Science Experiments for Kids

The Bundibugyo virus is one of six known strains of Ebola. It was discovered in 2007 when an outbreak of hemorrhagic fever occurred in the Bundibugyo area of Western Uganda. When people think of Ebola, they usually think of the Zaire strain, which is the deadliest known version and has a mortality rate of up […] The post What is the Bundibugyo Virus? appeared first on Science Experiments for Kids…

At what temperature are Fahrenheit and Celsius equal? When checking what to pack for a holiday, you need to know whether the temperature is in Celsius or Fahrenheit. 40°F is winter coat weather, but 40 °C is a very hot day! Celsius and Fahrenheit are both temperature scales, it's a bit like measuring the same […] The post Fahrenheit, Celsius and a STEM Challenge appeared first on Science Experime…

Dandelions are so much more than an annoying weed. They can track the sun, turn into the puffballs we love to blow around, and survive year after year, all while providing a food source for pollinating insects. They are perfect for a spring science challenge as they are free and easily accessible. My five dandelion […] The post Dandelion Science Experiments appeared first on Science Experiments f…

Have you ever wondered why the skin on your fingers and toes shrivels up in the bath when other body parts stay the same? In the past, people thought wrinkly skin was caused by the fingers and toes absorbing water, but this isn't correct. When nerves detect that skin has been wet for a period […] The post Why does skin get wrinkly in water? appeared first on Science Experiments for Kids .

Hantavirus has been in the news a lot recently, but what is it? Hantaviruses are zoonotic viruses that usually infect rats and mice ( rodents ). Transmission to humans is rare, but infection then causes a severe respiratory illness. Cases of hantavirus infection are rare, but its high fatality rate makes it a public health […] The post What is Hantavirus? appeared first on Science Experiments for…

Love or loathe them, dandelions are a common feature in spring. One day, there are just a few, then suddenly they seem to be everywhere. A combination of day length and increasing temperatures leads to a massive synchronised bloom in April or May. It might be tempting to get rid of the pesky weeds, but […] The post Dandelion Magic Trick- Make Stems Curl in Seconds appeared first on Science Exper…

Celebrate all things spring with a FREE scavenger hunt! A scavenger hunt is a fantastic and inexpensive way to liven up a walk. To add to the fun, take a camera or sketchbook and draw or take a photo of what you can see! This idea also pairs nicely with my cloud spotting activity! FREE […] The post FREE Spring Scavenger Hunt appeared first on Science Experiments for Kids .

If you're looking for a spring science project, the Great Spring Seed Race could be just the thing! It's not a fast race, so you'll need a few weeks and a little patience. The idea behind this activity is to plant several different seeds and make observations over time. It's a great way for kids […] The post The Great Spring Seed Race appeared first on Science Experiments for Kids .

Submerging a dandelion in water always looks impressive, as the delicate puffball (seed head) appears wet in the water but is completely dry when removed. It's a bit like a super high-tech rain coat. Several factors contribute to the waterproof properties of a dandelion seed head. This investigation uses dish soap ( washing up liquid […] The post Dandelion, Water and Surface Tension Investigation…

Have you ever wondered how plants know when it's time to grow? It's all down to something called photoperiodism. Plants have internal clocks that detect when daylight hours start to increase. What happens if it's unusually warm but daylight hours are still short? When it's warm but hours of daylight are short, or vice versa, […] The post How do plants know when it's time to grow? appeared first o…

Can you save an egg astronaut from a sticky end? Test different materials to find out which protects an egg the best from a rocket launch and a crash to the ground! We used a mini baking soda and vinegar powered rocket, but you could also try this activity with a water powered bottle rocket […] The post Save the Astronaut Egg appeared first on Science Experiments for Kids .

If you're looking for easy creative ideas to keep the kids busy over Easter, you're in the right place. These Easter STEM projects are simple, use equipment you probably already have, and most importantly, are great fun! Raid your recycle bin and get ready for hours of science fun! Easter Egg Chain Reaction or even roll eggs. You can make it as simple or as complex as you like. One year, we made …

Bright yellow daffodils are among the first signs of spring, along with birds singing and green buds emerging from trees. Daffodils are great flowers for science activities because they grow from bulbs and have distinct parts. You can learn about transpiration, competition for resources, phototropism and more with these five easy daffodil science experiments. Warning - daffodil sap can be an irri…

This fun parachute egg drop experiment is a great demonstration of the forces acting on parachutes. If you drop something, it falls to the ground. This is because it is pulled by the gravity of the Earth. You'll notice that some things drop faster than others. This is because of air resistance. Try dropping a piece of paper and a lego brick. Which drops the fastest? We are going to try dropping a…

Get ready to spread some science joy into your St. Patrick's Day celebrations. If you've ever wondered how rainbows form or how to build a bridge strong enough to hold a pot of gold, you're in the right place! Put on your thinking cap, grab some basic materials and have the best St Patricks Day ever! What is St. Patrick's Day? St. Patrick's Day is a celebration of the patron saint of Ireland. It …

Grab your passport and get ready to explore a country that's straight out of a fairy tale! Austria has mountains, lakes, interesting history, beautiful cities and fantastic food. It's a great place to visit at any time of year with amazing skiing in winter and plenty of hiking, cycling and watersports in summer. In this post we'll explore Austria's fascinating history, learn about balancing Ibex …

Train your brain to perform incredible mathematical feats almost effortlessly with these amazing maths tricks that will make your friends think you're a genius! Learn a couple of party tricks and some mental mathematics shortcuts that'll have you multiplying big numbers almost faster than you can type them into a calculator. All you need is a willing volunteer and a calculator and you'll soon be …

I'm very last minute with this, but my World Book Day Fortune Teller is ready to download. I've used activities that work as an exciting hook for many different stories so you can adapt the ideas to fit lots of well known children's books. The fortune teller is just a bit of fun, but a simple way to add some extra magic to the wonderful world of books and science. World Book Day Fortune Teller Eg…

As World Book Day is just around the corner, I thought I'd pull together some of my favourite book themed science experiments. Here at Science Sparks, we love using a book to help bring a science activity to life, and if I'm ever short of inspiration, reading a great children's book always helps me come up with something new. science activity ideas are sure to make for a memorable World Book Day.…

British Science Week is an annual event celebrating science, technology, engineering and maths. It's always a wonderfully inspirational 10 days full of smiling faces and great science. This year, the theme is Curiosity: What's your question? There are some brilliant packs full of activity ideas on the British Science Week website, but I thought I'd share some activities on Science Sparks that als…