Things to make and do

Last updated: April 22, 2008.

On our site

A few of our articles contain simple, safe, hands-on science activities and experiments.

• Binoculars: Make a magnifying glass with some cellophane and a drop of water.
• Intruder alarms: Make your own bedroom burglar alarm with a flashlight bulb, a battery, and a piece of string.
• Digital radio: Compare digital and analogue radio—and hear the time lag caused by digital processing.
• Electricity: Make an electromagnet.
• Fiber optics: See how fiber-optics works with a torch and some aluminum cooking foil.
• Jet Ski® and Sea-Doo®: Make your own personal water craft with a balloon and an old washing detergent bottle.
• Surfing science: Make your own ocean waves.

On other sites

There are tons more activities on these other sites...

• Bizarre Stuff: You Can Make in Your Kitchen: Some truly inspired practical projects you can make at home: "This site is a museum of classic home science projects. It is not so much meant to be 'how to' or educational, but more of a celebration of early to mid 20th century home experimentation and pop science illustration."
• School science: fun experiments and demonstrations that are suitable for a school science lab or possible at home: Please take a careful note of the the safety instructions on this page and ask a teacher or parent for advice if you are under 18.
• Surfing scientist: impress your friends and scare your family with these whacky science tricks from Australia's ABC channel.
• Resources for science learning: The Franklin Institute has a broad selection of activities in bioscience, communications, computers, earth science, energy, mathematics, oceanography, space, and transportation (for all grade levels).
• Simply Science: A searchable database of activities from the Science Museum of Minnesota.
• BBC schools science clips: Animations and videos for children aged 5-11.
• Science Explorer: An exploratorium at-home book: Loads of activities from the Exploratorium science museum.
• Do Science: Experiments you can do at home, in a restaurant, or at school.
• Activities and Experiments: Loads of things you can try from National Geographic magazine. Includes optical illusions, experiments with floating, and how to make your own hurricane in a bowl of water!
• Science activities, labs, and lesson plans: Lots more links to science activities.
• Science Made Simple: Easy science experiments and science project ideas.
• Cockeyed Science Club: Some more unusual activities!
• The Naked Scientists: Kitchen science experiments: 80 very cool experiments you can do at home.
• Indestructibles: The World's Biggest Show and Tell: Lots more very cool things to make and do.
• Science Buddies: Free science fair projects, ideas, answers, and tools for serious students: Tons of science fair projects on all kinds of topics!
• Steve Spangler Science: Steve's web store has lots of science kits and experiments you can buy.
• Science Hobbyist: Some really good how-to's and easy-to-build projects from Bill Beaty, who lists "crackpot physics" as one of his favorite sports!