There’s no better way to nurture a child’s curiosity than through engaging science experiments. These hands-on activities not only make learning fun but also encourage critical thinking and problem-solving skills. 

 

Try these three science experiments today!

 

Dancing Raisins

Make your raisins dance!

Supplies needed:

– A clear glass or plastic container

– Carbonated water (club soda)

– Raisins

Step-by-step instructions:

Fill the clear container halfway with carbonated water.

Drop a few raisins into the container and observe what happens.

As the raisins sink to the bottom of the container, tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide from the carbonated water stick to their rough surface. These bubbles make the raisins buoyant, causing them to rise to the top. As the raisins reach the surface, the bubbles pop, and the raisins lose their buoyancy, sinking back down again. This cycle continues, making the raisins dance up and down in the water.

 

Homemade Lava Lamp

Get groovy with a lava lamp experiment!

Supplies needed:

– A clear plastic bottle (500ml or larger)

– Vegetable oil

– Water

– Food coloring

– Alka-Seltzer tablets

Step-by-step instructions:

Fill the plastic bottle about two-thirds full with vegetable oil.

Add a few drops of food coloring to the oil and let it settle.

Pour water into the bottle, leaving some space at the top.

Break an Alka-Seltzer tablet into smaller pieces.

Drop one piece of the tablet into the bottle and watch the mesmerizing lava lamp effect.

Oil and water don’t mix, so the colored water forms separate droplets in the oil. When the Alka-Seltzer tablet reacts with water, it produces carbon dioxide gas, which forms bubbles. These bubbles attach to the colored water droplets, making them less dense than the oil and causing them to rise. When the bubbles reach the top, they pop, and the colored water sinks back down. The process repeats until the Alka-Seltzer is completely dissolved.

 

Invisible Ink

Write a secret message!

Supplies needed:

– Lemon juice

– Watercolor paper or plain white paper

– Cotton swabs or paintbrushes

– Heat source (hairdryer or iron)

Step-by-step instructions:

Use the cotton swabs or paintbrushes to write a secret message on the paper using lemon juice.

Allow the lemon juice to dry completely to make the message invisible.

To reveal the message, gently heat the paper using a hairdryer or iron on the lowest heat setting.

Lemon juice contains organic compounds that oxidize when exposed to heat. As you heat the paper with the lemon juice message, the oxidized compounds turn brown, making the hidden message visible.

For more science fun, watch “Episode Ten – Mad Science Camp: Inflate Your Fun!” of Happy Camper Live: 365 Days Of Camp, free on Kidoodle TV.