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Posts Tagged ‘science’

Candy Experiments

Monday, October 14th, 2013

Need a way to get rid of that trick-or-treating candy? Just squash it. Squash it to learn about air pressure or the molecular structure that is.

Loralee Leavitt’s book Candy Experiments is a great science activity book for kids. Leavitt uses candy as the subject to study a variety of scientific principles. This journey began when Leavitt’s four year-old daughter was sorting through her Halloween candy and asked, “What would happen if I put these Nerds in water?” This simple question gave birth to the website Candy Experiments, where many of the book’s activities come from.

The book is separated into nine segments; Secret Ingredients, Color, Sink and Float, Blow It Up, Squash It, Hot and Cold, Dissolve This, Crystals, and Sticky, so that your child can explore all the possible facets of the candy. With 70 different experiments, the book can be used throughout the year, and is applicable to Valentine’s and Easter treats. The book is also very visually engaging with bright, glossy pages and photographs of the various chemical reactions and transformations.

Not only is Candy Experiments a great way to find a healthy alternative to gorging on Halloween candy bars, but the book also makes science fun and accessible. It is important to engage your child in science from a young age. According to Students First, in an assessment by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 15-year-olds in the U.S. placed 21st out of 30 countries in science performance. The study of science not only develops critical thinking skills and sparks interest in possible career paths, but children with a grasp on science will be better equipped to find solutions to the environmental problems we face. So encourage your child to discover how Pixi Sticks cool water with an endothermic reaction, that knowledge might just help them later in life (and get rid of some of that Halloween candy).

Candy Experiments has been featured in publications like Parents, Mothering, and kidshealth.org. Leavitt also regularly performs these experiments at the USA Science and Engineering Festival in Washington, DC, and is currently raising funds for the next Festival in April, 2014.

Still want to know what happens when you put Nerds in water? You’ll just have to read Candy Experiments to find out!

Warning: This book will induce candy cravings.  For some feel-good candy options, check out our twitter party tips and Candy Cheat Sheet.

To learn more about Candy Experiments check them out at facebook.com/loraleeleavittauthor or Twitter @candyexperiment

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