Science Experiments

[Lorina]

Hi Everyone,

Here are some experiments you could use within your childcare setting... Just remember to always have a staff member supervising this area:

Bubble Trouble
a bottle of lemonade
a packet of raisins
a glass

Method:
Pour lemonade into the glass and add raisins...watch what happens...

Explanation:
The bubbles of Gas in the drink stick to the raisins. The Gas is lighter than the Liquid and so it raises to the top of the glass, carrying the raisins. The bubbles then pop and the raisins sink back down. More bubbles stick to the raisins and they raise again.

Balloon Blow Up
a plastic bottle
a funnel
baking powder
vinegar
balloons

Method:
Using a funnel add I tbsp of baking powder inside a balloon.
Pour some vinegar in a plastic bottle and carefully put the balloon over the neck.
Watch the balloon blow up as the powder and vinegar react.

Explanation:
The baking powder and the vinegar are different types of chemicals. When they are mixed together a chemical reaction happens. The reaction makes a gas called carbon dioxide that causes the bubbling and fizzing.

Water Filter
a bottle of water
1 cup of dirt or sand
a funnel
roll of kitchen towel
a jug

Method:
Mix 1 cup of water with 2 tbsp of sand.
Put a piece of kitchen towel into a funnel.
Hold the funnel over the jug and slowly pour the dirty water into it.

Explanation:
The kitchen towel acts as a filter. It lets the water through but stops most of the soil and dirt.
Just like drinking water which is filtered through gravel and sand at water treatment works to get rid of dirt. Chemicals are also added to filtered water to kill any harmful germs that may make us ill.

These are quick,fun and easy to find the right materials, the children will enjoy them. If you need anymore... let me know..

,
L.A

[Lorina]

Here is another simple science experiment to try with your group of children.

Plant Power
a few small glass jars
a few sticks of celery (with leaves on) (one for each glass jar)
food coloring (red is really good)

Method:
Mix some food coloring with water in a small glass jar.
Put a stick of celery, into the water.
Watch to the color of the celery over the next few days.

Explanation:
Red marks start to appear on the celery leaves after a few hours. Over the next two days more and more red appears on its leaves. Water carries food to all parts of a plant or tree. This experiment shows you how water travels from the roots of a plant all the way up to its leaves.

The children enjoy this experiment as they watch the celery”magically” change color.

Hope you enjoy,

,
L.A

[Lorina]

Here is another experiment to try:

Gravity Jump
group of children
large area for jumping

The Method is to ask your group of children to jump as high as they can into the air.

This is how you do it: When you jump into the air all the muscles in your body have to work hard to push you up. They have to work hard because there is an invisible force called gravity that is pulling you towards the ground. The stronger your muscles are, the higher you will be able to jump but you will always come back to Earth.

A tip: Ask questions to the children about how they can jump in the air etc.

,
L.A

[Lorina]

Found:

1. Get a 1 litre or 2 litre plastic bottle.

2. Fill the bottle 3/4 of full with vegetable oil. Add water to the remainder of the bottle, almost to the top but without overflowing. Drop in 10 drops of food coloring, to make the solution appear fairly dark.

3. Add 3 tbsp of salt. The mixture will start to bubble.

4. Add another 2 tbsp of salt and wait until the bubbling stops.

5. Tip the bottle back and forth and watch the fluid appear. The tiny droplets of liquid join together to make one big lava-squirt blob.

6. Place a strong flashlight or search light under the bottle. This will illuminate the bubbles for maximum effect.

[Lorina]

[color=#FF0080]I was just looking through some paperwork from last year and happened to find this little science experiment...

What you need:
• Oil
• Sink
• Funnel
• Vinegar
• Paper towels
• Blue food coloring
• 1/2 cup, measuring cup
• Small, clear plastic drinking bottle with screw lid

What to do:
1. Remove the top from the clear plastic bottle (keep the lid).

