One of the best ways to discover new things and learn about the world around us is to simply start asking questions. Do you find your child constantly asking how things work or why things work a certain way? Encouraging exploration is critical to your child’s learning and is important to discovering what they are interested in. Things that move, such as vehicles, planes and boats, are great examples of objects in our daily lives that work but in ways we don’t necessarily know how or why. Ignite your child’s curiosity for discovering how things work by exploring the mechanics, engineering and the scientific concepts behind all machines that move.

A chain reaction is when a reactive product or by-product causes additional reactions to take place. While this definition may sound complicated, chain reactions are actually one of the most common principles that make things move! Check out this Amazeum You activity called Chain Reactions that explores the concept of cause and effect. A great way to introduce your child to principles such as chain reactions, is through fun activities such as making a machine. LEGO Chain Reactions is an 80-page instructional book that comes with over 30 essential LEGO pieces that allow you to design and build 10 moving machines. Teach your bricks to do new tricks by applying the principle of chain reaction to your LEGO creations. Click here to get LEGO Chain Reactions at Curiosity Corner, the Amazeum’s museum store.

When airplanes fly overhead, or you take a flight to a far-off destination, it can be a fun and exciting experience. Your child may wonder, how can a giant piece of metal stay up in the sky and fly around? Forces such as thrust, lift and drag help keep the plane in motion and are great concepts for your young learner to explore. The Rubber Band Aeroplane Science kit is a great activity for exploring aerodynamics. Put together vintage rubber band airplane models with modern graffiti designs and use an electric rubber band winder to wind and snap your planes into take off! Click here to get the Rubber Band Aeroplane Science kit at Curiosity Corner.

Many machines, from the oldest pipe organs to modern day rocket ships, have technology that applies concepts such as action-reaction forces, rocket propulsion, compressed air, and pneumatics to make things move. The Water Power: Rocket-Propelled Cars, Boats, and More kit teaches you how to harness the power of water and air to make things move. Complete six different experiments by building water-rocket cars, jet-propelled boats, a water gun, and even a lawn sprinkler. Click here to get the Water Power: Rocket-Propelled Cars, Boats, and More kit at Curiosity Corner.