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Science for kids – that’s one of my all-time favorite topics to blog about. Perhaps because my mom spent most of her career teaching science, I’ve always loved the subject. So I really hope to pass my passion for science on to my kids.
Not too long ago the kids and I did an activity about exploring candy. The kids loved watching the candy fizz, pop, dissolve, and more. So I was thrilled when Loralee Leavitt, author of the book Candy Experiments, contacted me to ask if I would be interested in receiving a copy of her book to review. I thought it would be an engaging way to do more science with my children.
From the moment I opened the book, I was hooked. It is colorful, whimsical, and fun to look at. The experiments are well laid out with easy-to-follow directions and colorful pictures. Further – and thankfully! – each experiment includes a brief and accessible explanation of the science behind each activity. This is a life saver for parents who want to explain how and why to their kids but who don’t have a science background.
After we received the book, our family sat down to select several experiments we wanted to try. Once we had our list, my husband and kids went off to the candy store to purchase the candy we needed.
Candy experiments for kids: The Incredible Growing Gummi Worm
The first experiment we did was the Incredible Growing Gummi Worm (p. 72).
I gave my kids two gummi worms and asked them to compare their sizes. The kids agreed that both were the same length and width.
Then we placed the green and yellow gummi worm in a bowl of water. We left the red and orange gummi worm on a plate.
At this point, I asked the kids to make some predictions about what would happen to each of the gummi worms. Remembering our exploring candy activity, my son predicted that the gummi worm in the water would dissolve and that the water would change colors.
After several hours, we pulled the green and yellow gummi worm out of the water. We laid it on the plate next to the red and orange gummi worm. I then asked the kids to share what they observed about the two gummi worms. They noted that the green and yellow gummi worm was bigger. It was also slimy. Further, we had left it in the water so long that it became very fragile and broke apart easily when touched.
My son was delighted to see that the water in the bowl had turned colors, just as he had predicted. 🙂
Candy experiments for kids: Enormous Expanding Marshmallow
Our next experiment was the Enormous Expanding Marshmallow experiment (p. 68). My husband purchased the very last Halloween Peeps marshmallows at the candy store for this experiment, but any sort of marshmallow will do. We placed the Peep on a plate and observed its size.
Then we placed the Peep into the microwave and heated it on high for 30 seconds.
We all watched in awe as it quickly expanded in size. It was also interesting to see how quickly the Peep contracted again once removed from the heat of the microwave.
Candy experiments for kids: Floating Letters
Our next experiment was Floating Letters (p. 60). The kids placed several M&Ms into a bowl of water, taking care to place the printed side face up.
Then we watched as the colors began to dissolve off of the M&Ms.
And it wasn’t long before the writing on the M&Ms began floating to the surface!
Most of the letters that floated to the top broke into pieces, but at least a few managed to stay fully intact.
Who knew this was even possible?!?
Candy experiments for kids: Candy Water Cooler
One of the experiments I was most anxious to try was the Candy Water Cooler activity (p. 104). I had my doubts about how well the experiment would work, but fortunately my doubts were misplaced.
The kids started by emptying the sugar from several Pixie Stix into a glass.
Then I filled two glasses with 1 cup of room temperature water. The kids dipped their hands inside to test the water temperature. They reported that the water in both glasses was the same temperature.
Next, I poured the sugar from the Pixie Stix into one glass and stirred it. The kids put their hands back into the glasses. This time they reported that the sugary water was colder than the plain water.
Candy experiments for kids: Trying our own experiment
From talking to Loralee Leavitt, I learned that her book began when her daughter asked her one day what would happen if she were to put Nerds into water. From there, Leavitt and her daughter just began exploring and experimenting to see what would happen.
One of my goals is to foster a sense of curiosity, wonder, and experimentation in my kids. Since we had two Peeps left over from our experiments, I asked the kids to come up with their own experiment using the Peeps. After some discussion, they settled on putting one Peep in cold water and one Peep in hot water.
I asked the kids to predict what would happen. They thought the Peep in the warm water would expand, similar to how the Peep in the microwave expanded. So once we put the Peeps in the water, I asked the kids to observe.
Their prediction did not turn out, since both Peeps stayed the same size. But of course, making a correct prediction wasn’t the point of the activity. Instead, my goal was for them to be curious and to practice predicting, experimenting, and thinking like scientists.
We have had so much fun with the experiments in Candy Experiments. And of course we’ve only just scratched the surface of what is in the book. I have no doubt we’ll come back to this book again to try more activities.
More Halloween resources
More Halloween posts from Gift of Curiosity:
- Books about Halloween
- Mason jar jack-o-lantern
- Halloween sensory bin
- Halloween Montessori activities
- Ghost bubbles
- Toilet paper mummies
- Pumpkin decomposition experiment
- Describe a pumpkin using all five senses
- Halloween Printables Pack
- Jack-o-lantern Printables Pack
- Halloween Bingo
- Halloween Sudoku
- Pumpkin outlines
I’d love this book for my kids for homeschooling. This looks like so much fun!
