Category: Home science

FREE science activity – make a stunt plane!

Posted on | by Kirsty Williams | Leave a Comment on FREE science activity – make a stunt plane!

Whizz Pop Bang is the awesomely amazing (and award-winning!) science magazine for kids aged between 6 – 12. We want to inspire the scientists of the future with our monthly magazine! We know that sometimes you just want a bit more science to get your teeth into, so here’s a FREE activity that your scientists-in-training will love to cut, fold and launch!

Download the template

Our experiments are designed for children aged 6 to 12, but this one is especially appropriate for year 5, P6 (Scotland), and children aged 9 and 10, as it relates to the subject of the forces that will be covered in this school year’s National Curriculum.

Find loads more science activities, puzzles and games in our award-winning monthly kids science magazine, Whizz Pop Bang!

Did your mini-scientist enjoy this activity? This is just one of the many fun paper craft activities from the Whizz Pop Bang Snip-Out Science Book. Click the image below to discover how much more fun your budding scientist can have with this book!

Not a subscriber? Sign up here!

Fill your child with science wonder with a subscription to Whizz Pop Bang, the award-winning magazine for 6 to 12-year-olds. Watch their face light up with glee when their very own magazine zooms through the letterbox! Packed full of hands-on science awesomeness, it’s the gift that keeps of delighting, month after month.


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COMPETITION CLOSED: Win a brilliant bundle of crafty STEM prizes!

Posted on | by Kirsty Williams | Leave a Comment on COMPETITION CLOSED: Win a brilliant bundle of crafty STEM prizes!

We’re getting crafty with Build Your Own for December’s online competition! Enter our competition to be in for a chance of winning one of THREE bundles! Build Your Own’s new eco-friendly, STEM-inspired Periscope and a Whizz Pop Bang Snip-Out Science Book filled with 30 projects to cut, fold and stick!

Build a fully functioning periscope with this incredibly clever kit from Build Your Own. Simply press out the parts then slot them together to construct a fun, lightweight and ergonomically designed periscope with a wide viewing area and extendable telescopic tube.

Everything you need to create the periscope is inside the box, including easy-grip handles which make the Periscope super easy to use and two high-quality mirrors ensure a bright, sharp image; also comes with a safety cap to protect the mirrors.

Even better, it’s made from sustainable cardboard using minimal plastics, the Periscope is stealth black with metallic silver detail with a sleek in design and will look great on the shelf when not in use.

The awesome Whizz Pop Bang Snip-Out Science book is stuffed with 30 projects to cut, stick and fold, all with a science twist! Test fantastic flying machines, engineer brilliant bridges, make a moveable skeleton, craft some super sea creatures and much more!

It’s printed on high-quality uncoated paper, designed to be snipped out and experimented with! The book is slightly larger than A4 in size and contains 64 action-packed pages, based on the paper activities from the Pullout sections of Whizz Pop Bang. With so many projects to get stuck into, it’s sure to keep your child busy for hours and hours!

Will you be a lucky winner?

We are running this competition on Instagram and Facebook only! Head over to our socials to find out how to be in for a chance of winning one of three of these awesome bundles.

Enter on Facebook
Enter on Instagram

T&C’s: This giveaway closes at midnight on Saturday 31st December 2022. Three winners will be selected at random from all entries via Facebook and Instagram and will be contacted in the first week of January 2023. This competition is open to UK residents only. Winner will be informed via the original comment you made on the appropriate platform and will be from @whizzpopbangmag – please be wary of scams, do not give personal details or follow any links from other accounts. For full terms and conditions visit http://buff.ly/3ij98Q3?fbclid=IwAR0eEqSY-V9JtUvvaYsKhjvmSRBURmapUOmYBaR7hl5XESRIS3hdqsWTqHI. This competition is in no way affiliated, endorsed, sponsored or administered by Instagram or Facebook.


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Interview with Tim Peake – download this FREE reading comprehension

Posted on | by Kirsty Williams | Leave a Comment on Interview with Tim Peake – download this FREE reading comprehension

We want to inspire the future generation of scientists with our monthly magazine! That’s why, every month we interview inspirational scientists about their jobs so children across the globe can learn about fascinating areas of science and what it takes to do these jobs.

We interviewed astronaut Tim Peake and wanted to share it here for free so that everyone can be inspired by Tim’s story. This pack also includes a reading comprehension question and answer sheet for schools and home educators to teach kids.

Interview with astronaut Tim Peake reading comprehension

This interview delves into what it is really like to travel in space. Tim Peake describes what it feels like to take off in a rocket and to feel weightless, as well as his scariest moments. A must-read for your aspiring astronauts. 

This downloadable reading pack includes: 
– An interview with Tim Peake for you to print or for your child to read on a tablet.
–  Reading comprehension question sheet and answer sheet.

