Early Atlas

Skill

Investigates How Things Move

Child explores how objects move by pushing, pulling, rolling, and using ramps.

Ages 36–60 months

motion ramps cause-and-effect physical-world preschool

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Why it matters

Investigating motion introduces children to forces in everyday play. By changing the height of a ramp, the size of a ball, or the force of a push, children notice how speed and distance change, building intuition about cause, effect, and the physical world.

Builds toward this milestone

  • observes and describes observable phenomena (objects, materials, organisms, and events). — Head Start ELOF

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What mastery looks like

  • Predicts or describes how changing a ramp or a push changes how far or fast something moves.
  • Compares the motion of two objects and explains a difference, such as which rolls farther.

How to observe it

  • Does the child adjust a ramp or a push on purpose to make an object go faster or farther?
  • Can the child describe what made one object move differently from another?

Accessibility

  • Provide lightweight balls and low-effort ramps so children with limited strength can still create motion.

Safety

  • Keep ramps clear of tripping hazards and use balls too large to be swallowed.

Activities

Evidence

Early Atlas