Experiments

[Verona]

Hello all

 

I would like to do some more "experiments" with the children. We have done all sorts of activities with changing colours, balloon rockets, melting ice, etc. We have tried 4 times to do the coke and mentos experiment but to no avail. Every time the coke just fizzes gently out over the top of the bottle - rather disappointing to say the least. Any ideas? We have used different kinds of coke plus different number of mentos but still doesn't work. We have looked on u tube etc and followed instructions - but still ppphhhppp and then nothing.

 

Also I have seen, many years ago, a bottle of something with a raisin or something going up and down? any ideas please.

 

Thanks in advance for any ideas.

 

V

 

[mundia]

how about the vinegar/bicarb volcano? Works every time. Can be done using a hollowed lemon and lemon juice. Add a bit of washing up ;liquid for frothy lava, and colour it for effect if you want to. Loads of recipes and way of doing it online

[Rea]

We occasionally have a 'Mix and mess' session...long table, plastic cover, pots, spoons, hugs, pipettes, tea leaves, flour, water, coffee, stuffing mix, glitter, bicarb, vinegar, powder paint, herbs...anything near its sell by date in my cupboard. We talk about everything and anything that happens during the mixing and exploring. ?

[Cait]

We used to do a melting one the children loved, using Michael Rosen's chocolate poem. Raisins in lemonade are fun. But yes, like Rea, just generally experimenting with 'stuff'

[youngfriendsnursery]

Quicksand is fun. We turned it into a counting and recall activity as the children had to remember and find what items had sunk into the sand. You just need cornflour, sand, and water. Ice rocks, salt, and food colouring is a good one, too. Have you done salt paths? Paths of glue, salt on top, and if you can get pipettes or straws, a small drop of watered down food colouring or paint and the children watch the paint travel along the salt.

[Panders]

Bicarb on the bottom of a tray, then using pipettes filled with food coloring and white vinegar drip the solution on to the bicarb, it just fizzles, but good if they are into that kind of thing. The volcano thing is great. We've done the salt solution on objects frozen into large pots this term.

 

Good quality lemonade for the raisins thing, and they really do go up and down the bottle!

 

Ours love a giant chocolate button game. They are timed to see how long they can keep it on their tongue before it melts, and cold hand warm hand holding a chocolate button.

 

Basically most of these experiments are widly exciting - just interesting! Apart from the volcano thing, that does excite them. I get them to put on "lab coats" (we have a couple of white doctors coats from ELC), and we have some safety goggles, make them really think they are "professors".

[finleysmaid]

ublick is the favourite!! (or oobleck depending on your preference!)

 

Static on balloons (stick to wall or hair/move paper)

Magnets (especially under tables to move something on top)

Milk pictures ...full fat milk ...see what happens when you drop a bit of washing up liquid on it.

the steradent one works quite well...similar to coke use a small piece in a tube or film canister add liquid and stand well back!

colouring carnations...put them in jars with coloured water (pref pale coloured ones)see what happens.

growing things of course ...carrot tops/pineapple tops/avocado seeds/ apple pips from lunched etc etc

Freezing paint in ice trays and using to paint

ooh I could go on...anything excite you there??????

[Verona]

^{Thank you all for the ideas. Some we have done but lots we haven't. I am writing them all done and going to try them.}

 

^V