The 4th of July is rapidly approaching and we will soon honor the day that the Declaration of Independence was signed. Some families celebrate with cookouts and others with fireworks. And some kids (and adults) love to celebrate with 4th of July STEM activities.
Wait, what?
Sometimes it rains and fireworks get canceled or delayed. Some kids might not like the loud noises of fireworks but really enjoy the colors! Depending on where you live, it might even be too hot to play outside that weekend. If you are looking for some fun things to do with your kids, where they not only have a good time but they can LEARN TOO, then you’ve come to the right place.
Here are two STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) activities to do with your kids. Including one that went viral on TikTok!
Patriotic Magic Milk
Who doesn’t love mesmerizing patriotic patterns? (I know I can lose time on Instagram and TikTok watching them.) Make your own with ingredients in your kitchen!
What You’ll Need
- Milk
- Shallow bowl or plate
- Cotton swabs
- Liquid dish soap
- Red food coloring
- Blue food coloring
The Activity
- Pour the milk into the shallow bowl or plate.
- Drip the food coloring into several spots in the milk.
- Dip a cotton swab in and observe what happens. (Nothing will happen. This is for a contrasting case.)
- Now, dip a different cotton swab into the liquid dish soap and then place that into one of the areas of food coloring in the milk. Observe what happens!
- Have multiple cotton swabs covered in liquid dish soap and see the patterns that emerge.
What Happened?
Milk is a mixture. You might have noticed the homogenized word in front of milk. That means that all of the different components are mixed up so well that they are uniformly mixed. When you add the liquid dish soap, it starts to react with the fat molecules. This changes the mixture and causes it to swirl, pulling the food coloring with it!
@letslearnaboutscience Patriotic Magic Milk #bts_official_bighit #bts #activities #activitiesforkids #4thofjuly #4thjuly #july4th #patriotic #independenceday #easy #diy
♬ Butter – 방탄소년단 (BTS)
Fireworks in a Glass
If you love mesmerizing patterns, here is another fun one for you. This one is wonderful to do with children who are sensitive to sounds but love the colors of fireworks. This is also the activity that went viral on TikTok because the patterns were so fun to watch — and it is super easy, too!
What You’ll Need
- Vegetable oil
- Water
- A tall clear glass (a bottle works in a pinch)
- Blue food coloring
- Red food coloring
- Measuring cup or small glass
- A stirrer
The Activity
- Fill the glass with water.
- Fill a small glass or measuring cup with vegetable oil.
- Add several drops of red food coloring to the oil. Then add several drops of blue food coloring to the oil.
- Stir the oil so that there are tiny droplets of food coloring throughout.
- Pour the oil into the glass of water so that there is a thin layer of the oil/food coloring mixture on top.
- Watch your fireworks.
What Happened?
The food coloring does not mix with the oil. And oil does not mix with water. When you pour the food coloring/oil mixture into the water, two distinct layers form. Now, here’s where the fireworks come in. The food coloring does mix with water. So when those drops make their way to the surface of the water, they start to mix. This makes that beautiful fireworks pattern!
@letslearnaboutscience Make your own quiet fireworks in a jar! Follow me for more fun science experiments you can do at home! #science #kitchenchemistry #4thofjuly #firework
♬ Firework – Dance Hits 2015
Want More Science Fun?
Check out Let’s Learn About Science on Parentology for more experiments from Dr. Stephanie Ryan. And make sure to read her bio below and follow her on TikTok and Instagram!
About the Author
Stephanie Ryan has a strong background in chemistry and biology and enjoys applying her background to develop superior educational products. She is also interested in how mathematics and science intertwine. Stephanie has experience in curriculum development, assessment, and training staff how to use technology and software. She has also taught science in formal and informal settings from K-16, and developed curricula for After School Matters programs in Chicago, Illinois.
To learn more about Stephanie, visit Let’s Learn About Science and Ryan Education Consulting. You can also follow her on Instagram and TikTok to find more fun home science experiments for preschoolers and older kids.