Which of the following activities is appropriate for a child aged 4 years in the area of scientific inquiry?

Engaging a 4-year-old in the activity of taking things apart and using the parts to invent new structures aligns perfectly with the principles of scientific inquiry suitable for their age. This hands-on experience encourages exploration, problem-solving, and creative thinking, all of which are vital components of early childhood science education. By manipulating objects, children develop their understanding of concepts such as cause and effect, as well as the properties of different materials.

Scientific inquiry at this developmental stage is about fostering curiosity and encouraging children to ask questions and find answers through active experimentation. This particular activity allows children to explore their environment in a tactile and imaginative way, promoting a lifelong interest in science. It is an open-ended approach that encourages independent thinking and innovation, which is essential for the developmental stage of a 4-year-old.

In contrast, other options involve methods that may not provide the same level of interactive exploration or are beyond the cognitive abilities of most children in this age group. Reading complex scientific texts requires a level of comprehension that is typically not found in preschoolers, while learning from a video or memorizing facts does not engage children in the same way as hands-on experimentation does.