Welcome back to Summer Wonder at Home Creativity Challenges! Every week until August 31, there will be a new challenge for you to build, create, design or discover with your family using materials you have at home. Today we're using the power of the sun to create animals!
Take a nature walk or explore your backyard to collect things that catch your interest. Did you know that spending time outside is good for learning? Studies have shown that spending time outside can lower stress and improve concentration – so now you know what to tell your parents when you want to play outside!
Some things to think about when making your sun print animals:
- Could you make a sun print picture with objects from the kitchen? What about from your toys?
- Was it easy to choose what animal to make? You don’t have to make an animal. Try making letters, patterns or other shapes.
- If you try this on a cloudy day, does it still work? What about if you try it indoors?
- How does using bumpy objects affect the print?
- Does where you take your nature walk affect the type of items you find?
- Does the sun have any effect on the objects you used to block the sun?
Plants rely on the sun to grow. Humans use the sun's energy, too – solar panels transform energy from the sun into electricity. Did you know that the sun can be used to collect water? What other things do you think the sun can do?
The sun is just one part of the world around us and summer is a great time to explore outdoor science. The weather is perfect for spending time outside and there is so much to explore! What types of experiments could you do with water or dirt? Are there other things outside that you can use to make art?
Discover more about the sun and try more cool outdoor science experiments:
The Sun is Kind of a Big Deal by Nick Seluk
Catch the Wind, Harness the Sun: 22 Super-Charged Science Projects for Kids by Michael J. Caduto and John Hanson Mitchell
Maker Lab Outdoors: 25 Super Cool Projects by Jack Challoner
Outdoor Science Lab for Kids: 52 Family-Friendly Experiments for the Yard, Garden, Playground, and Park by Liz Lee Heinecke
Science Arts: Discovering Science Through Art Experiences by MaryAnn F. Kohl and Jean Potter
We'd love to see what you've created! Ask a grown-up to share a picture of your creation with us on social media. Tag @torontolibrary on Twitter and Instagram or @torontopubliclibrary on Facebook and use the hashtag #TPLSummerWonder.
Try all the other Creativity Challenges!
Design a Dinosaur
Every Bird Needs a Nest
Create a Time Machine
Dream Library
Graffiti Prints
Build a Monument
I Remember!
Build a Fort