Ask A Los Angeles Expert: 5 Fun & Easy Science Projects To Do At Home
Science fascinates even those who aren't laboring in this broad field. This is especially true of youngsters who get to take part in experiments that are not only educational but fun, too. So, for potential future scientists of all types, consider the ideas blogger Ashley Erikson has shared, which she did with her two boys, too.
Ashley Erikson
Mischief & Mudpies
(818) 632-6888
www.mischiefandmudpies.com
Ashley Erikson is the creator of the clever, family-oriented site Mischief & Mudpies. Aways on the go, this mom of two young boys, Riley (3) and Tyler (7), aims to inspire other parents to engage with their kids like she does with hers by joining in on fun and exciting activities. "Create, explore, and learn" is Ashley's anthem while Burbank-based Mischief & Mudpies acts as a children's Los Angeles travel guide, while also including all kinds of things for parents and their kids to do, including scintillating science experiments and so much more.
Did you ever wonder what type of soda will explode the highest when Mentos breath mints are added To the mix? Well, Ashley Erikson's kids did, so she helped those two inquiring minds find out. This active blogger who makes science a blast explains that, when conducting this experiment, you should head for the driveway or another open area. "Make sure you have lots of space," says Erikson, who warns that making this work will mean making a sticky mess. "We created a tube for the Mentos out of a cut plastic bottle and masking tape. You can find multiple kinds soda in two-liter bottles and Mentos at your local corner store." Spoiler alert: Diet Coke did the trick, in case you were wondering.
To do this experiment:
1. Unscrew the soda cap.
2. Place a sturdy credit card-sized card (something laminated works well) with a string attached on top of the open soda
3. Hold the tube on top of the card and place the Mentos into the tube. We used a whole roll of them.
4. Pull the card, let the Mentos drop, then back up! As Ashley insists, "No seriously…back up!"
Goo Gak
"Goo, gak, slime -- whatever you want to call it, this experiment is awesome," says Erikson. She continues, "There are many ways to make slime, but we are offering what worked best for us." She adds, "When we take this on, we like to creat a bunch of different colors and we save them in Ziploc bags for days and days of Imaginative play. Ashley points out that her gang makes blue slime to stand in for water, red slime for lava, and brown for a mud slide. "Get out some toys and let them get slimed, too," she insists.
What you need:
-Borax
-8 oz. white glue
-Food coloring
-Water
Empty the bottle of glue into a bowl, fill the empty container with warm water, shake and empty into the bowl as well. Add coloring to your liking. In 1/2 cup of warm water, dissolve 1 tsp. of Borax. Once dissolved, pour the water mix into the bowl and start mixing. Ashley points out, "Don't worry about getting your hands dirty; in fact, that's part of the fun. Get in there and squish this alluring substance around, kneading the mixture until it has become the perfect consistency of goo."
What you need:
-3 Glass Jars
-2 Paper Napkins
-Blue and Yellow Food Coloring
Erikson explains that doing this experiment is "a great way to teach your kids about the color wheel. We used blue dyed water in one jar and yellow dyed water in another, but you can change that for other colors like red and blue or red and yellow. Fold the napkins until they are very thin and place them in each of the jars with the colored water. Turn the other ends down into a third empty jar. The colors will absorb up into the napkins, climbing up and then down and dispensing the liquid into the empty jar. Watch the blue and yellow colors mix to green right before your eyes."
Baking soda and vinegar volcanos are common fodder for science experiments, but why not try something that is just as exciting but without having to create an entire mountain? Erikson's idea is to "fill multiple bowls with vinegar (Easter cups work great for this) and then different hurd of food coloring into each bowl. Lay a thick layer of baking soda, which you can grab at the dollar store, onto a baking sheet and have the kids take a dropper or spoon to dispense the colored vinegar of the colored vinegar onto the baking soda. Says this family blogger, "Your kids will love watching and hearing it fizz and bubble up, making tiny rainbow explosions."
What You Need:
-Plate
-Milk
-Cotton swab
-Food coloring
-Dish soap
We all know cloth can be tie-dyed, but did you ever consider the idea that milk can, too? To prove this is true, Ashley says to pour a pool of the white liquid onto a plate so that the bottom is covered. Then, says this expert, "Place four different colored drops of food dye onto the milk as close together as possible -- but not touching. Dip one tip of the cotton swab into some dish washing soap and then place the tip in the milk right in the middle of the drops of colors." She emphasizes, "Don't stir, The colors will mix all on their own and it will be beautiful!"
