Science Projects for More Than One Kid
So both your kids have to do a science project?! Science Projects for families with more than one child can be an daunting task for parents. Science fairs are generally held at about the same time, so even if kids are in different schools, their projects probably have due dates that are near each other. Here are five ideas to simplify the process.
1. Let kids work together on the same project. They can each do the experiment, and will each have to do a science board or report, but you’ll only have to help find one idea and gather the materials from one list. This is the way to go if your kids are in different schools.
2. Use different variables for the same experiment. If you’re comparing amounts of Vitamin C in substances, for example, let one child test various canned fruit juices, and another child test different juices from fresh fruit. The research and procedure is the same, but the experiments are different.
3. Recycle projects. Our family has always done projects together, then saved them in the attic. One year one of our boys used the same experiment his brother had done the year before. We redid the experiment, but reused the science board, simply adding the fresh data and photographs.
4. Submit different types of the same project. If your school science fair allows it, one child can submit and experiment based project, and the other submit a demonstration. For example, one child can demonstrate how to take the shell off an egg without boiling, and another can experiment to see if water goes through the membrane.
Science projects are supposed to be wonderful learning experiences for kids – and they can be. Don’t let your family get bogged down in the process. Look for ways to streamline and coordinate, and make science fair time a fun educational time for your kids.
Get your free parents guide to science projects at http://www.24hourscienceprojects.com. We also have a list of fast and easy science project guides that can be done in a very short amount of time – many of which are easily adaptable for use with more than one child.
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[...] It’s not just science projects. In general, school, homework and learning can be a real struggle for many children – I know this firsthand from watching my boys. Early on, I decided that my guys should never have to look far for the proper tools. Like a busy executive, they needed to concentrate on the task before them, and should have anything they need close at hand. There is a closet in our house that looks like the school supply section at Wal-Mart. The boys have tools to stay organized. They have plenty of socks, underwear, and soccer clothes. We have calculators, computers, dictionaries, encyclopedia, rulers, compasses, and yes, we keep spare science boards. (We even keep completed projects, as you may have read in the post about doing science projects with more than one kid. [...]