This book would be a great addition to our homeschool! So fun!
I am a prek teacher and I love to teach science and eat candy, so this book would be perfect to use with my kids! Thanks for sharing the review.
I would love to try these experiments with a co-op I teach.
My grandsons love to do experiments. This would be perfect for them.
Thanks, Kate
I would like to win this book for my kids. My daughter would love this book, she is always wanting to learn and what better way than with her favorite candy.
I am always looking for fun and easy ways to perform science experiments with my kids in our homeschool. This book looks like one they would really enjoy and would be easy for me to figure out and teach. For us non-science people, having a book like this can be invaluable.
I am a kindergarten teacher at a very high poverty school. Most of the children in my class do not ever get to experience some of these things. This book would be a great way to introduce them to science and help them experience some hands on activities. Would love to incorporate these ideas into my classroom!
I would love this book to use with my grandchildren. It would be lots of fun and learning experience too.
My class loves science, so I’m sure they would love doing experiments using candy!
I am a preschool teacher and am always looking for different ways to explore simple science with my 2 1/2 -3 year olds that would engage them.
I love science but have a hard time coming up with age-appropriate experiments for my kids. This book looks super fun!
This book sounds like so much fun! I am always looking for new and interesting ways to teach and this totally fits that requirement.
My son is almost 4 and really interested in science. I would love to do these experiments with him!
This looks like great fun with the grandsons at Grandma’s house plus I would enjoy this book as a former teacher
I would like to win this book for homeschooling purposes. My little LOVES to conduct experiments!
My boys would so love this!! My 6 yr old has a major sweet tooth! I know he would love the candy lights experiment- he loves mints!! Thanks for the opportunity!
My daughter just started kinder and this would be a great addition to our homeschooling needs! Thanks the giveaway!
We don’t eat much candy and we try to explain why…this experiment book would AWESOME to show them what we can DO with candy!!!
My daughter would love this book as a way of playing and experimenting. She loves to see how things work and if we can use candy, she will be head over heels!
I am a nanny for 3 kids with one of my own. They all love to learn especially with science experiments. I have a book called kitchen science and this would be a great addition to our learning and fun in the kitchen! Thanks for the great review.
My boys love science and this is perfect for them (4 and 2)!
My son would LOVE to do the activities in this book.
I would love to win this book to share it with my teachers at school. I teach in a special education school so it would be very appropriate for my students
My twins are 4.5 and what better way to keep these busy boys’ attention than candy to help them learn!
I would love to win because my son loves to do experiments and we are always looking for fun ones to do.
My two oldest kids would love this book and it would be great for when my younger ones get a little older! We love to do experiments and learn things together and this would be fun to try out. My favorite that you shared was the letter experiment – who knew?! is the same thought I had!!
My kids would absolutely LOVE this…and so would I!!!
I’m always looking for new science experiments for the students in my afterschool program….especially ones they haven’t already done at school! Thanks for the fun giveaway!
We are nearing preschool age and my son loves science-type things. He would get a kick out of these experiments!
My 5 year old would love to do this with us – he’s always asking “what if” and some thought generators would be great!
i’d love this book for homeschooling!
This would fit in nicely with our homeschool science study of chemical changes.
The chromatography experiment is great!
This would be a great addition to my preschool classroom activity library!!
These are great experiments. I’m pinning. Happy Thanksgiving.
Debi and Charly @ Adorned From Above
The book creates excitement over using the scientific method on a very fun and basic level.
Why do I want to win this book…simple – my kid is a candy coinsurer. LOL. It would be really cool to show an educational experiment as it relates to…
I love pop rocks!!!
I would love to win this book. My daughter loves to learn and is always wanting to “see” everything that is new to her.
I’m Nana to 7 grandchildren. We love to do arts and crafts activities. If I win this book, I would expand our experiences together into adding science experiments. It will be so much fun!!
I love science and am trying to find a fun new way to bring it in to my classrooms through experiments. I can’t wait to try these with my students. What kid doesn’t love candy and science!
I’m surprised at how much experimenting you can do with candy! I would love to win a copy of the book!
My children love science and doing science experiments. This would make a lovely gift for them to have even more fun with science.
Love the color separation.
We love candy experiments, and we have done several! Thanks for sharing at Mom’s Library!
Just wanted to tell you that you are featured this week!
Love this! Featuring this post on the After School Linky!!
I would love this book! I teach 4-5 year olds, getting them ready for kindergarten! I already wrote down these few and will be doing them in the next few weeks! My kids love science!