Our world is made up of living and non-living things. This collection of activities and resources will help your preschooler learn how to recognize the difference between the two.
Exploring a science theme of living and non-living things is a great way for preschoolers to discover more about the world around them – especially nature.
The resources and activities shared here can be used for different learning levels.
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Living and Non-Living Things Activities
Many preschoolers can quickly tell you that animals, people, and plants are living things and that things such as toys, a paper plate, and socks aren’t. But can they tell you why?
For some children, this will be a new concept. They will need a little more help in understanding what things are living, and what are non-living.
Teaching About Living and Non-Living Things
For preschoolers’ first introduction to the concept of living and nonliving things, you’ll want to keep it simple.
People, animals, and plants are great to start with as examples of living things.
A Kid-Friendly Definition of Living
Give your child a kid-friendly definition of living things and some examples. Then, let them have fun practicing classifying the two.
Living things are alive
Non-living things aren’t alive
You can expound on this by explaining that when something is alive (living), it needs certain things and can do certain things.
- Living things need:
- food
- water
- air
- a place to live / shelter, or space to grow
Nonliving things don’t need these things
- Living things can:
- breathe
- move
- grow
- make more of themselves /reproduce
Living things can make more of themselves by:
✔️having babies – like a cat having kittens.
✔️laying eggs – like chickens, spiders, and turtles
✔️have seeds – like acorns, apple seeds, or sunflower seeds.
Non-living things can’t do these things
Look for Living and Non-Living Things
- Explore your backyard and around the house.
- Point out and discuss different items. Let your child pick out items and tell you if it’s living or non-living.
- Ask questions like: Why do you think this is alive? or Why do you think this isn’t alive?
- Take a nature Walk
- Take a nature walk and look for living and nonliving things. Look at trees, plants, and flowers. Explore the tiny things crawling on the ground. Look up in the sky and across the lake. Ask your child questions. Depending on how well your child understands the concept, you may want to ask more challenging questions to get them to think. For instance: The boat is moving. Is it a living thing? Why not?
Compare two similar items
Compare two similar items, for example:
- a stuffed animal puppy and a pet dog
- a plastic fishing worm or gummy worm and a live worm
Ask questions such as:
- How are they different?
- How are they alike?
- Which one can eat?
- Which one can move by themselves?
- Which one will grow?
Cut pictures out of a magazine
Cut pictures out of a magazine and sort them onto a living page and a non-living page.
Visit a Zoo
Animals are living things, and there are lots of them at the zoo.
Explore Plants
Kids usually know that trees, flowers, and plants are living things too, but it’s a little more tricky for kids to understand why.
Living things need to breathe, grow, move, reproduce, and eat. Can plants do these things?
YES! They can.
Show That Plants Breathe
Show that plants breathe by putting a leaf in water and letting it sit there for a little bit. After a while, you should start to see air bubbles.
Show that Plants Drink
Show them plants drink by sticking a piece of celery in colored water and watch it go up the stalk
Plants Need Food and Water
Your child probably knows plants need water. They also need food. Most plants make their own food using the sun and water. This is called photosynthesis.
For a really FUN activity, get a Venus flytrap or a pitcher plant and let your child watch it close its leaves around a fly or bug so it can eat it. I bought mine at Walmart around Easter.
Show that Plants Move
- Put a plant on the windowsill and turn it so the leaves are facing away from the sun. After about a week, check again and see if they have turned to face the sun.
Some plants are more noticeable at turning toward the sun. If you can plant sunflowers outside, your child should have no trouble seeing the plant move toward the sun.
….or use one of the plants we just mentioned – a Venus fly trap or pitcher plant – your child will definitely see it move!
- Help your child plant seeds and let your child watch them sprout. Put a bean seed and a wet cotton ball into a ziplock baggie. Close and tape it to a window. Within a few days, it should start sprouting.
Books About Living and Nonliving Things
Here are a few books that are great for explaining living and nonliving things to preschoolers. I put Amazon links here, but you may be able to find these at your library or yard sales.
- Living Things and Nonliving Things: A Compare and Contrast Book by Kevin Kurtz
- Living Or Nonliving? by Kelli Hicks
- What Do Living Things Need? by Elizabeth Austen
- Why Living Things Need Homes by Daniel Nunn
- What Living Things Need: Homes by Vic Parker
There are 4 more in this series by Vic Parker: Water, Food, Light, and Air
YouTube Videos for Preschoolers
These are my favorite YouTube Videos for preschoolers that teach the concept of living and non-living in a fun way that preschoolers will love. Each is only a few minutes long.
Living or Non-Living by Harry Kindergarten Music
This one has a very catchy song that teaches preschoolers what living things need and do. They sing the song and then show pictures, asking if it’s living or non-living. They do this several times with different pictures.
Living and Non-living Things – Can you tell the difference? By Next Generation Science
This video starts by explaining the characteristics of living things, giving examples, then shows examples of non-living things. It ends by challenging your child to look for living things the next time they’re outside.
Exploring Living & Non-Living Things by Nature Time Kids
This one is adorable. Mr. Michael’s puppet friend, Garbanzo, can’t wait for her pet rock to grow up and get big. Mr. Michael tells Garbanzo that her rock can’t grow, and then he explains the difference between living and non-living things to her.
Living and Nonliving Things for Kids by Free School
This explains the features all living things have. I like this one because it explains that all living things react to their environment and briefly talks about the senses that plants, animals, and people use to do that. It ends with a short quiz, which has a trick question about a cooked turkey. The answer for that question is in text form, so you can decide if your child is ready for that answer or not.
Living Things Reproduce by Next Generation Science
A very age-appropriate video for preschoolers, explaining that all living things reproduce and make more of themselves. This doesn’t go into how it’s done, just that living things have babies (cats/kittens), lay eggs (birds), or have seeds (plants).
Living and Non-Living Things Song by Zape TV
Here’s a catchy song that preschoolers will love. It’s done with animation.
Living and Non-Living Things by Hello Miss V
This video is less than 2 min and is packed with video clips that will intrigue preschoolers about living and non-living things.
Looking for more Living and Nonliving Things Activities for Preschoolers?
We have more printables to help your preschooler learn more about the concept of living and non-living things in our Tothood 101 Printables store on Etsy. We’d love to have you visit us there!
Living Non-Living Activity Bundle
Be sure to check out more fun activities for preschoolers
- Sink and Float Activities for Preschoolers
- Outdoor Summer Activities for Preschoolers
- Preschool Bird Activities
Hi! I’m Debbie Brown, and I created Tothood 101 as a place where Christian moms can find creative ways to make learning SUPER FUN for their preschoolers at home, along with faith-filled encouragement for balancing family, personal life, and their growing faith. My goal is to provide you with encouragement, practical strategies, and helpful resources so you can flourish in both your homeschooling journey and your walk with the Lord. Check out the ABOUT page to learn more.
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