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Fall is coming, which means apple season is right around the corner. We love eating apple slices as a healthy snack. Try out this apple experiment with some basic kitchen goods to see how you can keep your slices from browning!Want to explore more kitchen science experiments? Explore the tastier side of learning with <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/us/store/dp/science-of-cooking-bread-butter-project-kit/5463" target="_self">Science of Cooking: Bread &amp; Butter </a>from the <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/store" target="_self">KiwiCo Store</a>!

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Cut the apples into eight slices each. If needed, have an adult assist with this step! 

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Place 2-3 wedges in five separate bowls and cover the apples with each of the liquids: water, baking soda, lemon juice, milk, white vinegar.&nbsp;

Place three spoonfuls of baking soda in water to make a baking soda solution. Make your predictions-- what do you think will happen to each of the apple mixtures? One of these solutions will prevent the apples from oxidizing (or turning brown!). Which solution do you think it is and why? Let the apples sit, and check up on them the next day. Were your guesses correct?

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What's going on? When apples are cut, an enzyme (polyphenol oxidase),  that reacts with oxygen, is released-- causing the apple to turn brown. Lemon juice is full of ascorbic acid, which will react with oxygen before the enzymes in the apple. Lemon juice also is very acidic, about 2.0 pH, and the enzyme in the apple oxidizes in environments between 5.0-7.0 pH. Can you find other acidic ingredients that could prevent apples from browning?

2-3 apples

knife

5 bowls

water

baking soda

lemon juice

milk

white vinegar

Apple Experiment

science project

nature science

Have you ever noticed how plants grow toward the light? Build this simple light maze, and watch the plant grow around the obstacles to reach the light! Try experimenting with different mazes and see how the plant reacts. Can your plant complete its maze?Explore more ways to harness the power of the sun with a <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/us/store/dp/solar-crayon-recycler-project-kit/5702" target="_self">Solar Crayon Recycler</a> from the <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/store" target="_self">KiwiCo Store</a>. Make your own crayon recycler, transform crayon pieces into custom rainbow crayons, and more!

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Prepare your plant. We picked a bean because it grows pretty quickly. Plant the seed in a cup of dirt (about 1 inch under the surface) and add water so that the dirt is moist.You may want to plant several cups ahead of time to make sure the bean sprouts.Optional: Place the plant near a windowsill and wait a few days until a small plant sprouts. This will ensure you are starting the experiment with a good seed.

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Now it's time to create the light maze!Start by cutting a large hole at the top of your box. This acts as the exit of your maze.

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Close your box and make sure nothing obscures the hole you just made. If needed, cut off any blocking material and open the box back up.

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Measure the inside of the box to create a divider. Add about a 1/2-inch border to three sides. Those will act as a glue flap in the later steps. Make sure you use a thick paper that does not let light through. We first tried using white cardstock, but found that it did not block the light out. So, we switched to a thick, black cardstock.

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Draw and cut out a circle in the divider, on the opposite side of the hole at the top of the box.

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Place your plant cup inside the box, and glue or tape in the shelf above the plant cup.The fun part of this project is designing your own maze, we decided to go with a single divider, but you can get creative! Just make sure you don't block off the light completely.Note: We also cut out a white backboard just so we could see the plant better.

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Close the box up and place it near a window. Now watch your plant grow! Make sure to keep your plant well hydrated. Check back every day and see your plant travel through the light maze.ongate.

What's happening?
Plants grow toward the light as a way of generating more energy through photosynthesis. So how do the plants grow toward the light? Plants contain a hormone called auxin, which causes plant cells to grow longer. Plant cells on the shady side of a plant contains more auxin hormones, making the plant bend toward the light as the cells in the shade el

seeds - fast-growing, like beans

soil

small cup

box - like shoebox

Paper

tape or glue

x-acto knife

pencil

Ruler

Plant Light Maze

family activities

explore at home

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everyday materials

Mother's Day

STEM

flowers

spring

Turn plain white flowers into a rainbow bouquet with just a little of science (and food coloring).

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Trim off the bottom of the stem. This will help the flower drink up the water.

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Carefully slice the stem down the middle. (Grownup assistance required.)

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Fill 2 cups with warm water and add food coloring. Pick your favorite colors and add lots! The water should look very dark.

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Place half of the stem into each cup. You may need to lean the flower against something so it doesn’t tip over.

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Wait for a day or so and watch the colors appear!

white flowers (roses or carnations work best)

food coloring

2 cups of water

knife or scissors

Rainbow Flowers

nature crafts

outdoor activities

outdoor experiments

outdoor science projects

Learn how to water your plants with just string and a sandwich bag!

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Fill your Ziploc® brand sandwich bag with one cup of water(avoid filling the bag beyond half its size). Seal the bag. 

