Fun at-home Science Experiments (and a Giveaway!)

 Sponsored post written by me on behalf of the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry.

Even though school is out, learning should still be in, right?

I say, “Absolutely!”

Learning should be going all on the time, especially during the summer months when most kids are not in school. But the difference between learning during the school year and learning during the summer months is that we can make things a lot more fun and relaxed when it’s hot outside.

Summer Brain Games
One way that we’ve kept the learning going in our home (*cough* besides making the kids do SOME school since we homeschool) is with the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry’s Summer Brain Games.

Summer Brain Games is a fun and free online science program that helps keep kids learning during the summer and prevents “summer brain drain.” You simply sign up for the program on the website, and then receive an email where you can download your FREE Summer Brain Games kit.

DIY Science Experiments
Each week’s online kit will feature an experiment or science challenge that can easily be performed at home with your kids. If you have teens, they can probably manage these experiments on their own.

My kids had a blast with the Balloon Racer that we made by following the instructions in the Summer Brain Games kit. It’s made out of simple materials you can find at home, and I honestly can not describe in words how much fun we had with this project.

The best part was the seeing the look on their faces each time the balloon’s air was released and it raced across the string hung across the dining room, flinging our LEGO mini-figure wildly in the air. Just thinking about the fun we had makes me smile.

Homemade Tetrahedral Kite
Besides the balloon racer, we made a homemade tetrahedral kite. And it turned out awesome!

Making the kite was more challenging than the balloon racer, but what an experience this was. The kids were proud of their accomplishment when it was finished, and we’re waiting for a windy day to take it out and fly! We’ve been dealing with rain and humidity lately, but I’m sure we’ll be able to better try it out later this week or the next.

To get the instructions on how to make the balloon racer and the tetrahedral kite, all you need to do is sign up for the Summer Brain Games program on the museum’s website.

Here’s what our homemade kite looked like:

Two pieces of advice, if you try out the Summer Brain Games program:

1. Read over the kit and make sure you have all the materials you need before starting an experiment. I had to make a trip to the store to grab a few small items.
2. Be patient, let your kids take charge (as much as possible depending upon their age), and have FUN!

Now for the GIVEAWAY!

ONE very excited reader will win a FAMILY FOUR PACK of tickets to the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry! This four pack is valued at $76, and the tickets are valid until the end of 2013.

If you are not living in the Chicagoland area but will be visiting before the end of the year, be sure to enter! 🙂

How to enter the giveaway

Simply enter this giveaway using the Rafflecopter below. I’ve included options for extra entries, too!

This giveaway will run from now until MIDNIGHT TONIGHT (JULY 9TH). The giveaway is open to US Residents only, ages 18 years old and above. The winner will be randomly chosen. I will promptly send the winner an email notifying them that they’ve won, and the winner must respond within 48hrs. of the giveaway’s end, otherwise I will have to draw a new winner.

Enter below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Chicago Museum of Science and Industry is offering a fun and free online science program called Summer Brain Games. The eight-week program lasts from June 17, 2013-August 12, 2013 and features a weekly experiment or science challenge that can easily be performed at home with kids of all ages.

Visit msichicago.org/summerbrain now to register for Summer Brain Games and download your free Summer Brain Games kit. As an added bonus, registering automatically gets you a pass to come to the Museum for free this summer.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry.