By Amy Mann

Children’s Services

Science. It’s something we talk about all year round, but in the summer, we can do outdoor activities to supplement our learning. Warsaw Community Public Library’s summer reading program is taking place now, and our theme this year is space. We have plenty of non-fiction and fiction books about space, and our science books tie in nicely with those.

If you want to do some slimy outdoor experiments to keep your kids in a learning mindset while school is on hiatus, what are some things you can do to feed their brains? Consider checking out some of our books about science experiments and trying them. Please let us know what you learn from them as well. We would love to talk to your kids about their findings.

We have a wealth of information in our books to help you have a summer filled with science fun. “365 Science Experiments” is a great place to start. Using everyday objects like straws, lemons and pieces of string, you’ll discover some of the secrets behind such scientific phenomena as magnetism, weather, light and sound. You’ll learn what to do, what happens and why.

If you’re on a budget, try the book “Stomp Rockets, Catapults and Kaleidoscopes” by Curt Gabrielson. Its subtitle reads “30+ Amazing Science Projects You Can Build For Less Than $1.” The book contains experiments having to do with homemade cars, wild animals and the human body, among other interesting topics. Photographs accompanying the text help to guide you through the activities presented.

The book “Smithsonian Maker Lab,” published by DK, contains 28 super cool projects to help you build, invent, create and discover incredible things about the world in which we live. The dazzling full-color pictures throughout this book bring science to life.

On a day when it’s too rainy or too hot to hang out in the great outdoors, you could try some of the fun things found in the National Geographic kids’ book “Edible Science: Experiments You Can Eat.” Make a water purifier, bake some color-changing cookies thanks to purple cabbage juice, or try eating insects as protein and make some mealworm brownies for your friends and family.

Come in and see us at the Warsaw Community Public Library, located at 310 E. Main St. We have tons of awesome activities going on. Visit our newly revised website at warsawlibrary.org to find out more.