Patrick came home with a large cardboard tube used for carpet rolls. He and his uncle planned to cut it in half and use it to ship a fishing pole back to his uncle’s house. What to do with the other half? What do you think you can learn from a cardboard tube?
What Can You Learn from a Cardboard Tube?
Aiden claimed the cardboard tube immediately. He loves tunnels {he points out all the “tunnels” in the world – tree tunnels, electric lines, anything that goes over the top of you can be a “tunnel.”
Aiden started placing items in the tube. I showed him how to turn the tube into a tunnel ramp by adding it to the step ladder.
He joyfully added toy after toy to the top of the tube and awaited their arrival at the base.
Oh wait! The car got stuck. ”Mama, it’s stuck! Car stuck!”
Learning about Friction
Oooh, friction. I was really excited to see the stuck car. Did I choose to take the opportunity to introduce the word friction and discuss the science behind it? Not this day. He’s only two, and any explanation would really be over his head. Why then was I so excited? Because he got to experience friction. He got to see the car stop in the middle of the tube when most of the other toys went right down. He will start forming connections and ideas about this in his mind. This creates a base for learning about friction in the future – scaffolding is the teacher term.
I showed him how to lift the tube and watch the car arrive at the bottom. We overcame friction. Any time an object got stuck in the tube, Aiden lifted the tube. He was very excited that he learned this trick.
The sock is stuck. What to do?
Lift the tube, and the sock falls down.
Do you see the next problem?
The truck is too big.
Learning about Size, Making Predictions, & Sorting
The truck won’t fit inside the tube. Now what to do? ”Is there a solution for this one, Mama?” was the look Aiden gave me. Nope, sorry. The truck is too big. And there is another lesson we’ve been learning. ”It’s too big.” It won’t go down the tube. It’s too big for the box. It’s too big to live in the tree. He says things are too big sometimes when there’s really another explanation for his observation, but we are learning.
Watching things go down the tube.
Aiden started making predictions about what would go down the tube. I would ask, “Will ___ fit down the tube?” Aiden would say yes or no and then try it out. He placed all of the objects that wouldn’t fit in a separate pile on the couch.
Bonus Clean-up Tip
I have a fun little clean up tip for you.
This was a Daddy idea. Aiden’s toys were all over the living room, so Daddy grabbed the tube and a toy bin. He started dropping things down the tube. Oh, cool…they ended up in the bin. Aiden had to imitate Daddy {which I find completely adorable}. Aiden ran around the room collecting toys to put down the tube {and into the bin}. When he ran out of toys, can you guess what he did? He dumped the bin out and started over. Repetition is a toddler’s best friend {and favorite pass time}.
We just played with our cardboard tube without any modifications, but Marnie from Carrots Are Orange had the idea to paint hers and attach them to the wall to make them a part of the room. I like this idea. My son would love the painting, but I doubt he would go for attaching it to the wall unless he could take it down to play whenever he wanted.
The next time you have the opportunity to grab a large cardboard tube, take it and enjoy the fun.
What other ways have you created ramps or tunnels?
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Linking up here.
great post with a variety of points that i never even considered (friction, etc). and clean-up as a game? my thoughts exactly! we like to make baskets with toys into the crates they belong in!
andiejaye recently posted..tough questions: were there dinosaurs on Noah’s Ark?
Thanks, Andie! I’m always looking for those little learning opportunities. I love getting to share them.
Great post! It’s amazing what toddlers can learn about their world through simple recyclables. I had ramps at different heights to see if kids could figure out the best one (the one that makes cars go fastest and farthest!). The group of 2-3 yr old kids ended up crowded around the tallest ramp. What was funny was that they wanted the bigger ramp bigger! They totally understand what’s going on. Science rocks!
Jessica recently posted..Nerdy Science is on Pinterest!
Love the varied heights idea. I think finding ways to incorporate learning into children’s play is essential (the play is the focus and the learning gets added in). I think science rocks, too!
What a great experience – we also have had the TOO BIG for anything that doesn’t fit – sometimes it’s the wrong way round, too small, upside down but initally it was all too big only throug repetition have we now got different explanations for each problem although at 31 months J is still getting confused
Thank you for linking up with Tuesday Tots
Cerys @ Rainy Day Mum recently posted..Earth Day Blog Hop – new growth
I think it’s cute how little ones pick up on a word or phrase and try to use it for every situation to learn if it’s right.
Thanks so much for linking to Fun sparks!
I LOVE this idea, now I just need to find a big tube!
Emma @sciencesparks
Emma @sciencesparks recently posted..Fun Sparks and a Lung!
Thanks, Emma! Try places that sell carpet. Most will give away their leftover cardboard tubes.
Ha, yes…cardboard tubes! So many ways to make life fun, right? And incorporate science, non the less! And a way to make cleaning up fun! This is why, inspiration laboratories is one of my very favorite blogs! Trisha, you rock! I wrote a lab for using toilet paper cardboard as a marshmallow launcher! You have all the materials you need in your home right now! Enjoy
http://www.stemmom.org/2012/04/marshmallow-puff-tubes.html
Darci from STEM mom recently posted..Make a Difference: H2O for Life
Thanks, Darci! We will definitely have to make the marshmallow launcher. I have tons of toilet paper rolls that I’ve been saving. They’re just begging to be used!
Trisha, I love this post. We made a DIY Ball Ramp (URL above) and had a blast. I love the learning you integrated into the activity. Well done, mama!
Marnie, I saw your painted ramp about the time I was publishing this post. I liked your idea of painting it and adding it to the wall of a room, so I mentioned your idea in my post.
I love all the cause and effect aspects of this activitiy. What fun!
JDaniel4′s Mom recently posted..Capturing Memories- Our Time in New York with Family
Love the idea about making it a clean up game!
And I love the fact that it was my husband’s idea!
Honestly, saw this link on FB clicked on it and directly picked up the cardboard tube in the other room with the bin of hot wheels. Bibs (my four year old) had a ball. Thanks for putting it up again. I love simple fun!
Robyn recently posted..Hooray for the little guy!
Great! So glad to hear you had fun with it!
Love the post. A variation that my kids and I recently discovered was using a slinky dink as the tunnel and feeding balls through it. A fun bonus was being able to see the ball through the slinky, and then the many variations you can do with it from the standard tunnel.
Thanks, Lorena! Using a slinky is a great idea. Lots of possibilities.
This is wonderful. I love how your son took the tube and started experimenting. I have a new blog hop called Homeschool Hobbies and Handicrafts and would love for you to link-up. When kids are inspired to learn on their own they seem to absorb so much. The purpose of the blog hop is to showcase what kids do with their free time. Since your son completely led this activity it’s perfect!
http://highhillhomeschool.blogspot.com/search/label/Homeschool%20Hobbies
Julie recently posted..I Saw it on Vacation – January 2013
What a fun way to clean up! My buddies love tubes, too. Yours, being a little bigger than most, looks like great fun!
Suzanne recently posted..Best of 2012 Blog Hop
Yes, great fun! My son can play with it forever.