Mold Is Growing

1. 1

   Why are there dark spots on the bread? They are mold, not something to eat. Set up an experiment to explore why mold grows.

2. 2

   Prepare two slices of fresh bread. Ask your child to add a little water to one slice. You add a small amount of disinfectant to the other. Put both slices in a container, seal it with plastic wrap, and leave it in a warm place.

3. 3

   Set a third, dry slice of bread nearby. Each day, look at and photograph all three slices to document the changes.

4. 4

   Over time, compare what appears on the wet bread, the dry bread, and the bread treated with disinfectant.

5. 5

   Look closely without opening the sealed container. The mold may appear dark, white, or fuzzy in different areas.

6. 6

   Continue observing for several days. Compare how much mold appears and talk about the conditions in which it grew.

What to notice

• Describes the mold they observe with words such as “dark” and “there’s more now” Scientific Inquiry
• Says that moldy food should not be eaten or touched and tells an adult about it Health, Safety, and Nutrition

Tips

• If your child wants to touch the moldy bread, remind them not to. At the end of the experiment, an adult should put on gloves, keep the bread sealed, wrap and discard it, then clean or discard the container.

Developmental benefits

• Cognitive: Observing visible changes in bread gives your child practice describing what they see with specific words such as “dark,” “fuzzy,” and “there is more now.”
• Movement: Following the experiment from setup through disposal helps your child practice a simple food-safety routine: do not eat or touch moldy food, and tell an adult when they see it.