Summer, Sunshine, and Science

Summer is approaching fast, but make sure your children don’t let go of those science skills! Private schools in Orlando encourage its students to continue their education even while on vacation. Magic Treasure RocksMagic fizzing rocks are extremely fun and will leave your children in awe! Place treasures inside, bury them in the yard, and then have your children go on a hunt! Making these magical rocks is easy and has elements of science, sensory, and imaginative play to wow the children.Here are the materials you’ll need:

• Baking soda
• Water
• Food coloring or washable colors
• Various treasures

According to the article by Growing a Jeweled Rose: “Add the desired amount of baking soda to a bowl. Add a few drops of food coloring if color is desired. Then slowly add water and mix. SLOWLY add more water until the mixture is damp and mold-able, but not too wet. It is easy to add too much water, so you definitely want to add it slowly. If you do accidentally add too much water just add a touch more baking soda.Once mixed mold the baking soda dough into balls, hiding treasures inside. Then lay the baking soda rocks out on a cookie sheet or similar to dry. Drying will take about 24 hours.” Then, let the treasure hunt begin!Elephant ToothpasteEver wonder how elephants keep their tusks clean? It’s with elephant toothpaste, of course! Mix your own, and learn the science behind heat releasing, also called dynamic exothermic. Follow the YouTube video instructions from Kids Go Smart for your lesson in chemistry.Here are the materials you’ll need:

• A 16-ounce water bottle
• Small cup
• Safety goggles
• Food coloring
• Liquid dishwashing soap
• 3 tablespoons of warm water
• 1 tablespoon of dry yeast
• ½ cup of 20-volume hydrogen peroxide

What to do

1. Let your child combine the warm water and yeast together in a small bowl, and mix for about 30 seconds.
2. Because hydrogen peroxide can irritate skin and eyes, we recommend that your young scientists wear safety goggles and an adult carefully pours the hydrogen peroxide into the bottle.
3. Add 8 drops of your favorite food coloring(s) into the bottle. (Add another lesson to the experiment by mixing two colors to see what you get!) For added sparkle, add some glitter as well.
4. Add about 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap into the bottle and swish the bottle around a bit to mix all of the contents.
5. Now the adventure starts! Pour the yeast water mixture into the bottle (a funnel helps here) and watch the foaminess begin!

NOTE: The foam will overflow from the bottle, so be sure to do this experiment on a washable surface, or place the bottle on a tray.Fizzing Sidewalk PaintPainting is fun, sidewalk paint is fun, and making things fizz is fun — so imagine combining all three! Your family won’t settle for basic sidewalk paint once they spice it up with some fizz! Fizzing sidewalk paint is the new buzz children are loving. Get the simple play recipe by Kids Activities. For the sidewalk chalk paint, all you’ll need is baking soda, cornstarch, warm water, and food coloring. Spray the paint with vinegar and watch it fizz! Bonus: the cleanup is a breeze. What a great way to incorporate chemistry in the children’s play, especially when there’s little to no mess!For more than 50 years, private schools in Orlando have been helping children grow to their fullest potential and become leaders within their communities. We offer unique and dynamic learning environments that engage students and encourage them to become confident and responsible adults. To learn more about what makes us different, contact us today.