What is temperature?
Temperature tells us how hot or cold something is. It is like the feeling you get when you touch a cup of cocoa (warm) or an ice cube (cold).
Easy examples
- Sunshine makes things warm.
- Snow and ice are very cold.
- Your bath water can be warm or too hot — an adult helps make it just right.
- Ice cream is cold.
How we feel temperature
We use our hands, lips, or skin to feel if something is hot or cold. If it feels warm, the temperature is higher. If it feels cold, the temperature is lower.
Try a simple, safe experiment (with an adult)
- Ask an adult to help. Safety first!
- Get three small cups: one with warm (not hot) water, one with cold water from the tap, and one with a few ice cubes in it.
- Put one finger gently in the warm water and say how it feels: warm.
- Put one finger gently in the cold water and say how it feels: cool.
- Put one finger gently near (or very briefly on) an ice cube and say how it feels: very cold.
- Talk about which cup was hottest and which was coldest.
Tip: Don’t put your finger on very hot things. Always have an adult check the temperature first.
What about a thermometer?
A thermometer is a tool that shows temperature. The little line or numbers move up when something is hotter and move down when it is colder. Grown-ups use it to check if we have a fever or if the weather is very hot or cold.
Quick recap
- Temperature = how hot or cold something is.
- We can feel it with our skin or see it with a thermometer.
- Always ask an adult before touching very hot or very cold things.
Want to try it now? Ask an adult to help you make the three cups and see what you discover!