Activities and resources to encourage children to read, watch, play, create and do as they learn how and why canals were built and how they changed Britain. Use the activity plan to guide your learning.

Water pressure is a widely misunderstood scientific concept that students find hard to visualise and understand. Looking at lock design allows a practical investigation into water pressure. It enables students to identify with the concepts of forces and relate them to real-life engineering design examples, focusing on canals. Using real-life examples from along our waterways and developed with support from the Rolls-Royce Graduate Scheme, our exciting activities will bring STEM to life in your classroom. Visit the Canal & River Trust STEM Hub for free resources, micro-lessons and career inspiration all in one place.

These notes will explain how to use our suite of toddler water safety resources. These resources include a song and activities aimed at EYFS children to teach them about water safety. Hyperlinks to the resources themselves are included in these notes.

A drawing and colouring activity sheet to help young children learn how to stay safe near water. See the Toddler Water Safety Guidance Notes in our resources section for guidance on how to use the full suite of these resources.

Make your own duck headpiece to act out the song from our Toddler Water Safety Film. See the Toddler Water Safety Guidance Notes in our resources section for guidance on how to use the full suite of these resources.

Display the words to the song from our Toddler Water Safety Film in your classroom so everyone can sing together! See the Toddler Water Safety Guidance Notes in our resources section for guidance on how to use the full suite of these resources.

Ducks need healthy food to keep them fit and strong. Use this worksheet to learn what’s good for ducks and draw your own ideas. See the Toddler Water Safety Guidance Notes in our resources section for guidance on how to use the full suite of these resources.

Make your own squirrel puppets so you can act out the actions from our Toddler Water Safety Film. See the Toddler Water Safety Guidance Notes in our resources section for guidance on how to use the full suite of these resources.

Create your own duck puppet so you can act out the actions from our Toddler Water Safety Film. See the Toddler Water Safety Guidance Notes in our resources section for guidance on how to use the full suite of these resources.

Canals were a great way of transporting heavy cargo including coal, pottery, grain and limestone but toll clerks needed to know how much tax to charge each boat on the water. In this activity, pupils use a gauging rod to see how Archimedes’ principle of upthrust was applied to life on the canal networks. Using real-life examples from along our waterways and developed with support from the Rolls-Royce Graduate Scheme, our exciting activities will bring STEM to life in your classroom. Visit the Canal & River Trust STEM Hub for free STEM resources, micro-lessons and career inspiration all in one place,

Waterways provide incredibly important corridors for people and wildlife but need careful maintenance to manage natural and human impacts on them. This practical activity explains the forces that cause banks to erode, and the impact of erosion and human activities on water quality. Students can then discover scientific and engineering ideas which protect canals and rivers. Using real-life examples from along our waterways and developed with support from the Rolls-Royce Graduate Scheme, our exciting activities will bring STEM to life in your classroom. Visit the Canal & River Trust STEM Hub for free resources, microlessons and career inspiration all in one place.