origins of everyday materials
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Recycling Poster: Create an informative poster about recycling! Explore which materials can be recycled, why recycling matters, and how we can help protect the environment by reusing and recycling materials
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Create A Sculpture With Materials: Get creative with a 3D sculpture project! Use different materials to create artwork, exploring their properties through hands-on making while developing design and construction skills
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Printing With Different Materials: Discover how different materials create different prints! Experiment with printing using various textures and surfaces, exploring material properties through art while creating beautiful patterns
Why Teachers Choose This Resource:
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Curriculum-Aligned: Fully supports Year 2 Science objectives for uses of everyday materials in the National Curriculum
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Cross-Curricular Excellence: Seamlessly combines Science, Art & Design, and Design & Technology objectives
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Hands-On Learning: Practical activities that make material properties tangible and memorable
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Ready to Use: Complete lesson plans with learning objectives, resource lists, and step-by-step instructions
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Environmental Awareness: Includes recycling and sustainability themes relevant to modern life
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Age-Appropriate: Activities specifically designed for 6-7 year olds with achievable, engaging tasks
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Accessible Materials: Uses everyday objects and simple art supplies readily available
Perfect For:
- Year 2 Science lessons on properties of materials
- Key Stage 1 materials and their uses teaching
- Homeschool science curriculum
- Cross-curricular materials-themed topic work
- Building understanding of material properties and suitability
- Developing environmental awareness and recycling knowledge
Learning Outcomes:
Through these activities, children will identify and compare the suitability of a variety of everyday materials for particular uses, find out how the shapes of solid objects can be changed, understand that some materials are natural while others are man-made, compare and group materials based on their properties, and develop awareness of recycling and environmental responsibility.
What Makes This Resource Special:
Materials are everywhere—from the clothes we wear to the buildings we live in—yet children rarely stop to think about why certain materials are chosen for specific purposes. These activities encourage children to look at their world with scientific eyes, questioning, comparing, and understanding the properties that make each material special and suitable for its job.
Building Scientific Understanding:
Understanding material properties is fundamental to science, design, and technology. By exploring why materials are chosen for specific purposes, children develop critical thinking skills and learn to observe, compare, and make reasoned decisions—skills that extend far beyond science lessons into everyday problem-solving.
Environmental Connections:
The recycling activities help children understand their environmental responsibility from a young age, connecting science learning to real-world issues and empowering them to make sustainable choices in their daily lives.
Bring materials to life in your Year 2 classroom! These engaging activities help children discover the fascinating properties of everyday materials through hands-on exploration, creative art projects, and environmental awareness—building scientific knowledge, observation skills, and environmental responsibility that will serve them throughout their lives.
