This morning while we were outside, Finley found a feather laying on the grass. “Look, Kimmy! Feather!” He said with a smile. After showing me the feather, Finley decided to throw it, but due to the very windy day, it continued to float. “Wow, watch this” he said as the feather flew amongst the wind. Once it fell to the ground, Finley picked it back up and threw it again. This time it didn’t float. I explained to Finley that we’d need to wait for the wind to pick up again if we wanted it to float! So we waited, and once another gust of wind came, Finley threw the feather and watched it float

Science

• The 2-year-old learned about wind and its effects on objects, such as making the feather float or fall based on the wind's strength.
• Through observation, the child discovered cause and effect by seeing that throwing the feather in gentle wind allowed it to float, while throwing it in still air made it fall quickly.
• Exploring the feather's behavior in the wind helped the child understand concepts of air resistance and aerodynamics in a simple and practical manner.

For further development, you can encourage the child to explore more objects in the wind, such as leaves or bubbles, to observe how they interact. Additionally, you could introduce age-appropriate books or videos about weather and wind to expand their understanding of these natural phenomena.

Book Recommendations

• Little Explorers: Weather by Ruth Martin: This interactive book introduces young children to different weather phenomena, including wind, through fun illustrations and simple explanations.
• Curious George Plants a Seed by Margret & H.A. Rey: While not specifically about wind, this book incorporates elements of nature and growth that can complement the child's outdoor explorations.