It is the time that children and teachers have been waiting for all year; welcome to summer! Summer brings with it plenty of time to spend indoors and out in free play, but it also brings with it that dreaded phrase, “I’m bored.” Boredom often brings out the most creative ideas in your kids, but it might be a good idea to have a few activities up your sleeve for these moments. When boredom strikes, VINS suggests some great summer science activities (although many of them can be done year round.) Just because school is out, doesn’t mean the learning and discovery have to end! Below are a list of some of our favorite activities to keep your kids curious and exploring throughout the summer.
      | Build an Ecosystem This activity uses recycled materials and some items from your local aquarium center to create a self-contained ecosystem. Just be sure not to use invasive plants or animals! Solar S’mores Oven What could be better than roasting s'mores over a campfire? What about baking them in your own oven that uses the power of the sun! Bubble Snakes This activity helps young children develop their creativity and motor skills, and it is a fun activity for kids of all ages. Let them experiment with how long they can get their bubble snakes to grow. Growing Crystals Children love to study and collect rocks. In this activity students use chemistry to create their own crystals or geodes in egg shells. In a similar activity, kids can also grow crystals on Pipe cleaners, or simply in a jar. Catapults This is a great list of activities for kids who love the challenge of designing and building things. You could have a different catapult challenge each week in the summer! Nature Scavenger Hunts Turn any trip, family visit, or day in the yard into a scavenger hunt! You can create hunts for kids of any age using pictures or riddles. |
