School’s out for the holidays, making this the perfect time for young scientists has to engage in STEM crafts and activities. Parentology caught up with STEM education expert Steve Spangler, fresh off his latest 22nd appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show where he promoted his new book, 10-Minute Science Experiments (a collaboration with the Smithsonian). Spangler weighs in on the importance of STEM and shares 5 holiday STEM crafts with us.
The Importance of STEM in Science and Play
Spangler has found the best way to engage kids in STEM education is through play. “STEM helps kids begin to develop their critical thinking, communication and collaboration skills,” he says. “STEM is all about creative experiences that inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers, and when you hear children talking about STEM, they’re most likely talking about an experience that invited them to connect and engage in a meaningful way.”
Creative educators such as Spangler have contributed to the newfound popularity of STEM-based play. “We understand the power of devising experiences that help children find their passion in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.”
Spangler’s enthusiasm for sharing this passion has spilled over onto his website, where he products like slime, color-changing beads and magic sand can be purchased. There’s also a subscription-based Science Club with monthly experiments that arrive via subscription boxes.
Recently, Spangler launched the Xploration Station, a three-hour block of television shows airing on FOX stations throughout the US. Each episode explores a different scientific concept, using everyday items to perform the experiments.
As for experiments — start some of your own with the five from Spangler below.
*Note: Before starting any experiment, Spangler emphasizes every scientist should wear protective eyewear and cover all surfaces and clothing to avoid stains. Regardless of your child’s age, he encourages parents to join in on the learning and fun. “We encourage parents to be their child’s most trusted lab assistants.”
1. Holiday Slime
What You’ll Need:
- 5 oz. white glue
- 1 tbsp. Baking soda (eg/ Arm & Hammer)
- 3 drops of food coloring (we suggest a green batch and a red batch to make it extra festive!)
- 2 tsp contact solution
- Glitter (optional)
Instructions:
Starting with the glue, add each ingredient in one at a time, and mix in slowly. Before long, you’ll have extra stretchy, awesomely gooey slime.
2. Invisible Fire Extinguisher
What You’ll Need:
- 1-gallon pitcher
- 6-12 votive candles (an adult should supervise)
- Kitchen lighter or matches (an adult should supervise)
- 2 tbsp baking soda
- Measuring utensils
- Cookie/baking sheet
- 1 cup vinegar
- Safety goggles
Instructions:
- Put on your safety goggles.
- Put the pitcher in the center of the cookie sheet.
- Add the baking soda to the pitcher.
- Pour in the vinegar – and watch the science happen. The bubbles are filled with carbon dioxide, a natural gas that you expel when you breathe out.
- While you’re waiting for the bubbles to go down, have an adult light the votive candles using the kitchen lighter.
- Pick up the pitcher. Tilt it and bring it close to the flames, but don’t spill any of the liquid out. If you bring the carbon dioxide gas bubbles close enough to the flames, they should go out.
Why Does It Happen?
Fire needs three things to burn: oxygen, fuel and heat. The carbon dioxide produced from your bubble mixture takes the oxygen away from the flame, causing it to extinguish.
3. Bubbles
What You’ll Need:
- Water
- Dish soap (eg/ Spangler prefers Dawn dish soap)
- Different bubble-blowing paraphernalia. (plastic funnel, pipette with end trimmed off, straws)
Hot Tips:
- Use distilled water if available. The better the water quality, the better the bubbles.
- Let the bubble solution rest overnight for optimal bubbles.
- Want to take your bubbles to the next level? Add a teaspoon of glycerin to your solution (ratio should be 1 tsp to 1tbsp of Dawn) for extra bouncy, long-lasting bubble fun.
Watch the video above for extra cool tricks, including a “bubble inside of a bubble” and how to make square bubbles.
4. Baking Soda Volcanoes
What You’ll Need:
- 16 oz mason jar (or plastic cup)
- Measuring utensils
- ½ tsp powdered drink mix
- Cookie sheet or baking pan
- 1.5 tsp citric acid
- 1.5 tbsp baking soda
- ½ tsp dish soap
- 1.5 cups water
- Safety goggles
Instructions:
- Put on safety goggles.
- Put your mason jar (or plastic cup) in the centre of the baking sheet.
- Add 1.5 tbsp of baking soda to the mason jar.
- Add 1.5 tsp of citric acid to the jar.
- Add ½ tsp of powdered drink mix to the jar.
- Swirl the jar around to mix ingredients.
- Add ½ tsp of dish soap to the jar.
- Swirl the jar around to mix.
- Add water and watch your volcano erupt.
Why Does It Happen?
The dish soap traps the carbon dioxide gas causing it to fizz and “boil” over.
5. DIY Lava Lamp
What You’ll Need:
- Vegetable oil
- Food coloring
- Flashlight
- Alka Seltzer tablet
- Water
- A vase, container or 16 oz. clear plastic bottle
- Safety goggles
Instructions:
- Put on your safety goggles.
- Fill the vase ⅛ full with water.
- Add 5 drops of food coloring (try red or green for a holiday feel).
- Fill the remainder of the vase with vegetable oil.
- Turn on the flashlight and, depending on its size and shape, try to (safely) position the vase on top of it (you might just have to hold the vase over the flashlight when you’re ready for the big ‘reveal’).
- Turn out the lights and add the Alka-Seltzer tablet to the vase.
- Watch the ‘lava’ shapes bubble and move around.
How It Works:
You may already know that water and oil don’t mix. What is surprising, is how the Alka-Seltzer tablet reacts with water to make tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide. These bubbles attach themselves to the blobs of colored water and cause them to float to the surface. When the bubbles ‘pop’, the blobs sink back to the bottom of the vase, and the whole process starts over until the Alka-Seltzer is used up.
Holiday STEM Crafts — Sources:
Spangler Science Club
10-Minute Science Experiments
Average Andy Gets Slimed
Steve Spangler Science Store
