I'm not sure why it is, but the most interesting sites and resources I find tend to be somehow science related. I guess, when it comes down to it, most things are science related in some way.
I recently picked up powdered agar from a health food store. This is an incredibly versatile food. It can be used as vegetarian gelatin, with the unique characteristic that it can be melted down again and re-jelled if you wish to adjust the consistency etc. It can also be used as a culture medium for bacteria--the classic "ew" experiment!
Sometimes the "ew" factor can be a compelling motivator for kids.
Some of the favourite science activities our family has done include making kid concoctions such as:
slime, ooblick, magic mud and silly putty (especially great for preschoolers/kindergarten kids), identifying animal scat on hikes, dissecting owl pellets (not gross at all in reality, but certainly popular and interesting!), examining insects, pond studies, vermicomposting / backyard composting and identification of decomposers, and exploring alkalinity with
red cabbage water indicator (smelly but pretty to see!).
In the near future we'll be trying out some bacterial culturing and possibly some
forensic experiments from here.
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