Number of Trials for the Science Fair

Science fair season is here. Remember to keep it age appropriate. When deciding on how many trials remember to keep these things in mind.

1. The age of the participants. Younger kids may only be able to handle one trial. Older students can handle three trials or more.

2. Is the experiment hard to set-up over and over? If it is easy to complete more trials than do so. An example is how many drops fit on a penny. You can quickly get those results and set-up the penny. If it takes lots of work and supplies, keep the trials down to one, two, or three. If you child is making ice cream it is a lot of work to do 3 trials with 3 different variables. That is 9 batches of ice cream. Wow!

3. How expensive is the experiment? If the experiment uses expensive materials than keep the number of trials down. No one wants you spending a lot on a project. Batteries, wires, light bulbs, ingredients, and things add up.
4. How much space does the project take up? This has to do with projects that must sit for days. You only have so much room for plants. Where would you put 20 cups of crystals? Keep it to what the student can handle.

The goal of the fair is to create a positive science experience and inspire kids to explore the world around them. Stick to these guidelines and you will have fantastic, age appropriate projects.