Hands-on Activities

You don't need to be a rocket scientist to encourage your son or daughter to be one. You can support a budding engineer or astronomer by encouraging tinkering and creativity.

Did you know that many scientists and engineers know by eighth grade what they want to be? They recall activities they did at home or school that sparked an interest. By trying out a hands-on activity you may inspire America's Next Top Inventor or Scientist! Here are a few activities that you can do together.

• Fun with polymers

Can you create the bounciest ball? Try being a chemist and see if you can come up with the perfect combination of borax, glue, corn starch, and water to make the best ball ever.

• Mini Kites

Create your own mini kite using tissue paper, string, and tape! Use this as a basis for understanding what makes a kite work and then design your own large kite. 

• Marble Roller Coaster

What does it take to be a roller coaster engineer? Find out by designing and making a roller coaster for a marble using random materials around your house.

• Reverse Engineering

Take apart your favorite household device and discover how all the pieces work together.

• Markerbot

Make an art piece using your very own Markerbot - made with a 3 volt motor, paper cup, and marker!

• Egg Drop

Create a device that will safely hold an egg as it is dropped from a height.

• Gumdrop Dome

What’s more stable, triangles or squares? What makes a structure strong? Find out by testing your ability as a structural engineer challenged to design and build the strongest dome possible.

• Straw Bridges

Design and build a bridge out of straws, paperclips, and tape. If this is a success, then you can try building a building your next bridge out of hot glue and popsicle sticks!

• Paper Structures

Have you ever wondered what makes a structure stable and strong? Find out by designing and building the strongest structure using a limited amount of paper.

 Here are some ideas to keep in mind when working with your daughter:

• Let her take the lead in handling materials, giving directions and exploring.

• Work as a team - don't be afraid to have fun, too!

• Give her time to think and explore. Silence often means that your child is thinking about is going on.