Glow Day Nighttime Kids Activities | Summer Science Bucket List Part 4

Welcome to part 4 of the Summer Science Bucket List. We are going to glow with excitement! Glow sticks are easy to find and inexpensive. The science behind them makes them versatile for many experiments. Since it's summer and glow sticks work best in the dark, let's take it outside for nighttime fun!


At Kimberly Scott Science, we aren't afraid when kids say, "I'm bored." Boredom is an opportunity to give kids a spark they can take further. It can feel hard to come up with activities that are fun, meaningful, and expand into explorations that keep them occupied.

That's where this Summer Science Bucket List comes in.


This series is packed with simple, hands-on science activities kids can actually do at home, at camp, in daycare programs, or during summer family time. Most activities use easy-to-find supplies, encourage curiosity, and create memories kids talk about long after summer ends. For older kids, it can lead to independent exploration or deeper investigation with friends.


The Best Part?

Kids won't even realize how much science learning is happening while they play, build, splash, explore, and experiment.


This is Part 4 of the Summer Science Bucket List series, and we are turning the lights off for some glowing fun!


How Bright can a Glow Stick Glow?


☀️ Outdoor Activity or 🌧 Rainy Day Friendly in a dark room.
🟢 Low Mess 🟢 Low Prep

Kids Explore:

Chemiluminscence

Chemical Reactions

Light

Speed of a Reaction


💓Why Kids Love it:

They love to explore in the dark. Most people know you crack a glow stick to make it work, but they don't really know the science behind them. Kids love discovering the mystery. 


💕Why Parents and Teachers Love it:

The supplies are easy to find, inexpensive, and don't create a mess. It is great for those over 3 years old, so flexible across multiple ages.


Try This:

What happens to a cold glow stick?  What about a hot glow stick? Can I freeze a glow stick and thaw it out?


Materials:

Glow sticks of various sizes, ice, warm, hot, and cold water, a cooler, fridge, or freezer. And of course, nighttime or a dark room.


Want a complete activity?

Using the scientific method, explore how temperature affects the brightness of a glow stick. This is great for a glow day theme science camp.  Kindergarteners and up will love it!



Looking for a full activity, head over to our Teachers Pay Teachers store. 

Make it a complete science and STEM challenge that can fill a day or week with exploration. Explore the brightness of glowsticks and then create a glowing marble maze using, you guessed it, glowsticks 
Check out the rest of our summer science bucket list series to get kids moving, exploring, creating, and asking questions about the world around them. Be sure to save this post to find quick activities for every week of summer.



Let's get started!

Go to Part 5


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