RETROXLABS BOOKS · AGES 4–6 WITH A GROWN-UP
Before and After: A Puddle Picture Activity for Preschoolers
Two pictures can start a good conversation. Look at a puddle before and later with your child, ages 4–6. Point out what changes and what stays the same—no experiment setup needed.
Open the free 6-page PDF preview →

Start with the “Before” picture
The real book page above is called “The Puddle Gets Smaller.” Point to “Before” and ask, “What can you see beside the puddle?” Give your child time to find the stone and describe the water in their own words.
Look again: what changed?
Move to “Later.” Ask, “What looks different now?” Your child might point, trace the puddle’s outline with a finger, or say that there is less water showing. These are optional conversation prompts for a grown-up, not extra worksheets.
Find something that stayed the same
Ask, “Can you find something in both pictures?” The gray stone gives your child a familiar detail to compare while the puddle changes. A long answer is not needed. Pointing is a useful way to join in.
Talk about where the water goes
The page explains that some water goes into the air even though we cannot see it. You can introduce the word evaporation if your child is curious. Keep the conversation anchored to what the pictures show: the later puddle is smaller. The illustration does not measure how long this takes outdoors.
Try a sample before choosing the book
Open the free six-page PDF preview to see the book’s style and decide whether it suits your child. The preview is a selection of pages, not the full book.
Little Science Mysteries is a 42-page English digital PDF for ages 4–6 with a grown-up. The full book costs $6.99 USD. No printed book is shipped. See the product page for purchase and download details.
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More little discoveries, in one book.
Little Science Mysteries · 42-page English PDF · $6.99 USD
Explore the full book — $6.99More to explore: Where did the puddle go?