Have some fun with the sun by doing solar experiments!
You Will Need
A hot sunny day, dark colored construction paper, various objects that won’t melt: A key, leaf, pencil, scissors, etc., crayons, cookie sheet, potholder, aluminum foil, a glass jar, tea bag, old crayons, inexpensive XX-large garbage bags, rubber bands, scissors, 25+’ string, and a wide open space
A hot sunny day, dark colored construction paper, various objects that won’t melt: A key, leaf, pencil, scissors, etc., crayons, cookie sheet, potholder, aluminum foil, a glass jar, tea bag, old crayons, inexpensive XX-large garbage bags, rubber bands, scissors, 25+’ string, and a wide open space
Make Solar Prints
Choose a flat, sunny location, put a piece of dark construction paper on in, then place variety of objects that won’t melt on top of the paper (key, leaves, shells, pencil, etc.) and leave it in the sun for 30 minutes or so. Compare the areas that were exposed to the sun to the covered areas.
If it is windy, place a small rock on top of lighter objects.
Make Sun Tea
Fill a clean jar with water, add a tea bag, cover, and place it in the sun for an hour. The jar may be very hot so have a potholder handy to take off the lid. Remove the tea bag, stir in some sugar, add fruit and ice to the jar if desired, and enjoy.
Refresh Old Crayons
Refresh old crayons by turning broken ones into a whole new mixed up version. You will need some old crayons (paper removed), aluminum foil, a cookie sheet, and a potholder to do this. Cookie cutters can be used to make cool shapes, otherwise you can carefully shape aluminum foil. Put your shapes on a cookie sheet, cover the bottom of the aluminum foil with crayon pieces, and leave it in direct sunlight for 30 minutes or so. Check on their progress from time to time. If the crayons do not melt well, cover the top with plastic wrap. Once the crayons have melted, allow them to cool for a bit, then grab some paper and see how they work.
Make A Solar Balloon
This experiment works best in a wide open space such as an open field, park or large backyard. Open up an XX-Large bag such as a leaf bag or something bigger, fill it with air, and close it with a rubber band. Tie a really long string around the rubber band, leave it in the sun and watch what happens. Watch the following video for another way to make a solar balloon.
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