Table of Contents:
- Volcanic Snow
- Freeze a Bubble
- Make Your Pennies Shine
- Use "Invisible Ink" to Write a Secret Message
- Pepper and Soap "Germ" Activity
Bring the youngest scientific imaginations alive with these at home science activities!
Volcanic Snow
Materials:
- 2 heaping tablespoons baking soda
- 1 tablespoon dish soap
- Food coloring of your choosing
- 30 ml vinegar
- Snow
- Small plastic cup
Directions:
- Place the plastic cup on the ground.
- Pack snow tightly around the cup, making sure to keep the top open.
- Pour all ingredients down into the cup, except for the vinegar.
- When you’re ready for your volcano to start erupting, pour in the vinegar.
- Step back and watch your volcano come alive!
Freeze a Bubble!
Materials:
- 6 cups of water
- 1 cup Karo corn syrup
- 2 cups clear dishwashing soap
- 1 large bowl
- 1 shallow container
- 1 straw
Directions:
- In a large bowl, gently stir together water and Karo without making bubbles.
- Add soap, mixing well.
- Pour some of the mixture into a shallow container.
- Dip a bubble wand in and blow!
- Alternately, you could use a typical bubble wand instead of the straw.
Make Your Pennies Shine
Materials:
- Lemon juice
- Tarnished pennies
- A cup
- Paper towels
Directions:
- Place a dirty penny in the cup, covering it with lemon juice.
- After five minutes, remove the penny and wipe it clean with the paper towel.
Use “Invisible Ink” to write a secret message!
Materials:
- Paper
- Cup
- Cotton swab
- Some type of heat source, such as a lamp or blow-dryer
- Milk or lemon juice… or both!
Directions:
- Squeeze lemon juice into a small amount of water or pour milk in a cup.
- Stick the end of the cotton swab in the liquid.
- Use the soaked cotton swab to write your message.
- Let your message dry completely.
- With an adult’s assistance, hold the paper near a light source. This will illuminate your secret message, just like magic!
Pepper and Soap “Germ” Activity
Materials:
- A shallow dish, such as a pie plate
- Water
- Black pepper
- Liquid dish soap.
Directions:
- Fill shallow dish halfway with water.
- Sprinkle black pepper on the surface of the water, noting that the water’s surface tension will keep the pepper flakes afloat.
- Dip your finger into the center of the dish, observing what happens (not much).
- Now imagine with your scientist in training, that the pepper flakes are “germs”.
- Place the tip of one finger into the dish soap—only a little is needed.
- Dip the soapy finger into the pepper water and watch as the pepper flakes scatter to the edges of the plate.
- Discuss with your scientist in training how the soap is specially formulated to disrupt the surface tension, making it effective on greasy, dirty dishes and chasing "germs" away!
