8 totally awesome Science experiments you can do with your kids that you'll enjoy too

Science is one of the best subjects in school, especially when the teacher uses lots of hands-on experiments to show new principles. You can use these same ideas at home or in the classroom to teach and have fun at the same time. Kids and adults alike will enjoy each of these experiments.
Keep reading and pick one of these fun ideas to liven up your next family night:
1. Walking Water (h/t Coffee Cups and Crayons)
This lesson shows what happens when two colors mix and it illustrates the principle of capillary action. The water is more attracted to the paper towel than it is to the glass, so it moves up the paper towel and into another glass.
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2. Make an object disappear
A little knowledge of science can make you a magician. This experiment shows the principle of refraction. This just means that when light travels through an object, it changes speed and changes direction. If an object doesn't reflect light, you can't see it.
3. Make magic mud
You can make magic mud, and all you need is a bag of potatoes (and some patience)! The "mud" you get is similar to cornstarch. When combined with water, the starch doesn't dissolve. Instead, it creates a mixture that is both a solid and a liquid.
4. Clean pennies with a lemon (h/t Science Fun)
Pennies are made out of copper. The material is very sturdy, which is why it's used in cookware as well as coinage. But, when copper mixes with oxygen it undergoes a process called oxidation, which makes the penny look dirty. The acid juice in the lemon removes the oxidation, making the penny look brand new.
5. Make a potato-powered lightbulb
Talk about upcycling! The reason this works is that copper (the penny) and zinc (the nail) are essentially the positive and negative ends of your "battery."The potato contains phosphoric acid, which helps transport the electrical current. The current flowing through everything is enough to create a small amount of electricity. ​
6. The exploding watermelon
This one is going to get messy. Really messy. This experiment shows you the effect of pressure on a seemingly solid object. When the rubber bands are placed around the watermelon, the pressure eventually culminates in an explosion. This is also an excellent opportunity to explore potential and kinetic energy (of you know, just explode a watermelon for fun.)
7. Make heat sensitive, color-changing slime
Making slime is one thing, but making slime that changes color based on temperature? That's pro level. The secret sauce in this recipe is thermochromic pigment (it sounds fancy, but you can buy it at Walmart). The material reacts to differing temperatures causing their molecular structure to adjust, and you see that reaction in the changing colors (it's the same stuff used in mood rings).
8. Make rainbow paper (h/t Science Kiddo)
This experiment works because the paper gets coated with a bit of water and nail polish. The resulting colors are a result of film interference, in which the sunlight reflects off eh water and polish. You'll see this same rainbowing effect in oil on the road.
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