Author: Emma Vanstone

Emma is the creative force behind the award winning Science Sparks. It started with a dream of making science accessible to everyone and turned into a website bursting with free, inexpensive and easy science activity ideas for kids.

Age 4 - 6 | Early Years Science | Plants | Plants | Science Experiments for Kids | Seasonal Science | Spring Science Experiments | Understanding of the World

20 Spring Science Experiments for Kids
ByEmma Vanstone March 13, 2024April 17, 2026

I’ve got some fantastic spring science experiments to share today. As always, you don’t need any special equipment, just things you either already have around the house or that you can buy easily and cheaply from a supermarket. Spring is the perfect time of year to get out in the garden and learn about the…

Read More 20 Spring Science Experiments for Kids
Science Experiments for Kids | Science Questions

What causes hiccups?
ByEmma Vanstone March 13, 2024April 22, 2025

Hiccups occur when the diaphragm starts to spasm. No one really knows why they happen, but they’re thought to happen when the diaphragm gets irritated or stimulated. The diaphragm is a thin layer of muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdomen. When it spasms and tightens, it makes you breathe in air too…

Read More What causes hiccups?
Kitchen Science

Which is the best biscuit to dunk?
ByEmma Vanstone March 11, 2024June 9, 2025

Do you like to dunk a biscuit in a hot drink or a glass of milk? Do you find some biscuits are better for dunking than others? Personally, I’m a big fan of the chocolate digestive to dunk. The combination of melted chocolate and soft biscuit is the best! What makes a good dunking biscuit?…

Read More Which is the best biscuit to dunk?
Kitchen Science | Science Questions

What are ultra-processed foods?
ByEmma Vanstone March 7, 2024March 7, 2024

Ultra-processed foods are food products that are heavily processed before reaching supermarket shelves. These types of foods usually contain lots of chemicals such as preservatives, sweeteners, food colouring and emulsifiers. Generally, the more a product has been altered from its original form, the more likely it is to be ultra-processed Ultra-processed foods are usually of…

Read More What are ultra-processed foods?
Age 4 - 6 | Science and Literacy | Science Through Stories | Scientific Enquiry

The Gingerbread Man Science Experiments
ByEmma Vanstone March 3, 2024November 12, 2025

In the story of The Gingerbread Man an old woman bakes gingerbread men. One comes to life and races away. Eventually, he meets a fox who tricks him into climbing onto his nose to cross a river. The poor gingerbread man then gets eaten! I have a few Gingerbread Man science experiments to share today,…

Read More The Gingerbread Man Science Experiments
Science Experiments for Kids | Science Through Stories

Jack and the Beanstalk Science Experiments
ByEmma Vanstone February 26, 2024February 26, 2024

Here at Science Sparks, we love themed science activities, and my Fairy Tale STEM challenges are so popular that I thought it’d be great fun to create some more Fairy Tale activities and investigations. First up is this collection of Jack and the Beanstalk experiments. You can grow a bean for Jack, build him a…

Read More Jack and the Beanstalk Science Experiments
Age 4 - 6 | Early Years Science | Forces and Motion

Push and Pull Play Dough Animals
ByEmma Vanstone February 22, 2024February 22, 2024

These simple play dough animals are great for a push and pull or forces topic. The idea is that children create animals from play dough or other modelling material using push and pull forces. You’ll need Play dough Instructions Follow my simple instructions or create your own play dough animals using push and pull forces….

Read More Push and Pull Play Dough Animals
Candy Experiments

Grow a Gummy Bear STEM Challenge
ByEmma Vanstone February 15, 2024February 16, 2024

Have you ever wished your sweets were bigger? One easy way to grow a gummy bear or any other jelly type sweet is to put it in water. The candy will grow but might not taste as good! Water moves into the gummy bear through a process called osmosis. Osmosis is the movement of water…

Read More Grow a Gummy Bear STEM Challenge
STEM Challenges

Can you fold a piece of paper more than seven times?
ByEmma Vanstone February 9, 2024February 9, 2024

Did you know it’s almost impossible to fold a single sheet of paper in half more than seven times? Every time you fold the paper in half, the surface area halves, and the number of layers of paper doubles. By fold 6, there are 64 layers of paper to fold. Mythbusters managed 11 folds, but…

Read More Can you fold a piece of paper more than seven times?
Science Facts

Facts about numbers everyone should know
ByEmma Vanstone February 8, 2024February 8, 2024

Numbers are everywhere. Your age, house number, date of birth, phone number, the time. We use numbers daily without thinking about it. If you do stop to think, numbers and maths are pretty incredible! 2 is the only even prime number! This is because all other even numbers are divisible by 2. Numbers on the…

Read More Facts about numbers everyone should know

End of content