Monthly Archives: July 2017

  1. Cartesian Diver

    Cartesian Diver

    Make an age-old toy: The Cartesian Diver. It floats in a bottle filled with water, but when you squeeze the bottle, the diver mysteriously plunges to the bottom.

    Suitable for kids aged 5+ with parental supervision.

    You Need:
    • An empty soft drink bottle with cap (any size, your diver will dive further in a bigger bottle)
    • A third of a straw
    • Paper clip
    • Small chunk of modelling clay
    • Glass or cup to test your diver in
    • Water
    What to do:
    1. Fill the bottle with water.
    Read more »
  2. Balancing Act

    Balancing Act

    Balancing Act Science Magic

    Do the impossible balance a can on its bottom rim and amaze your friends

    Suitable for kids aged 6+

    You Need:
    • Two empty 375ml cans
    • 100mls of water approx
    What to do:
    1. Pour about 100mls of water secretly into one can.
    2. Have someone try to balance the other empty can on its bottom rim (see picture). It is impossible.
    3. Then amaze them, by easily balancing your magic can on its bottom rim (they dont need to know it has water in it).

    Why is it so?

    This science trick is
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  3. Tea Bag Rocket

    Tea Bag Rocket

    An easy and fun way to learn about convection currents!

    Suitable for kids aged 7+

    You Need:
    • Teabag with a string and label
    • Non-flammable plate
    • Scissors Lighter or match
    • Lighter or match

    What to do:
    Remember - always ask an adult for help with matches and don't do this experiment near any flammable materials.
    1. Remove the staple, label and string from the teabag.
    2. Pour the tea into a bin.
    3. Unfold the teabag.
    4. Turn the teabag into a cylinder - make
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  4. Spinning Earth

    Spinning Earth

    Spinning Earth And Ocean Marble

    Can you keep your ocean-marble on the spinning cardboard-earth for three whole rotations!? A fun way to model the spinning earth and learn about how spin effects weather.

    Suitable for kids aged 6+ with parental supervision.

    Young children will need an adult to help make the model earth, it requires cutting thick cardboard and measuring. No assistance should be needed for the actual spinning of the cardboard earth.

    You Need:
    • Large piece of thick cardboard
    • Push pin
    • String
    • Blutak
    • Scissors
    • Pencil
    • 60cm ruler
    • Foil
    • Marble
    What to
    Read more »
  5. Model Tsunami

    Model Tsunami

    Cause a tsunami by erupting a canister full of bubbling gas underwater

    Suitable for kids aged 10+ with parental supervision

    CAUTIONThe canister lid comes off with a lot of force, stand back and be careful to stay right out of its way.
    You Need:
    • Empty film canister with tight fitting lid or something similar
    • Plasticine
    • Alka-Seltzer tablet (available from the supermarket)
    • Tub or bucket (preferably transparent)
    • Water
    What to do:
    1. Mould enough plasticine around the bottom of the film canister to give it the appearance of a volcano and enough weight to keep it down in the tub of water.
    2. Fill
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  6. Sugar Landscape

    Sugar Landscape

    Sugar Landscape

    Use a sugar cube to explore how rain changes our landscape

    Suitable for kids aged 4+

    You Need:
    • Sugar cube
    • Eyedropper or pipette
    • Small plastic lid (or saucer) to sit the sugar cube on
    What to do:
    1. Practice using the eyedropper by sucking-up some cold tap water from a glass (or other container), then gently squeezing the water back into the glass one drop at a time. Dont squeeze too hard or the water will come squirting out as one stream. You need to be able to master raining one drop at a time to continue with
    Read more »
  7. Hot Air Balloon

    Hot Air Balloon

    Make your own hot air balloon

    There is something very cool about things that fly - this homemade hot air balloon is no exception.

    Suitable for kids aged 8+ with parental supervision

    You Need:
    • Garbage Bag
    • Duct Tape (or a plastic packing strip)
    • Hair Dryer
    CAUTION This experiment should only be done by adults or under adult supervision. There is a chance the garbage bag will get too hot and start to melt risking a minor burn. The hairdryer could also overheat.

    What
    Read more »
  8. Erupting Volcano

    Erupting Volcano

    Erupting Volcano Project

    Use things from around the home to construct a volcano and make it erupt using a chemical reaction.

    Suitable for kids aged 5+, with adult supervision

    You Need (for structure):
      What you need for this project will depend on how you choose to make the volcano structure. If you are in a hurry you can use moist soil or sand outside, or you can spend longer making a paper mache or foil structure. Each of these methods are descibed below.
    You Need (for eruption):
    • Plastic cup, container or bottle
    • Baking Soda
    • Vinegar
    • Detergent
    • Red dye
    What to do (volcano structure):
    Moist sand or dirt volcano This is the quickest way to make your
    Read more »
  9. Tornado In A Bottle

    Tornado In A Bottle

    Tornado In A Bottle

    Tame the destructive force of a tornado by creating a mini one in a bottle. It's fun and easy!

    Suitable for kids aged 4+

    You Need:
    • Empty plastic bottle with lid. Any size, 500ml works well
    • Two drops of liquid detergent (clear detergent works best)
    • Teaspoon of glitter (optional)
    • Food colouring (optional)
    What to do:
    1. Almost fill the plastic bottle with cold tap water.
    2. Add the liquid detergent.
    3. Add glitter to the bottle.
    4. Screw on the cap tightly.
    5. Hold the bottle by the neck and turn it upside down.
    Read more »
  10. Make your own Bath bomb

    Make your own Bath bomb

    Bring chemistry into the bathroom. Make bath time fun!

    Make your own bath bomb from household ingredients and marvel over the fizzy, colourful chemistry happening around you.

    Suitable for kids aged 6+
    You Need:
    • Food colouring
    • Sweet Almond oil (use different oil if allergic to nuts)
    • 10 tablespoons of bicarbonate soda
    • 3 tablespoons of citric acid
    • 2 large mixing bowls
    • 1 large muffin tray
    • 1 small glass jar
    • Rubber gloves
    • Spoons
    • Scented oil, glitter or flower petals
    • Spoons
    Read more »