Science Activities

Science Activities

Science Fun with Straws for Kids

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Kids discover all on their own lots of science fun with straws so they become another great choice for a homemade science kit and easy science experiments.science fun with straws

Sometimes, before they are a year old, babies will figure out how to sip from a straw. Figuring out how to blow in a straw takes longer, but once kids do, any beverage is an invitation to add bubbles. Or, just a sink of soap.

science fun with straws

 

Some science can be quieter than sucking up the very last bit or turning it into a volcano of bubbles, but it is science nevertheless. Why do table manners and science fun have to be such opposites, although we can use this science to help clean up accidental spills on the table or counter. Or may be some of them are not quite so accidental? Well, it’s neater than licking it off…

science fun with strawsPlay with straws includes lots of science. In a drink with lots of bubbles, the straw will bob up and down. Children can also have fun holding a liquid in a straw even when they take it out of the glass of cup. This means holding one’s breath and possibly putting a finger on the bottom of the straw before taking it out of the mouth. Much later in school, kids will hear the scientific terms of atmospheric pressure, but we can tell them when they ask us the inevitable why that air is pushing up and holding the liquid in. When we take away our finger or mouth the air can push down again.

science fun with strawsKids can experiment with propulsion with just two straws, one small and one big. Make sure the small straw slides easily in and out of the big one. It’s fun to hold the big straw up and down and just drop the little one in to see if it falls all the way through. This requires some tricky coordination as well. If the straw doesn’t get stuck, kids can try blowing the small straw right out of the big one.

Kids discover all on their own lots of science fun with straws so they become another great choice for a homemade science kit and easy science experiments. <a href="https://123kindergarten.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/straw-file5041333564756.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-17034" src="https://123kindergarten.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/straw-file5041333564756-300x200.jpg" alt="science fun with straws" width="300" height="200" /></a>Sometimes, before they are a year old, babies will figure out how to sip from a straw. Figuring out how to blow in a straw takes longer, but once kids do, any beverage is an invitation to add bubbles. <a href="https://123kindergarten.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/spill-499373_640-pby.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-17031" src="https://123kindergarten.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/spill-499373_640-pby-199x300.jpg" alt="science fun with straws" width="199" height="300" /></a>Some science can be quieter than sucking up the very last bit or turning it into a volcano of bubbles, but it is science nevertheless. Why do table manners and science fun have to be such opposites, although we can use this science to help clean up accidental spills on the table or counter. Or may be some of them are not quite so accidental? <a href="https://123kindergarten.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/straw-file0002066436230.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-17032" src="https://123kindergarten.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/straw-file0002066436230-225x300.jpg" alt="science fun with straws" width="225" height="300" /></a>Play with straws includes lots of science. In a drink with lots of bubbles, the straw will bob up and and down. Children can also have fun holding a liquid in a straw even when they take it out of the glass of cup. This means holding one’s breath and possibly putting a finger on the bottom of the straw before taking it out of the mouth. Much later in school, kids will hear the scientific terms of atmospheric pressure, but we can tell them when they ask us the inevitable why that air is pushing up and holding the liquid in. When we take away our finger or mouth the air can push down again. Kids can experiment with propulsion with just two straws, one small and one big. Make sure the small straw slides easily in and out of the big one. It’s fun to hold the big straw up and down and just drop the little one in to see if it falls all the way through. This requires some tricky coordination as well. If the straw doesn’t get stuck, kids can try blowing the small straw right out of the big one.<a href="https://123kindergarten.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/straws-2.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-17033" src="https://123kindergarten.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/straws-2-300x169.jpg" alt="science fun with straws" width="300" height="169" /></a> **Remind them not to aim at their little brothers and sisters or anyone else and we don’t do this in restaurants.** We tried to get a picture of the little straw shooting out of the big one but that coordination was even trickier so here is a simple photo of the little straw and the big one. Science equipment and play for kids does not need to be complicated or expensive. For lots of science fun with straws, maybe get a whole pack?**Remind them not to aim at their little brothers and sisters or anyone else and we don’t do this in restaurants.** We tried to get a picture of the little straw shooting outbut that coordination was even trickier. Above is a simple photo of the big straw, partially loaded with the little one ready to go.

