“How to Make Slime” & 6 More Rainy Day Science Activities for Kids
Do you live with the next future Einstein? Whether your child is a budding genius or just a science geek fascinated by cool stuff, you can’t go wrong with fun activities at home that focus on science. You may think of science kits as nothing but cool toys, which is why you’ll love them even more when you realize how educational they actually are for your kids.
A lot of education is taking place at home these days, so we searched out some of the best activities that are great entertainment for school days and rainy days alike — all while providing helpful boosts to your child’s education and development. You may even find yourself reliving some of your own favorite childhood memories as you construct volcanos, grow crystals and tackle next-generation LEGO sets capable of evolving into some pretty cool machines.
So, whether you’re stuck inside during a future quarantine (we certainly hope not) or you’re looking for awesome holiday gifts that your kids are sure to love, start with this list of fascinating possibilities. Who knows? You may even learn some cool new scientific facts yourself as you guide them through these fun experiments. Check out our top picks for toys and kits that will encourage your kids to learn and grow — whether they want to or not.
Mix Up a Variety of Slimes with a Colorful Slime Kit
Generations of budding scientists have engineered their own slime using glue, multi-purpose contact lens solution and baking soda. Yes, it’s really that simple, but if you want to take your slime-making to the next level, then it’s time to pick up an Elmer’s Celebration Slime Kit.
The versatile kit comes with five different bottles of Elmer’s glue in various colors and five Elmer’s Magical Liquid Slime Activators that remove the need for baking soda or other additives. Use these safe, non-toxic materials to create slimes with cool metallic colors, glow-in-the-dark capabilities and funky textures. The possibilities are as endless as your child’s imagination.
Grow Some Dazzling Crystals with National Geographic
Do your kids love crystals and cool rocks? With the NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DIY Crystal Creation Kit, you can give them a take on geology that’s both fun and educational. Each kit comes with a colorful crystal learning guide that’s full of awesome scientific facts as well as everything you need to grow your own crystals at home.
Just use the easy-to-follow directions to mix your seed rock, genuine crystal specimen and fast crystal-growing powder. Then, sit back and wait for the magic to begin as more crystals blossom each day. Giving your kids the gift of the most comprehensive crystal kit on the market just might plant the seeds of a lifelong love of chemistry and geology.
Turn the Room into Outer Space with a Solar System Ceiling Kit
Remember those shiny, adhesive (sometimes glow-in-the-dark) stars your parents stuck to the ceiling when you were growing up? Introduce your kids to an even cooler indoor solar system with the Great Explorations 3-D Solar System Glow-in-the-Dark Ceiling Kit.
The kit comes with more than 200 glow-in-the-dark pieces that will give your kid a front-row seat to the heavens. Deck out the ceiling with adhesive 3-D planets, stars, comets and asteroids that provide a hands-on introduction to astronomy. It even comes with a comprehensive planetary guide that will teach the whole family everything they ever wanted to know about the night sky.
Start a LEGO Chain Reaction
These days, LEGOs have morphed into the stuff that STEM skills are made of — much to barefooted parents’ dismay. In this category, the LEGO Chain Reactions Science & Building Kit is a Nappa Silver award-winning way to nurture the curiosity of budding engineers and physicists everywhere.
It comes with colorful instructions to teach your child how to build 10 different machines that can do everything from toss trash into the garbage to ring a bell. The set includes LEGO pieces, six plastic balls, string, paper, ramps and much more.
Have a Blast with the Glow Volcano Eruption Set
Watching your own mini volcano erupt is one of those things that never gets any less cool, no matter how old you get. Now you can enjoy the fun of glow-in-the-dark volcanic eruptions with your kids anytime you want with the Glow Volcano Eruption Kit.
It comes with a bag of baking soda, a bottle of citric acid, a bag of glow powder, a volcano base, a connector tube and all the step-by-step instructions you need to get the party started. As educational as it is awesome, this glow-in-the-dark volcano kit is the stuff of fun family memories spanning generations.
Make Cavity Sam All Better with a Classic Operation
Who can forget the adrenaline-fueled fun of Hasbro’s classic Operation Board Game? If you haven’t done it yet, it’s time to introduce your family to the game that’s been teaching kids about the power of focus and dexterity for more than 50 years! Cavity Sam is back and just as riddled with health problems as ever.
Your kids can help him feel better by gently removing 13 ailing parts with the electrified operating tweezers. Okay, so you technically need many of the parts to survive — and a few are completely made up — but biology isn’t the point of this one. A steady hand goes a long way, and you already know what happens when you accidentally hit the sides of each opening. Buzz! Kids can play with friends and family or just practice honing their dexterity skills on their own.
Break Open a Geodes Set to Become a Budding Geologist
What kid doesn’t love the thrill of hidden treasure and a little excavating? Get them excited about geology early on with a National Geographic Premium Geodes set featuring 15 colorful geodes with crystal minerals hidden inside, including amethyst and quartzite.
The set includes 15 high-quality geodes and safety goggles to wear while breaking them open to discover the sparkling treasure hidden inside. Complete with a colorful learning guide and two display stands, this is a kit that’s guaranteed to delight the whole family — but be sure to bring some muscle.
