5 Cool Science Activities for Kids in Brooklyn This Summer
5 Cool Science Activities for Kids in Brooklyn This Summer
Summer in Brooklyn gives families plenty of opportunities to explore, experiment, and discover something new. For parents searching for fun and educational activities for kids in Brooklyn, science can turn an ordinary summer afternoon into an exciting learning experience. Children are naturally curious. They love asking questions, building things, making messes, and figuring out how the world works. Simple science experiments allow children to explore those interests while developing creativity, problem-solving skills, and confidence. Whether your family lives in Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Park Slope, Boerum Hill, Downtown Brooklyn, or another nearby Brooklyn neighborhood, these five cool science activities can help your children stay curious and engaged all summer long.
Why Science Activities Are Great for Kids
Science activities give children the opportunity to learn by doing. Instead of simply reading about scientific concepts, children can observe what happens, ask questions, make predictions, test ideas, and discover answers through experimentation. This type of hands-on STEM learning helps children develop critical thinking, creativity, communication skills, and perseverance. At Brooklyn Science Spot, we believe some of the best learning experiences happen when children are actively exploring, experimenting, and having fun. Here are five science activities families can try together this summer.
1. Create Colorful Evaporation Paintings
Turn a sunny Brooklyn afternoon into an outdoor science and art experiment.
What You’ll Need
Water
Food coloring
Small containers
Paintbrushes
White paper or watercolor paper
How to Do the Experiment
Pour water into several small containers and add a few drops of food coloring to each one.
Let your child paint pictures, patterns, and designs using the colored water.
Place the artwork outside in a sunny location and observe what happens as the water begins to disappear.
What’s the Science?
The heat from the sun causes the water to evaporate.
Evaporation happens when liquid water absorbs enough heat energy to change into water vapor and enter the air.
Ask your child questions such as:
Why does the paper dry faster in the sun?
Would the painting dry faster in the shade?
What happens on a windy day?
Simple questions like these encourage children to observe their surroundings and think like young scientists.
2. Explore Light and Shadows with Sidewalk Chalk
Brooklyn sidewalks can become outdoor science laboratories.
Shadow drawings are a simple way to introduce children to sunlight, movement, observation, and the changing position of the sun.
What You’ll Need
Sidewalk chalk
Small toys or objects with interesting shapes
A sunny outdoor space
How to Do the Experiment
Place an object on the sidewalk and ask your child to trace its shadow using chalk.
Return to the same location later in the day and trace the shadow again.
Compare the two drawings.
What’s the Science?
Shadows change throughout the day because the position of the sun appears to move across the sky.
Children can observe how the direction and length of shadows change over time.
Try turning this activity into a simple experiment.
Ask your child to predict where the shadow will move before checking it again.
Activities like this help children practice observation, prediction, and critical thinking while enjoying time outdoors.
3. Build a Solar Oven and Make Sun-Powered S'mores
Can you cook food using energy from the sun?
Building a simple solar oven is one of the coolest summer STEM activities families can try together.
What You’ll Need
A pizza box or shoebox
Aluminum foil
Black construction paper
Clear plastic wrap
Tape
Graham crackers
Chocolate
Marshmallows
How to Do the Experiment
Line the inside of the box with black construction paper.
Cover the inside of the lid with aluminum foil so that sunlight can reflect into the box.
Cover the opening with clear plastic wrap to help trap heat.
Place your s’mores inside the solar oven and leave the box in direct sunlight.
Observe what happens to the chocolate and marshmallows.
What’s the Science?
Solar ovens collect energy from sunlight and convert it into heat.
The aluminum foil reflects sunlight into the box, the black paper absorbs heat, and the plastic wrap helps keep warm air inside.
Families interested in exploring more science experiments and educational resources can also visit the NASA STEM Engagement website for additional hands-on activities children can try at home.
4. Create Amazing Sun Prints
Children can use sunlight to create unique works of art while learning about light and ultraviolet radiation.
