Civil Engineering Experiment for Kids

Build curiosity with a hands-on civil engineering experiment for kids

A civil engineer uses math, physics, and design to create large structures like buildings, roads, and bridges. Some shapes hold up better against different types of pressure than others. ​​For example, some stand very well against wind, while others hold up against the side-to-side shaking of an earthquake. ​​

In this civil engineering experiment, kids of all ages can put on their thinking caps and hard hats and see if they can design a structure to withstand the forces of nature.

Can YOU figure out which shape works best for which situation? 


 

Materials:

  • Dominoes 
  • Tray or other platform to build on 
  • Desk fan 
  • Weights or something small and heavy
materials needed for civil engineering experiment for kids

 

Step 1:

Build 3 shapes: Start by constructing 3 of the most common architectural shapes, an arch, a pyramid, and a cube. 

  • The arch should include an opening in a structure that is curved on top and designed to distribute weight. 
  • In architecture, a pyramid is a monumental structure having a rectangular base and four sloping triangular (or sometimes trapezoidal) sides meeting at an apex or truncated to form a platform.
  • Your cube is a solid three-dimensional figure, which has 6 square faces, 8 vertices and 12 edges. 
example of popular shapes used in cicil engineering made out of dominos

Step 2:

Test your shapes!

Now we’ll test each structure against different conditions! 

  1. Test each structure – the arch, the pyramid, and the cube – by placing a weight on top of it.  Do they all hold up under the weight? 
  2. Remove the weights from the structures.  Test each structure by using the fan to force wind against the sides of them.  Do they stand up against the wind? 
  3. Make sure all three structures are on the tray. Using your hands, gently shake the tray side-to-side on the table.  Do the structures stay together and pass the test? 
Testing civil engineering experiment #1 with weight
Testing civil engineering experiment #2 with wind
Testing civil engineering experiment #3 with motion

Step 3:

Analyze the results and create some more or stronger shapes! 

Let's take a look at the science behind these shapes and the forces behind them. 

Gravity is the force that pulls things towards the center of the Earth. In doing so, it holds us down on the ground. Certain areas around the world get a lot of wind.  Wind exerts a lateral force on the sides of buildings, pushing against them. One of the hardest places to build cities is in areas with earthquakes. Earthquakes cause the buildings to move side-to-side. ​ 

Now that you've gone through your first round of testing, here are some fun questions to ask your kids about their civil engineering experiments:

  • Which shape worked best against each natural condition? 
  • Where in the world would you find these structures? 
  • Where would you build these structures? 

As you head back to the drawing board, what have you learned, and what can you improve?

  • Does the size of the structure matter? If you have enough dominoes, try scaling them up by making each one 2 or 3 times bigger. 
  • How about the intensity of the conditions? Try putting more weights, increasing wind speed, and shaking the tray more. 

 

Expand on the Activity

Hydro-Dipped Painted Pot Activity for Kids

Dip into gardening with a hydro-dipped painted pot activity

Lend a hand to our pollinating pals with a hands-on hydro-dipped painted pot activity that kids of all ages will enjoy! 

Hydro-dipping is the process of decorating an item by dipping it into water with a film of paint floating on top. The paint sticks to the object perfectly and completely, no matter its shape! 


Materials:

  • White terracotta pot (A regular terracotta pot will work too, the colors will just look slightly different!)  
  • 5-gallon bucket, or another large container 
  • 1 large button  
  • 1 pipe cleaner  
  • 1 dowel rod   
  • Paper towels 
  • Hydrophobic Marbling Paint (We use the brand Marabu) 
Materials needed for hydro-dipped activity

Step 1:

Create a Hydro-Dipping Mechanism! Thread both ends of your pipe cleaner into the button, then pull your button down towards the middle. Next, twist your pipe cleaner ends together. This will be used as a hydro-dipping mechanism for your pot. Poke the twisted ends of the pipe cleaner through the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot. The result should leave you with pipe cleaner to hold while dipping so your hands stay clean. 

