Liz Lee Heinecke - Little Learning Labs: Kitchen Science for Kids, abridged paperback edition: 26 Fun, Family-Friendly Experiments for Fun Around the House; Activities for STEAM Learners

Little Learning Labs

26 Family-Friendly Experiments for Fun Around the House

LIZ LEE HEINECKE

WHEN IT COMES TO INTRODUCING KIDS TO SCIENCE, THERES NO PLACE LIKE HOME.

The sparks of curiosity and creativity are first ignited in kitchens and backyards, and these are ideal venues for delving into the amazing world of science. Performing experiments in a familiar environment, without time limits or the pressure of grades, kids discover that science isnt hard or scary, and that they can find it everywhere they look. Best of all, there are a number of projects you can do with what you already have on hand.

When I was young, activities like playing Twenty Questions, collecting rocks, and catching frogs fueled my interest in the natural world, eventually leading me to study science and art. After ten years of bench work in research labs, I embarked on a new adventure: staying at home with three young children.

When my youngest was two, we added Science Wednesdays to the family calendar. Each week, the kids looked forward to trying a science project, taking a nature walk, or visiting a zoo or science museum. It was a fun way to change things up from the usual crayons and play dough.

Unfortunately, many of the experiments I found required specialized equipment, when the last thing I wanted to do was to drag three kids to the hardware store. Calling on my experience in research labs, I started customizing traditional science experiments, and making up a few new ones, with three goals in mind. The projects had to be safe enough for my youngest, engaging enough for my oldest, and would ideally use ingredients I already had around the house.

With our new collection of kitchen pantry experiments, we explored the amazing worlds of physics, chemistry, and biology together. My twoyearold would engage in the projects at the simplest level, often just playing with the ingredients, while my oldest would tackle the science with gusto to see what would happen.

Sunny days found us hunting caterpillars and making smores in pizza box solar ovens, while cold and rainy days were livened up by bubbling, color-changing concoctions. We did experiments with yeast and made pizza dough to see how microbiology is used in food preparation. Our backyard became a physics lab for throwing eggs and shooting marshmallows. Litmus paper collages and alum crystal geodes adorned the house as we found beautiful ways to combine science and art.

Our first science journals are now treasured keepsakes, filled with scribbles, illustrations, dates, and awkwardly penned words like surface tension. The crayon drawings of butterflies, volcanoes, and tie-dye milk are priceless.

To this day, my kids come running when I suggest trying a new or favorite science experiment. I hope yours will too.

Theres a treasure trove of science experiments hiding in your refrigerator, pantry, and junk drawer. This book will introduce you to fun, educational projects for your family to explore, using things you may already have on hand.

Each experiment contains an easy-to-understand explanation of the science behind the project to introduce you to the vocabulary and ideas youre exploring. The labs are set up to make science as easy as following a recipe with sections detailing:

Materials

Safety Tips and Hints

Protocol (instructions)

The Science Behind the Fun

Creative Enrichment

The MATERIALS section lists all the ingredients youll need to conduct each experiment. SAFETY TIPS AND HINTS will give you some common-sense guidelines for doing the experiments. PROTOCOL is a scientific word for instructions, and each protocol will take you step-by-step through the basics of the experiment. THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE FUN offers simple scientific explanations for each experiment and CREATIVE ENRICHMENT will give you variations or ideas for taking the project a step or two further. Hopefully, youll be inspired to come up with some additional ideas of your own.

For kids, science is as much about the process as the results. Measuring, scooping, stirring, and messy hands are all part of the experience, and many of the safe chemical reactions in the book feel cold, are sticky, or have a distinct odor, allowing kids to use all of their senses as they immerse themselves in the experience. Some experiments can even morph into art projects for those who love visual creations. Most are simple to clean up.

My kids and I have tested all of these experiments, and they will work well if you follow the protocol closely. However, some may involve tweaking or practice for perfect results. Remember, mistakes and troubleshooting are far more educational than perfection, and in science, many laboratory blunders have led to great discoveries.

Every scientist keeps a notebook to document and detail studies and experiments. The scientific method involves asking a question, making observations, and performing experiments that address the question.

If you want to make your own science journal, find a spiral notebook, composition book, or staple some blank pieces of paper together. Write your name on the cover and use your notebook to keep track of all the great experiments you do. Take your journal on nature walks or vacations and use it to keep track of the plants, animals, and rock formations you spot.