Wonderful Winter Science Activities All Ages Can Enjoy
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When the cold hits, it's time to get creative with learning fun.
Discover how these 6 winter science activities can help you boost learning fun with your kids.
Science Can Be So Much Fun In Winter!
Winter life in western Pennsylvania means lots of snow and ice. And, as much as my family loves to get outside to explore and learn, frigid temperatures sometimes it impossible.
My five boys and I seek out fun ways to boost our homeschooling adventures with activities for all ages. I'm super excited to add these winter science activities, shared by Dr. Erica at Rosie Research, to our Winter Bucket List for Homeschool Fun.
Winter Science Activities for All Ages
With the holidays approaching it's a great idea to get some fun activities stocked up so that you can do when you find a little extra quality time on your hands - or just want a super cool parent-kid date!
The folks over at Rosie Research came up with lots of wintery science-based projects that will not only be the perfect date material but also teach your kids a little science at the same time (a win-win)!
Winter Science Activities for the Whole Family:
1. Snowflake Fun
Check out Snowflake Bentley and Snowflakes in Photographs from your local library. Read them over a mug of cocoa. Then, cut your own snowflake decorations from paper or freeze your own icicles.
You can even get creative, and multidisciplinary by cooking up a batch of interesting flavored popsicles.
2. Make special suncatchers
Melt colorful suncatchers in your oven to brighten up the winter gloom and doom. All you need for this project are some craft cookie cutters (that are metal), and colorful plastic pony beads. Kids will love hanging up these bright additions and you can easily drill a small hole, thread through some string, and gift it to grandma and grandpa as the perfect DIY present topper.
3. Make LED ornaments
Make simple LED ornaments using wood and a few circuit supplies.
If you have older kids who are going to be making the LED snowman below, you may already have the supplies on hand. This activity is such a simple base project that even toddler hands can partake in the fun, and they still get the oohh and ahh of making something that lights up.
Winter Science Activities for Grade Schoolers
Dr. Erica at Rosie Research had a few ideas that are perfect for grade school learners. Her projects are a great blend of engineering, design, science, making, and art. A lot of her projects come as templates, with no predefined end.
These types of projects help students use their imagination and creativity to the fullest. It also opens a door to utilizing their engineering and critical thinking skills, which means there is a lot of learning happening amidst all the fun.
1. Make an LED snowman
There are two options in this project which means kids of all ages can be working on the same type of project, and learn the same physical principles while engaging in an activity that meets their skill levels.
Kids can either make a paper circuit snowman or a 3D LED snowman that can be turned into a sculpture. Both projects teach the basics of a simple circuit, and both have the "SQEUUU IT WORKS" factor, just one is a scaled down for younger hands or tighter timelines.
2. Create a levitating (Santa) Sleigh
This is a creative spin on the holidays and winter fun using magnets to create a magical illusion.
The tried and true levitating magnets on a pencil gets new life in this project as kids use the levitating action of the repelling forces to make Santa's sleigh levitate.
3. Make a catapult for a mega snowball fight
If your kids are going to be fighting during the holidays anyhow, you might as well add a bit of learning into it!
This activity needs only woodcraft sticks and rubber bands to build the catapults, and some form of snowballs to launch (cotton balls will do!). You can get all these supplies at the dollar store, so for around $2 or so you can have an afternoon of fun.
Hopefully, these projects not only delight your kids, but also create a great space and time for you to enjoy each others company, have fun creating, and turn everyone in the family into a Maker!