Creating a dipping mechanism

Step 2:

Prepare your Dipping Station! Fill your bucket or container with enough water for your pot to be fully submerged when dipping. At this time, it’s a good idea to set up your paint, dowel rod, and some paper towels near your bucket.  

pre hydro-dipped pot

Step 3:

Pick your Palette! Choose at least two colors of paint and shake about 5-6 drops of each into the bucket.  

pick your pots colors

Step 4:

Give it a Swirl! Working quickly, use your dowel rod and gently make a few swirls in the paint. This will help achieve a marbled look when dipping the pot. Be careful! The paint will want to stick to the dowel rod!  

swirl your paint

Step 5:

Dip your Pot! Slowly dip your pot into the paint. You can use your dowel rod to help push your pot down into the water by gently pressing down on the bottom of the pot with the dowel rod

hydro-dip your pot

Step 6:

Clean the Water! Before pulling your pot back out of the water, use the dowel rod to move any excess paint still floating on the top of the water away from your pot. This is to avoid your pot getting a double coating of paint and looking clumpy. Once the water around your pot is clean and clear, pull your pot out!  

clean the water

Step 7:

You are an Artist! Admire your beautiful work! The paint should be dry almost instantly, you will just need to wait for the water to dry before planting any seeds! Place your pot on your paper towels, and you’re all finished! 

the completed Hydro-Dipped Painted Pot

Expand on the Activity

 

While you're working, let's learn HOW your hydro-dipped painted pot activity is working! 

Paint is hydrophobic – which means it doesn't mix with water. Just like oil separates from water when combined, so does hydrophobic paint! The paint floats on top because it is less dense! Surface tension also helps to pull the paint towards our pot as it moves, giving us an even coating.  

Try using your pot to create a pollinator garden! Sadly, deadly pesticides have hurt Florida's pollinator count greatly. But we can support our pollinators by providing them with the Florida native wildflowers that they love to eat! Even a small garden makes a big difference. A patchwork of pollinator gardens around the country could provide enough habitats to restore healthy communities of pollinators!  

STEM Picture Books to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

KidsTown shares their favorite STEM picture books to read to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

¡Feliz Mes de la Herencia Hispana! Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! 
 
Did you know, the United States celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15th to October 15th? This marks a month-long celebration and observance of the histories, cultures, and contributions of Americans who come from -- or whose ancestors come from -- Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central & South America.
 
To help celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, our Early Childhood Education Specialists in KidsTown shared some of their favorite STEM picture books featuring Hispanic authors and illustrators. Join us in celebrating stories featuring prominent Hispanic leaders, scientists, and innovators!

 

Lucía the Luchadora

Written by: Cynthia Leonor Garza
Illustrated by: Alyssa Bermudez

Lucía zips through the playground in her cape just like the boys, but when they tell her "girls can't be superheroes," suddenly she doesn't feel so mighty.

That's when her beloved abuela reveals a dazzling secret: Lucía comes from a family of luchadoras, the bold and valiant women of the Mexican lucha libre tradition. Cloaked in a flashy new disguise, Lucía returns as a recess sensation! But when she's confronted with a case of injustice, Lucía must decide if she can stay true to the ways of the luchadora and fight for what is right, even if it means breaking the sacred rule of never revealing the identity behind her mask. 

picture book: Lucia the Luchadora by

A Song of Frutas

 
Written by: Margarita Engle

Illustrated by: Sara Palacios 

When we visit mi abuelo, I help him sell
frutas, singing the names of each fruit
as we walk, our footsteps like drumbeats,
our hands like maracas, shaking…

The little girl loves visiting her grandfather in Cuba and singing his special songs to sell all kinds of fruit: mangolimónnaranjapiña, and more! Even when they’re apart, grandfather and granddaughter can share rhymes between their countries like un abrazo—a hug—made of words carried on letters that soar across the distance like songbirds.

Hispanic heritage month book: A Song of Frutas Book by Margarita Engle

Dia de Los Muertos

 
Written by: Roseanne Greenfield Thong

Illustrated by: Carles Ballesteros 

El Día de Muertos, Day of the Dead, is here―a holiday for celebrating the lives of departed family and friends. Altars are decorated with sugar skulls and marigolds. Tamales and sweets are ready to eat. Soon it will be time for picnics, music, and a costume parade! Come join in these joyful and vibrant festivities that are a tradition in Mexico, the United States, and throughout Latin America.

A picture book to celebrate  Dia de Los Muertos

La Princesa and the Pea

 
Written by: Susan Middleton Elya 

Illustrated by: Juana Martinez-Neal

El príncipe knows this girl is the one for him, but, as usual, his mother doesn’t agree. The queen has a secret test in mind to see if this girl is really a princesa, but the prince might just have a sneaky plan, too . . .

