Kids love to do science experiments and if they get to do them at home, they love it even more. To do those experiments at home, they need the perfect science lab with all the supplies they need to learn science. This article will give you some ideas on making that science lab that they will enjoy.
Contents
Space
You can set up the science lab anywhere in your home. It could be in the kitchen, a spare room or in the basement, or anywhere that the kids can spread out a little. You could even set it up in the kid’s bedroom if there is a spot there. An outside space in warmer weather could also be ideal.You can get some science lab hacks in different websites online. Anywhere that you have a little counterspace or a table to do your experiments on, and access to supplies. It really does not take much room to set up your science lab.
You will need a counter or table to do experiments on in your science lab. You will need nearby storage so that you can easily get to your supplies. You will also need good lighting so that the kids can see the supplies and do the experiments safely. Ventilation is also important, so you need to have access to windows or other ways to provide the ventilation that is needed. You will want floors that are easy to clean or have something that you can put over the carpet while the kids do their experiments – they will get messy.
Supplies
You will need to stock your lab space with all the supplies that you will need for the kids’ experiments. Most of the supplies are easy to get and you can get them from an online store or your local supermarket. You can look on this website that you can find more supplies that you might want to get: https://scienceexplorers.com/how-to-set-up-a-science-lab-at-home/. You do not have to spend a lot of money on your supplies, you can get many things at a dollar store or something similar.
1. Safety Equipment
You will want your kids to be safe while doing their experiments,so you want to have the proper safety equipment. You will need to have safety goggles to protect their eyes, a lab coat of some kind – it could be an old button up shirt or something similar, and a good pair of gloves.
2. Basic Supplies
Many of the basic supplies that you will need you probably already have in your kitchen. Here is a list of those supplies you may already have.
- Salt
- Baking Soda
- Vinegar
- Oil
- Food Coloring
- Cornstarch
- Fizzing Tablets
- Water
STEM experiments also need other household materials that you may already have around the house. Here is a list of those supplies.
- Paper Clips
- Balloons
- Toothpicks
- Straws
- Tape
- Yarn
- Ruler
- Scissors
Most of these supplies are already around your home or can be bought cheap.
Experiments to Try
There are some simple experiments that you can easily do with your kids. You can use the above supplies to do most of the experiments. There are many free,kid-friendly experiments that you can find online, like this website here. Below are some experiments to get you started.
- Slime –
Ingredients:
One 6 ounce bottle of name brand glue
Half teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ tablespoon contact lens solution that contains boric acid
Directions:
Pour 6-ounce glue into bowl. Add baking soda and stir well. Slowly add the contact solution mixing so that you can get the right consistency.
- Moon Sand –
Ingredients:
About 3 ½ cups sand
About ¾ cup water
About 1 ¾ cup cornstarch
Directions:
Gather all ingredients and combine them into a large bowl or plastic box. Mix until you have the consistency that feels good to your kids. Some kids like it a little looser, while others like it a little thicker.
- Bouncy Ball –
Ingredients:
½ cup warm water
1 tablespoon Borax
1-2 glitter glue
2 disposable mixing bowls
Stirring stick
Gloves
Directions:
Stir the warm water and Borax in one of the bowls with the stick, making sure the Borax is completely dissolved.
Measure glue into separate bowl.
Add ½ teaspoon of the Borax solution into the bowl with the glue. Let sit for ten to fifteen seconds before stirring.
When the solution becomes tough to stir, mold the solution into a ball with your hands. The more you shape the ball, the less sticky it will become.
Have Fun with Your Science Lab!
