INTRODUCTION I'll let you in on a secret. I am a geek. (Maybe it's not a huge secret.) But more than that, I love being a geek! To me, being a geek means having an unabashed enthusiasm for learning, wondering, and questioning. It means allowing myself to be passionate about the hows, the whys, and the whats. I am drawn to anything that has the slightest whiff of wonder. There's a LOT of wonder in science! As a mom with a deep passion for science, I know that when the kids' imaginations get hooked they become curious, and then they start asking the big questions: What is that? How does it work? Why does that happen? As a Geek Mama, I know that when that happens, a scientist is born. Science is a glorious way to play and learn.

Children are natural born scientists already. Every day their playing and exploration and discovery deepen their understanding of the world around them. They approach the world with great curiosity and imagination. Hands-on explorations help them to separate reality from fantasy. They ask questions, they make observations, they gather information, and they compare data and identify patterns without the help of any textbook. What we do as parents is to offer them the world of the science lab. We get them to describe and discuss their adventures and observations and to form explanations. This is science! As a parent there is nothing more fun than watching your kids delight in something with wide-eyed amazement.

And, as a kid, there is nothing more fun than making something bubble, fizz, explode, or do something surprising. This book is a celebration of this sort of joy, with a very simple premise: when you invite children to explore ordinary materials through a scientific lens, they get an up-close look at the astonishing and mind-expanding way that things work. And, it's fun! Between the covers of this book lies a world of potions, fizzy mixtures, mini explosions, and really fun and accessible science activities. Here are the building blocks for a budding interest in physics, biology, chemistry, and (gasp!) math. This hook is just as much fun for you as it is for your kids. Tap into that inner geek of yours--it's there--and let yourself wonder right along with the kids. Delight in Exploding Sidewalk Chalk and Pop Stick Explosions. Be mystified by a Mobius strip.

Make paper buzz and balloons scream. Turn the garden hose into a tuba and a straw into an oboe. All of the experiments here are more than just fun, too. They're about real science--exploring, observing, and experimenting. Kids will dabble in the physical forces that keep our universe in motion. The activities presented here are easy, and the concepts are accessible. There are suggestions for taking the activity further, and sidebars and boxes explain the technical stuff. Whether or not the kids want to get technical, at least you'll know why bubbles aren't square, how airplanes fly, and why baking soda and vinegar explode.

Once you know, you'll want to share. And so will they. I've divided the activities into two major sections: those you can do inside--at the kitchen counter, in the bathtub, or at the table--and those you might want to do outside--in the yard, at the playground, on the sidewalk, or anywhere you can make a mess. With these 52 easy-to-do science activities, projects, explorations, and experiments, I give you the moon and the sun and the permission to wonder, to make a mess, to laugh out loud and be amazed, Science is SO COOL! You'll see.