Sure science can be fun. Especially if you're staying indoors due to COVID restrictions or the weather. Here are some ideas to keep the youngsters amused - and lighten up your recycle bin at the same time!
If you have any ideas we can pass on to other grandparents use our CONTACT US form to share it with us and we'll share it with our readers.
If you have any ideas we can pass on to other grandparents use our CONTACT US form to share it with us and we'll share it with our readers.
BUBBLE SNAKE MAKER
Ok – technically not an indoor activity, but under a verandah or patio, anything with water and bubbles will keep kids happy for hours!
1. Bubbles are made of layers of soap, water and soap. Water is sandwiched in between the soap layers.
2. A Bubble pops when the water evaporates making the outer soap skin too thin so it’s unable to keep the surface tension.
3. Bubbles won’t pop when the surface is wet or if you touch it with something wet because you’re maintaining the surface tension.
4. If you have liquid you maintain the surface tension and prevent evaporation of the water trapped between the soap layers so the bubble doesn’t pop.
1. Bubbles are made of layers of soap, water and soap. Water is sandwiched in between the soap layers.
2. A Bubble pops when the water evaporates making the outer soap skin too thin so it’s unable to keep the surface tension.
3. Bubbles won’t pop when the surface is wet or if you touch it with something wet because you’re maintaining the surface tension.
4. If you have liquid you maintain the surface tension and prevent evaporation of the water trapped between the soap layers so the bubble doesn’t pop.
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What you need
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What to do
You can turn it into a competition – who can blow the longest snake with just one dip? |
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RAINBOW CRYSTALS
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I’ve seen so many different ways of using Borax, a common cleaning ingredient, to make beautiful crystals. The premise is simple – dissolve Borax in water to create a suspension that forms beautiful crystals that adheres to the item suspended.
What you need
What to do Step 1. Form a rainbow with your large pipe cleaners. Hold it together by tying the bottom right and left sides together loosely with your string. You don’t want to tie too tightly in order to maintain your rainbow shape, just enough to keep the rainbow in one place. We used a very clear, stretchy string that could easily be snipped off after it was soaked. If you look at the photo right above, the string is there, but you can barely see it. Step 2. Fill a large container with Borax and hot water to dissolve. We used Steve Spangler Science’s recipe for making Borax crystals – click here for the ratio to use. Step 3. Use a pencil or chopstick (in our case) and tie your string through two ends of the rainbow to suspend it. Allow to soak uncovered and undisturbed overnight. We let it soak for at least 12 hours. The next morning, lift the rainbow out carefully and snip off the string. You’ll have a beautiful giant crystal rainbow! |
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Edible Dominoes
Teaching math to children doesn’t have to be boring. STEM teaching is all about teaching children in a fun and exciting way that helps excel and put learning into practice to inspire the next generation of potential Scientists, Technological workers, Engineers and Mathematicians. Back in the days of our own learning, math could be a very boring lesson to sit through, with not much, if any, imagination to help children be enthused by it. This simply isn’t true any longer: teachers and parents are thinking outside the box for learning and it is working!
And what could be more fun than edible dominos. Edible dominos you say? Why not. You'll find the recipe and directions HERE and your children can help make and bake them, as well as learning and playing a game afterwards. Baking after all is fundamentally about getting the perfect ratios to make the yummiest result, so what better way to make a Maths game by baking it. It really is a winner!
THE RULES OF DOMINOES
This is a fantastic game to play with your family or students and works with a whole range of ages. The rules are simple and easy to follow. You can make your game as long or short as you want it. Our favourite thing about this game is that it is wonderful for children learning to count and recognise patterns.
A good way to start to this game is to explain the rules to your children and go through each of the domino pieces so they understand the pieces.
Number of players:
2-4 people
Ages:
3+ years
Rules:
1. Turn all of your dominos over so that the numbered dots are facing the floor/surface. Each person pick one piece up. The person who gets the highest score (literally by counting how many spots are on theirs) goes first. Now put back all the pieces face down again.
2. If there are only two players, each picks up 7 pieces. If there are more than two, pick 5 pieces each.
3. Put the remaining pieces in a pile in the middle, this is the draw pile.
4. It is up to you whether you decide to hide your pieces so your opponents can see or not.
5. The idea of the game is to match up the numbers and you can put a piece vertically or horizontally next to the same number piece at the end.
6. If it is your go and you have no pieces that match, take one off the draw pile. If you can then play, play, if not you skip your go. When the draw pile finishes and you can’t play at all you will have to skip your go.
7. The person who can play all the way to the end and uses all their pieces wins.
And what could be more fun than edible dominos. Edible dominos you say? Why not. You'll find the recipe and directions HERE and your children can help make and bake them, as well as learning and playing a game afterwards. Baking after all is fundamentally about getting the perfect ratios to make the yummiest result, so what better way to make a Maths game by baking it. It really is a winner!
THE RULES OF DOMINOES
This is a fantastic game to play with your family or students and works with a whole range of ages. The rules are simple and easy to follow. You can make your game as long or short as you want it. Our favourite thing about this game is that it is wonderful for children learning to count and recognise patterns.
A good way to start to this game is to explain the rules to your children and go through each of the domino pieces so they understand the pieces.
Number of players:
2-4 people
Ages:
3+ years
Rules:
1. Turn all of your dominos over so that the numbered dots are facing the floor/surface. Each person pick one piece up. The person who gets the highest score (literally by counting how many spots are on theirs) goes first. Now put back all the pieces face down again.
2. If there are only two players, each picks up 7 pieces. If there are more than two, pick 5 pieces each.
3. Put the remaining pieces in a pile in the middle, this is the draw pile.
4. It is up to you whether you decide to hide your pieces so your opponents can see or not.
5. The idea of the game is to match up the numbers and you can put a piece vertically or horizontally next to the same number piece at the end.
6. If it is your go and you have no pieces that match, take one off the draw pile. If you can then play, play, if not you skip your go. When the draw pile finishes and you can’t play at all you will have to skip your go.
7. The person who can play all the way to the end and uses all their pieces wins.
HALLWAY BOWLING ALLEY
Use this as a fun maths exercise. Get kids to identify what number they knock over or if they're old enough add the numbers together. Young ones could out the numbers they knock over in the right sequence instead of adding them together.
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You’ll need:
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What to do:
Using markers, number the bottles from 1 - 12. This will be the point scored for each bottle when it is knocked down. Set up the bowling alley in the hallway: place the bottles at the end. If you are concerned about marking your door or wall, put a pillow there to protect it. Get children to take turns bowling the ball, knocking over the bottles, then collecting them again in the washing basket and re-setting them for another go. You can score points or not. Depending on the age of your participants, it’s a great opportunity to practice recognising numbers, adding up, etc. |
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