As we began working through the Bookshark Science Level F curriculum, I realized I wanted to do a quick introduction to the Periodic Table of Elements because having implemented a more Waldorf-inspired educational approach in the past, my 10-year-old hadn’t been exposed much to the Periodic Table. I took a weekend to compile some free online resources, coupled with books from the library to create a 2-week Periodic Table of Elements for Kids mini unit study.
Elements for Kids: Free Online Resources for Teaching the Periodic Table
Having zero prior experience teaching about the elements for kids, I wanted to find a few online resources that would help introduce the topic in a kid-friendly way. I came across the following basic table of elements for kids introduction and then found a world of amazing information on the Beals Science YouTube page!
The Beals School YouTube channel has a great introductory video that even proved helpful for me. It would probably work best for an older child, upper elementary to middle school, or for a parent who wants a bit of solid Periodic Table of Elements information as a refresher.
I feel as though Craig Beals – the content creator and founder of Beals Science, intended to create additional videos in this Periodic Table of Elements for Kids series, but it doesn’t look like he’s completed the project as of yet.
Regardless, there is a wealth of information on his website, so feel free to pull from there and add on any activities you think your children would enjoy. I’d been wanting to purchase Gallium for my homeschoolers since we first started homeschooling in 2011, but never got around to it. This might be the year!
Interactive Periodic Table of Elements for Kids
If you’re looking for ways your kids can get interactive with the periodic table, the following websites feature interactive versions of the periodic table. The first link is more geared to learning about the table of elements for kids in early grades, I’d go for that option. Though they’re all worthwhile, in their own right.
- https://elements.wlonk.com/ElementsTable.htm
- https://ptable.com/?lang=en#Properties
- https://www.fishersci.com/us/en/periodic-table.html
Learn Who Discovered The Periodic Table and More
Take a deep dive into the Periodic Table of Elements for kids and learn things like, who discovered The Periodic Table – it was Dmitri Mendeleev – and discover what the elements look like, how they’re used, and where they’re found with the following resources.
This book, The Elements by DK Eyewitness is chock full of full-color photographs, as customary with DK Eyewitness Books. It covers each of the 118 elements on the periodic table and offers up a history of when it was first created and explains the scientific classification system used to put the elements into groups.
Geared for kids aged 9-12, The Elements: A Visual Encyclopedia of the Periodic Table is a fantastic resource for introducing the elements for kids who have no prior knowledge and for those who are well-versed in all things periodic table!
There’s a lot to see here, the simple explanations, stunning photography, and everyday application and uses, make this a book you’ll want to have on your home library bookshelf.
Bonus Bucket List Activity for Table of Elements for Kids Lesson
If you’re anywhere near the Atlanta area, the Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville, Georgia is home to the Weinman Mineral Gallery where you’ll find – among other things – a full-sized exhibit of the Table of Elements.
This spot has been on our homeschool travel bucket list for years, so hopefully soon, we’ll be heading that way and be able to share our experience.
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