Readers will be enchanted by this Latino twist on the classic story, and captivated by the vibrant art inspired by the culture of Peru.

Hispanic picture book: La Princesa and the Pea

Off we go to Mexico

 
Written by: Laurie Krebs 

Illustrated by: Christopher Corr

Off We Go to Mexico

Looking for more books to celebrate and learn about Hispanic Heritage Month?

Check out some of the theses different activities to try at home from Scholastic! Try one out and use it as an opportunity to recognize the contributions of Hispanic Americans to U.S. culture!

Winter Sensory STEM Experiments

These winter sensory STEM experiments are perfect if the cold never bothered you anyway!

From ice cream to ice chalk, celebrate the winter solstice with some (literally) cool sensory STEM experiments. Join us as we explore the chemistry behind some ice-citing concoctions, learn a trick to make your friends think you can freeze time, and more! 


A frozen twist on a classic favorite, ice chalk is a fun way to take your sidewalk art game to the next level! 

Sidewalk chalk is cool but ice chalk is even cooler, literally! Start in the kitchen concocting your chalk paint-sicles, then, when they're ready, head outside and get to painting your pavement!

melted-ice-chalk-kids-sidewalk-activity

I scream, you scream, we all scream "SCIENCE" with this ice cream science project!

Feel the chill this winter as you learn the science of cold by making homemade ice cream! This vanilla or chocolate ice cream science project doesn’t require any fancy equipment, just plastic food storage bags, elbow grease, and chemistry!

Completed chocolate ice cream science project

What if we told you that you could freeze time with just a balloon, tape, and some water? 

We promise this isn’t CGI magic or a trick of the camera. What you are seeing is a particularly interesting fluid dynamic, which is a scientific way of saying the flow of a fluid (which is any liquid or gas), called laminar flow. 

Follow along with the video, or get the written steps below!

If it doesn't feel like winter, it can still sound like winter

When you think of winter, you probably think of cold temperatures, icicles, and snow. But many places around the world enjoy a tropical December - February. If you can't walk in a winter wonderland, you can at least make it sound like you are with this Foley art activity!

science of sound activity foot steps in the snow

For more engaging OSC at Home STEM activities, visit our blog! 

Sensory Soap Experiments • 5 Brilliant Ways to Learn About Bubbles

Learn about the science of suds with these sensory soap experiments!

Double, double, science, and bubbles!

Bubbles are everywhere! We see them in soap, soda, and even our own saliva (gross!)Have you ever wondered why and how scientists study bubbles? Try it out for yourself with these five sensory soap experiments that will teach you all about the science of suds and bubbles.

Water you waiting for? Let's get started! 


Bubble Snakes

Make bubble snakes with this sensory, early childhood approved activity! With just a few items, you can make long, endless bubbles. To make this more fun, add some washable paint to your bubble solution!

Lava Lamps

Lava lamps are making a comeback with this DIY project! With some simple items found around the house, your young scientist will learn all about density with these simple steps.

Un-Poppable Bubbles

If you’ve ever wondered why bubbles pop, you’re not alone. Other than being poked or landing on something sharp, bubbles pop when the water between the soap film surfaces evaporates.

Want to make your own un-poppable bubbles? All you need is water, dish soap, and glycerin. 

Bath Fizzers

It’s time to make bath fizzers for you and your friends! This chemistry project introduces chemical reactions.

Make your bath fizzer as unique as you by experimenting with different scents or colors. 

Iridescent Bookmarks

Iridescence is a rainbow-like coloration that changes colors when you look at it from different angles. It can be found naturally in animals like fish scales or a butterfly's wing.  It can also be seen in bubbles!

Using just drops of clear nail polish, you can achieve this effect at home and create a customized iridescent bookmark!


 

Easy Milk Experiment • Learn About Molecules With Tie-Dye Milk

We'd like to thank our partner, Florida Prepaid, for sponsoring this colorful activity! Today’s young scientists are tomorrow’s college graduates. Saving early for college sends your child a powerful message that you believe in their future — and want them to avoid debt later. Learn more about Florida Prepaid’s College Savings Plan at myfloridaprepaid.com

Florida Prepaid College Savings Plan Logo

Learn about molecules and more with this easy tie-dye milk experiment

Make a rainbow of colors swirl around with materials you can find in your kitchen and a dash of science!

Atoms and molecules are the particles that make up everything. What element or elements they are, how they’re arranged, how they move, and how they interact with each other determines how a substance looks, acts, and reacts. However, atoms and molecules are very, very small. You could line up 70 million helium atoms in a row across a pencil eraser!

