Have you ever wondered why dogs have cold, wet noses? It might seem strange for a warm-blooded animal to have a cold, wet nose, but it’s actually a fantastic adaptation that supercharges a dog’s sense of smell and helps to regulate their body temperature. Cold nose and sense of smell A dog’s nose is covered…
This simple balancing ice skater STEM challenge is the first of a series of Winter Olympic themed science activities. The idea is to make a cardstock skater attached to a small piece of dowel, balance on your finger! It seems impossible, but with a bit of clever science, it works really well and looks amazing….
Chinese New Year marks the start of the New Year based on the lunisolar calendar, which falls on the first new moon between 21st January and 20th February. It’s a chance to celebrate the move from Winter to Spring and involves family reunions, decorations often with a red theme, gifts, dragon dances and fireworks. The…
The invisible beaker is a classic science activity and a fantastic example of “science magic” that’s sure to provide a wow moment to children (and adults) of all ages! It’s inexpensive and very easy. You need a large and a small glass beaker and enough clear cooking oil to cover the small beaker when it’s…
Have you ever wondered why and how storms are named? It may feel like a random process, but storm names follow a strict international system. Naming storms has been found to increase awareness and encourage people to prepare if needed. It’s also easier for news reporters to use a single name rather than a longer,…
It’s freezing cold outside today, so we’ve been trying some indoor winter science activities. These crayon resist snowflake pictures have been a big hit, and they are very easy to create. Younger children love to watch the images appear as they paint over them, but this activity is also a fun way for older children…
Did you know that no two snowflakes are the same? Snowflakes all take slightly different paths to the ground as they form, which is why each one is unique. How do snowflakes form? Snowflakes start with a tiny speck of pollen or dust floating in a cloud that acts as a seed. When a very…
Did you know that the Earth is about 3 million miles closer to the sun in winter than in summer? This year (2026), Earth is closest to the Sun on Saturday, 3rd January. This specific point in the Earth’s orbit is called perihelion. The point in Earth’s orbit at which the Sun is farthest from…
Here at Science Sparks, we love a good catapult. They are easy to make and great for teaching basic engineering principles and learning about energy and forces, including elasticity, elastic energy, potential energy and kinetic energy. This simple cranberry catapult includes a free downloadable target to use as an optional extra. Cranberry Catapult STEM Challenge You’ll need Instructions Follow the…
These light up paper circuit cards were much easier to make than I expected and only need a few inexpensive materials. They’re a great way to learn about circuits and electricity. You can make a simple, basic circuit or a more complicated series or parallel circuit. I’ve created a free template to make the activity…
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