Brief Description
When something is lighter for its size than water, it rests on top of a liquid, like a rubber duck or a leaf.
How to Talk About This Term with Young Children
Floating and sinking can be tricky to understand! People often think something floats just because it is light, but that’s not always true. For example, boats are heavy but they still float! When you play with objects, you can see what floats and what sinks. It’s important to talk about these things in a way that doesn’t make mistakes. You can show curiosity and notice what’s the same and different about floating and sinking. For example, a dry sponge floats, but when it’s wet, it sinks! It’s interesting to see how heavy things like boats can float, too!