Differentiation between living things and non-living things

Let's see the video below which is the two little cute pupils explain about the different characteristics of living things and non-living things.

Living Things and Non-Living things creative thinking

We know that no matter where we are, we are surrounded by living things and non-living things. Let's see the video below to do some creative thinking activity to differentiate the living things and non-living things around us!

Living vs. Non-Living things

As mentioned at the earlier blog, we may know that the things around us are either living or non-living. We can differentiate it based on their characteristics.

Let's see the video below to review back what are the differences between the living things and non-living things and how to differentiate them.

Living vs Non living video

Review the 7 characteristics of living things and non-living things

We had know that the things around us can be classify as either living or non-living things. The living things can be differentiate from the non-living things based on their characteristics.

The 7 characteristics are:

1. Eat

2. Breathe

3. Movement

4. Excretion

5. Growth

6. Sensitivity

7. Reproduction

Lets see the video below in order to more understand the characteristics of living things. And see some simple exercises as show in the video below in order to test the level of understanding about the characteristics of living things. 

The 7 Characteristics of Living Things

In order to differentiate the living things and non-living things, we can differentiate it based on the characteristics of living things.


Living things have 7 characteristics that the non-living things didn't have. The living things need to have these 7 characteristics is order to live.

The 7 characteristics that living things possess that are move, grow, eat, reproduce, breathe, excretion and sensitivity. 


All living things have movement. For example, animals and human beings which are living things are able to move from one place to another in order to conduct their daily activities. 


All living things are able to grow. For example, a baby will be grow up to be big like their parents. Animals also will grow up. 


Moreover, living things need eat to survive. They will obtain their food from their surroundings and environment. For example, the goat need to eat grass to survive. 

All living things also have the characteristics of reproduce.Example of reproduction of living things are dog and puppies and cat and kitten. 


Living things also need to breathe air that surrounding them in order to survive. For example, a man have to breathe air while he is running. 


Another characteristics of living things is excretion. All living things get rid of their waste. For example, when people and animals get foods, they will get rid of waste. 


Lastly, all living things have the characteristics of sensitivity. All living things are aware of their surroundings.For example, the human beings are able to see, smell, hear, taste and feel. 

While, some of the nonliving things also had the characteristics of living things. For example, the boat which is non-living things are able to move from one place to another.Although the boat can move, it cannot be classify as living things. 


Thus, it can be concluded that the living things must possess all of the 7 characteristics which are move, grow, eat, reproduce, breathe, excretion and sensitivity.

Living things vital functions and behavior

As we know, the things around us are either living things or non-living things. we can identify them into this two category based on their characteristics.


For living things, the vital functions of living things are breathe, eat and reproduce. While, the non-living things are do not breathe, do not eat and do not have the ability to reproduce.


Thus, when we want to identify the things around us into living things or non-living things, we may ask ourselves is that the things can breathe, need to eat and have the ability to reproduce. When the things are match and fulfill these characteristics, we can confirm that the things are living things.


Those characteristics are vital function that caused the living things to survive. Although these things can be classify as living things, they have different kinds of behavior. For example, the human beings, animals and plants which are living things have different kinds of behavior. The plants are unable to move from one place to another as human beings and animals do. However, they can move simple movement such as breathe, eat and reproduce.


As it can be concluded that the vital function are important in order to help the living things to survive. Moreover, the living things are behave differently.


The following video had giving explanation about the main characteristics of living things.