Science Vocabulary for Kindergarten
38 terms
JamWise Education Team·Updated March 2026
In kindergarten, students in the kindergarten band encounter 38 essential science vocabulary terms. These words form the foundation for classroom discussions, reading comprehension, written assignments, and standardized assessments. Mastering this vocabulary gives students the language they need to express their understanding with clarity and confidence.
Below you will find every science term for kindergarten, organized by topic where applicable. Each term links to a detailed definition page with grade-level explanations, related vocabulary, and connections to JamWise learning resources.
earth-science
View topic hubCloud
A cloud is a white or gray fluffy shape in the sky made of tiny water drops.
Day
Day is the time when your part of Earth faces the sun and the sky is bright.
Night
Night is the time when your part of Earth faces away from the sun and the sky is dark.
Rain
Rain is water that falls from clouds to the ground.
Season
A season is a time of year. The four seasons are spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Shade
Shade is a dark area where sunlight is blocked by something.
Snow
Snow is tiny white ice crystals that fall from clouds when it is very cold.
Sun
The sun is a star that gives Earth light and warmth.
Temperature
Temperature tells how hot or cold something is.
Weather
Weather is what the air outside is like — sunny, rainy, windy, or snowy.
Wind
Wind is moving air. You can feel wind on your face but you cannot see it.
life-science
View topic hubAlive
Something alive grows, moves, needs food and water, and can make more of itself.
Animal
An animal is a living thing that moves, eats food, and grows.
Basic needs
Basic needs are things all living things must have to survive: food, water, air, and shelter.
Flower
A flower is the colorful part of a plant that makes seeds.
Grow
To grow means to get bigger over time. Plants and animals grow.
Habitat
A habitat is the place where an animal or plant lives.
Living thing
A living thing grows, needs food and water, and can move on its own.
Nonliving thing
A nonliving thing does not grow, eat, or breathe. A rock is nonliving.
Offspring
An offspring is a baby animal or young plant. A kitten is the offspring of a cat.
Plant
A plant is a living thing that grows in soil and uses sunlight to make its own food.
Senses
Your five senses help you learn about the world: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.
physical-science
View topic hubAir
Air is all around us even though we cannot see it. Air is a gas we breathe.
Cold
Cold means having a low temperature. Ice and snow are cold.
Compare
To compare means to look at two or more things and find what is the same and what is different.
Float
To float means to stay on top of a liquid. A rubber duck floats on water.
Hot
Hot means having a high temperature. Fire and the sun are hot.
Light
Light lets you see things. The sun and lamps give off light.
Liquid
A liquid flows and takes the shape of its container. Water and juice are liquids.
Motion
Motion is when something moves from one place to another.
Observe
To observe means to watch something carefully and notice what happens.
Pull
A pull moves something toward you.
Push
A push moves something away from you.
Sink
To sink means to fall to the bottom of a liquid. A rock sinks in water.
Solid
A solid keeps its shape. A block and a rock are solids.
Sound
Sound is what you hear when something vibrates. Clapping your hands makes a sound.
Vibration
A vibration is a fast back-and-forth movement that can make sound.
Wet
Wet means covered with or soaked in water or another liquid.