This is a fabulous list of resources and ideas to inspire and keep you and your family active and entertained while social distancing.
Ideas include free online yoga classes, language learning resources, starting a virtual book club, hosting a virtual hangout or wine tasting with friends, making a family scrapbook or newsletter and SO much more.
Browse inspirational ideas and links to free online resources
Kids Science / Engineering Projects
Craft Stick Chain Reaction Experiment
”Chain reactions are amazing displays of energy. When everything is set up right, one little tap can cause a cascade of action, like a single domino knocking over a chain of thousands. Try this experiment to make a huge chain reaction out of just a few craft sticks!”
Ages 5-16
Egg Drop Experiment
”How can you get an egg to drop without breaking it? Change the way it drops with this awesome egg drop experiment!”
Ages 9-16
”Have you ever grown your own crystal geodes? Try this egg experiment and grow your very own borax crystals in a shell! Experiment with different borax concentrations and see how big your crystals can grow.”
Ages 9-16
“Have you ever wondered why leaves change color in the fall? Leaves contain pigments that give them their colors. Even though plants are green most of the time, their leaves contain pigments for different colors too! In the fall, some leaves stop making green pigments as they are getting ready to slow down for winter. Then the hidden colors begin to show!
You can do an easy science experiment to find out what pigments are in leaves. Find out what pigments make up the colors in markers using the same technique. You might be surprised at the results!”
“Do you live in an area that gets really cold in the winter? If you do, then you may have seen large trucks driving down the icy roads sprinkling salt over the ice. Have you ever wondered why they did that? It’s simple; salt + ice = a chemical reaction! The salt makes the ice melt and break down, making the roads safer for drivers.
Try this experiment with a few basic kitchen supplies to see how the salt reacts with the ice cube to pick up a piece of string.”
”My kids can't get enough of this super-simple science experiment. I love that it's easy and safe enough for kids of all ages, and uses only ingredients I already have in the kitchen. The end result is an explosion of colors, and it almost looks like magic! Watch our video to see us make the colorful experiment from start to swirling color.”
Ages 4-16
”Fizz, fizz, zoom! This baking soda experiment boat is easy to build and fun to race. If you’ve ever dropped a fizzy tablet into a cup of water or made a baking soda volcano, you’ve made the same chemical reaction used here. But this time, we’re using that reaction to power a soda bottle boat, for a short distance at least.”
Ages 7-16
“Build a wind-powered car using a Ziploc® brand bag as the sail. You’ll learn about the engineering behind basic vehicles and how different components impact the overall functionality. Conduct experiments to see how distance, speed, and time are all related. How far can you make your car go? How fast did it get there? How long did it take?”
Ages 13+
“If you want to light up someone’s holiday, these circuit cards are cheery and bright. Kids will learn about LEDs and circuitry while they make something useful and fun.”
Ages 9+
“Looking for an easy activity to setup for kids while you’re busy with a task? Do you have candy canes on hand? For this activity, that is about all you will need! With a few minutes in the oven, kids can shape melted candy canes into shapes they desire.”
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year! As parents and teachers, we know the awe and wonder at the crystal growing process never wains. Each crystal develops so uniquely that different crystal growing experiments are enjoyable to watch. Using engineering to build crystal Christmas trees and chemistry to mix this reactionary solution, your kids will get a huge kick out of watching these holiday-themed crystals grow!”
“We have done several crystal projects using a borax solution, but it can be even simpler than that! We bet you already have exactly what you need for our gingerbread man salt crystal science project right in your kitchen! If you have some brown construction paper on hand, it makes for an easy gingerbread theme science activity! It is a simple activity to set up and complete. Note: The crystals will take a bit of time to grow.”
“Can you imagine waking up to this adorable treat? Our friend Brandy shares her recipe for hot white chocolate, mixed with half and half cream, milk, and a bit of vanilla and topped with a polar bear marshmallow. It’s a fun treat to make on a chilly winter day!”
Holiday Cookie Cutter Science
“Did you know baking cookies is actually chemistry? Who knew that with all of the holiday baking, you are really doing a science experiment? A special chemical reaction occurs to give our cookies and other baked goods a little lift. While you’re baking cookies this holiday season, save the cookie cutters for a little science fun with baking soda, water and vinegar to see how these all react together! This is a super simple activity that can even include the smallest of kids.”
“What kid doesn’t like to put on their mad scientist hat and perform a magic chemistry experiment? This is a fun science experiment with a holiday twist. Combining chemistry and creativity, these fizzy eruptions can be made into any seasonal theme! We colored our baking soda green, formed trees with paper plates for Christmas and adding some solution, we watched this melting Christmas tree experiment unfold before our eyes!”
Dissolving Candy Canes
“If you are looking for a quick holiday science experiment to stop your kids’ brains from turning to mush on holiday break, look no further! In this quick and easy experiment, find out what happens when candy canes are immersed in different liquids. Which candy cane dissolves the fastest? You might be surprised to find out! Results do not take long in this experiment to find out.”
“This is a simple science experiment for kids to enjoy with a minimum amount of supplies. Growing crystals does take some time, but it is fun to watch the process begin soon after you add the hot water solution. Approaching Christmas, why not use pipe cleaners to make crystal candy canes! This is also a great opportunity to learn about suspension science (chemistry).”
“At one point or another in our academic lives, many of us adults had to devise a catapult in physics class. As it turns out, all that fun is now paying off with the opportunity to guide our kids through this Physics riddled Holiday catapults activity! Making a catapult is a great STEAM activity that uses math, engineering and science. It is a simple machine designed to use a lever. In the Holiday spirit, add red and green jumbo Popsicle sticks! My three-year-old enjoyed getting to experiment with launching different items.”
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