Sink or float?

Get a large container (eg a bowl or plastic box), fill it with water, and with the children collect a range of objects from around the house. Then drop an object into the water – after guessing whether it will sink or float.

Will it dissolve?

You’ll need several small, transparent water containers (e.g. plastic or glass cups) and a range of substances to test (e.g. sugar, oil, salt, food colouring, rice, flour, vitamin tablets). Before dropping each substance into a cup ask your children to guess whether it will disappear (dissolve) or not.

Weather station

There are lots of great activities for learning about weather – here are just a few:

a) Make wind chimes (eg out of plastic bottles or beads) and hang them up outside;

b) Make a wind sock (eg out of strips of waterproof material taped around a plastic ring) to work out the direction of the wind;

c) Make a rainwater collector (eg out of a plastic bottle with the top cut off) to measure rainfall.

How do plants grow?

This is more of an ongoing science activity, but if you choose quick-growing seeds you won’t have to wait too long before they start seeing results. Cress is the classic quick-growing plant (and lends itself to creative uses, eg as hair for a monster), but you could also try sunflowers (good for measuring growth against a wall).

Crazy cornflour slime

This activity is a bit messy but really fun and hands-on; children love exploring the strange properties of this cross between a liquid and a solid. For best results use a large shallow container that you can put on the floor, like a sand/water tray. Mix together cornflour and water until you have a slime consistency. Try pushing the slime – it instantly turns solid. Roll some slime into a ball in your hand and then stop – it turns back into a liquid.

Mini beast hunt

See if you can find some mini beasts in your garden e.g. ladybirds. Why not count how many mini beasts you find? Or you could try building a mini beast hotel for them to live in.