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Design & Tinkering

Science activity to create a toy that sounds like a swarm of buzzing bees
Bee Hummer
Make a stick, rubber band, and index card sound like a swarm of bees.
Science activity that experiments with rocket designs and a PVC launcher
Bottle Blast Off
Ready for liftoff? Build your own rocket launcher!
Science activity to build a rubber-band-powered rolling plastic water bottle
Bottle Racer
Here’s a new “spin” on an old toy.
Science activity to build a musical instrument that uses vibrations
Coffee-Can Cuíca
Make a homemade version of a traditional instrument.
Science activity that uses a coil of wire, a paper cup and a magnet to create a radio speaker
Cup Speaker
Make a speaker that turns changing electric current into sound.
Science activity that demonstrates how differently shaped ears affect your hearing
Designer Ears
Make “better” ears!
Science activity that uses a pendulum and a marker to create beautiful designs
Drawing Board
A pendulum moving in two directions creates beautiful designs.
Science activity creating music with gravity
Falling Rhythm
Listen to the rhythm of falling weights.
Science activity that demonstrates action-reaction pairs described in Newton’s Third Law
Fan Cart
Can a fan save your sailboat from the doldrums?
Giant Sieve Sorter
Boundaries are the gift that keeps on sifting.
Science activity that demonstrates luminescence and flourescence
Glow Up
You light up my life.
Science and engineering activity to make a record player
Groovy Sounds
Build a paper-pencil-pin phonograph.
Science activity that uses electricity to break water into its elemental components
Having a Gas with Water
Use electricity to break water into its elemental components.
Science activity demonstrating electrolysis of water
Indicating Electrolysis
Breaking up (water) isn't hard to do.
Science activity that demonstrates a simple wind generator
Light Wind
Build a simple wind generator.
Science activity that shows how electricity and magnetism interact
Magnetic Pendulums
Copper coils become electromagnetic swings.
Science activity that explores an electromagnet
Magnetic Suction
Ding dong! This investigation shows how your doorbell works.
Science activity to make an instrument that creates the sound of rain falling
Make Your Own Rainstick
Listen to the sound of rain falling—anytime, anywhere.
Science activity that demonstrates force and acceleration of marshmallows
Marshmallow Puff Tube
If you blow harder, will it go farther?
Science activity that investigates geometry of non-round rollers
Non-Round Rollers
A flat panel rolls smoothly on non-circular rollers, providing a decidedly counterintuitive experience.
Science activity that demonstrates the chemistry of a battery
Penny Battery
Light an LED with five cents.
Science acitivity that explores decomposition with worms
Productive Poop
Turn your kitchen trash into garden treasure.
Science activity to design, build, and test a circulatory system
Re-Engineering the Circulatory System
Can you design better than evolution?
Science activity that uses off-center rotation to produce interesting vibrational behavior
Skippy
Make a jumpy mechanical pet that takes itself for a walk.
Science activity demonstrating how a square wheel will roll smoothly on a round surface using catenary curve
Square Wheels
You may not be able to put a square peg in a round hole—but you can make a square wheel roll on a round road.
Science activity that demonstrates resonance in a musical instrument
Straw Oboe
Two lips make sound.
Science activity that demonstrates the primary and secondary colors of light
The Three Little Pigments
Know your C, M, Y, and K.
Science activity visualizing sound waves
Vocal Visualizer
Use your voice to transform laser light into dazzling patterns.
A science activity exploring the law of conservation of mass
Wait, Weight, Don't Tell Me!
Have a gas with the conservation of mass.
Science activity to create an instrument that produces sound from a vibrating stretched membrane
Water-Bottle Membranophone
This surprising instrument is fun to make—and even more fun to play.
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Attribution: Exploratorium Teacher Institute