30 Night Time Science Ideas for Kids
Nighttime science is a great way to encourage kids to learn more about the world around them. There are many different ways to do nighttime science and today I’m sharing some nighttime science ideas for kids that will help them learn a little something while they are staying up past their bedtime. From doing a nighttime scavenger hunt to exploring the stars in your backyard with binoculars, there are so many fun things that kids of all ages can do at night.
What child doesn’t love exploring outside when it’s dark outside? Fun, games, and even science just seem more interesting when you need a lantern to see.
Our family loves camping and exploring nature. We spend a lot of time outside. And yes, we girls have braved the great wilderness in the dark. We even have bats that live in our attic.
I have this great book titled Night Science for Kids by Terry Krautwurst.
I found this book a couple of years ago and snatched it up immediately, knowing that my daughter Hannah, who is especially fascinated by nature, would love it.
From the back of the book:
Make dozens of exciting discoveries as you experience the fascinating and mysterious world of science after dark. Have you ever talked to fireflies? Or found a moth as big as your hand? Do you know how to make the moon shrink? Or where to look for flying squirrels? From stargazing to spider watching, becoming a night science explorer is fun!
There is a detailed list of gear for your night time explorations on page 18. I’ll share a quick overview with you:
- flashlight with red cellophane covering the light
- binoculars {for dusk or dawn}
- backpack for your gear
- warm clothes
- plastic garbage bag
- pencil and notebook
- insect repellent
- watch
- snacks and drink
- camera
- tape recorder
Chapters include:
- Into the Night
- Becoming a Night Explorer
- Night animals
- The Fly-By-Nights
- Insects in the Nights
- Eyes to the Sky
- The Edges of Night
This is a great book filled with lots of activities for night time science. One your family is sure to enjoy.
Nighttime Science Ideas for Kids
There is no better way to learn than by doing. This includes learning science! There are many nighttime activities that you can do with your kids or students in order to learn more about the world around us and how it works. Below, we will go over a few ideas for nighttime science experiments that can be done at home with common household items.
1. Make a constellation map of the stars in your area and use it to find constellations
2. Create a night sky projector by shining light through it with a flashlight or buy one already made.
3. Look up at the moon for 10 minutes without looking away – you might see something interesting!
4. Turn off all lights in your room, then turn them back on one by one to see how they affect your eyesight
5. Find out what’s happening in space right now (like where Jupiter is) using NASA’s Eyes On Solar System app
6. Create a night-time scavenger hunt for kids to find different items outside at night
9. Try out some fun science experiments with glow sticks and other materials that can only be seen at night
10. Have a nighttime picnic on the lawn or porch, complete with snacks and drinks that are easy to eat without using any light sources
11. Play flashlight tag or hide-and-seek in the dark, both indoors and outdoors (make sure you have enough flashlights!)
12. Use the stars to tell time
13. Make a night sky mobile for your ceiling
14. Build an observatory in your backyard or on your roof using cardboard and binoculars
15. Learn about astronomy by reading books, watching documentaries, or visiting museums
16. Make your own lava lamp using a plastic bottle, water, food coloring, and dish soap
17. Create your own constellations with glow-in-the-dark paint
How to Make Glow in the Dark Paint
Materials:
- 1 – 2 tsp Glow powder for each paint color
- water
- 4 tsp of each acrylic paint. in desired colors
Instructions: Mix equal parts of glow powder (or glitter) and a little bit of water with your favorite kind of white paint. Add more or less to get the desired effect- thicker for an opaque layer that doesn’t show much in daylight; thinner for something closer to regular acrylics where you can see it during the day but not at night.
More Nighttime Science Activities for Kids
Here are some more activities I’ve come across that would be super fun for you to do with your child at night:
- Free Printable Constellation Lacing Cards for Kids
- Summer Star Chart
- Star Gazing Apps – iPhone and Android
- Study the Night Sky
- Build a Bat House.
- Search for Foxfire “Glowing Fungi”.
- Learn about Moths and Bats and explore outside to see what you find.
- Study fireflies and make a firefly night light {be sure to let them go in the morning!}
- Listen for owls and build an owl house.
- Find a Luna Moth.
- Go sugaring for moths.
- Make a light and sheet insect collector.
Of course, it’s always fun when you discover a raccoon peeking at you from behind a tree, see deer grazing at night in your year, or see a possum staring at you. Be sure to document your discoveries. Write it all down in your nature journal. You can encourage your child to draw what they see and find and use watercolor paints or pencils to give life to the drawing.
There’s so much to do outside, why not stay up late and then sleep under the stars on a clear night?
I hope you’ll enjoy some evenings outside with your children this spring and summer and that many sweet memories will be created!
Nighttime Science Ideas and activities for kids are a fun way to get kids excited about science! We hope these will give your children some inspiration so they can enjoy entertaining nighttime science explorations while learning something new every day.
Did I miss any great ideas? Let us know in the comments below!
