To start, let’s answer an often asked question: “Are there any perpetual motion toys that work indefinitely”? Sadly, there are no toys that will run indefinitely after being put into motion. So if you came to this page hoping to find a loophole to bend the laws of thermodynamics, you won’t find it here. (Do notify us if you find one – I’d love to play with it!) When we talk about perpetual motion toys, we mean those toys that seem […]
Category: STEM
Koala Crate Dinosaur Crate Review
The Kolala crate is a monthly project-box from KiwiCo designed for the preschool crowd. If your child is aged 3 to 5 years old, this is the crate for you. We’ve had these boxes for some time, but have found many parents willing do help in reviewing now that they have more time to spend with their kids during the lockdown. Therefore we’ll be putting out quite a few reviews covering a few months of boxes close together. This way, […]
Edible Peeps Easter Slime
Stretch, squeeze, pull it, and smash the Easter slime! If you want to make some Easter slime and your toddlers tend to put everything in their mouths, then the Peeps Easter slime recipe is your solution. Even if Peeps are too sweet for you, your kids may enjoy playing with the slime…and eating it. Supplies Needed 5 Peeps 3 Tablespoons of cornstarch Vegetable Oil Potholder Microwave safe bowl Spoon Tablespoon What Mystery Are We Solving? To make edible slime, you […]
Salt Crystal Leaves – The Ultimate Fall At-Home Science Experiment!
Salt Crystal Leaves is an outstanding fall-themed science experiment for young kids. Imitate the frost on the colorful leaves by dipping real leaves or pipe cleaners shaped like leaves into salty water. The crystals can take a few days to form – so plan ahead! You also may be interested in: Kiwi Co Reviews Cornstarch and water science experiment Egg in a bottle Supplies Needed 3 pipe cleaners or leaves cut from fabric. You can also use dried fall leaves if you wish. 1 box of salt. You will use […]
Cornstarch and Water: Is It A Solid, Liquid, Or Alien?
Have you wondered what exactly is the green gooey Oobleck that fell from the sky in Dr. Suess’ book Bartholomew and the Oobleck? Mix cornstarch and water and you have something representing the effect of quicksand or Oobleck. This gooey stuff changes shape from solid to liquid in a weird way. This a quick experiment using household items with a dramatic result. It’s perfect for younger children, but older kids find it fun as well. The fainthearted can wear gloves if they don’t like the idea of Oobleck covered hands. You […]
Fizzy Ghosts
Fizzy Ghosts is an easy Halloween science experiment made with household items. With kindergarten and grade-schoolers at home, there are possibly some googly eyes in the cupboard too. The ice takes about an hour to set, so some patience is also required. You also may be interested in: Kiwi Co Reviews Zombie Dancing Raisins Glowing Water Supplies Needed For The Ghost Ice Cube Tray Experiment Googly eyes Baking soda Vinegar Ice cube tray Water Mixing bowl and spoon Eyedropper or pipette What Mystery Are We […]
How necessary is STEM really?
Hearing about STEM programs being incorporated into schools is nothing new, though I still frequently encounter districts that don’t have any STEM initiative in place. That doesn’t alarm me at first glance. See, I have also worked with schools who have a set-aside STEM time one day each week, and with schools who have a pull-out STEM class that everyone attends every week. I’ve also worked with an art teacher who had her students use the one 3D printer to […]
Scientifically Spooky Soda
This glowing water science experiment is both fun and easy to do. Kids will learn about the properties of UV light when using a blacklight to try to make various cups of water glow. You also may be interested in: Kiwi Co Reviews Fizzy Melting Ghosts Cornstarch and Water Science Experiment Supplies Needed Glowing Spooky Soda Tonic water UV Blacklight Bleach (optional) Clear plastic disposable cup Medicine Dropper Glowing Water with Florescent Paint Neon colored water-soluble or tempera based fluorescent paint. Lemon yellow and […]
Egg In A Bottle Experiment – Or How To Get An (Unbroken) Egg Into An Unbroken Bottle
Egg in a bottle is one of those magical experiments that will astound middle-schoolers. Add some drama showing that the mouth of the bottle is smaller than the egg. Is it magic or science? If you get the egg into the bottle without touching it, can you get it out again? You also may be interested in: Kiwi Co Reviews By Parents Like You Salt Crystal Leaves Supplies Needed Eggs. The eggs shouldn’t be too big for the bottle mouth (The egg diameter should […]
Screaming Pumpkin Balloon
There’s no reason to wait for Halloween for this creepy STEM activity. Kindergarten kids can make their own screaming pumpkin balloons within seconds. Older kids may have just as much fun with screaming ghost balloons or creating their own screaming monster balloons. You also may be interested in: Kiwi Co Reviews Magical Moving Copper Wire Experiment Supplies Needed 7” or 12” Balloons. White balloons for ghosts; orange balloons for pumpkins, and any color for monsters. Clear balloons show the effect […]
Is The Eureka Crate Our Favorite Teen STEM Box?
