15 exciting experiments for young and older children
Children like to be stimulated and making sure they are occupied as well as enjoying themselves is often a challenge and a half. More often than not, activities that children like to do are not all that good for them. Here are some experiments that are both fun but also beneficial for children, enabling them to learn new things. There are even some exciting and educational lessons for grownups included here.
1. A tea-bag rocket
To start with a classic, take a tea-bag and remove its contents.
And already you can begin to see a junior NASA scientist in the making! Simply light up the top of the tea-bag with a match or lighter and watch the engines start.
All of a sudden, the rockets takes off, shooting up towards the ceiling. It is best to carry out this experiment outdoors and under the right supervision, of course.
2. The osmosis experiment
During this experiment, you can learn all about osmosis with a bit of water and some food coloring.
YouTube/mylittlecraftclass's channel
The exciting aspect to this experiment is that you first let the children make their own scientific assumptions about what will happen. After conducting the experiment, they can then verify the results with the assumptions previously made. What color do the celery sticks take on in the end?
YouTube/mylittlecraftclass's channel
You can find out what osmosis is and what actually happens here.
3. Tornado in a glass
This impressive and harmless trick really has it all. Put detergent in a jar of water, then with circular hand movements start to swirl the contents. You can literally watch how a mini tornado forms and stays in action for hours.
4. Magic rotor
With a battery and small magnet, you can construct the main station for this rotor, which magically begins to spin by itself.
And just keeps on getting faster and faster.
Here you can find out how a magnetic field works in detail.
5. The hand of a Jedi
By waving your hand in the air, you can make a ketchup sachet rise and sink in a bottle of water. How is that even possible?
The secret behind this magic trick can be seen here.
6. Water in motion
If you want to see how water passes from one glass to another without being poured or tipped, then you'll love this experiment. Amazing considering all that is connecting the glasses is some kitchen paper.
Here is the explanation.
7. Bubbles in the palm of your hand
With these gigantic soap bubbles, the fun is guaranteed to be never-ending!
What these firm bubbles are made of is revealed here.
8. Experiment for the little ones: what dissolves in water?
This is a nice, little experiment, which requires the kids to take note of test results using a chart on a clipboard. The key question is: which materials dissolve in water and which ones do not? In any case, the children get to guess beforehand.
Watch the experiment in action here.
9. 1 glass, 7 layers
This physics experiment illustrates that liquids can have different densities. Here, you can see seven layers, one on top of the other, without them mixing in together.
Which liquids were used? Here is the answer.
10. Fall forecast
How will these leaves appear in the fall season? You should note down the assumptions made by the kids during the experiment.
Using a standard coffee filter, the results can be "measured."
Background information here.
11. A peeled egg
What happens to an egg that has been soaking in a glass of vinegar for 12 hours?
The shell magically disappears, leaving you with the fibrous membrane around the egg.
Incredibly, you can now bounce the egg like a rubber ball!
How, what, why? This is how, what and why.
12. Elephant toothpaste
The elephant toothpaste consists of a few ingredients. It just spills over the edges of the plastic bottle and doesn't seem to stop coming out! It is often used as one of the first classroom experiments to illustrate what a chemical reaction is.
These are the ingredients you will need. Take a closer look here.
13. Color comes alive in milk
All you need is some milk, detergent or soap and food coloring to create a work of art. This painting, though, is continually in motion, moving by itself and creating the most wonderful shapes and colors.
Here is everything you need to know.
14. Fireworks in a glass
A small firework manifestation can be created in a glass. This is what happens if you immerse food coloring with oil in a container of water.
Have fun watching this.
15. Crystallization of eggs
This experiment will intrigue your kids for hours on end.
Place a glass within another glass together with a (non-toxic) solution.
Without giving away too much, here's the result: eggs covered in colorful crystals!
The egg that loses its shell and becomes a bouncy ball has to be the coolest one! Who would have ever thought such a thing was possible with a bit of vinegar?
These experiments will definitely pique your children's interest but will also be fun for the grownups no doubt! Share these experiments with the other parents you know to make those summer vacation weeks not only fun but educational too!