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Luge is one of our favourite Olympic events to watch. Luge involves one or two athletes sliding down an ice track at breathtaking speeds feet first on a small sled. It’s the fastest Winter Olympic Sport. Your mission in this activity is to build a mini luge track using a craft stick, coins and tape. … Continue reading “Build a Luge STEM Challenge”
The 2026 Winter Olympics start tomorrow, bringing athletes from around the world together to compete for a coveted gold medal! Here at Science Sparks, we’re looking forward to watching gravity-defying spins, jumps and twists and super speedy slides. Winter Olympic sports are full of cool science, it’s a bit like a huge, frozen physics lab. … Continue reading “Easy Winter OLYMPIC STEM Challenges”
My children ask questions ALL the time, which I love, but I don’t always know the answer, or if I do, sometimes it’s hard to explain properly to a smaller person. I’ve pulled together a list of the most common science questions kids ask, so you know where to come next time you’re a bit … Continue reading “Science Questions and Answers for Kids”
Have you ever wondered why dogs have cold, wet noses? It might seem strange for a warm-blooded animal to have a cold, wet nose, but it’s actually a fantastic adaptation that supercharges a dog’s sense of smell and helps to regulate their body temperature. Cold nose and sense of smell A dog’s nose is covered … Continue reading “Why do dogs have cold noses?”
This simple balancing ice skater STEM challenge is the first of a series of Winter Olympic themed science activities. The idea is to make a cardstock skater attached to a small piece of dowel, balance on your finger! It seems impossible, but with a bit of clever science, it works really well and looks amazing. … Continue reading “Balancing Ice Skater STEM Challenge”
Chinese New Year marks the start of the New Year based on the lunisolar calendar, which falls on the first new moon between 21st January and 20th February. It’s a chance to celebrate the move from Winter to Spring and involves family reunions, decorations often with a red theme, gifts, dragon dances and fireworks. The … Continue reading “Science Activity Ideas for Chinese New Year”
The invisible beaker is a classic science activity and a fantastic example of “science magic” that’s sure to provide a wow moment to children (and adults) of all ages! It’s inexpensive and very easy. You need a large and a small glass beaker and enough clear cooking oil to cover the small beaker when it’s … Continue reading “Invisible Beaker STEM Challenge”
Have you ever wondered why and how storms are named? It may feel like a random process, but storm names follow a strict international system. Naming storms has been found to increase awareness and encourage people to prepare if needed. It’s also easier for news reporters to use a single name rather than a longer, … Continue reading “How are storms named?”
It’s freezing cold outside today, so we’ve been trying some indoor winter science activities. These crayon resist snowflake pictures have been a big hit, and they are very easy to create. Crayon Resist Snowflake Art You’ll need White paper Paint Brush Water White wax crayon Watercolour paints Instructions Draw a snowflake on the paper using … Continue reading “Crayon Resist Snowflake Pictures”
Did you know that no two snowflakes are the same? Snowflakes all take slightly different paths to the ground as they form, which is why each is unique. How do snowflakes form? Snowflakes start with a tiny speck of pollen or dust floating in a cloud that acts as a seed. When a very cold … Continue reading “How Do Snowflakes Form?”