States of matter
Year 4 · Science
Look closely, sort your discoveries and ask why things happen.
Choose a game
Take your time, try a game and collect stars.
Solids, liquids and gases
Is honey a liquid? Is sand a solid? A free Year 4 science game about grouping materials into solids, liquids and gases, with a printable game and worksheet.
Play Solids, liquids and gases
Learning about states of matter
In this Year 4 science collection, you can practise Solids, liquids and gases. Choose a game above for a short activity, or explore the examples below before you play. The full guide for each game explains its controls, gives more examples and includes a free printable for practice away from the screen.
Talk it through
Start with something you can observe. Ask your child to describe the evidence for a choice, then compare a second example. A game practises vocabulary and reasoning; practical observation and investigation matter too.
Ask: “What clue helped you decide?” Give your child time to explain. Return to an example after playing and ask whether they would approach it differently.
Solids, liquids and gases
Every material is a solid, a liquid or a gas. These are called the three states of matter. Solids keep their shape and can be held. Liquids flow, can be poured and take the shape of their container. Gases spread out to fill whatever space they are in, and most are invisible. In Year 4, children compare and group materials by their state.
Try an example: At room temperature, is sand a solid, a liquid or a gas?
Sand pours, but look closely: each grain keeps its own shape and you can pile it up.
Show the answer
A solid.
What to look out for
Thinking anything that pours is a liquid. Pour sand and water onto a tray. Sand makes a pile; water makes a flat puddle.
Practise away from the screen
- Make a states-of-matter hunt in the kitchen: find five solids, five liquids and one gas (the bubbles in a fizzy drink).
Curriculum connections
These games support selected practice connected to States of matter in the National Curriculum in England. Use your school’s sequence to decide when to introduce and revisit each skill. A game covers selected examples, rather than assessing every requirement.
Questions families ask
Where should we start with states of matter?
Start with Solids, liquids and gases. Look at the worked example together, then try a round. If the task feels unfamiliar, use the full game guide or its free printable before trying again.
Does this cover everything taught at this level?
No. This collection brings together the games currently available for this learning area. It supports selected skills and does not replace the full programme of study or practical teaching.