Anytime there is an experiment that deals with matches and fire, adult supervision is absolutely required. Never take any chances when it comes to fire safety and be certain to help your child along the way. My husband has stressed the importance of fire safety to my kids for years. He’s taught them during camping trips, they were taught this in trail life, and it is ingrained in them to put safety first, especially when it comes to fire.

 

 

This is a great question. Before starting the experiment, have your children write down their hypothesis. Encourage them to answer questions like what they think is going to happen and why it will happen. Then, leave the next page blank so that they can write down the actual results of the experiment once completed. You can purchase a science journal online for this or keep it simple and have them write it down in a notebook or on a pad of paper that you already have at home. 

 

By having them write down their thoughts and outcomes, it will keep them engaged in the entire science experiment from start to finish. If you want to keep it really, really simple, download my Scientific Method Worksheet for them to use. PS: It is FREE to download after you subscribe! 

 

Materials needed:

• 4 small tealight candles

• 1 small votive candle

• Matches

• Plate

• Water (can be colored blue if you wish)

• 2 small clear glasses

• ½ tsp. baking soda

• ⅛ cup vinegar

 

Instructions for the Candle Experiments:

• Adults should light the matches in these experiments. Adult supervision is advised at all times. Sorry to hound this, but it is very important!

 

Candle Experiment 1:

1) Line 3 tealight candles in a row and light them with a match.

2) Place ½ teaspoon of baking soda into 1 small clear glass.

3) Add ⅛ of a cup of vinegar to the glass with the baking soda.

3)While the reaction is taking place between the baking soda and the vinegar, hold the glass next to the mouth of another clear glass to catch the released gases.

4) Hold the empty clear glass that contains the captured gases towards the flames of the lit candles and watch them be magically blown out on their own.

 

Candle Experiment 2:

1) Place a small votive candle on a flat surface.

2) Light the candle with a match.

3) Blow the candle out and hold a match in the smoke from the extinguished flame. Watch as the extinguished flame magically reignites.

 

Candle Experiment 3:

1) Place a tealight candle in the center of a plate or shallow bowl.

2) Light the candle with a match.

3) Pour a little bit of water all around the tealight candle so that it is in the center of the water puddle.

4) Place a clear small glass over the lit candle.

 

5) Watch as the candle creates a vacuum that sucks up the water from the outside of the glass, and raises the candle up on the water that it brings inside of the glass.

 

Once these three candle experiments are completed, talk to your child about what they saw and discovered. Compare notes and learn from one another! I always enjoy hearing the feedback from my kids during these experiments. 

The great part about completing this science experiment at home is that you can actually do them over and again. If you have a favorite, who says you can only do it one time and be done with them? Anytime that you can incorporate something educational to the minds of your child that cultivates and excites their education, continue fanning that flame!