A collaboration with Science Sparks and the Primary Science Teaching Trust, Science Fun at Home provides simple and engaging practical science activities. Originally created to support learning at home, the activities are equally useful for learning at school. The activities are open ended and adaptable for any age.
Each two page sheet has activities that are:
- clear and simple, using household resources
- accessible and manageable for all
- fun for children and their families to do
- linked to follow up activities
Series 2 of Science Fun at Home will start in the autumn term 2020. Activity sheets will be created to align with special national or world events. We will send them out one or two weeks ahead of the event to give you time to plan for using them, either in school or for homework or home learning. Our first release will be for Roald Dahl day on 13 September 2021 so please check your inbox at the start of term!
Please share these resources with other schools, parents, guardians and carers, and encourage them to pass them on to other families.
PSTT also has other science activities which could be used with children at home. To make it easier to access these activities, we have made them available on this page. Note: These practical activities require adult involvement.
Engineering Our World - 8 engineering challenges and fact sheets which introduce famous scientists, engineers and artists.
Challenge Chasers - 8 science activities presented as challenges to solve for older primary children (ages 7-11 years).
Earth Explorers - aims to develop environmental awareness through activities and is suitable for children aged 5-7.
Science Fun At Home
13. ROCKET SCIENCE
11. BODY SCIENCE
Use a tape measure to find out if these statements are body facts or body fictions
Learn the science behind different sounds
Can you rescue a plastic toy from the ice?Letters to the Earth
PSTT is delighted to be working with the Letters to the Earth team and Harper Collins publishers. Letters to the Earth is a collection of letters and poems that express human feelings about the climate crisis. In the book there are letters from children, parents, artists, actors, poets, politicians, songwriters and scientists. We would like your children to add their voices to the collection. By submitting your child’s letter, their letter will be considered for publication in an upcoming PSTT newsletter or for inclusion in a future Harper Collins Letters to the Earth publication or project.
The climate science section of our Why and How? Newsletter Summer 2020 includes a selection of the Letters to the Earth along with some questions and ideas about how to interpret and enjoy them. We also include a series of activities and suggestions to support children with writing their own letters.
Whatever your child wants to write about is welcome. It could be a letter, poem, song, postcard or a picture. The letter could be written to the Earth or from the Earth, to future or past generations, to adults who have the power to make important decisions, to ordinary people or to other species (animals or plants). It could be written as a human or perhaps from the point of view of a bee, bird, beech tree or another species.
Closing date for submission of letters is 31st August 2020 - click here to submit
Please note that PSTT is not responsible for any content published on the Letters to the Earth website. Some content on this site is only suitable for older children and adults. Teachers/parents using the site for inspiration should watch/read materials in advance and satisfy themselves of the suitability of the content before sharing this with primary school age children.
Earth Explorers
Bursting with life Fact Sheet
Children's fact sheet on the importance of biodiversity for life on the Earth
Buzzing Around Fact Sheet
Children's fact sheet on the importance of insects as pollinators
Exploring the oceans Fact Sheet
Children's fact sheet on the importance of life in the oceans
Going under ground Fact Sheet
Children's fact sheet on the importance of worms for healthy soils
Engineering Our World
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Activity sheet - to construct a boat that will carry an object without sinking
Mary Sherman Morgan
Activity sheet - to construct a balloon rocket that will travel along a string for at least a metre
Rube Goldberg
Activity sheet - to use a mechanical chain reaction to make a ball roll into a basket
Challenge Chasers
Use water absorption to open a paper flower.
Safety Notice and Disclaimer
PSTT advises teachers to refer to either the CLEAPSS website or SSERC website for up to date health and safety information when planning practical activities for children.
PSTT is not liable for the actions or activities of any reader or anyone else who uses the information in these resource pages or the associated classroom materials. PSTT assumes no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information contained in these resources. PSTT recommends that a full risk assessment is carried out before undertaking in the classroom any of the practical investigations contained in the resources.
All materials are ©Primary Science Teaching Trust (PSTT) and are freely available to download and share for educational purposes. Whilst educators are free to adapt the resources to suit their own needs, acknowledgement of copyright on all original materials must be included. Rights to images included in the resource have been purchased for PSTT use only – as such, these images may only be used as part of this resource and may not copied into or used in other materials.