Make Learning Fun: Science Experiments

Dead Sea Experiment

Don’t let the title scare you! Many science experiments are actually very easy to do with your kids.

Hands-on is fun for most kids. Messy experiments are even more fun. But the beautiful thing is that they can also be educational!

Hands-On Learning sticks

Research shows that hands-on, experience-based learning sticks.

Kids will remember more of things that they do than what they are told. Completing a worksheet or reading a paragraph on a topic is one thing, experiencing it for themselves is something completely different.

And that’s what experiments provide.

Fun

Too often, between busy work at school and hours of homework, learning becomes a drudgery for kids. I know you’ve seen it too. Experiments help our kids see that learning can be fun. It doesn’t always have to be worksheets and book work. It can be fun.

One of my most favorite things as a homeschool parent is to get to experience learning with my children. I love to see their delight as they learn something new and figure things out. Get in there and do some fun experiments with your kids–see the joy on their faces.

Tip: Let go of perfection for this. It’s okay if things get a little messy. Make up your mind to enjoy this time with your children.

Practical & Relevant

Experiments help kids see the “why?” behind education. I remember as a kid asking my teachers “why do we need to know this?” Experiments help answer some of those questions. We can show our kids that learning is a process and that it can be intertwined with our daily lives. It shows them that learning is relevant, and that they can understand things that matter to their everyday lives.

Science experiments are also great because they incorporate so many other subjects and disciplines.

Your kids can learn without even realizing it and that’s my favorite kind of learning.

Ideas & Resources

The dead sea experiment that my boys and I did a while back is one example, and it’s incredibly simple. Your kids can learn about the dead sea and viscosity all while playing with water.

Another good at-home science activity for the summer is making your own ice cream–what could be more fun than that?

If you’re worried about the mess, move it outside and enjoy the sunshine!

There are literally hundreds of science experiments that you can do at home, using household supplies. And many that require almost no preparation in advance.

You can find tons of great ideas for free on pinterest, but if that’s not your thing, here are some other resources, including kits already put together for you.

Kits

  • Kitchen Science Kit
  • Mind-Blowing Science Kit
  • Extreme Secret Formula Lab Science Kit
  • Magnet Science
  • Groovy Lab in a Box–Science themed kit that includes everything you need for a hands-on, educational activity

Books

  • Dad’s Book of Awesome Science Experiments
  • 365 Simple Science Experiments
  • 730 Easy Science Experiments with Everyday Materials

Other Fun Science Experiments with Kids

  • Squishy Circuits (learn about circuits with playdough)
  • Homemade Gak/Slime
  • Homemade Rock Candy
  • Make Fizzing lemonade (and many more experiments at this site)

This post is a part of my “Make Learning Fun this Summer” series. Click here to read the other posts in the series.

summer learning fun 2

What fun experiments have you tried with your kids?

Continue reading here: Finding Encouragement: Healthy Habits

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