Looking for some smart, fun activities you can do at home with kids? Thinkery has put together a list of ten of our favorites.
Toy Take Aparts
Why we love it: Using tools to deconstruct toys is a great way to discover what makes them move, make noise, light up and more. Taking apart more than one toy and hacking them together to make something new is a creative way to upcycle and give old toys a new purpose! This activity can be done with simple tools and materials around the house, so get creative and see what happens. Make sure there is an adult around when doing this type of activity.
Stop Motion Studio
Why we love it: We love a good story! Download this free stop-motion app and start creating your own animations using a variety of materials and props. At Thinkery, we encourage learners to animate a scene from a book or bring their own story to life. We recommend using modeling clay, LEGOs, or even construction paper to get started.
Mystery Box
Why we love it: Children are naturally curious, making them the perfect scientists. This fun investigation requires using our sense of touch to form a hypothesis and test out possible solutions. With a partner and simple household items, set out to solve some mystery objects!
Build an Instrument
Why we love it: Let’s get making! Investigate how people around the world create music, then design & build your own musical instrument from recycled and craft materials. Can you play music with both rhythm and melody?
Tiny Furniture
Why we love it: Get ready to be an architect! With this activity, children will get to practice learning about scale while developing a model. Can you design tiny furniture for your pet or home, or structures for a park? Use recycled materials and tape to help you get started. Happy (tiny) building!
Color Changing Milk
Why we love it: Check out this colorful way to learn more about how soap works. Add some food coloring to a dish of milk, then a drop of dish soap. Use your scientific powers of observation and watch the soap molecules “chase” and “connect” the fat molecules in milk. How might this help clean dirty dishes, or your hands?
Inspecting Your Spot
Why we love it: Our backyards are amazing for learning science about the natural world! All you need for this investigation is a small patch of grass and some household items. Grab some paper and drawing tools to write and draw your observations!
The Amazing 9-Layer Density Tower
Why we love it: This simple science experiment explores how liquids “stack up” to one another. Using household liquids and simple kitchen tools, scientists of any age can explore the unique properties of liquids! Add another “layer” to this experiment by adding solid objects to see if they sink or float.
Flipping an Eraser
Why we love it: This activity can be done inside or outdoors, so grab a partner and practice some simple engineering! See what ways you can modify your design to move, flip, and safely launch objects.
Homemade 3D Puff Paint
Why we love it: We love exploring science and art together! Gather some household materials and follow a recipe to make your own paint, then use it to create a unique piece of art. What do you notice about the colors and textures along the way?