Kids DIY Science Fun!

Updated: Mar 28, 2022

Volume 1 Issue 6

March 28, 2022

The Teachable Tutor's Thoughts

'Science is like magic, but for real."

Author Unknown

Who doesn't like a good science experiment? I can remember as a child how much I enjoyed these hands on opportunities to explore, predict and see what would happen next. It was often messy but always so much fun! These opportunities for learning are priceless. So, I'll be sharing an easy and fun experiment, that can be done with your kids at home or in a classroom setting.

Before we get to the fun and messy part of this blog let me explain exactly what kids are learning when doing a hands on science experiment.

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Learning through exploring science

Science experiments allow children to learn to about the scientific method. The scientific method is the way in which scientist explore the world we live in. It provides the guidelines to perform an experiment. Your child's natural curiosity is the most important component needed when following the scientific method. Here is the language and the steps used in the scientific method...

What are the benefits?

As we know our children are naturally curious. This makes them natural born scientists. Exposing kids to the scientific method with hands on exploration, creates children with a strong set of skills. Parents and educators will see an increase in children's desire to wonder as well as investigate their environment. Your child will raise more questions and share ideas. They will be able to describe their observations and to identify patterns or relationships between phenomenons. Lastly, it will increase their ability to collaborate with others.

Here is a simple kid friendly DIY science experiment:

For this experiment you will find all the needed materials at home. Along with the list of needed materials, I've included the directions; a video demonstrating how to conduct the experiment; and an explanation of how a tornado in a jar is created. Be sure to supervise your children and assist them as needed throughout. It would be great to videotape the experiment then view the recording. You and your child can talk about what you noticed from your recorded video. Before conducting this experiment, have your child think about the following questions: 'can you create a tornado in a jar?' Why? Why not? Remember to use the scientific method:

1st- Observe 2nd- Ask a question 3rd- Make a hypothesis

4th- Do an experiment 5th- Draw Conclusions 6th- Share your results

Use the steps of the scientific method to prompt and guide your child as they explore creating a 'tornado in a jar.'

TORNADO IN A JAR

Materials You’ll Need:

- 3 cups of tap water

- 1 teaspoon of dish soap

- 1 teaspoon vinegar

** glitter {optional}

Directions: STEP 1- Fill the mason jar with water – making sure to leave about an inch of space at the top.

STEP 2- Pour in the dish soap and vinegar and close the lid. {Give the cap a double check just to make sure that the tornado wouldn’t get free and make a big mess.}

STEP 3-Holding one hand on top and one below, swirl the jar for about 5 seconds and then set it down on the table to watch the tornado.

How was the tornado created? THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE SCIENCE An Explanation:When you spin the water in the jar, it creates a vortex in the center. As the water spins, a force causes the water to spin around that vortex making a mini tornado. {Hurricanes have a vortex too.}