Science equipment and play for kids does not need to be complicated or expensive. For lots of science fun with straws, maybe get a whole pack?

Science Activities

Kids Science Fun in the Kitchen

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A science kit can always use a spoon, especially for kids science fun in the kitchen. It’s pretty hi-tech and no gadget or digital device is as versatile.

science fun in the kitchenA spoon is probably the first piece of science equipment used by a child. We don’t think of throwing a spoon off the high-chair as a science experiment, but a baby is checking to make sure the drop is followed by a sound. Over and over and over. Kids also discover that a spoon can make noise when banged against something.

science fun in the kitchenOther science experiments with a spoon often include food. Toddlers love to watch what happens when they stir things with a spoon. Hitting the end of a spoon and watch it jump into the air creates an action that appeals to kids. Some discover that they can launch small things when they do this. Since spoons and food are often together, that’s what gets loaded on the spoon.

Parents aren’t really enthusiastic about this science experiment. A spoon can also make a bridge between two cups.

science fun in the kitchenThere are many ways kids can explore and play with a spoon. A spoon held under a very small stream of water will catch the water until in overflows. If it’s a large stream of water though, it sprays all over. Sometimes, adults recreate this science experiment accidentally when they turn on the faucet and go to rinse the spoon. For rinsing a spoon, it’s important to turn it over.

science activities for kidsAnother experiment with a spoon is to hang it from your ears. Well, not exactly. Tie the middle of a long string around a metal spoon. Wrap the ends of the string around the tips of each pointer finger, and put each finger in an ear. Lean forward and swing the spoon so it taps against the edge of a table or counter. What do you hear? Does it remind you of a bell? Try this with different sizes of spoons. Does it work with plastic or wood?

Spoons can be used for so many things. The special shape of a spoon means it can be used for scooping and digging. Nothing holds as much as a spoon for licking. Kids, and grownups, love the challenge of hanging a spoon on the end of their nose. Included below is a video showing how to do this. There is even a world record for balancing a spoon on a nose and lots more videos.

Not just science fun in the kitchen, kids can have science fun with a spoon anywhere. What other science can kids do with a spoon?

Science Activities

Science and Shadow Play for Kids

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science and shadow playFrom this day on, days in the Northern Hemisphere will be getting shorter, so take advantage of the light with some science shadow play for kids.

 

Usually lots of daylight means days are warm as well, so take the shadow play outside. Of course, there won’t be any shadows at noon, or what would be noon if your area is on daylight saving time. Yesterday afternoon, our shadows were so long we looked like giants! They stretched across the whole driveway.

science and shadow play

Playing with their own shadows is lots of fun. Kids discover they can make their shadows move, bend, stretch, shrink, and do other tricks by moving bodies in certain ways. When walking along the sidewalk, shadows will bend so it looks like bodies are bending.

science and shadow playEveryday objects will create all sorts of strange shapes, like this table and chairs. Does the shadow look like the object? What’s changed? These chairs and the round top of the table look like they are tipping.

Besides playing with their own shadows, kids can go for a walk just to see different shadows.

science and shadow playWe can even play games with shadows. Kids can take some toys outside and check out their shadows. We can cover our eyes and try to guess what something is just from its shadow. This ball doesn’t look so very round anymore. Without seeing the ball, it would be hard to figure out that’s what it is.

To extend play, we can give kids some chalk and have them draw the around the edge of the shadow of an object. After awhile they can check what they have drawn and check the changes.

Sometimes, parents and caregivers are quite intimidated when they think about doing science with kids. But so many of children’s activities are discovery, exploration, and experimentation. Their play is very scientific. Although shadows seem quite magical, kids are learning basic science when they watch and play. For a play-of-the-day, how about some shadow play for kids?

The blog always has more ways to play.