Growing Mold Science

We love science and learning about our world with Experience Early Learning! If you’re looking for an easy science experiment to try with young children, growing mold science is a good one. It can be left up for a couple of weeks to observe. You could also add a drawing or writing component for older children to show and describe how the bread changes and what the mold looks like. For my mixed aged group, observing and talking about the mold was a good beginning.

Supplies for Growing Mold Science

You will need just a few supplies for this simple science experiment:

• Bread (bakery-style or homemade that doesn’t contain preservatives)
• Ziploc Baggie
• Spray Bottle

Growing Mold STEAM Station for Preschoolers

STEAM Stations incorporate Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math. It’s hands on learning that relate to our themes each month. It’s a way for children to investigate, problem-solve, and create.

We used the Big Question and Inspiration Photos from Experience Preschool Curriculum to understand what mold is. I asked everyone if they would want to eat bread that looked like this?

More STEAM Stations

• Noodle Brain STEAM Station
• Coral Collages & STEAM Station
• STEAM Based Learning in Preschool
• Painting Ladybug Spots
• Build a Bird Nest Activity

Tips for Growing Mold Experiment

So what does mold need to grow? First, it needs something to grow on, which is our bread.

Be sure to use a bakery-style bread that doesn’t have too many preservatives. The bread pictured is a loaf of Italian bread from Walmart.

Mold needs germs to grow. While the children were touching the bread, I explained that bacteria and germs are all around us and we have it on our hands from playing. Sometimes we can see it in the form of dirt but sometimes we can not. How to Teach Young Children About Covid & Germs.

After playing outside, I had the kids touch their piece of bread (not squeeze or smoosh). I explained they had dirt and germs on their hands from playing in the sand kitchen. The germs are so small but they will get on the bread and grow. They were very intrigued and listened so well, touching their bread very gently.

We know that plants need water to grow and the children got a clue since I had a water spray bottle out. They were anxious to spray!

Next we put the bread into baggies to keep the bread wet and give mold a place to grow.

I explained that mold, like plants, need light and heat to grow. So that’s why we taped the baggies to the window above our science shelf.

Everyone enjoyed checking out the mold each day to see how it changed the bread. We learned that mold can be different colors and look furry.

We started our experiment on Friday and by the following Monday, there was mold starting on the bread.

What an awesome way to Explore the Rainforest and learn what grows on the Rainforest floor!

More Rainforest Activities

• Amazon Orchids
• Chocolate Grows in the Rainforest
• Rainforest Collages
• What’s in the Box? Explore the Rainforest
• Hands on Number Concepts for Preschoolers
• Swinging Experiment for Preschoolers