While Halloween is time for ghosts and goblins, it’s also time for some pretty cool science activities that you can do right from home. Many of them require minimal supplies which is a major bonus. Plus, your kids will learn something while having fun. Check them out!
Build Candy Structures
When life gives you candy pumpkins, you make candy structures, of course! This craft couldn’t get any easier. All you need are toothpicks and candy pumpkins. Simply put one end of the toothpick through the bottom of one of the pumpkins and the other end through the top. Keep doing this with more toothpicks and pumpkins. Kids can build as much as they want…or until they run out of pumpkins! The possibilities of the types of structures that can be built are endless!
Static Electricity Dancing Ghosts
Ghosts don’t have to just scare people, they can dance too! For this craft you’ll need:
Start by cutting the ghosts from the tissue paper. Feel free to decorate the ghosts as you wish. From there, tape the bottom of the ghost to a table. Use the balloon to create static electricity over your hair or sweater and then move it over the ghost. The tissue paper will be attracted to the balloon, causing the ghost to “dance”.
Ghost Rockets
Courtesy: www.growingajeweledrose.com/2013/09/ghost-rockets-halloween-activity.html
Things that fly are cool. Making them fly yourself is even better. When it comes to flying science crafts for Halloween, this ghost rocket craft gets rave reviews. In order to try it you’ll need:
Start by drawing ghost faces on the canisters. Next, add some corn starch to each canister and then fill each one with water about 1/3 of the way. Once you mix that get ready for the fun!
Break up the Alka Seltzer tablets into 3-4 pieces. Quickly drop them in the canisters, put the covers on, flip them over and put them on the sidewalk. Now, run! Your ghost rocket will go flying into the air!
Halloween Flying Toys
Kids like crafts that are active and it doesn’t get much more active than a flying toy. For this project you’ll need:
Start by cutting a piece of paper into a small square, big enough to wrap around your straw and peek out over the top a bit. Make sure you wrap it tight enough so you can blow it off but not too tight that it just falls off. Squish the end down, then fold it and tape it. Next cut off another square and draw a ghost, bat, or any other Halloween figure. Cut out the figure and attach it to the end of the straw where the folded paper is. Now the fun really starts. Blow the end of your straw and see how far your Halloween figure can fly. This is a fun activity to do with friends so you can get a little competition going!
Spooky Scratch Video Game Making
If your child is more of a gamer, then try the Scratch video game making platform this Halloween. The program lets kids create their own interactive stories and games. Let them make their own ghosts and goblins and put them into a unique story or game. Once they’re done, kids can share them in an online community. This is a great way to incorporate Halloween into an online learning experience. If your kids love Scratch, join us for one of our weekly programs, where we teach kids how to design and beta-test their own games!
Who says you can’t learn and have fun at the same on Halloween?