This is a lovely little water density experiment. Great for fine motor skills too, with the pouring water and mixing. You will need; bicarbonate of soda, warm water, salt, sugar, fizzy water, and oil 6 jars/cups. Then 6 beads, 6 raisins, 6 leaves... you can use as many items as you find interesting.
If you don't have the resources to do these all at once, you could easily do 2 or 3 at a time.
Pour water into 1 jar/cup so that it is half full. Then pour 4 more jars/cups so they are full with water (leaving about 2 inches minimum, at the top). In the last jar/cup, pour fizzy water.
Now for the mixing. You will need to label each jar cup somehow so you know which is which.
Jar 1: Half water and half oil.
Jar 2: Fizzy water
Jar 3: water with as many tablespoons of salt as you can dissolve (we stopped at 6)
Jar 4: water with as many tablespoons of sugar as you can dissolve (we stopped at 6)
Jar 5: plain water
Jar 6: water with as many tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda as you can dissolve (we stopped at 6)
You have a pile of items in front of each jar. Ask you child if you think they will sink or float (and why). Pop them in and watch - do they sink or float? Why do you think this is?
