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

Raising media-savvy kids is more important than ever in today’s information-overloaded world. Knowing just how a newspaper article differs from, say, a story in a book or a piece in a magazine will help equip your middle-schooler with the skills to think critically about the overwhelming number of ideas he or she is exposed to

Do you know that you can extract DNA from any living thing from the comfort of your family’s own kitchen? DNA is the genetic coding that determines that a human embryo will become a man, a bird embryo will become a robin, etc. Show your child how a quick whirl of spinach in the blender

Your teen may think he’s too grown up for cut-and-paste arts and crafts, but he’ll be delighted to create something useful and trendy. Lip balm made out of beeswax is one of the simplest do-it-yourself activities, and it’s fun to make! If you have a farmer’s market near by, make him shop there for the

Your child may have learnt in science class that birds can fly due to their hollow, lightweight bones, but it’s hard to understand how hollow bones can be strong enough to support a bird’s muscles. In this science activity, you and your child will see just how strong a hollow structure can be by testing

Experiment with the wonders of pressure and condensation by crushing a soda can with nothing but air and water! What You Need:❑ Empty soda can with tab removed❑ Ice water❑ Pan❑ Mixing bowl❑ Tongs❑ StoveCaution! Experiment involves heat and boiling water, adult supervision required.What You Do: Rinse the soda can; then place a couple tablespoonfuls

What do you do with those old, unwanted or scratched CDs? Rather than tossing them or letting dust pile up, your child can actually put them to good use. Make your teen collect as many as he can get from family and friends, and turn them into a hanging, decorative curtain.What You Need:❑ Ruler❑ Old

Using up that last bit of your powder compact is no longer something to despair. Your teen can clean it out and reconstruct it into a stylish greeting card that holds a message for a very special someone! Not only is this project as “green” as can be but also it puts a whole new