After this week, it is official… Summer has arrived! And what goes perfectly with a hot summer day? Water!
There are a lot of STEAM activities that incorporate water, and we’ll share more throughout the summer months. Today, you and your child can keep cool while learning about the physics of bouyancy and practice their engineering skills while doing the Penny Boat Challenge!
Here’s what you’ll need for this ultra-simple project:
- A large bowl
- Green or blue food coloring (just for funsies)
- Aluminum foil
- 30+ pennies per boat
If you’re using food coloring, put a drop or two in the bottom of your bowl, and then fill it up about 3/4 of the way with water. Cut two 8″ squares of aluminum foil for each boat. Challenge your child to use their engineering skills to build a boat that will hold pennies and float in the water. Make sure to test the boat in the water to confirm that it floats before continuing. Slowly add pennies one at a time. How many pennies can your child add before the boat sinks? You can even have your child rebuild the boat to see if it can hold even more pennies before sinking.
To see the full instructions for the Penny Boat Challenge from littlebinsforlittlehands.com and learn the physics of bouyancy, click HERE.
We’ll see you right back here next Saturday for another STEAM Saturday activity! Scroll through the rest of our website to learn how Critchlow Adkins is Building Brighter Futures for the children and families we serve!