My 13 year old son loves STEM and finds videos on YouTube to watch. Sometimes he asks to do the experiments and I’ve learned to jump on it. This can be tricky, though, if the experiment requires materials that we don’t have on hand or a complicated set up.
I’m starting to stockpile videos of experiments that I know he will like, saving the materials ahead of time and then pouncing when he’s bored. If I don’t have the experiment ready to go, we watch these kinds of videos. They also make for great bedtime wind down when he’s not in the mood to read.
My son introduced me to this first one, with ex-NASA engineer, Mark Rober, turned YouTuber with over 3 million subscribers. (Another thing my son and I like to do is look at YouTubers he likes and wonder how much money they make based on their number of subscribers.) Mark’s videos are not really for DIYers, but he mixes the science behind his projects into the videos in a sneaky and fun way.
What I especially like about Mark Rober is that he makes STEM fun, showing how creative engineering can be to problem solve. He also is a great model for persistence, as some of his projects have taken years to get right.
We all probably will not attempt this liquid sand hot tub in which Mark Rober shows how sand can be blasted through tubes with holes to the point where the sand has the fluidity of water!
My next video wowed me with an entirely different approach to multiplication. I read further that this technique is widely taught in Japan. It’s not taught in the United States though, at least in my kids’ elementary school.
What I like about this video is that it shows patterns of math that are pretty cool and somewhat mysterious. This is especially great for those who like visual puzzles to explain math concepts. The trickiest part is figuring out how to draw the arcs in this way of creating patterns to solve any multiplication problem.
This Hot and Cold Water science experiment is one example of experiments that I would, in a perfect world, whip out to do with my son. It requires a small of amount of materials but it’s enough to stymie me from executing this.
Still, I’ll save this video to watch with my son. If he shows interest, we can collect the materials and try this out. In my parenting fantasy, this is what we would do in the summer!
My kids all like fire … who doesn’t? For pyromaniacs, this is looks like a fun science experiment. For those of us who live in cold climates, it’s best done outdoors.
This is another project on my list to do during the summer with my son. It’s like a more advanced version of a magnifying glass and the sun to burn objects. In this case, you make your own “magnifying glass” using the sandwich bag filled with water. It’s simple but surprisingly effective.
p.s. Related posts:
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Lego STEM Creativity: Building Lego Models
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Watch, Learn, DO: DIY STEM Summer Camp
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My books:
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
- Starred review from School Library Journal
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
- Green Earth Book Award longlist
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me
So many neat ideas! Why have I never thought to check youtube for fun science videos?! We’ve just finally started turning to youtube for Art and Geography… We’re going to have to try some of these. Pinned.
Thanks so much Mother of 3. My son loves to watch cool science videos on YouTube and he curates the best ones to show me. The ex-NASA engineer has a fantastic channel! He is so funny and his science projects are really awesome and you have the added benefit that you do not have to attempt them at home!
What great science experiments I would never have thought of! Especially love the fire starter.
Hi Pat,
I need to try that with my son! I missed the window of when we get good sunshine so it’s on my summer to do list!
So many amazing experiments! All amazing finds!
Hi MaryAnne,
I’ll post on the firestarter one when we give it a try this summer on a really hot day…