6 DIY experiments to help children love science

Guide primary school children to do 6 simple experiments below, you will make them believe in miracles and curious about how the world around them works.

1. Water cycle in plastic bag

You'll need a ziplock bag, some water, blue food dye, a pair of hands, and an imagination.

Experiment:Add 4-5 drops of dye to the water. For a more natural look, you can draw clouds and waves on the surface of the bag and then pour in the dyed water. Seal the bag tightly and hang it on the window with some tape. Wait for the results and you will not be disappointed. You have a weather machine at home, your children will enjoy watching the raindrops fall into the ocean.

Explain:The Earth has a limited amount of water, so our planet has a water cycle. Under the warm sunlight, the water in the bag evaporates and becomes water vapor. When it cools down, it turns into liquid and falls as raindrops. This phenomenon can be observed in the bag for a few days, but it happens all the time in the outside world.

2. The tornado phenomenon in a bottle

You will need water, a clear glass jar with a lid (the taller the better), dish soap, dye, and sequins.

Experiment:Fill the jar 3/4 full with water and add a few drops of dish soap. After a few seconds, add the dye and sequins. These will help you see the tornado more clearly. Close the jar, shake it in a spiral motion, and observe.

Explain:By shaking the jar in a circular motion, you create a whirlpool of water that resembles a miniature tornado. The water moves rapidly around the center of the whirlpool due to centrifugal force. Tornadoes do occur in nature, but children should definitely see them in a jar at home.

3. Rainbow water

You will need a mason jar, 5 small cups, a cup of hot water, a spoon, a syringe, and a child with a sweet tooth. You will also need some candy: 2 red, 4 orange, 6 yellow, 8 blue, and 10 purple.

Experiment:Pour 2 tablespoons of water into each cup. Add the correct amount of candy to each cup for each color. Hot water will help the candy dissolve faster. If the candy is slow to dissolve, microwave it for 30 seconds. Let the liquid cool to room temperature.

Using a syringe, pour the liquid into the glass jar, starting with the glass with the most liquid (purple) and ending with the glass with the least liquid (red). It is best to place the drops of water on the edge of the jar so they fall slowly. This will result in a rainbow of water.

Explain:The whole secret here is the density of the liquid. Thicker and heavier layers move down faster, while thinner layers float on the surface.

4. Invisible ink

You will need a lemon, a cotton swab, a piece of paper, a jar, any decorations (hearts, sequins) and lots of love.

Experiment:Squeeze some lemon juice into a cup and dip a cotton swab into it. Use it to write your secret message. To make the message appear, you need to heat up the paper (either by ironing it or holding it over a flame or something hot). Make sure your child does not do this alone.

Explain:Lemon juice is an organic substance that oxidizes (reacts with oxygen). When exposed to high temperatures, it turns brown and burns faster than paper. Orange juice, milk, vinegar, wine, honey, and onion juice have similar effects.

5. Dancing Marshmallows

You will need marshmallows, baking soda, vinegar, cutting board, knife and 2 clean cups.

Experiment:Cut each marshmallow into 4 long pieces. Dip the knife in water before cutting to prevent sticking. Then dissolve 3 tablespoons of baking soda in warm water.

Place the marshmallows in the baking soda solution and wait about 15 minutes. Next, take them out and place them in a cup of vinegar. They will immediately start to fizz, start dancing, and float to the surface.

Explain:When you place the soda-soaked marshmallows in the vinegar, the acetic acid reacts with the bicarbonate of soda. Carbon dioxide bubbles form on the marshmallows and pull them to the surface of the water, making them dance. Once they reach the surface, the bubbles burst and the marshmallows fall to the bottom, where they then form new bubbles and float to the surface again. For best results, use only four marshmallows at a time to give them room to “dance.”

6. Egg white and yolk upside down

You will need 1-2 eggs, tape, a thin pantyhose, and a pot of water.

Experiment:Before you begin, you should look at the egg with a flashlight. It is very easy to see through. Then wrap the egg tightly with tape. Place the egg in the middle of the sock, twisting both sides. Hold the ends of the sock and rotate the egg on its axis. Shine the flashlight again to see if the egg is ready for its magic.

Boil the egg without removing the tape, turning it from side to side. Boil for 10 minutes, then let it cool and peel. The result is an egg with a yolk on the outside and a white on the inside!

According to VNE