My 9yo wants to do cool experiments but half the Pinterest stuff I try either doesn't work or is basically just mixing baking soda and vinegar again. Anyone have recommendations for actual science experiments that don't require a PhD to understand? Bonus points if I already have the supplies.
ScienceBob.com has actual working experiments. not Instagram prettified stuff. my kids have done like a dozen of his and they all work exactly as described
what about those crystal geodes you can make with eggshells and alum? sounds hokey but it's basically real crystallization and results are actually cool looking
the baking soda volcano is so overdone. what about growing crystals? salt, borax, pipe cleaners. takes a few days but actually looks cool and 9yos get the chemistry
Get a book instead of Pinterest. "Elemental" or anything by Steve Spangler has legitimately cool stuff that works first try. My 9yo did the elephant toothpaste experiment and it actually blew her mind. Worth the $15 for the book to not waste time and materials.
Homemade slime counts as science right? Jk but seriously try the invisible ink with lemon juice experiment. Super simple, actually works, and your kid feels like they're doing spy stuff. Engagement is way higher when it feels less like school.
The baking soda volcano is basically a rite of passage at this point lol. Try crystal growing instead - takes a few days but actually produces something cool to look at and your kid learns about saturation. We used the sugar method and it was way less chaotic than the vinegar cleanup.
Depending on where you are, check if there's a local science center or university that does free experiment guides online. MIT and places like that have actual lab experiments adapted for kids. Way better than Pinterest because it's actually tested by actual scientists.
My 8yo was obsessed with the egg in vinegar experiment (dissolves the shell). Takes a few days but seeing it happen is genuinely wild for kids and it's actual chemistry not just fizz
got tired of the Pinterest fail cycle too. started just doing stuff from old school science fair books at the library. way more reliable. plus your 9yo can do half the setup themselves
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lol yeah Pinterest science is 80% vinegar reactions. try building a catapult or trebuchet - it's physics, it actually works, and they can test different designs. way more engaging than watching foam erupt