You can help your child learn their science lessons through simple science projects. Easy projects that demonstrate scientific concepts, and show how these concepts apply in everyday life, will encourage them to explore the world of science further. Also, with schools closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the following simple science projects will give the children something fun to do.
Make soap.
There are many ways you can make soap with different ingredients. You can re-batch soap. This method entails grating up bars of soap, adding some other ingredients, and re-blending them altogether. Or, you can use the melt-and-pour technique. Melt blocks of pre-made soap, add your own fragrances or essential oils, and then pour it into molds.
Afterward, you could do a little lesson about getting rid of bacteria and germs using soap. This will help your family have fun and teach them why you often wash your hands.
Test pH of different substances using red cabbage
This experiment will demonstrate that you can use red cabbage as a pH indicator. You will need red cabbage, knife, water, sieve, one large jar, five small glass tubes/containers, and homemade solutions such as washing powder, vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice.
Cut the red cabbage into small pieces. Then, boil the pieces until the water turns red-purple. Use a sieve to remove the cabbage pieces and leave you with a red-purple liquid. Divide the liquid between the five small glass tubes and then add a different homemade solution to each one to test its pH level. If the solution is acidic, it will turn red, and bases will turn green.
Explore the concept of density.
Pour water, vegetable oil, alcohol, and Karo syrup into a tall jar. Watch how they layer. Then, drop in different items like a coin, cork, candle, or pen and see where they float or sink. The good thing about this density experiment is that it requires a few items and it can be understood by both middle school and kindergarten kids.
Make a hovercraft
Create a simple hovercraft that is cool to operate using only a CD. Make sure to use a CD that you don't want to use again. What you will need for this experiment is a push-up top from a water bottle, a balloon, and some superglue to do the job right.
Instructions:
- Stick the push-up top to the middle of the CD using superglue
- After the glue has dried, blow up the balloon
- Attach the balloon over the push-up top
- Place the CD onto a flat surface and watch it hover from the escaping balloon air
Test the conductivity of various liquids
This project tests the electrical conductivity of several liquids. It's interesting to see which conduct electricity and which don't. For this project, you will need a conductivity board, a glass bowl, water, and different solids and liquids such as laundry detergents, bleach, food coloring, glycerin, sugar, salt or baking powder.
Then set up the conductivity board, pour water into the glass bowl, and then test the conductivity of pure water. Next, add one of the solids or liquids to the water and retest, noting any similarities or differences.
Choose age and skill-appropriate projects. You do not want your child to tackle a science project designed for a high school student if he is only eight years old. You, as a parent, are the best judge of how complex the project can be. You can start small, and once they have mastered the simple projects, move on to the next level. This will keep your child interested in science but will also help to keep your child safe.
