Snow Days

It is that time of year when soon we will have a snow day. When you've got kids home unexpectedly, what do you do with them?  Yes, you can watch movies all day but that gets old really fast. Why not try some science!?

If you have a few things tucked away in a science box, you can put out the coolest snow day ever. And what parent doesn't love a little learning disguised as fun?!

Here is what I have in my box:
coffee filters
pipe cleaners
food coloring
foam brushes
magnifiers
various science toys

*food coloring and foam brushes - this can be turned into snow painting by putting some of the food coloring in small containers, add water and go paint the snow.

*coffee filters - use these to make symmetrical butterflies by folding in half and putting a marker on the filter until it shows on the other side. When you open it, the filter will be colored symmetrically or the same on both sides. You can fold this up and make a body out of a pipe cleaner or clothes pin.

*coffee filters - grab a snow ball and put it in the filter inside a strainer. As the snow melts, what is in the snow will stay on the filter. You can test to see if you can find the cleanest snow in your yard.

*black construction paper - put this in the freezer for a bit and then go catch snow flakes on it. You can use magnifiers to see what they look like close up. Dollar stores are a great resource for these.

*ice cubes- ok these are in the freezer. I have a few paper cups with ice. The kids can put one in spot where it will stay ice and one where it will stay frozen.

*science toys - I have some sand that doesn't get wet, hydroscopic (water loving) bubbles (Target stocking stuffer), and crystal growing kits. I also have some growing dinosaurs.

What do you have in your science stash?