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Carefully use the two clothespins to attach the bag to one side of the potted plant. The bag should be upright and rest gently on the ground. 

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Use the scissors to cut a length of string long enough to go from the bag to the pot and into the soil about 2 to 3 inches (5.1 to 7.6 cm)&nbsp;deep. If your pot has multiple plants, you’ll need a piece of string for each one.  

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Tie the ends of the string(s)to paperclips  (the paperclips will anchor the strings). Carefully open the bag and drop in the paperclip(s) so they sink to the bottom and rest on the ground.

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Use your finger to make holes about three inches deep by the roots of the plant. Pull the other end of the strings over the side of the pot and bury it in the holes. Uses your fingers to press the soil and make sure the string is taut (cut it shorter if necessary).

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You’ve made a self-watering planter! Make sure to refill the bag if it gets low on water. 

Capillary action describes how water moves through tiny tubes or spaces, like the fibers in string. Water molecules like to stick to each other and to other things. That’s why your finger gets wet when you dip it in water —the water molecules stick to you! In your self-watering planter, the water molecules stick to the string fibers. Because water molecules also stick to each other, the water that sticks to the fibers also pulls up its friends. The water molecules keep climbing and pulling each other up until they reach the soil, keeping your plant alive! From there, the plant’s roots also use capillary action to bring water up from the soil to the leaves. 

ziploc® brand sandwich bag

water (1 cup)

wooden clothespins (2)

low potted plant in soil (no more than 4-inches tall)

thick string or yarn

paperclips

Scissors

Self Watering Planter

physics

rainbows

rainbow science

rainbow craft

Discover the magic of color mixing and capillary action with this easy and exciting science project! 

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Cut a few ½-inch wide strips from a piece of paper towel. Then, cut each strip in half lengthwise (aka hotdog style).

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Place five cups about one inch apart from each other. Then, lay a small strip in between each of them. 

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Squeeze two drops of red food coloring into the cup on the far left, two drops of yellow food coloring into the cup in the middle, and two drops of blue food coloring into the cup on the far right. Leave the other two cups empty!

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Pour water into each of the cups with food coloring, filling almost to the top.

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Place one end of the paper towel into one color, and the other end into another. Watch what happens!

The color climbs up the paper towel bridges thanks to one nifty property of water — it likes to stick to things. (That’s why your finger gets wet when you dip it in water. The water molecules stick to you!)&nbsp;When water gets into a tiny space — like between paper fibers — it’ll stick to the sides of the fibers. Because it also sticks to other water molecules, more water gets pulled into the space after it. Gradually, by pulling in more water and sticking to the sides, the water will inch its way along and climb all the way up the paper. This process is called capillary action, and it’s also how water gets all the way from a tree’s roots up to the topmost leaves!

paper towel

ruler

scissors

small cups (5)

food coloring - red, yellow, blue

Rainbow Walking Water

bugs

art-science projects

easy craft

summer

Fourth of July

Nothing ruins a great picnic celebration like mosquito bites. This year, I'm going to make some natural DIY mosquito repellent that also serves as decoration so that my family and I can enjoy the weekend festivities without any unwanted visitors. I was surprised how easy the DIY mosquito repellent jars were to make, and that all I needed were a few ingredients from the produce section of the grocery store. Once I had the lemons, limes, and rosemary, it only took me a few minutes to make each container. Plus, I could make them before the party and just screw the lid on tight until it was party time.

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Gather the materials you need to make your natural DIY mosquito repellent.

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Slice up the lemons and the limes. Have a grownup assistant help with this step.

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Fill the water about 3/4 of the way up with water. 

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Place a few slices of lemon and lime on top of the water. 

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Place a floating tea light candle on top. Your DIY mosquito repellent is ready! Now, when it's time to party, all you have to do is light the candle. Use them at your next picnic, backyard party, or camping trip to keep those pesky mosquitoes away. It's the natural essential oils in the plants that make this DIY mosquito repellent effective. They don't like them, which means they won't be hanging around your party.

jar / glass jar / mason jar

lemons

limes

rosemary

floating tea light candle

Natural DIY Mosquito Repellent

arts & crafts

craft

3 material crafts

household craft

homemade craft

Elevate your plants (literally) with these DIY hanging planters! With just a drill and some rope, you can turn your nesting boxes into a cute new home for your plant babies.

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Mark two symmetrical x’s on one side of your box, towards the top (near the opening). Repeat on the opposite side.

Panda Crate

Sprout: Koala Crate

Labs: Kiwi Crate

World: Atlas Crate

Studio: Doodle Crate

Labs: Tinker Crate

Studio: Maker Crate

Labs: Eureka Crate

33 cool plants projects for kids

Screen-free fun!