Recently, I saw a science activity where kids were dying white flowers different colors to show capillary action. I thought this would be really fun for the 4th of July and would double as décor. (We did this with celery previously, but I'm hoping to get better color with the white flowers.) We are going to do this activity in a few days so stayed tuned for an article on that. But, I was also looking for other science activities with a 4th of July theme as my kids are going to be home the entire week before Independence Day; there are no camps, sports practices, vacations, summer school or anything. I reached out to some fellow bloggers and they did not disappoint. I thought I would share some with readers. Check out the cool STEAM (Stem + a few art) activities below.
As always, parent supervision highly recommended, and required for young children.
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Patriotic Ice Stars - A Lesson on Solids and Liquids.
I know "sensory activities" are all the rage now, and this one is great for the summer heat. This is really designed for toddlers, but can teach the older kids some things too! The glitter ice stars are so cute and the little ones will have a fun time melting them. Preschoolers can learn the terms - solid and liquid. Kids who are a little older can help make the ice, melt it and a re-freeze it to learn about reversible change.
Fireworks in a Glass - A Lesson on Density
This experiment can be fun for kids of all ages. And, the older kids can learn a lot about how liquids interact based on their density. What's also cool is you probably already have all these ingredients in your home right now!
Baking Soda and Vinegar Fireworks - A Lesson on Chemical Reactions
I really like this experiment, and not just because its sparkly. By combining baking soda and vinegar, carbon dioxide is created. The bubbles caused by the carbon dioxide bring up the glitter and you have a little mini "fireworks" display. I've also seen this done with red and blue and even mini star glitter. There is a lot of room to get creative. The reason I like this particular article is that the science is explained down to the molecular level AND real fireworks are also explained. It even explains how they get their color! For a similar experiment on a larger scale with POP ROCKS! check out this Baking Soda and Vinegar Sensory bin.
Patriotic Magic Milk- A Lesson on Chemical Reactions
In this experiment, you add soap to milk which contains food coloring and glitter. Molecules in the soap attach to molecules in the milk, creating a chemical reaction. This reaction makes pretty movement with the colors and glitter.
This experiment has a few different things you can learn about. You can talk about water density and color stratification, solids changing to liquids, or the process of dissolving and what makes things dissolve faster or slower. The skittles can be arranged in all different ways, which is where the A (art) in STEAM comes in. For another really cool example of this, MNcheck out Skittles Experiment: Exploring Color Science.
Fireworks Flextangle - Fusing Math and Art
I'll be honest. I did not know what a flextangle was before reading this article by Artys Fartsy Mama. As you flex and fold the paper, difference firework designs show up. When I saw the video of it on her page, my 5 year old happened to peek over my computer screen. He excitedly asked, "Can we do that!?!" I usually steer clear of any geometry, but we will be doing this project. I think the free printable makes it manageable. :)
American Flag Cootie Catcher - Fusing Math and Art
Time to make a confession. I always had someone else make my cootie catchers in school. I could never get the folding right. I think this free printable will help though. What's also cool besides the math and art involved in a cootie catcher is that this one is educational with trivia questions about the American Flag. There is even one with blank spaces to write in your own questions if you like. Red Ted Art also has a cute origami American Flag Bookmark that I think my kids may make as gifts.
BONUS PROJECT!!
This slime sparkles and shines in red, white and blue. My little dragons will love making and playing with this concoction.
Happy Independence Day!
The Dragon Mama