2. Pour out ½ cup vinegar into the measuring cup.

3. Add a couple of drops of the blue food colouring into the vinegar.

4. Place the funnel in the mouth of the bottle and pour the vinegar mixture into the bottle (holding the funnel and bottle with one hand and pouring the vinegar in with the other hand).

5. Swivel the bottle around a bit so that the blue food colouring mixes with the vinegar.

6. Pour out ½ cup oil into the measuring cup.

7. Place the funnel into the mouth of the bottle and pour the oil into the bottle (again, holding the funnel and bottle with one hand and pouring the oil in with the other hand).

8. Remove the funnel and screw the lid back onto the bottle (making sure that the lid is secured properly so that there is no leaking).

9. Shake the mixture and see what happens (the vinegar and oil mix together). Keep watching the mixture for a few minutes (the oil and vinegar will separate).

10. Take the lid off and tip the bottle to pour out a bit of the mixture into the sink. What happens? The oil comes out and the vinegar stays to the bottom of the bottle.

11. Place your index finger (pointer) over the top of the bottle and turn it upside down over the sink very slowly, keeping your finger in place.

12. Now uncover a bit of the opening of the lid and let a little bit of the solution drip out. What comes out this time? This time the vinegar drips out.

Have you noticed that the oil stayed on top of the vinegar in both experiments?

Hope you like it!

,
L.A[/color]

[Lorina]

I was at work and I did this experiment with the preschoolers... they loved it!

You need to have these: A small film canister ( you can often pick these up for free!), Vinegar, Bicarbonate Soda, Mixing bowl and spoon, Water and safety goggles.

Here are the Instructions:

1. Take one teaspoon of bicarbonate soda and place it into the dish.Add 5 drops of water and mix into a thick past.

2. Use the spoon to pack the bicarbonate soda paste onto the underside of the film canister lid. Often the clear styled film canister's work better, as you can place the bicarbonate paste into the small well that exists. The other bonus is that the lid tends to be tighter, thereby the rocket flies higher! Why is this so?

3. Fill your film canister halfway with vinegar. You're ready for launch!

4. Gently clip the lid onto the canister, making sure that the whole lid is secure.

5. Making sure your safety goggles are over your eyes, turn the entire film canister upside down onto it's lid on a flat surface. Stand back and watch it fly!

Hope you enjoy!

,
L.A

[Lorina]

Here is another science experiment:

You need Milk, Plate, Food colouring, Detergent.

1.Pour some milk into a saucer (ignoring your cat: this is for the cause of science).
2. Drop four drops of different colours near the edge.
3. In the centre, add one drop of dishwashing detergent.
4. Watch what happens

,
L.A

[Lorina]

A great experiment for the 4-5 yr olds...

Potato Maze

You will need:

• A small flower pot.
• Potting mix.
• A shoebox.
• Several sheets of thick cardboard.
• Sticky tape.
• An old, sprouting potato.

What to do:

1. Cut a small hole in one end of the shoe box.
2. Place the potato in the flower pot, sprouts side up.
3. Place the flower pot at the opposite end of the shoebox to the light hole.
4. Cut the cardboard into strips and use the pieces to create an obstacle course between the potato and the light hole.
5. Put your box in a sunny position with the hole facing the light.
6. Observe the growth of the potato every day but make sure you always put the lid back on tightly!

What’s happening?

Plants need sunlight and oxygen so they can produce food in a process called photosynthesis. Plants in darker surroundings will generally grow towards the light to increase their photosynthesis potential. Over time, you will see that the potato sprouts grow around your obstacle course to get to the light.

,
L.A

[Lorina]

Here is a little experiment on how to make ice cream that you can try with your preschoolers! It really works...

