Electricity Experiments

Article from: My Family UK

It can be hard to think of ways to entertain the kids when holidays and weekends seem to stretch on forever. On a rainy day, your options are limited, so here are a few ideas to keep things going.

1) Conduct a scientific experiment

Explore the wonders of static electricity. If you rub an inflated balloon backwards and forwards on your hair, not only will it make your hair stand on end, but you can also attract objects using the negative charge (or static electricity) you have built up. If you hold the balloon near an empty fizzy drinks can it will roll towards it. Also, try tearing up a tissue into little bits. The balloon will attract and then repel them.

2) Build a balloon rocket

Tie one end of a long piece of string to something solid like a chair or doorknob. Put the other end of the string through a straw. Pull the string tight and tie it to another support in the room. Blow up a balloon (preferably a long, thin one), but don’t tie the end. Hold it closed and tape the balloon to the straw. Now let go of the balloon and watch if fly across the room along the string.

3) Make your own playdough

Ingredients: 250g plain flour 50g salt 140ml water 1-2 tbsp cooking oil A few drops of food colouring (optional)

Method: Mix together the flour and salt. Add the water and oil. Knead until the mixture is smooth (10 mins). Add more flour if mixture is sticky. Add food colouring and knead until fully blended. Cool in a plastic bag in the fridge until chilled enough to use.

4) Create a colouring book t-shirt

Draw or trace a design onto a plain t-shirt and go over the lines with fabric paint. Once dry, turn the t-shirt out and iron it to set the fabric paint. Your kids can now colour in the design on the t-shirt with paints, markers or washable crayons. If you use washable crayons, when the colours disappear in the wash, the child can colour in the t-shirt again.

5) Make your own film

A great way to keep older children occupied. Decide who will be the writer, director, actors and so on, or share these roles between you. Come up with a storyline and perhaps write a short script. Then film your video on a digital camera or video recorder. Simple editing can be done on the camera itself, and many home computers now come with easy to use video editing software. If you want to be adventurous you could even try making a stop-motion film (where still images are shown in quick succession to create a moving image), which is easy to do with a camera and any object.

Further Information

For further information, and for more great ways to have fun with your family, log on to www.myfamilyuk.com. With a huge collection of articles covering everything from child safety to rainy day activities, you’ll find all the help, guidance and entertainment you need to be a great parent. Go now!

Balloons and Static Electricity