Activities for Kids

Sink, Swim & Float! 6 Sensational Science Experiments

Take their love of boats to the next level with these cool experiments you can easily do right at home.

By Shelley Massey June 1, 2020

When you’re a parent—especially during COVID—sometimes, “absolutely not” becomes “whatever floats your boat” a little more frequently. And, because they’re kids, you’d better be prepared for their millions of questions about what that really means, exactly. So teach them with a fun at-home scientific activity! A day of boating science is as fun as it is educational, and we’ve got six simple science experiments for kids that are bound to make some waves!

Water Density and Buoyancy

We all know that oil and water just don't mix, but have you ever wondered why different liquids stratify over time when combined? Learn all about how the density of different liquids affects the buoyancy of various objects in this cool, colorful density tower by Steve Spengler.

Scientific Principal
Different liquids will have different weights because they have different masses, which is why the denser liquids will sink to the bottom and then stratify towards the lighter liquids at the top. When you drop different objects in the tower, the weight of the object will come to rest on the liquid that can best support it.

All photos by the author.