| Several fun science experiments can be | | | | throughhis/her hair. The comb will now chase the |
| conducted with basic materials that you already | | | | bits of paper about the plate. Afteryou are done |
| have in your home. These little experiments will | | | | with that phase of the experiment, blow up and |
| keep your children entertained while enhancing and | | | | tie the balloon. Vigorouslyrub it on your child's hair |
| reinforcing their science knowledge. | | | | or let them rub it through yours. The balloonshould |
| The first easy experiment will teach your child | | | | now stick to the wall because of the static |
| how sound is caused by vibration. | | | | electricity. |
| Gather a small empty box such as a match box | | | | Another simple science experiment involves |
| or a child's shoe box, somerubber bands, a few | | | | learning how plants grow. Gather paper cups, |
| small drinking glasses, a spoon, and some water. | | | | water, dirt, seeds, carnations,food coloring, a |
| First, fillthe drinking glasses with different amounts | | | | spoon, leaves, paper, and a pencil. First, let your |
| of water. Have your child tap on theglasses using | | | | child addsome dirt and a little water to two paper |
| the spoon and point out how the amount of | | | | cups. Next, plant some seeds into eachcup. Place |
| water inside the glassaffects the sound that is | | | | one cup in a window or a sunny spot. Place the |
| produced. Next, wrap the rubber bands around | | | | other plant in a shadyspot that rarely sees the |
| the box. | | | | sun such as a closet. Water each plant regularly. |
| Make sure they are all facing the same way. The | | | | Astime passes your child will notice how the plant |
| box should look similar to a guitarif done correctly. | | | | that receives sun thrives andhow the other plants |
| Let your child pluck the strings to make sound. | | | | do not. This experiment proves that plants need |
| There are additionalways to produce sound as | | | | sunshineto grow. There are some related |
| well. For example, you can put wax paper over a | | | | experiments that you can also do. Pour some |
| comband blow on it like a harmonica. Kazoos are | | | | waterinto several cups and add different hues of |
| also a fun way to produce sound. Ifyou live near | | | | food coloring to the cups and stir. |
| a school supply store you might also consider | | | | Add a carnation to each cup. By the next day, |
| purchasing a tuningfork to enhance this | | | | the carnations should have changedto the color of |
| experiment. | | | | the water. This demonstrates how plants absorb |
| Static electricity is something else that can easily | | | | water. You mightalso have your child do leaf |
| be taught. For this experimentyou will need a | | | | rubbings using paper and pencil to show how the |
| balloon, a comb, a plate, and some small bits of | | | | plantfood is produced. |
| scrap paper. | | | | As you can see, there are many simple science |
| This experiment works best in the winter. First, | | | | experiments that can be done withyour child. |
| tear the scrap paper up intotiny bits and place it | | | | Gather those materials and let the fun and the |
| on the plate. Next, let your child run the comb | | | | learning begin! |