3D drawing is a visual illusion trick kids will love to learn. In this project, we will be learning about the properties of depth perception. You will draw an object that looks like it’s jumping out of (or into) the 2D piece of paper. See how your eyes can perceive images differently when the picture…
Summer is more than half way through. Soon it’ll be fall and the change in seasons is usually accompanied by curious questions about the weather. Since autumn is often windy, one inevitable question is: Where does wind come from? This question has two meanings: a) how is wind created? and b) which direction does the wind…
Summer is here! Kids love bubbles. And they adore bubble science experiments. It’s one of their favorite summer activities. Playing with bubbles using a simple wand is fun, but here is another cool way to blow bubbles. They are called bubble snakes. Bubble snakes are easy to make and provide tons of outdoor entertainment. Take…
Do grapes sink or float? Grapes can do both. Whether a grape sinks or floats depends on its density relative to the water it’s in. An object’s buoyancy is determined by its density compared with the density of the surrounding water. Density of water can be changed by adding salt. Let’s try this experiment to…
Normally, paper clips do not fly into a hand that hovers over them. That is because the gravitational force pulls the paper clips toward the Earth. In the experiment, you will use a strong magnet to make the paper clips come upward into your hands. It’s almost like the paper clips can defy gravity. But…
What do bottled water and cloud have in common? They both involve a process called evaporation. Evaporation is an important step in the water cycle. Warm water evaporates and turns into vapor. In bottled water factories, water is boiled and vapors are collected to make the product. In nature, drops of vapor gather to form clouds…
Can water defy gravity and float in midair? Not really, but with some help, it can appear to be. Air molecules, which we cannot see with naked eyes, are constantly moving and bombarding everywhere. The resulting force is air pressure. Normally, the air pressure above and below the water are the same. When equal forces…
Here is a hands-on STEM exercise for kids. It is fun for the kids and very easy to set up. Use everyday items around the house to illustrate science ideas and theories. Explore volume, shape and size The size of a three-dimensional space is called volume. One simple way to find out which container has a bigger…
Compasses are a very important tool explorers. They are useful when you go hiking, camping or other outdoor activities. They help you identify directions so you won’t get lost. Compasses work because there is a giant magnetic field surrounding us on Earth. Did you know that it’s very easy to make your own compass at…
If you live in the United States, you probably have a pile of magnets in your wallet. Yes, you read that right. Our dollar bills are printed with magnetic inks. When the US Federal Reserve prints money, they use ink that contains iron oxide which can be magnetized. Magnetic ink is used as a way to reduce…
Toothpicks are made of dry wood. Using the absorbing property of wood and the surface tension property of water, you can create a fun trick to impress your kids (or friends). In this simple experiment, we will turn broken toothpicks into an expanding star. Before you start, be sure to watch the video below. The…
Refraction Of Light Have you ever noticed if you look through a glass of water, the image behind the glass sometimes looks funny or distorted? It’s like the glass of water is playing tricks on your eyes. The trick is actually created by the refraction of light. Light travels at different speed through different materials….
Little kids love soap bubbles (a lot of grownups do, too!) Blowing bubbles, chasing them, trying to catch them and eventually popping them can provide hours of fun for kids. It’s one of many children’s favorite outdoor activities. Do you know why bubble pop when they are touched? Is it possible to touch a bubble…
Magnetism is invisible, but it’s all around us. There is a giant magnetic field on Earth. In this experiment, we will see a smaller version of magnetic field. We will use iron filings to see the magnetic field in 3-dimension. (Here’s an example on 2-dimensional magnetic force field.) Magnet attracts iron and the magnetism can…
Why do people put salt in snow? That’s because salt can make ice melt faster. Ice melts at a specific temperature called the melting point. Salt makes snow melt faster by changing ice’s melting point. Here is an experiment showing how salt achieves that. Using salt, you can pick up a piece of ice with…