5 Totally Fun Kitchen Science Experiments For Bored Kids

Photo by Martin Lostak on Unsplash

 

Being a mom you have probably heard the phrase “I’m bored” more times than you can count.

If you are like me you probably think at these moments, “Why do I even buy toys?’

Well, no worries. We have 5 science experiments that will spark the interest in kids of all ages- and the best part is they won’t even realize they are learning!

 

1. Tornado in a Bottle

Tornadoes are a marvelous force of nature, but seeing one up close and personal will do more than just take you to the magical land of Oz.

Creating a safe tornado in your kitchen is easier than you may think.

Get two plastic bottles and fill one with water. Place the other bottle on top and duct tape the openings together to make a waterproof seal.

As Business Insider explains:

When you whirl the liquid in the top bottle, it creates a vortex as it drains into the bottom bottle. That’s because as the water flows down, air must flow up, creating a spiraling tornado.”

For the unicorn-crazed child you can add glitter and pink food dye, and for the cool dude you can add blue food coloring and lamp oil.

 

2. Pasta Rocket

Has your child ever wanted to make a rocket in the backyard after learning about spaceships?

Well, now you can!

It may not be on such a large scale (unless you can find a giant piece of pasta), but it will be a hybrid rocket engine just the same.

Gather yeast, hydrogen peroxide, a jar, lighter, and a piece of uncooked tube pasta.

Combining yeast and hydrogen peroxide together creates oxygen gas. After this is done in a jar, funnel the gas through the pasta by putting it over a hole in the lid.

Light the top of the pasta and let the good times roll!

 

3. Lava Lamp

Want to get real groovy? Make a blast from the past with a lava lamp you will enjoy as much as the kids.

Oil and water have different polarities and densities, which means they don’t mix. When you add food coloring to a bottle of oil and water it will sink to the bottom because it is water-based.

Now for the secret ingredient – an Alka-Seltzer tablet.

Drop that into the mix and it will react with the water, causing droplets to rise to the top, pop, release the air, and then sink back to the bottom.

No need to rummage your parents’ garage, because the kids can take you on a trip down memory lane right at the kitchen table.

 

4. Instant Ice

Kids love water in all its variations. Making ice right before your eyes is going to give the kids something new to talk to grandma about on video chat.

Business insider gives us the information we need to understand this amazing experiment:

In order for water to become ice, it needs a nucleus in order for solid crystals to form. Usually, water is loaded with particles and impurities that enables ice to form. But purified water isn’t. Because of this, purified water can reach an even colder temperature before becoming solid.”

Put a bottle of purified water into the freezer for just under three hours and it will be below the freezing temperature of regular water.

Pour the cold purified water over a piece of ice, providing it with nuclei. The result is water that freezes as it lands.

Take turns seeing who can get the ice tower the highest!

 

5. Volcano

Making a baking soda and vinegar volcano is a childhood right of passage. If your children haven’t done one yet, now is your chance to give them this historic moment.

Have fun making the base of the volcano out of any materials you have on hand.

Some good ones have been using clay, recycled cardboard that is painted, or ones created out of actual earthen material you gather from outside.

Just be sure to leave the center hollow.

Baking soda and vinegar make a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas. As the pressure builds it will overflow from the container it is put into, appearing like lava overflowing from a mountain.

Use one of these experiments each day to fulfill a science lesson, or just add one to your pre-dinner events to gather the kids together before they pitch in with the cooking.

Each child is going to love the change of pace a kitchen science experiment gives, and it will have their wheels turning as to other experiments they can do.

Fun and education can be synonymous!