Getting Scientific
A friend of mine inspired me to do simple science experiments with the children. Then I found the perfect resource the very next day when I was looking at the Goodwill (Scholastics, Literature-Based Science Activities). So, I tried some experiments that dealt with air. Air on the move: we made a paper bag rocket and powered it by a balloon. As the air flew out of the balloon the rocket moved across the string. Tristan would have played with this rocket all day. It was so cool!
Then we saw how air can be caught and how the more surface area of something, the more air it catches. We threw spools off our deck and to one of the spools we attached a parachute. Then we observed difference between the fall of the parachute spool and the non-parachutes. Anastasia particularly enjoyed throwing the spools without parachutes off the deck and then watching big brother go down and pick them all up for her.
We talked about the air around us and how we can feel air when it is windy and we can see the air moving as the wind blows things.
We also talked about how hot air takes up more space than cold air and how hot air rises. I had a bottle in the freezer all day and then at dinner I set the bottle in the middle of the table and attached a balloon to the mouth. The balloon began filling with air almost instantly and we got to experience the air warming up inside the bottle, rising, expanding and filling the balloon.
It was such an amazing day (even if I did forget about Anastasia's 18 month check-up, oops!). I am very thankful for my fellow scientific mom and her encouragement that it's never too young to get scientific!
Here are a few of my favorite photos from the day.
Then we saw how air can be caught and how the more surface area of something, the more air it catches. We threw spools off our deck and to one of the spools we attached a parachute. Then we observed difference between the fall of the parachute spool and the non-parachutes. Anastasia particularly enjoyed throwing the spools without parachutes off the deck and then watching big brother go down and pick them all up for her.
We talked about the air around us and how we can feel air when it is windy and we can see the air moving as the wind blows things.
We also talked about how hot air takes up more space than cold air and how hot air rises. I had a bottle in the freezer all day and then at dinner I set the bottle in the middle of the table and attached a balloon to the mouth. The balloon began filling with air almost instantly and we got to experience the air warming up inside the bottle, rising, expanding and filling the balloon.
It was such an amazing day (even if I did forget about Anastasia's 18 month check-up, oops!). I am very thankful for my fellow scientific mom and her encouragement that it's never too young to get scientific!
Here are a few of my favorite photos from the day.
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~Nat