This makes them way too small to see with our own eyes or even with many microscopes. But we can observe molecules in motion with this tie-dye milk experiment.

Ready to make your own? Watch along or follow the written steps below!

Materials you will need:

  • Milk or cream
  • Food coloring
  • Cotton swabs or toothpicks
  • Dish soap
  • A dish or plate with a rim that can hold liquid.

Directions:

Step 1: First, add some milk or cream to your dish. You want to make sure the milk completely covers the bottom of the dish, but you don’t need to completely fill it.

A dish of milk for tie dye milk experiment

Step 2: Next, add 4 drops of food coloring to the center of the dish, being careful not to let them mix. Don’t stir the milk and food coloring! You want them to stay separate for now.

Add dye to milk

Step 3: Pick up your cotton swab or toothpick. Carefully cover one end of it with dish soap.

Add dish soap to a qtip to create tie-dye milk effect

Step 4: When you’re ready, touch the center of the milk with the soapy end of your swab and watch the colors move!

The result of tie-dye milk experiment

The Science of Tie-Dye Milk

  • Milk is a mixture. It’s mostly water, but it also has proteins, fats, and other molecules mixed in.
  • Because milk is mostly made up of water, it acts a lot like water and has many of the same properties.
  • One of these properties is called surface tension. Surface tension is how resistant a liquid is to external force, or how strong the surface of the liquid is. It’s a bit like the surface of water having a sort of “skin.” This is how some insects can walk on water.
  • Soap is what we call a surfactant. It lowers the surface tension of a liquid.
  • When we dip the soap in the milk, it lowers its surface tension and causes not just the water molecules, but fat and protein molecules, to move as they quickly rearrange themselves.
  • By adding food coloring, we can see the movement caused by lowering the surface tension.

Expand on This Activity:

  • Ask Your Scientist the Following Questions:
    • What new colors do you see?
    • How are the colors moving?
    • Why do you think this happened?
  • Keep Experimenting:
    • Press down on the bottom of the dish with the soap-covered cotton swab for three seconds, then lift up. How is the movement of the colors different than when you quickly touch the cotton swab to the milk’s surface?
    • Touch the cotton swab to areas where the colors have collected to watch the colors continue to move.
    • Try the experiment with more or fewer colors of food coloring. How is the tie-dye different?

The Science of Tie-Dye Milk

  • Milk is a mixture. It’s mostly water, but it also has proteins, fats, and other molecules mixed in.
  • Because milk is mostly made up of water, it acts a lot like water and has many of the same properties.
  • One of these properties is called surface tension. Surface tension is how resistant a liquid is to external force, or how strong the surface of the liquid is. It’s a bit like the surface of water having a sort of “skin.” This is how some insects can walk on water.
  • Soap is what we call a surfactant. It lowers the surface tension of a liquid.
  • When we dip the soap in the milk, it lowers its surface tension and causes not just the water molecules, but fat and protein molecules, to move as they quickly rearrange themselves.
  • By adding food coloring, we can see the movement caused by lowering the surface tension.

Learn More: Chemistry

  • Many atoms and molecules have positive (+) or negative (-) charges. An atom or molecule with no charge is called neutral. Positive and negatively charged atoms attract, just like the north and south poles of a magnet.
  • Molecules can be polar or nonpolar. Polar molecules have one side that is much more positive or negative than the other. Nonpolar molecules don’t have a difference in charge. Polar molecule likes to mix with other polar molecules, and nonpolar molecules like mix with other nonpolar molecules. Polar and nonpolar molecules don’t mix. This is what keeps oil and water separate; oil is made of nonpolar molecules and water is made of polar molecules!
  • Water molecules have a positive side and negative side. This makes water a polar molecule. Because of this, water molecules can stick to each other. Molecules in liquid sticking to each other is known as cohesion. The cohesion between the water molecules at the surface is what creates surface tension.
  • Soap molecules have a negative side and neutral side, so it has both a polar and nonpolar end. The negative side of the soap molecule is attracted to the positive side of the water molecule, weakening the attraction between the water molecules and lowering the surface tension.
  • But that’s not all. The neutral sides of the soap molecules also interact with the nonpolar fat molecules, separating them out of the milk. This is how soap is able to clean up greasy messes!

