Recommended Website:
Science Toys
At this site you will find instructions for making a variety of science toys with your kids. Most of the projects require common materials that you may find around the house or at the local drugstore, hardware store, or Radio Shack. Some of these projects can be put together in less than an hour! All of them come with photographs, illustrations, and clear instructions that also explain the scientific principles behind the toys. Some of the projects to make include:
- An electric motor in 10 minutes
- A plastic hydrogen bomb
- A radio out of household items
- A film can cannon
- A Bernoulli levitation ball
- A solar hotdog cooker
- Using a video camera as a microscope
As with any science project, make sure you have all of the materials necessary to complete the project BEFORE you invite the kids to build a Film Can Cannon or any other fun science toy. If kids get excited about science — and start a project but can’t finish it because they don’t have the correct materials, it can cause lots of frustration and it may stunt their interest in completing the project at all. So, accumulate all the materials first, and then have fun building your science toys.
The sponsors of this site are developing some of these projects into kits that are for sale. You can look at the catalog at the site too.
