Science for Toddler: Volcanic Eruption

Last Monday, my kiddies and I made “Volcano Eruption Project” *Alhamdulillah*.

In the afternoon, we produced edible play dough to make our volcano at home.

At night, we brought the creation to my grandma’s house.

These simple but fun experiments will introduce younger children to the basics of science, and at the same time they are simple and easy to prepare.

Volcanic Team
1, 2, 3: V-O-L-C-A-N-O ~

Indeed, by using everyday, household products you can teach your child some amazing things!

Plasticine or play dough
Bicarbonate of soda
Vinegar (or lemon juice)
Food coloring (red - for lava)
Normal kitchen equipment, such as spoons
Small bottle

Step by step guide:

Step 1: Prepared your edible play dough together with your lil toddler.

Volcano 101
Da pure play dough~

KiruaMi-cHan *excited*

ReiHi-cHan *electrified*

Step 2: Make a volcano shape out of plasticine or play dough, or even old newspapers crushed together, with a hole in the center to allow the volcano to “erupt”.

Us!
Us ^_-

Us!
Hard work!

Volcanic Team
Zoom in~

Volcanic Team
In actions~

Our Volcano
In the making~

Volcano 101
Tadaa~

Step 3: Place a small container or bottle with 2 tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda and a little red food coloring under the volcano.

Volcanic Team

Step 4: Quickly add around 1/2 cup of vinegar, stand back and watch your volcano “erupt” with red foam spray out of the top and down the mountain like lava from a volcano.

Volcano 101
Volcanic eruption! *runs*

Volcano 101
Lava *uh oh!* ~

Note: This one is messy, so stand the volcano on an old tea towel, or a pile of papers.

You also may watch our homemade videos about “Volcanic Eruption“.
p/s: please ignore my voice. Thank you

Why it happened (explain to your toddler):

The baking soda reacted with vinegar to produce carbon dioxide gas.
The gas built up enough pressure to push the foaming liquid out of the top of the bottle.

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Lets try this project with your toddler!

Gambatte ne

May Allah swt always blessed your family. Amin~

February 21, 2008 | Filed Under My Fun Homeschool | 7 Comments

Science for Toddler: Bean Seed Experiments

I always agree that toddlers are natural scientists, questioning the world around them and looking for answers

As a mother, we could actually tap into this curiosity by providing fun ways for toddlers to learn and experiment.

Plants are a great way for toddlers to learn and experiment.

They can get big results from performing simple experiments and will continue to question and explore the world around them.

Early success in scientific endeavors will provide children with a life long confidence to question, experiment and learn.

Since most of these experiments can be done using items you already have, you can turn your home into a science lab for your toddler.

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Let the learning begin!

A lil bit of explanation for your lil toddler:

Each seed has within it, the potential to become a plant and produce more seeds.
How does a seed know how to become a carrot and not a marigold, or a sunflower and not a cucumber?
Seeds will turn into plants that are just like the plant they came from, or their “parent.”
Each parent plant gives it’s baby seeds all the information they need to grow into a plant just like them.

Green Beans Team!

What and how?

Seeds also know which direction is up. You can prove this by experimenting with germination.

Materials You’ll Need:

clear glass jars
paper towels or facial cottons
bean seeds or dried beans (we used green bean seeds)
water

Tha first moment~

Step by step guide:

Introduce your toddler about green beans.

Show n tell~
Line glass jars with several layers of paper towel or facial cottons.

KiruaMi-cHan in lab~

ReiHi-cHan in lab~
Ask your toddler to place 5 or 6 dried beans in each jar, next to the glass so you can see their progress as they germinate.
Fill the jar half-way up with water. Keep the paper towel moist with water, and after about a week, your toddler’s seeds should start to germinate.

Let ‘em moist!

With their very own specimen~
Put “name label” at your lil toddler jar

A lil label~
Teach your toddler to take daily record on the progress of your bean seeds (drawing, taking pictures).

Day 1!

Wandering~
Remind your toddler to make sure those beans get enough supply of water, air, sunlight and love!

Grow with love~

Notes:

You might help your kiddies to keep a science journal where they can draw pictures of what their bean seeds look like every few days.

After the beans have grown their second set of leaves, you can plant your bean plants in some soil filled pots and continue experimenting with them.

Result: The part of the plant that is growing up is called a “shoot” and the part that is growing down is called the “root“.

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Hope your toddler gonna love this project too

May Allah swt always give the best to your family. Amin~

Gambatte, gambatte ne!

February 21, 2008 | Filed Under My Fun Homeschool | 2 Comments

Science for Toddler: Magic Ink (Spy Version)

The Making of Invisible Ink~

Invisible ink has fascinated toddler for generations *yay*

You might think that it would be difficult to make, but it’s not

Note: This simple experiment is great for young toddler, but must be conducted with adult supervision because it involves using the kitchen stove or candle.

Materials You’ll Need:

some vinegar (you also can try this experiment with other liquids, such as orange juice, lemon juice, apple juice, onion juice and milk)
some white paper
a clean paintbrush (clean cotton swab or a toothpick)
kitchen stove (or candle)

Step by step guide:

Step 1: Mission In Action
Ask your toddler to pretend that they’re a spy on a secret mission, writing messages that would lead to big, big trouble if they were discovered.
Make them choose their words carefully.
*for this mission, I asked my kiddies to write their secret message to PaPa*

KiruaMi-cHan tha Spy Writer~

ReiHi-cHan tha Spy Writer~

Step 2: Start It On!
Guide your toddler to use the brush or cotton swab and write their message with vinegar on the paper.
Don’t use a lot of vinegar and soak the paper. Use just enough to make a thin coating.

Step 3: Finish Line
After finished writing, ask the person whom is a special agent *in our case, Papa is the one!* to receive the paper and help them to turn on the kitchen stove to a low heat.
Very carefully hold the paper about a foot above the warm burner.
If you don’t see results, you may have to make the burner a little hotter.
Do not, however, hold the paper low over the burner.

Papa tha Special Agent~

Result: As the paper heats up, your toddler’s message will become brown and they’ll be able to see what was written.

KiruaMi-cHan
Tadaa~

ReiHi-cHan
Lalaa~

You want to know why? (explain to your toddler):

Lemon juice and vinegar are mildly acidic, and acid weakens paper. The acid remains in the paper even after the juice or vinegar dries.
When the paper is held near a hot light bulb the treated portions of the paper burn, and turn brown, more readily than the untreated portions.

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Have fun mommies!

Just be sure to follow all safety rules

*gambatte ne*

May all the best to you. Amin~