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Try this at home: turn your kitchen into a science lab! Simple experiments like making slime or baking soda volcanoes can spark a lifelong love for science.
Engaging in kitchen science activities is a fantastic way to introduce kids to the wonders of chemistry and physics, using everyday items you already have at home. Here are a few fun and educational experiments to try: Baking Soda Volcano: Mix baking soda and vinegar in a small container to create a fizzy, bubbling "eruption." This classic experiment demonstrates an acid-base reaction and the release of carbon dioxide gas. Rainbow Milk: Add a few drops of food coloring to a plate of milk, then dip a cotton swab in dish soap and touch it to the milk. Watch as the colors swirl and dance, illustrating the interaction between fat molecules and soap. Oobleck: Mix cornstarch and water to make a substance that acts like a liquid when poured and a solid when pressure is applied. This experiment explores the properties of non-Newtonian fluids. At Kiddie Science, we believe that science can be explored everywhere, even (especially) in your own home. These simple experiments not only provide hours of fun but also lay the foundation for a deep understanding and appreciation of scientific principles. So, roll up your sleeves, gather your ingredients, and turn your kitchen into a mini science lab! Let's face it, many of us dreaded science in school. It was either too hard or not interesting enough, and there was a disconnect with how science fit into our daily lives. Love it hate it, a strong foundation in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) is crucial for succeeding in the ever changing modern world.
Below we share some tips on how to help your child love science and establish a meaningful connection with how it fits into their world. Provide frequent opportunities for science exploration through play Science is everywhere, which means there's always an opportunity to incorporate science into play time. Give your young scientist a bowl of water and several containers. As they gather and pour the water, discuss differences in capacity (how much water each container holds). Water play is also a great time to explore buoyancy. Using various items, hypothesize which will float or sink and then test it! Visit a local zoo, aquarium, or nature center Visiting the zoo or aquarium is a great opportunity to not only observe animals, but make comparisons about their anatomy to ours. A guiding question can be, "why are we not reptiles?" (or fish or birds). By observing other animals, your young scientist can gain a better understanding of where we fit in as mammals. Care for a plant together This can be as simple as planting a bean seed and watching it grow. By caring for a plant, your young scientist will begin to understand the needs of living things. This is also a great opportunity to make observations together as the plant grows. Hopefully you're someplace where you have snow and can do these experiments sooner than later, because they're lots of fun! BASIC MATERIALS: Snow, assorted bowls/containers, ruler, salt, towels, assorted spoons. EXPERIMENT #1: MEASURING WATER IN SNOW Fill a bowl or container with snow and bring it inside. Don't pack the snow down. Place the ruler in the container and use it to measure the height of the snow. Take a guess as to how deep the water will be in the container after the snow melts. Put the container aside and let the snow melt completely. Use the ruler to measure the height of the water in the container. What did you find? Was your guess close to the actual amount of water? EXPERIMENT #2: MELTING SNOW Fill two containers with snow. Sprinkle salt on the snow in one bowl only, making sure to cover it in one even layer. Place the containers aside. What do you think will happen to the snow? Check on the containers every 5 minutes. What do you observe? EXPERIMENT #3: PLAYING WITH SNOW! Open exploration with snow is fun for all ages. Fill a container with snow and provide your young scientist with spoons and other items to scoop and stir. You can also provide your young scientist with multiple containers and allow them to practice scooping and pouring.
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