Make Ice Cream

Ingredients:

- 1/2 cup of milk
- 1/2 cup of cream, it's meant to taste good!
- Chocolate or Strawberry topping
- 2 Medium strong plastic freezer bags or Zip-loc bags
- 1 Large plastic freezer bag or Zip - Loc
- 1/2 cup of salt, crushed ice and a hand towel
- A mixing bowl and spoon

Method:

1. Mix the milk, cream and topping in the mixing bowl, or you can mix it inside one of the bags.
2. Seal the freezer bag with ice cream mixture by tying a knot or using the Zip-loc.
Try to get most of the air out of the bag before you seal it.
3. Place the ice cream bag inside another bag, i.e. double bagging to avoid breakage.
4. Mix the salt through the crushed ice in the mixing bowl.
5. Place the tied bag inside the large freezer bag (check for holes- you dont want salty ice cream!).
6. Fill the large bag with the crushed ice and salt mixture. Push out the air and seal the bag.
7. Holding the bag using a hand towel, gently massage or shake the bag to cool the ice cream mixture
Make sure the crushed ice surrounds the inner ice cream bag, it will help with cooling.
8. After 15 minutes your ice cream should be ready!.

,
L.A

[Lorina]

Here is an experiment using rainbow colours...

Making A Rainbow Spinner

Materials you will need:
• Pencil
• A Glass
• White Card
• Hole Puncher
• Crayons or Felt Tip Pens

Steps:
1. Stand the glass on a piece of white card.
2. Draw round the base and carefully cut the circle out.
3. Divide the circle into three, equal-sized sections and color one in blue, one in red and one in green.
4. Make a hole in the centre of the card (using a hole punch), so that you can fit a pencil through it.
5. Spin the card on the pencil tip.

Hints:
What color do you see? Make lots of spinning discs using different combinations of colors. What colors do you see when you spin them?

Why does this happen:
When the spinner moves fast, you see light reflected from all its colors, but your brain cannot separate them. So you see a mixture of all seven colors, which is white. Your spinner may look grey to you because your colors are not pure.

,
L.A

[LindyT]

What would you all put in a Science kit?
I have
Magnifying glasses
Magnets
Rulers
Pencils
Paper
Bug Catcher
A book on backyard bugs
Jars
Funnels
Chalk
Scissors
String

I'd like to have a lot more but have run out of ideas

[Esther_te82]

My kids really liked the experiment with Milk, Plate, Food colouring, Detergent. Thanks so much for sharing!

[pabby1979]

I was at work and I did this experiment with the preschoolers... they loved it!

You need to have these: A small film canister ( you can often pick these up for free!), Vinegar, Bicarbonate Soda, Mixing bowl and spoon, Water and safety goggles.

Here are the Instructions:

1. Take one teaspoon of bicarbonate soda and place it into the dish.Add 5 drops of water and mix into a thick past.

2. Use the spoon to pack the bicarbonate soda paste onto the underside of the film canister lid. Often the clear styled film canister's work better, as you can place the bicarbonate paste into the small well that exists. The other bonus is that the lid tends to be tighter, thereby the rocket flies higher! Why is this so?

3. Fill your film canister halfway with vinegar. You're ready for launch!

4. Gently clip the lid onto the canister, making sure that the whole lid is secure.

5. Making sure your safety goggles are over your eyes, turn the entire film canister upside down onto it's lid on a flat surface. Stand back and watch it fly!

Hope you enjoy!

,
L.A

I do this one at work all the time. The children suggested adding colour to the vinegar (I used food colouring) and placing the canister onto paper. I makes a great "Fireworks painting"

[Lorina]

QR_BBPOST I do this one at work all the time. The children suggested adding colour to the vinegar (I used food colouring) and placing the canister onto paper. I makes a great "Fireworks painting"

That's a really good idea! I guess it can get really messy so it probably needs to be outside. I'm going to have to try your suggestion by adding food colouring to the vinegar next time!

Thanks for sharing!

,
Lorina

[katebrownell86]

These experiments are fantastic—so simple yet packed with fun and learning opportunities for kids! I love how they spark curiosity while teaching about science in a hands-on way. The explanations are super clear too, which makes it easy to help the children understand what’s happening. I’m sure these will be a hit in any childcare setting! Thanks for sharing, and I’ll definitely reach out if I need more ideas.