What You’ll Need
Sun-sensitive paper
Leaves
Flowers
Small toys
Other interesting objects
A sunny outdoor space
How to Do the Experiment
Place several objects on top of the sun-sensitive paper.
Leave the paper in direct sunlight according to the instructions provided with the paper.
Remove the objects and rinse the paper with water.
Watch as the image develops and the silhouettes of the objects appear.
What’s the Science?
Sun-sensitive paper reacts when exposed to ultraviolet light from the sun.
The objects placed on the paper block some of the sunlight, creating patterns and silhouettes.
Encourage children to experiment with different objects, shapes, and exposure times.
5. Go on a Melting Ice Excavation
Few things feel better on a hot summer day than playing with ice.
This activity combines sensory play, problem-solving, and science.
What You’ll Need
Small plastic toys
Water
Balloons or plastic containers
Spoons
Paintbrushes
Droppers
Warm water
How to Do the Experiment
Place several small toys inside balloons or containers filled with water.
Freeze them overnight.
Once completely frozen, remove the ice blocks and place them outside.
Give your children spoons, brushes, droppers, and small amounts of warm water to excavate the toys trapped inside the ice.
What’s the Science?
Ice melts when it absorbs heat energy from its surroundings.
Children can experiment with different methods to discover which techniques make the ice melt faster.
Try using warm water, cold water, sunlight, shade, or salt and compare the results.
Ask your child to predict which method will free the toys fastest.
Turn Brooklyn Into a Science Laboratory
You don’t need an expensive science kit or complicated equipment to help children explore science.
A sunny sidewalk, a backyard, a local park, or even your kitchen can become a place for discovery.
Families can also visit nearby parks and green spaces to observe insects, investigate plants, collect leaves, study shadows, and explore the natural world.
The most important thing is to encourage children to ask questions.
Why did that happen?
What do you think will happen next?
Can we try something different?
Questions like these encourage curiosity and help children develop the confidence to explore new ideas.
More STEM Activities for Kids in Brooklyn
If your child enjoys building, designing, experimenting, and solving problems, science activities are only the beginning.
Families can also explore our 7 Fun Engineering Activities for Kids in Brooklyn for additional ideas that turn everyday experiences into opportunities for STEM learning.
Children can build bridges, design structures, experiment with materials, observe construction projects, and discover how engineers solve real-world problems.
Combining science and engineering activities gives children even more opportunities to develop creativity, problem-solving skills, and confidence.
Keep Your Child Learning All Year Long at Brooklyn Science Spot
At Brooklyn Science Spot, science doesn’t stop when summer ends.
Our hands-on programs give children opportunities to experiment, build, create, investigate, and discover throughout the year.
Families searching for after-school STEM programs in Brooklyn can give children a fun and educational place to continue exploring science after the school day ends.
During the warmer months, our summer programs for kids in Brooklyn provide exciting opportunities for hands-on experiments, STEM challenges, creative projects, and interactive learning experiences.
Looking for a unique way to celebrate your child’s next birthday?
Our science birthday parties in Brooklyn turn celebrations into unforgettable hands-on science experiences filled with experiments, demonstrations, and interactive fun.
Brooklyn Science Spot proudly serves families throughout Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Park Slope, Boerum Hill, Downtown Brooklyn, and surrounding Brooklyn neighborhoods.
Discover the Fun Side of Science at Brooklyn Science Spot
Children are naturally curious about the world around them.
The right science activities can transform that curiosity into a lifelong love of learning.
Whether your child is building a solar oven, investigating melting ice, creating sun prints, exploring shadows, or experimenting with evaporation, every discovery is an opportunity to learn something new.
At Brooklyn Science Spot, we create exciting hands-on STEM experiences where children can ask questions, experiment with ideas, solve problems, and discover just how much fun science can be.
Explore our programs and discover why Brooklyn families choose Brooklyn Science Spot for hands-on science, STEM education, after-school enrichment, summer programs, school break activities, and unforgettable science birthday parties.