Sahil Gupta

Do you remember Shrinky Dinks? They were sheets of plastic film you could draw on, cut out and bake into a shrunken solid piece of plastic. The original Shrinky Dink is no longer in the market, but now there’s something even better: Inkjet printable shrink plastic! Print your very own photos, snapshots or fine art […]

The discovery of soap was one of the most important aspects in human history. Just think about all the things we use soap for, from keeping clothes and dishes clean to sanitation in hospitals.Today we make some kinds of soap using lye (which is leached from ashes), oils and water, or we can buy ready-made

This autumn, embrace the back-to-school spirit by getting your child organized for the upcoming school year. Here’s a fun and easy activity to help: create a magnetic spice tin pencil holder! It will be easy for your teen to transform beautifully decorated spice tins and loose-leaf tea canisters into durable magnetic organizers that keep pens

Does your child know that salt water conducts electricity? In this science experiment, your child will build a mini circuit to find out if he has salt water or fresh water. It’s a simple experiment but it will show how saltwater acts as a conductor to electrical currents, while reinforcing important lessons about conductivity and

There is nothing worse than finding a mouldy piece of fruit in the bottom of a bag. Whoever thought that mouldy bread would lead to a the development of modern antibiotics? More cultures that you might know used mould to help prevent infection. Poultices of mouldy bread were used in ancient Egypt, ancient India, and

Looking for a fun and different way to help your teen personalize her room? Create a lamp shade decorated with her silhouette portrait for a one of a kind work of art. Popular in the 18th century, silhouette portraits are traditionally black against a light background, but here you’ll create a silhouette by punching holes

Charles Kaufman is an American cartoonist who began painting in 1990 and today he has art displayed in galleries across the United States and Europe. In his series Crushed Can Art, he takes old aluminium cans and flattens them, then paints them with an original design. Inspired by Charles Kaufman’s crushed cans, this activity lets

Developing a keen eye for observation is an essential skill for any scientist and a fundamental step of the scientific method. Help your middle schooler (and yourself!) improve his observation skills by playing this simple game.What You Need:❑ Duplicate set of common household items (coins or Legos work great, as long as there are at

As your young learner studies structures, he may hear that the strongest shape is the triangle. Put this architectural idea to the test by building two different newspaper towers with your child. He’ll test and observe the stability of each structure, trying his hand at engineering as he explores this important architectural concept. What You

Use this activity to combine two of your pre-teen’s interests – style and technology! Making a unique cyber bracelet doesn’t just appeal to her fashion sense, it gets her inside a defunct computer. As she works, she’ll learn which parts pose a hazard to the environment and how to handle them safely. What You Need:❑

Print-making is thought to have originated in China after the invention of paper in the 2nd century AD. This activity features a special kind of print-making called collagraphy, where flat materials are layered and glued onto a base, then painted and used to create a final finished print. Using this ancient art is a great

Eggshells make charming miniature planters for Easter. Creating these fragile planters can be a little tricky, calling for good fine motor skills and concentration, but the result is truly lovely. Junior botanists and gardeners will love planting flowers in these colourful pots. Place them on a windowsill or table for instant spring cheer.What You Need:❑

If your teen looks like he needs a break from homework, or something to work on during the commercials of her favourite show, help show her how to make a paper bead-in just 20 seconds! She can make a short necklace or bracelet in only one evening, or a longer necklace in two. Plus, reusing

Are you wondering how we know that air is there? Here’s a quick and easy experiment that proves that air may be thin, but it’s not too wimpy to block your shot! What You Need:❑ Empty 2-litre soft drink bottle❑ Tape❑ Piece of paper❑ Electric hand-held hair-dryerWhat You Do: Take an empty, 2-litre soft drink

In this activity, a metal “rod” can be made to roll back to you automatically when pushed away. What’s at work behind the phenomenon?Not only will this activity encourage critical thinking as your child tries to figure out what happened, but also it will serve to reinforce the Physics concept of stored energy! What You