Fun & Science

Watch water swirl down the drains of different sinks and tubs. Does the water turn the same direction (clockwise or counterclockwise) in each one? Can you make it go the other way by stirring? Explanation The water may have swirled clockwise down one...

Watch water swirl down the drains of different sin...

By Julie A. Swanson Art by Patrick Wayne Britten Want to experience something mind-boggling in the next few minutes? Give a strip of paper a half twist and tape its ends together. You have just made a Möbius (MUH-bee-us) strip, a fascinating object...

By Julie A. Swanson Art by Patrick Wayne Britten ...

How does a camera change a big scene into a small picture? To see for yourself, make a pinhole "camera." Start with an empty cardboard box. A round oatmeal box works well. Punch a hole in the center of the bottom by pushing a pencil through it. Now p...

How does a camera change a big scene into a small ...

One basic idea makes pinwheels and windmills work: the turbine. Here's how to make a simple one. With scissors, cut a square out of a piece of thin cardboard. A piece from an index card or an empty box of tissues works well. The size is not important...

One basic idea makes pinwheels and windmills work:...

Do you know how Arctic seals, walruses, and sea lions can live in icy waters? Try this to find out. Coat one of your fingers with peanut butter or cream cheese. Dip that finger and one other finger into a bowl of ice water. Feel a difference? How it ...

Do you know how Arctic seals, walruses, and sea li...

Set a glass and a large plate side by side on a counter. Pour ¼ cup of water into the glass and ¼ cup of water onto the plate. Over the next day, watch what happens to the water. Explanation: This activity shows the effect of evaporation. The water i...

Set a glass and a large plate side by side on a co...

Learn how to make an easy lava lamp with this fun science experiment for kids. Use simple household items such as vegetable oil, food coloring, Alka-Seltzer and a bottle to create chemical reactions and funky balls of color that move around just like...

Learn how to make an easy lava lamp with this fun ...

by Nancy S. Holliday If you want to hit a home run, you have to be able to see how far away the baseball is as it crosses home plate. Your brain has to take a measurement. How does it do it? This experiment will show you. Use string to hang a paper c...

by Nancy S. Holliday If you want to hit a home run...

By Valerie Hutchens When my dog barks, I know whether she’s at the back door or at the front door. I don’t have to be looking at her. I can tell which direction the sound is coming from without seeing her at all. Many people have had the same experie...

By Valerie Hutchens When my dog barks, I know whet...

By Edith Hope Fine On a windy day, the moving air can push hard enough to bend a tree. And air has “push” even when it’s not moving. Try this activity to experience the pressure of the air around you. You need a flat piece of paper (typewriting paper...

By Edith Hope Fine On a windy day, the moving air ...

Some scientists may like salt as a seasoning in their food. But a lot of them like it for the interesting things it does. For example, salt affects how water freezes. Do this experiment to discover whether it makes freezing easier or more difficult. ...

Some scientists may like salt as a seasoning in th...

An amazing chemical can be found in red cabbage. This stuff, called cyanidin (sigh-AN-ih-din), can be used to identify two important kinds of chemicals: acids and bases. Acids are famous for their ability to eat away at rocks and metals. But many aci...

An amazing chemical can be found in red cabbage. T...

What You’ll Need: - help from an adult - Wint-O-Green Lifesavers - a clear sandwich bag - pliers - a dark room, such as a windowless bathroom, where the air is dry, not humid What to Do: - Put a Lifesaver into the sandwich bag. The bag will protect y...

What You’ll Need: - help from an adult - Wint-O-Gr...

By James E. Hyer Every day, many messages are sent using pulses of light. During most long-distance telephone calls, the sounds of spoken words are changed into signals made up of light pulses. These signals travel from one place to another through m...

By James E. Hyer Every day, many messages are sent...

In the photograph, the spoon and forks seem to be floating. But this trick really has to do with balance, not magic. Try it yourself. Use one hand to hold a teaspoon in position over the rim of a glass. Stick one fork onto the spoon handle, fitting t...

In the photograph, the spoon and forks seem to be ...

By Jim Conrad ~ Illustrated by Brenda Pepper Make this white flower burst with color! Queen Anne’s lace, a pretty, lacy-looking plant, may have white flowers in nature, but with your help, it can make an amazing transformation. Its white flowers can ...

By Jim Conrad ~ Illustrated by Brenda Pepper Make ...

Illustrated by Brenda Pepper In water, is an egg more like a boat or a rock? The answer depends on what’s in the water. Try this experiment to see for yourself. And do it near the kitchen sink, because you might spill some water. Use a spoon to lower...

Illustrated by Brenda Pepper In water, is an egg m...

By Brenda Pepper When the Pressure's on, ice can get a grip For this activity you need a thin strong wire about two feet long. You can find a good one by carefully unraveling a strand from the bundle of thin wires used to make a thicker wire for hang...

By Brenda Pepper When the Pressure's on, ice can g...

By R.E. Matthews ~ Illustrated by Anni Matsick Here’s an easy way to make a magnetic compass. The only things you need that may not be in your kitchen are a magnet and a large sewing needle. Make the sewing needle into a magnet: lay one end of the ne...

By R.E. Matthews ~ Illustrated by Anni Matsick Her...