Written by Electromagnets are electrically powered magnets that can be turned on and off. You can make your own electromagnet with a simple battery-powered circuit and a screwdriver or iron nail. As electricity flows through the wire coiled around the screwdriver, it creates a magnetic field which magnetizes the metal of the screwdriver. This activity should be […]
As World Book Day is just around the corner, I thought I’d pull together some of my favourite book themed science experiments. Here at Science Sparks, we love using a book to help bring a science experiment to life, and if I’m ever short of inspiration, reading a great kids’ book always helps me come […]
Static electricity is great for science experiments; it’s easy to create, is safe and can be used in many different ways. We’ve used static electricity to bend water, make tissue paper jump up to a balloon and create some crazy hairstyles! These static electricity snakes use tissue paper like my jumping frogs, but this time […]
This clever and simple method for finding the volume of an irregularly shaped object is thought to have been discovered by a scientist named Archimedes, who noticed the water level of his bath rising as he lowered himself in. Archimedes realised he could find the volume of any object by measuring the amount of water […]
Anemometers are used to measure wind speed. The cups catch gusts of air which makes them spin around. Measurements are taken by counting the number of revolutions the anemometer makes in a set period of time. The stronger the wind, the more revolutions the anemometer makes. Modern anemometers tend to be digital, but the principle […]
This cute love bug is a great Valentine’s Day STEM Challenge or fun science craft for any time of year. The cork on the motor spins around making the cup vibrate and move around. As it moves, the felt tip pens make a mark on the surface below. Art-bots can also be made with a […]
I have to admit we don’t really do Valentine’s Day in our house, but I do love theming science experiments to a special occasion so here are some easy Valentine’s Day science experiments. Make a skittles heart, a paper aeroplane delivery system, colour-changing love potions and lots more! Valentine’s Day Science Experiments Heart Patterns First […]
Here at Science Sparks, we try to make science as easy and accessible as possible. When I ask people why they don’t do more science at home with children, one of the answers is usually that science experiments are messy. While this can most definitely be true, there are also lots of non-messy science investigations […]
This science experiment using ice and salt is a fantastic demonstration of why salt is used to de-ice roads. It’s also a fun science magic trick! When salt is spread on the road in winter, it dissolves in water on the surface and lowers the freezing point of the water. This means the outside temperature […]
Today’s round-up is full of great weather science experiments and investigation ideas. Learn about extreme weather with a tornado in a jar, record rainfall over a period of time, create a water cycle in a bag and lots more easy ideas for learning about the weather. Observing the weather is a great way to practice […]