Creativity expert Courtney Watkins shows how to make a science lab in the kitchen to keep children active and involved in science.
Homemade Quicksand
Materials:
1 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup water
Steps:
- Mix the cornstarch and water in a see-through container with a fork.
- Have a child experiment with a toy--let it float and sink in the mixture.
Goofy Putty
Materials:
measuring cup
plastic container
liquid starch
white glue
food coloring
- Use a measuring cup to mix equal parts of liquid starch and white glue in a plastic container. (Liquid starch is available in the detergent section of most grocery stores.)
- To add color combine a few drops of food coloring with the mixture.
- Let it sit for one hour. The mixture will feel "wet," and you should play with it to extract extra liquid.
- Rinse out the container and repeat this gradual drying process. Although the starch is made of natural ingredients, it is safe to touch, but not to ingest. Be careful and wash your hands after handling it.
- Store in plastic bags or plastic eggs. The sealed putty will keep for several months.
* Note: The result of a combination of two materials with separate properties is called a "hybrid."
Ice-Cube Dilemma
Present a child with a glass of ice water, and ask them to fish out an ice cube without touching it with their fingers. To accomplish this task, follow the instructions below:
Materials:
glass of water
ice cube
cotton string
table salt
Steps:
- Rest a piece of cotton string on an ice cube.
- Sprinkle regular table salt on top of the string and the cube, wait 45 seconds, then lift.
- The properties in salt make ice melt faster, and the string melts into the ice to create a sticky bond.
Wishing Potion
Have a child "blow a wish" into a glass. Add baking soda, then vinegar (no formal measurements) and watch as the mixture bubbles and froths over. This pops their wish into the air!
Mixing an acid and a base creates carbon dioxide. This is an everyday gas that we exhale and that plants need to live.
Resources Courtney's Creative Adventures
by Courtney Watkins
Little, Brown & Co., 2002
Order this title from Amazon.com.
Guests Courtney Watkins
Creativity Expert
E-mail:
Courtney@CourtneyWatkins.com
Website:
www.courtneywatkins.com
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