The Eureka Crate – Is It The Best Project Box For Teens? This post may contain referral/affiliate links. If you buy something, Fractus Learning may earn a commission at no cost to you. Teenagers are difficult to please. As the father of three of them- trust me – I know what I’m talking about. I’m not saying my children are difficult – just that by this age they know what type of activities best fit their wants and needs. They […]
How To Make a Homopolar Motor – The Magical Moving Copper Wire Experiment
The Magical Moving Copper Wire Experiment is a homopolar motor science project that will fascinate your 12-year old. The project requires some patience – the motors take some time to create. Boys will also like racing their homopolar motor batteries on tinfoil which takes a few seconds to set up. You also may be interested in: Kiwi Co Reviews Pumpkin Volcano Experiment Screaming Pumpkin Experiment Supplies Needed For the Magical Moving Copper Wires ¼” Neodymium disc magnets 1 AA battery […]
39 STEM Videos Your Students Will Love
Videos are great tools to explain a concept or for presenting practical experiments and activities students can do. Teachers, however, don’t always have the time to create their videos. We’ve created a list of STEM Video channels teachers may explore to find videos you may incorporate into the classroom lessons. If there are any we left off, please add them in the comments! STEM Videos Tier Zoo https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHsRtomD4twRf5WVHHk-cMw Tier Zoo is a brilliant way of exploring zoology through the lense of a video gamer. They are extremely […]
Pumpkin Volcano
If a child is old enough to scoop out the seeds of the pumpkin, they will enjoy preparing the pumpkin volcano. Some cooks don’t use measuring spoons; they add a scoop of this and a pinch of that. Adding the ingredients for the pumpkin volcano science experiment is the same. It doesn’t matter if the toddler adds the vinegar first or last. You also may be interested in: Kiwi Co Reviews Homopolar Motor Science Project How To Make A Cartesian Diver […]
How To Make A Cartesian Diver
A cartesian diver works in the same principle as a submarine does. Ninth graders may have fun creating cartesian divers within minutes using a variety of materials. Here’s how. You also may be interested in: Kiwi Co Reviews Pumpkin Volcano Experiment GLUEP – Make Your Own Plastic! Supplies Needed For A Cartesian Diver Medicine dropper or pipette Hex nut Plastic soda bottle with cap Scissors Large clear plastic cup Variations on cartesian divers Ketchup or soy sauce packet from takeout Paperclip diver: paperclip, […]
Make Your Own Plastic At Home
Kindergarten to second graders may have fun in making their own plastic at home; also known as Gluep and functions like silly putty. Experiment with the plastic; see how pliable it is and try to figure out if it is a solid or a liquid. You also may be interested in: Kiwi Co Reviews Cartesian Diver Experiment Elephant Toothpaste! Supplies Needed 1 Tablespoon white glue (washable school glue) 1 Teaspoon laundry borax Water 2 Cups 2 Spoons Gloves What Mystery Are We Solving? Examine the homemade plastic and see how […]
Fireproof Balloon
A fireproof balloon is a great magic trick that will amaze the audience who knows balloons are fragile and would pop if heated. A simple activity with a dramatic result that may inspire young kids to wanting to know more about STEM related subjects. You also may be interested in: Kiwi Co Reviews Elephant Toothpaste Science Experiment Hot Ice Experiment Supplies Needed 2 Balloons 60 ml of Water Candle Matches or lighter Safety goggles What Mystery Are We Solving? Why is it that […]
Hot Ice For Summer
Creating Hot Ice: A Great STEM Experiment For Summer You can buy ice in the supermarket but hot ice you’ll have to make yourself. Making hot ice is an easy fun experiment three to eight-year-old kids can try with ingredients you have at home. It takes about 1-2 hours to conduct the experiment. Your children will be amazed as the “ice” forms yet isn’t cold at all! Hot ice is used in hand warmers, heating pads, for a buffer in laboratory settings, and for pickling and […]
Zombie “Dancing” Raisins
Create zombie raisins with household items or a bottle of soda within minutes. Below you’ll find a quick, science experiment that will teach preschool and elementary school kids a little about buoyancy. This is great at Halloween, or anytime for your zombie-obsessed child! You also may be interested in: Kiwi Co Reviews Hot Ice Experiment Fizzy Ghosts Supplies Needed 6-8 “Zombies” aka fresh raisins A can or bottle of clear pop/soda like club soda, Sprite or 7-Up. Alternatively, use baking soda and vinegar instead […]
Creation Crate Review – We Build An Electronic Bluetooth Speaker From Scratch!
Results of Our Creation Crate Electronic Project Review : This electronics subscription box is perfect for budding teenage tinkerers and future electrical engineers. Enclosed materials and components are of high-quality and the online instructions do a great job of giving background on the theory before easing your teen into the project. One complaint from our review team was that the thorough instructions sometimes didn’t match the included components. For example, our mother-son team had different colored wires on some parts […]