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In these ever-changing times, it is our pleasure to adapt quality Orlando Science Center experiences to engage with everyone while they are safe at home. Please consider supporting our operating fund to ensure we can continue developing resources today and well into the future. Thank you for your generosity and support!

What Does The Moon Feel Like? Try This DIY Moon Sand Recipe

We'd like to thank our partner, Florida Prepaid, for sponsoring this colorful activity! Today’s young scientists are tomorrow’s college graduates. Saving early for college sends your child a powerful message that you believe in their future — and want them to avoid debt later. Learn more about Florida Prepaid’s College Savings Plan at myfloridaprepaid.com

Florida Prepaid College Savings Plan Logo

Cheese or Sand? What does the moon feel like? Find out with this stellar activity! 

Have you ever looked up at night and thought "what does the moon feel like?" The moon’s surface is made up of craters and rocks. Craters are holes in the Moon’s surface formed by impact from an asteroid, which is a chunk of rock and metal in outer space. Using our DIY Moon Sand recipe, you too can experiment and make your own moon craters and touch the surface of the moon!

These recipes call for various food items but it is not to be consumed! Keep an eye out for this when little ones are playing with their moon sand. We do recommend doing this activity outside if possible as it does tend to get messy.

Materials for DIY Moon Sand:

  • 4 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup of baby oil
  • Measuring cups
  • Mixing bowl
  • Rocks of various sizes 
  • Mixing spoon *optional
  • Play bin *optional

Materials for Gluten-Free DIY Moon Sand:

  • 2 cups of baking soda/powder
  • 2 cups of cornstarch
  • 1 cup of baby oil
  • Measuring cups
  • Mixing bowl
  • Rocks of various sizes 
  • Mixing spoon *optional
  • Play bin *optional

Directions:

STEP 1:

  • First, measure out your dry ingredients and add them to your mixing bowl, this will be your flour or baking soda/cornstarch base. When you scoop these ingredients into your measuring cups, make sure you level off the cup to make sure you get a full cup!
ingredients for DIY moon sand

STEP 2:

  • Next, we will add in our liquid ingredients. Measure out the designated amount of oil to add to your mixture and carefully pour it into your bowl.
Add liquid ingredients to moon sand

STEP 3:

  • Here’s where it starts to get messy! Start to mix all of your ingredients together. You can mix with your hands or a large mixing spoon. Your dry ingredients will absorb the oil and start to stick together while still remaining soft. The best moon sand texture is crumbly, but still able to be molded together.
combine ingredients

Now that you have made your moon sand, you can start making your own craters!

Our moon sand is nice and soft but is perfect for making impressions. Gather a few rocks of different shapes and sizes. Through this activity, children will be able to experiment and make observations about their craters while changing variables of the activity. How will your results change?

Experiment: Even out your moon sand to form a layer at the bottom of your bowl or bin. Stand over your moon sand and gently drop different rocks onto the surface. You can measure the size of your craters with a ruler by how many inches wide or deep it is. Record your results, you can write or draw the way your crater looks and take note of your measurements to compare later.

Try some of these variations and observe how your craters change:

  • Drop your asteroids from different heights
  • Instead of an even layer, build up your moon sand into a mountain and try dropping your asteroid onto it and see what happens.
  • Try making your moon sand look like the moon by forming all kinds of craters of all shapes and sizes in your sand.
  • Mold your moon sand into different phases of the moon

So, now that you have created and experimented with your own moon sand, can you answer the question? What does the moon feel like to you? 

Experiment with your DIY moon sand
make a crater
crater in moon sand

Make Conclusions

Which rocks made the deepest impressions? What happened to your craters when you changed the height at which you dropped your asteroids? What did your data tell you about your experiment?

If you had fun making moon sand crater creations and snapped some photos, be sure to submit it to our Science Showcase here or tag Orlando Science Center and use #OSCatHome on social media! You might be featured on our channels.

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Get a round up of our latest activities and ideas delivered straight to your inbox so you don't miss a thing!

Find out when we release new resources by following us on social media!

 

Follow us on social media for even more science fun including fun facts, games, behind-the-scenes photos, and more!

 

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Support OSC At Home

In these ever-changing times, it is our pleasure to adapt quality Orlando Science Center experiences to engage with everyone while they are safe at home. Please consider supporting our operating fund to ensure we can continue developing resources today and well into the future. Thank you for your generosity and support!

DIY Fresco Art For Kids • An Activity in Ancient Art

You don't need to be Michelangelo to create this DIY Fresco art for kids! 

