There are lots of science experiment books out there, but most don’t have experiments that a young child can perform and appreciate. My almost five-year-old and I have been having a blast with Simple Science Fun, a book filled with a bunch of really basic yet interesting and instructive experiments. Whether you’re looking for a quick distraction or a productive way to spend some time with your younger ones, this book has many good ideas to get you going.
I appreciate "simple", and this book lives up to its name. But you’ll be surprised at how interested your young one will be in some of these basic demos. Like making a musical instrument with bottles filled with different amounts of water. It’s almost too simple to call an experiment, but my little guy was fascinated and delighted with our creation. And equally fascinated with watching what happens when you put a drop of liquid soap into a bowl with pepper floating on the surface. In all honesty, many of these simple ideas were a lot more captivating than I expected.
Here’s my Arlo putting a small bottle of colored hot water into a larger jar of cold water. He definitely got the concept that heat rises from this easy and fun demo, and couldn’t wait to show Mom and his big brother.
Some experiments will appeal to older kids, and there are some lessons for grown-ups here, too (food coloring is powerful stuff, supervise that little bottle carefully!). Unfortunately the book seems to be out of print, but there are used copies floating around. Try eBay or Amazon Marketplace.
