Summer Science Fun: Will It Melt?
Hey there, mamas (and dads too!) —
The before the sun!
If you’re like me, you’re always looking for fun, screen-free activities to keep your littles entertained during the hot summer days — bonus points if it sneaks in a little learning along the way! 🧠☀️
Well, I’ve got the perfect experiment for you, straight from our Arizona backyard — “Will It Melt?” 🔥 A super simple, low-prep science activity that had both my almost-five-year-old and two-year-old giggling, guessing, and genuinely excited about science.
What You’ll Need:
• 1 cupcake pan
• Cupcake liners (trust me, you’ll want the easy cleanup!)
• A few small items from around the house (more on that below)
• A timer
• A notepad or paper for guesses
• A sunny day (Arizona heat optional 😉)
Step 1: Prep the Pan
We started by popping cupcake liners into each spot in our cupcake pan. This keeps the experiment tidy and clean-up a breeze — especially if you’re dealing with chocolate chips or melty ice cream scoops. 🍦
Step 2: Let the Kids Pick the Items
I told the kids to grab a few small things from around the house that they wanted to test. I gently nudged them toward things that would actually melt (we’re trying to learn something, after all 😄).
Here are a few of our favorite test items:
• Ice cube ❄️
• Stick of gum
• Sprinkles 🍬
• Marshmallows
• PAW Patrol toy 🐾
• Plastic dinosaur
• A flower 🌸
• A scoop of ice cream (this one got lots of laughs!)
Basically, anything goes — as long as it fits in a cupcake liner!
Step 3: Make Predictions
On a piece of paper, we made a simple chart:
“Will it melt?”
Then we drew a little circle for each item and wrote a “Y” for yes or an “N” for no, depending on their guess.
This is such a cute way to sneak in a little letter writing and decision-making. My almost-five-year-old practiced writing his own Ys and Ns, while my two-year-old happily made the guesses and had me write them down. ❤️
Step 4: Set It in the Sun + Timer!
We placed the pan outside in direct sun and set a timer for 1 hour — because, hello, Arizona sun. 🌞
The kids were OBSESSED with checking on their items. “Is the ice cream gone yet?? Did the marshmallow melt??”
Step 5: Review Your Results!
When the timer went off, we brought the tray in and checked each item. There were so many oohs and aahs — and even a few shocked gasps when something didn’t melt that they thought would.
We reviewed our original guesses to see how many they got right — great little lesson in observation, prediction, and follow-through.
⸻
Why We Loved It ❤️
• No fancy supplies
• Mess-free (thanks, cupcake liners!)
• Great for mixed-age siblings
• Encourages writing, critical thinking, and science fun
• And most of all — it’s just FUN.
So grab a cupcake pan and take advantage of that summer heat! Whether you’re in Arizona like us or just enjoying a sunny day, this little activity is sure to spark curiosity and keep the kiddos engaged.
Let me know if you try it — and what fun melty items your littles choose!
Happy experimenting! ☀️🧪
Free Printable!
