Is it raining outside and the kids are getting some major cabin fever? Don’t sweat it! These fun experiments and activities will allow the little ones at home to create their very own tornado, use a magnetic field to alter metallic matter to their will, and do so much more!
With this stash of science experiments and activities to do with the kids, you’re guaranteed countless hours of fun even if you’re all cooped up inside.
1. Create Your Own Tornado in a Bottle
This experiment is a thousand layers of fun and pretty easy to set up. All you’ll need is two bottles, some kind of tube to connect the two bottles together, and, of course, water. You can also add some food dye or glitter to the bottle as this will make the tornado ten times cooler. Once you start whirling the liquid on top, it will make a whirlwind as the water starts to drain from the top bottle to the bottom bottle. Check out the video to follow the instructions and design your own tornado at home.
2. Create Ferromagnetic Fluid in a Jar
This one’s super simple to make, too, which is a major plus. All you need is a jar filled with water, some iron oxide filings and a magnet. When you pass the magnet on the outside of the jar, the iron will pile up and follow the pull of the magnet. This will make the iron act almost like it’s alive inside the jar.
3. Make Rock Candy
Show kids how the crystallization process works with some sugar, some water, and a few other key ingredients which you’ll find in this video.
Start by boiling two cups of water in a pot. Then, stir 4 cups of sugar into the water and continue stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Allow the water to cool for about 20 minutes. Next, add the food coloring of your choice to the sugar solution or skip this step if you prefer a clear color.
While you wait, wet a wooden stick and roll it in granulated sugar. Then allow it to dry. Once the sticks are ready, set them aside for a moment and pour the cooled solution into a jar.
Now, stick the wooden stick into the center of the jar but use a clothespin to ensure that it doesn’t touch the jar. Then cover the jar with a paper towel and let it rest in a cool place. Make sure the area the jar is in is also nice and quiet as loud noises can disrupt the process. In about two weeks, the crystals will have grown to their full potential and they’ll be edible. Who knew science could be so tasty?
4. Make Eggshell Chalk
Did you know that eggshells had calcium in them? Well, that’s the same kind of material used when making chalk. So, start by boiling some eggs. Once they’re done, peel them and eat the egg or save it for later. What we need now is just the egg shell. Grind it up in a bowl and mix it with a bit of flour, some water and some food coloring. Then wrap it up in wax paper or paper towel and wait for it to dry. And just like that, you’ll have your own DIY chalk that you can use to draw on a sidewalk or chalkboard.
5. Create a Floating Marker Man
Use a dry-erase marker to draw a stick figure man on a ceramic plate. The figure will look kind of like the one people draw when they play hangman. Now add some water over the figure and the marker man will simply peel off because the ink is insoluble. That means you can move him around the plate without worrying about the ink smudging or the drawing breaking apart.
