Earlier this week, one of our play dates was cancelled. What a perfect excuse to test out some science activities. Here were our favorites from our impromptu science afternoon:
1. How many drops of water can you fit on a penny? I had forgotten this simple yet eye-opening experiment. The next time we'll add soap and various liquids to see which has the highest surface tension. This time we stuck with plain old water, pennies and a pipette.
2. Pencils through a ziplock bag. I remember being fascinated by this experiment when I was a young kid. Unlike the penny experiment, I remember repeating this one over and over in my backyard with friends.
3. Using a cup of water to hold up an index card. I couldn't believe that our kids hadn't seen this trick done before. It was a fun activity to do with the 70 degree weather (as this one gets a little wet when the seal breaks and the water dumps out of the cup).
4. Egg in a bottle. I finally remembered to save a glass bottle that was the right size for an egg to squeeze into. It was a tight fit, but the experiment actually worked. I remember this experiment failing multiple times at home, school or camp. I don't remember why, but I assume the bottle was the wrong size or the fire wasn't burning well. Next time I'll be sure to do this particular experiment outside (the smoke and egg smell was not very pleasant)
5. Magnets. We bought a magnetic science kit awhile ago and it's been a fun toy to pull out every now and then. Our favorite activity is vrooming a car across the floor using magnets.
6. A classic with a twist. We've made a lot of baking soda and vinegar volcanoes at home, but our kids had never inflated a balloon using baking soda and vinegar. For us, it was a fun way to change up one of our favorite science activities.
This spring break I'm sure my mom will bring more science experiments with her. But I hope our kids can stay entertained by these, and other similar simple experiments, until she arrives.
