Inside: These outdoor science activities will blow your kid’s mind. From turning a campfire green with Borax to exploring the world of molecules with a bag of pencils, these activities will help your kids explore, learn, and grow.
With the hot summer months upon us, it’s time to make the most of the glorious weather and get our kids outside and active! Sure, it’s easy to be drawn to the temptation of lounging on the couch in the air conditioning, but in order to stay healthy, it’s essential to incorporate plenty of outside time into our daily routine – theirs, yours, and mine!
Research shows that outside time is a crucial part of healthy living. And according to recent studies, we ideally need at least 120 minutes a week outside for overall well-being in general and mental balance in particular. But the more, the better!
However, we all know that making time for the outdoors is easier said than done. Unless it’s fun, right?
In this article, you’ll learn twelve exciting ways to do science outside with your kids this summer. From making a soda can twist with the power of water to studying a Brazil Nut Effect in a sandbox, you are sure to find some activities that fit your style and keep you and your kids laughing and learning in the fresh air and sunshine.
Let’s go!
15 Outdoor Science Activities
Make a Green Fire and learn some chemistry
My kids love this one. Why? Because it’s green, and it’s fire! I mean, come on! This experiment combines HEET fuel with Borax to produce gorgeous green flames. But I’m not one for reckless fire or shoddy science, so I’ve included Scientific Method sheets, information on the chemistry of this reaction, and the historical use of the star chemical. So get out there and make predictions, be precise, record observations, and yes, totally geek out about green fire!
Twist Soda Can with Water and Explore Gravity and Propulsion
OK, it sounds random, but we’re actually talking about a gravity-fed water fountain on a hot day in summer here! With just a can, some string, some water, and some strategically poked holes, we’re going to create a spinning propulsion system, releasing energy in a particular way to create a particular motion. Future engineers, step right up – as well as anyone who likes water play in summer – that’s every kid I know!
This Sense of Smell Experiment Might Surprise You
For anyone fascinated by the super-sensory powers of wild animals, this experiment will only increase your awe. We were inspired by that amazing creature – the wolf – which can smell prey from two miles away! How close do your kids need to be to pick up on a scent? Find out.
Ewok Catapult is so Fun to Make and Use
Why do we love Ewoks? Because they’re adorable, yes, but also because they’re resourceful and inventive – taking on an army of stormtroopers with sticks and stones! As this project will show, the humble stick and stone can make an intimidating catapult – and lead to hours of outdoor summer play!
Kite: Make it and Fly it
There’s a reason that kite festivals have spread all over the world. There’s just something so joyful about seeing a colorful, clever, delicate invention take to the skies! It’s almost as good as flying yourself, especially when you’re the one who made it!
Measure Puddles and Watch Them Shrink
Sound like watching paint dry? I promise this is much more interesting. In this activity, we’re recording the shapes of puddles with string and watching to see how long it takes them to disappear. As well as an introduction to evaporation, this can create some beautiful natural art – Andy Goldsworthy, anyone?
Make Pinwheels and Study Wind
Capturing the natural energy of the wind has helped humanity travel and work for millennia (think boats and windmills), and a pinwheel is basically a primitive windmill. This is a wonderful way to show kids how a clever structure can become an engine powered by nature. Also, they’re hypnotically beautiful.
Sail a Raft and Learn More About Navigation
Yes, I did say sail. This isn’t your average square of bound sticks, but a lovely little boat with big leaves as sails – which opens up so many new possibilities as to how the little craft will respond to the wind and waves. Perfect for a day at the beach, lake, or pond.
Explore the Power of the Fizzy Sidewalk Paint
Drawing on the sidewalk with chalk – it’s a classic. But this is better. Why? Because instead of hard, crumbly chalk, we’re using ooey-gooey DIY paints and then spritzing with vinegar to create a fizzing, watercolor-like masterpiece.
Study the Greenhouse Effect in 3 Different Ways
Understanding the Greenhouse Effect is essential for understanding our world, and in particular, this century. With three simple experiments, your kids will gain an experience-based, deep understanding of what the effect is, what these greenhouse gasses are, and why it’s so dangerous to plants and our biosphere.
Study Wind Vanes and Why They Point in the Direction FROM Which the Wind is Blowing (and Not into the Wind as Wind Socks do)
Peculiar, isn’t it? Why doesn’t it point away from the wind like everything else? Find out by making your own wind vane, diving into some physics, practicing cardinal directions, developing spatial navigation, and learning how it helps you predict those summer thunderstorms!
Germinate Seeds in One Day and Plant Them Outside
No more droopy, forgotten, half-finished science projects. This method is so fast you can practically watch the seeds growing! This is a wonderful way to show kids the power of photosynthesis to create biomass, offer them a way to contribute to the garden and leave them with a profound wonder at the magic of life.
Molecules, Atoms, and a Bag of Pencils
This activity is, on the one hand, an entertaining summer water play that consistently confounds kids’ instincts about how it should behave – fascinating! On the other, it’s a great way to introduce atoms, molecules, and polymers, which, in particular, can behave so very strangely…
Get the Apples up the Incline
How did the Egyptians get the gigantic stones up to the top of the pyramid? This is a great question to get your kids thinking…then, you can investigate this small-scale model of an analogous problem. How do you get the apple to the top of the pile? Hint: it involves gravity, mass, and pennies.
Study Brazil Nut Effect in a Sandbox or on the Beach
Here’s another phenomenon that generally confounds all instinct and common sense: why do big heavy things end up on top of small light things? I certainly didn’t know before this experiment. Enrich your beach trip by learning with your kids.
Enjoy!
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