Fresco paintings are a huge part of the artifacts recovered from the fallen city of Pompeii, Italy in 79 AD. Fresco art is defined by combining wet plaster with pigments such as paint or pastels. In this DIY Fresco art activity, we will be doing a modified version that kids of all ages can do at home!

 

Materials you will need:

  • Plaster of Paris (BLICK Art materials)
  • Natural Burlap
  • Cardboard
  • Soft Pastels (any that are not oil based)
  • Mixing bowl
  • Measuring cups
  • Spray bottle
  • Clear washable glue
  • Wisk or mixing tool
  • Spatula
  • Box cutter (for adult use only)
materials for DIY Fresco Art For Kids

Directions:

Step 1:

Prepare your supplies! Cut your cardboard down to approximately a 1ft by 1ft square. Next, you should cut the burlap down to about a 10” by 10” square so that there is at least an inch of cardboard sticking out on all sides when you lay the burlap on top of the cardboard. 

 

square of burlap on cardboard

Step 2:

Fresco-plaster mixture: Use the ratio of 2-parts plaster: 1-part water. For this activity, we used 2 cups of plaster with 1 cup of water. Pour the ingredients into a bowl and begin to stir with your mixing tool. You will notice that the plaster will instantly combine with the water and become a thicker mixture.

 

make plaster for diy fresco art

Step 3:

Preparing your base: Pour some of your mixture onto your burlap-cardboard base and begin to smear into a circle like the image shown. Feel free to keep the plaster base relatively thick, this will give you a better effect in a later step. Let plaster dry for 2 hours.

 

prepare the base for DIY Fresco Art by spreading plaster on burlap

Step 4:

Time to make your DIY Fresco Art! Mist your plaster base with a spray bottle so that it is slightly damp. Use the soft pastels as desired to blend colors and create your own Fresco art masterpiece! Have fun with the plaster base, use your fingers to smudge the colors and see how they blend.

 

two hands decorating Fresco Art with a flower

Step 5:

Now for the fun part! Use your hands or a tool to gently break apart your plaster base. This will create “stress fractures” and make your Fresco art look like it has just been found from long ago or just like the artifacts recovered from Pompeii.

 

two hands creating stress fractures to fresco

Step 6:

Preserve your creation: Using clear washable glue, pour a generous amount onto the middle of your plaster base. Using a scrap piece of cardboard, gently spread the glue around to create an even layer over your base. This will seal in the pigment and the fractures you have added to your fresco.

 

Step 7:

Finish your Fresco! Once the glue is fully dried, gently remove the burlap-plaster base from the cardboard. Now you will be able to trim the excess burlap away from your plaster base. You have now completed your ownDIY Fresco Art!

 

completed fresco art projects

 

Funding for this project was provided by the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation.

Thanks to the support from Orange County Government through the Arts & Cultural Affairs, Orlando Science Center is excited to host the blockbuster exhibit, Pompeii: The Immortal City in the Fall of 2020.
 

Orlando Science Center is excited to support partnership programs and collaborations leading up to and coinciding with the run of the exhibition.

Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation

If you enjoyed this project, you're going to lava these other Pompeii-inspired activities! 

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Find out when we release new resources by following us on social media!

 

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In these ever-changing times, it is our pleasure to adapt quality Orlando Science Center experiences to engage with everyone while they are safe at home. Please consider supporting our operating fund to ensure we can continue developing resources today and well into the future. Thank you for your generosity and support!

Painting Techniques for Kids to Try • From Baking Soda Paint to Buon Fresco

Using science and creativity, these painting techniques for kids to try will elicit a reaction from your friends and your art! 

1,941 years ago, a catastrophic event occurred in Pompeii, a city on the Italian peninsula. A volcano called Mount Vesuvius erupted and covered the whole city in ash! 

The site was lost for centuries and remained almost entirely untouched until 1748. Today, scientific research brings to light the extraordinary history and culture of Pompeii and the Roman world. Learn how to create a fizzing work of art or a Buon Fresco with these Roman- inspired painting techniques for kids to try.

Using the DIY baking soda paint you just created, you can now make an erupting volcano painting!

