Did you know you can sell all or a portion of a life insurance policy, even term insurance?
(4 minute read)
The fields of science, technology, engineering, and math, collectively known as STEM, are some of the most emphasized areas of education today. In part, this is because adults want to set up kids for a great future; STEM jobs have grown 79% since 1990 and are some of the highest-paying jobs available.
But fields like science are also great to study because this kind of learning grows a child’s critical thinking, helps them learn tenacity and stick with a project, and also nurtures their sense of curiosity and wonder. No matter what interests or passions a young person is developing, there’s a field of science that will catch their attention—and the experiments on our list below are sure to keep kids and adults entertained and having fun even as schools remain virtual.
At-Home Earth Science Experiments for Kids
Earth science is the field of science that deals with the physical constitution of our planet. Here are some experiments that can be done at home to teach children more about Earth itself.
- Explode a Volcano: Teach kids about the different layers of the planet and how pressure causes an eruption with this experiment. You can simply use a 2-liter bottle, or get fancy and build a volcano model from clay or paper mache to make the project last longer. Look to YouTube or the web for many tutorials, or just remember your own days completing this classic school project.
- Grow Your Own Crystals: From sugar to salt to Borax, many household substances or safe chemical compounds can be used to grow your own crystals. In fact, the more different kinds of crystals you grow, the more kids will learn from the different shapes, colors, and structures that result. Since most of these recipes involve hot water or other melting, be sure to use caution.
- Coffee Ground “Fossils”: Make a soft dough with coffee grounds and other materials to demonstrate how rocks form and create fossils out of the debris inside. This recipe includes easy instructions to create neat decorations from the results of your project. They could even serve as Christmas ornaments.
At-Home Botany Experiments for Kids
Botany is also known as plant science. This field includes the study of plant structure, their ecology, and even their economic importance.
- Expose a Leaf Skeleton: Boiling leaves in a pot of water and washing soda is the start of this delicate experiment, which will challenge even high school students. Patience will reveal the rigid veins that allow the leaf to send water and food to its cells. This experiment works best with firm and large leaves like Maple leaves.
- Make a Beanhouse: Growing beans inside a plastic bottle means you can attempt this experiment year-round. Try putting multiple bottles around the house to test which conditions are best for the plants to sprout. If it’s just too cold in your neck of the woods, remember that’s part of doing science, and try again when conditions are different to get different results!
- Colored Petals Experiment: Learn how plants drink up water and distribute it with this experiment. Flowers with white petals and food color are the main materials you need. Studying which flowers drink up color fastest or which colors absorb best are some of the variables you can discuss with your child scientist.
At-Home Weather Experiments for Kids
Meteorology is the science of weather. You can teach weather concepts through science demonstrations that get kids excited about better understanding the world around them.
- Bag the Water Cycle: A Ziploc bag taped to a window helps kids appreciate the processes of evaporation and rainfall as they watch it in real-time. Let kids each make their own water cycle bag experiment, or have younger ages work together. If you have more than one, hang them in different windows to test how different levels of heat make a difference.
- Make a Barometer: A barometer is a tool that measures differences in atmospheric pressure, predicting changes in the weather. This simple experiment to make your own barometer with household items might inspire your kids to become more curious about how pressure works and other ways to measure the weather. Or, it will just help you make the most of the sunshine.
- Hot Front, Cold Front: The fact that hot air and cold air don’t mix is one of the primary drivers of weather phenomenon. This cool color-changing water experiment that illustrates density of hot and cold requires a little delicacy, willingness to make a mess, and access to a laminated card or piece of paper. However, the results are very cool, and it’s not an experiment that takes much time to show results.
At-Home Chemistry Experiments for Kids
Chemistry is the study of how different molecules and materials interact. While some chemistry experiments involve dangerous materials, all these are safe to do in your own home.
- Making Slime: There are dozens of slime recipes online, each with its own ingredients and properties. These four basic slime recipes are a great place to start understanding why different substances lead to different consistencies.
- Penny Chemistry: The process of oxidation is easily observed in this at-home chemistry experiment from the American Chemical Society. You’ll need water, vinegar, salt, and three pennies to get started.
- Invisible Ink: A simple experiment with lemon juice demonstrates the effect of heat on different compounds. You can try honey, orange juice, milk, and other substances to see which actually creates the best results!
At-Home Physics Experiments for Kids
Physics is the study of motion, energy, and force. These simple at-home physics experiments will help kids better understand how things move and exist in time and space.
- Ramp It Up: Make a simple ramp out of a cardboard box or other materials to get hours of fun learning started. As kids explore sending toys down the ramp, they will learn about the relationship between mass and acceleration. Change the toys, shape, surface, or height of the ramp to reinforce the lessons at play.
- Pendulum Painting: This experiment is a great way to learn about the laws of motion and have fun making an artistic mess! Experiment with different lengths of the pendulum and amounts of paint in the cup to see how the results change. This at-home physics experiment can be conducted indoors or outdoors. There’s even a recipe for washable sidewalk paint in the instructions!
- Static Snake: A tissue paper snake and plastic ruler will have every kid and adult feeling like a snake charmer in this physics experiment. Adding decorations to your snake might even change the results of your experiment! You’ll have to get creative and find out.
These are just some of the at-home experiments that can be done in each of these fields of science. Remember, it’s always a good idea to talk with kids about what they expect to see happen before doing the experiment. That way, they can test if their assumption was correct and explore why or why not. Plus, doing these experiments is a great way to build confidence, bring excitement to learning, and make memories together. We hope you enjoy one or more of these activities with your loved ones and that everyone learns something new!
Did you know you can sell all or a portion of a life insurance policy, even term insurance? Selling an unwanted life insurance policy is no different than selling your car, home or any other valuable asset that will create immediate cash. Contact us today to learn more.
Leo LaGrotte
Life Settlement Advisors
llagrotte@lsa-llc.com
1-888-849-0887
