Long, sunny summer days are a great time to experiment with shadows. I’ve put together a fun list of shadow activity ideas with ( hopefully ) something to appeal to kids of all ages. I use chalk pens for drawing shadows as they are a bit less messy than normal chalk and last a long…
This simple shadow activity is very similar to my DIY sundial, but is more about observing the size, position and shape of the shadow than following the time. We see shadows when light is blocked by an object. In this activity the small octopus toy blocks the light which creates a shadow in the shape…
We’ve done this light refraction experiment many times before, but this time it’s Alice in Wonderland themed. A reversing arrows science investigation is very easy and can be made as simple or creative as you wish. If you don’t want to theme it like I have below, just draw arrows on a small piece of…
Before we had clocks and watches, people used sundials to mark the passing of time. A sundial measures time by the sun’s position and usually has markings for each hour of sunlight. Sundials have something in the centre that casts a shadow over the markings showing the time. There are lots of ways to make…
I can’t take the credit for this one as my 9 year old made it in school last year, but it’s just too good not to have on Science Sparks. I love that it’s more than just a circuit. One of my daughters made a long torch and the other a head torch. Both are…
Light travels in straight lines through empty space. If it hits an object some of it is reflected back and the rest is absorbed by the object. It is this reflection of light that allows us to see objects around us. The walls, tables and chairs in your room don’t emit their own light, you…
Visible or white light is made up of a range of colours each with a different wavelength. One way to see the different colours is to use a prism to split the light. When white light enters the prism it slows down and changes direction. The amount the light changes depends on the wavelength. Red…
Here at Science Sparks, we love science tricks and super simple science experiments. This disappearing coin trick is both! The trick uses refraction of light to make it look like a coin under a glass disappears! Impress your family and friends with this simple science magic trick and learn about light at the same time!…
Did you know the light around us ( white light ) is made up of all the colours of the rainbow? This easy rainbow STEM challenge shows you how to make a rainbow inside with a prism and outside with a hosepipe! Rainbows form when sunlight is refracted and dispersed in drops of rain or mist. Sunlight slows down…
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