Amazing Kitchen Chemistry Projects: You Can Build Yourself

Kitchen Chemistry is a terrific book of science activities. (Shhh! Don't call them "experiments"! That's a scary word.) I did most of them myself, as well as others, while I researched my own science activity books. Some books of science activities promise simple projects and realiable reactions, but this one really does deliver. And, as with all of Nomad Press's books, the text is well written, enlived with factual stories, and appropriate for the age group.

I purchased this book for my son Neal, who, I must admit, is not the biggest science fan. But when he got his hands on this book crammed with fun ideas and activities, his love for science blossomed!!! Every day he tried another project and not only did he have a blast (no explosions were involved), he learned so much! His favorite project was making ice cream--he made the whole family try it when we got together for the holidays and everyone loved it! He was so proud! I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves to learn or explore science, young or old, and even if science may not be your cup of tea, try it anyways! There is bound to be something everyone can enjoy from the Exploding Mentos project to Rock Candy. Cynthia puts it all together--the supplies you need, interesting and insightful information about each project, and helpful illustrations!

This tidy kid-friendly book has 122 pages crammed with activities and information on chemistry as well as support material in each chapter focused onWords to Know, Did You Know? and What's Happening? as well as a brief list of Supplies and boldly numbered steps of how to do each project. Featured projects (they do not call them experiments) include Make Your Own Buckyball; Make a Model of a Water Molecule; Separate Leaves and Dirt; Make a Chroma-Color Bookmark; Extract Iron from Cold Cereal; Make an AlkaSeltzer Rocket; Make Rusty Shapes; Clean Your Pennies; Make a Foamy Volcano; Make Eggs Lose Their Shells; Make Invisible Messages; Make Your Own Crystals; Make Rock Candy; Make a Candy-Glass House; Make a Wave Tank; Layering Liquids; Make an Octopus Diver; Put an Egg in a Bottle; Exploding Mentos; Swimming Raisins; Stretchy Taffy; Prove that Hot Water Freezes Faster Than Cold Water; Make Vanilla Ice Cream; Make Oobleck and Silly Putty. Lots of science information is mixed with the how-to of the projects and there is hardly a blank space on a page anywhere in the book. Lots of sidebars on related topics, small factoids that tie to the subject fill each chapter to the tippy top. There are 10 chapters: Atoms, Mixtures, Reactions, Acids/Bases, Solids, Liquids, Gases, Change of State, Polymers, Water as well as a glossary, index, extensive list of websites, and book resources. Most projects are safe enough for kids to do without too much adult supervision, and there is a great deal of information packed into this volume. The illustrations don't have kids in them, so it could even be used with adults. A very nicely done and reasonably priced collection.