Materials you will need:

  • Red or orange baking soda paint
    *Learn how to make your own here!
  • A tray or a small container to put the baking soda paint in
  • A small cup
  • A dropper (if you do not have on you can use drips from your paintbrush)
  • White vinegar (you can add pigment to the vinegar, but it is not necessary)
  • A cup of water
  • A paintbrush or two
  • Watercolor or mixed media paper -Watercolor pencils or paint (colored pencils or markers will work too, but not crayon)
materials for painting technique for kids to try

Follow along with the video or the steps below to try this painting technique!

Directions:

  • Step One: Draw your volcano. A volcano is a mountain that lets magma or molten rock escape from under the Earth’s crust to the surface where it comes out as lava. The molten rock makes its way up the main vent of the volcano. Some volcanoes have side vents where lava will flow out the side instead of the top. At the top of the volcano is the crater, this is where most of the lava will come out, sometimes it flows and sometimes there’s a big eruption. Not all volcanoes erupt with lava, some, like Mount Vesuvius erupt with ash, but our painting today will have lava. Right not we are just drawing the mountain that will be our volcano.
  • Step Two: Fill in the background. I added plants and the sun and made the sky blue. When you are done with this step the whole scene should be complete, except the lava. In Pompeii there were marketplaces, houses, courtyards, and bathhouses- you can add some of them to your scene too!
  • Step Three: For watercolor pencils, this step turns the pencil marks into paint. Dip your paintbrush in clean water and paint on the pencil marks with the water, you will see the marks turn into paint. Make sure to rinse your brush between colors.
  • Step Four: This step adds your lava! Use a clean brush and your baking soda paint. The paint will be a little chunky because the baking soda doesn’t dissolve. Paint your lava on your volcano.
  • Step Five: Watch your volcano erupt! Using the dropper, drip the vinegar one drop at a time onto your lava. What happens? A little goes a long way, take your time and watch it bubble and flow. When the vinegar touches the baking soda, it starts a chemical reaction. The chemical reaction releases a gas and creates the bubbles you see. Once you’ve watched your eruption, leave your painting in the same spot to dry- moving it will make the lava drip off the page.

Learn more! 

  • Were you inspired by your baking soda painting technique? Try creating a Buon Fresco, a popular art technique common in Ancient Rome!
  • If you want to learn more about volcanoes and Pompeii follow the links below:
    • https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/geography/physical-geography/volcano-facts/ 
    • https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/history/pompeii/
Thanks to the support from Orange County Government through the Arts & Cultural Affairs, Orlando Science Center is excited to host the blockbuster exhibit, Pompeii: The Immortal City in the Fall of 2020.
 
Orlando Science Center is excited to support partnership programs and collaborations leading up to and coinciding with the run of the exhibition.
 

Students from UCF CREATE Lake Eola Charter School will participate in the Pompeii program where they will learn the science of how frescos are created and work collaboratively to create fresco paintings.

If you would like more STEAM Lessons like these, learn how to enroll in the free public STEAM Art Making with Miss A online Canvas course.

DIY Baking Soda Paint • Add Some Bubbles and Bring your Painting to Life

This DIY baking soda paint will cause a reaction from your art AND your friends! 


In just 24 hours, Pompeii and neighboring Herculaneum were buried by the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. 

Using a little chemistry and watercolor paint, you can create an erupting volcano painting ! First, follow the steps to make your DIY baking soda paint. Then, learn how to use that paint to bring your art to life

Materials you will need:

  • Containers with lids for the paint (you will need one for each color you make)
  • Baking Soda
  • Water
  • Measuring Spoon
  • Scrap paper to use as a funnel
  • Pigment
    *This adds color to your paint, you can use liquid watercolor paints, tempera paint, acrylic paint, food coloring, or even old eyeshadow. Anything that will add color is fine as long as it is not wax or oil-based because those won’t mix with the water.
Materials for DIY baking soda paint

Directions:

Follow along with the video or the steps below to make your own DIY baking soda paint.

  • Step 1:
    For each color put an equal amount of baking soda and water in your paint containers. My bottles are small so I used two tablespoons of each. I made a funnel with my scrap paper to get the baking soda in the bottle. If you want a thicker paint, you can do a 2:1 ratio of two part baking soda to 1 part water.
  • Step Two:
    Put your pigment in and shake! More pigment means more color saturation- if you use a little your paint will be light, if you use a lot your paint will be dark.

Your paint is now ready to use! Make sure to shake it well before each use.

Now that you've made your DIY baking soda paint, get the next steps! 

Painting Techniques for Kids to Try • From Baking Soda Paint to Buon Fresco