Interview-with-astronaut-Tim-PeakeDownload
Yr5-Tim-Peake-QuestionsDownload
Yr5-Tim-Peake-AnswersDownload

Our teaching resources are designed for children from 6 to 12, but this reading comprehension is particularly perfect for year 5, P6 (Scotland) and 9-year-olds and 10-year-olds as it ties in with the National Curriculum topic about earth and space they will be taught this during this school year.

Did your mini-scientist enjoy learning about Tim Peake? Why not discover our other space themed issues of Whizz Pop Bang in our shop here! Or click on one of the magazines below for some of our favourite space issues!

Not a subscriber? Sign up here!

Fill your child with science wonder with a subscription to Whizz Pop Bang, the award-winning magazine for 6 to 12-year-olds. Watch their face light up with glee when their very own magazine zooms through the letterbox! Packed full of hands-on science awesomeness, it’s the gift that keeps of delighting, month after month.


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How to spot the Taurid meteor shower 2022

Posted on | by Kirsty Williams | Leave a Comment on How to spot the Taurid meteor shower 2022

The Taurid meteor shower has begun and is due to peak in the UK in the very early hours of Sunday 13th November 2022. Although the Taurids aren’t known for an impressive, dramatic display they do provide a regular sprinkle of meteors throughout October and November so lots of opportunities to spot a shooting star! 💫

When the Earth moves through debris left from passing comets, those particles burn up from the friction with the air when they pass into our atmosphere and create beautiful shooting stars. In the case of the Taurids, the debris is left by the Comet Encke.

Follow these tips from the Royal Observatory in Greenwich for the best chance of meteor-spotting.

For full information about the Lyrids meteor shower, head to this article on the Royal Museums Greenwich website.

☄️Find a dark site with an unobstructed view of the sky.
☄️The best time to see the shower is in the early morning of the peak day, which this year is the morning of the 13th November (the night of the 12th November).
☄️Fill your view with the sky and wait! Lying on the ground is a great way to see as much as possible.
☄️The Taurids are not particularly dramatic but they are wide spread so keep your eyes peeled.
☄️Blanket optional but highly recommended. Reclining deckchairs make an even more comfortable way to view the sky.
☄️Remember to wrap up warm!

Image: Canva


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COMPETITION CLOSED: WIN a bumper bundle of gifts!

Posted on | by Kirsty Williams | Leave a Comment on COMPETITION CLOSED: WIN a bumper bundle of gifts!

📣 We’re super excited to announce that we’ve teamed up with Den Kit Company and Tim Peake for October’s online competition which we are running on Instagram and Facebook only! Head over to our socials to find out how to win this bumper prize! ⭐

You could win:

⭐ The new Potions Making kit from Den Kit Company. Take your Potion Making Kit on an outdoor adventure and collect any special petals, leaves, grasses or soil to create a marvellous mixture of your own making. Add a pinch of natural colour, a splash of water, a sniff of sunshine – and just imagine the spells you could cast. Find it here.

⭐ Astronaut Tim Peake’s brand new book – A Cosmic Diary of our Incredible Universe. Are you bursting to know the answers to REALLY BIG questions? Like, how are stars made? What will we find in a black hole? Which fruit can create antimatter? What even IS antimatter? Put on your seatbelts and blast into space with your guide, astronaut Tim Peake (and a host of expert STEM characters) in this fascinating adventure through space, time and the diary of our truly incredible universe. Find it here.

⭐ A bumper bundle of 6 magically intergalactic issues of Whizz Pop Bang magazines that will have any scientist-in-training zooming to the Moon and cooking up peculiar potions, all with items you will probably find you already have in your kitchen cupboard. Each issue is jam-packed with science news, fun makes, puzzles, jokes and more!

To enter this competition please head over to Facebook or Instagram to find out more!

Enter on Facebook
Enter on Instagram

T&C’s: This giveaway closes at midnight on Monday 31st October 2022. One winner will be selected at random from all entries via Facebook and Instagram and will be contacted in the first week of November. This competition is open to UK residents only. Winner will be informed via the original comment you made on the appropriate platform and will be from @whizzpopbangmag – please be wary of scams, do not give personal details or follow any links from other accounts. For full terms and conditions visit http://buff.ly/3ij98Q3?fbclid=IwAR0eEqSY-V9JtUvvaYsKhjvmSRBURmapUOmYBaR7hl5XESRIS3hdqsWTqHI. This competition is in no way affiliated, endorsed, sponsored or administered by Instagram or Facebook.


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COMPETITION CLOSED: WIN a Glow-in-the-Dark Mega Science Kit!

Posted on | by Kirsty Williams | 526 Comments on COMPETITION CLOSED: WIN a Glow-in-the-Dark Mega Science Kit!

Explore glow-in-the-dark science with PUTTY, SLIME, CRYSTALS AND MORE!

Inquisitive minds will love discovering the world of glow-in-the-dark by making glowing slime and growing their own crystals!

The National Geographic Glow-in-the-Dark Mega Science Kit is an astounding collection of experiments and activities that all glow when the lights are out!

There is so much included in this Mega Kit: one glowing crystal seed, two DIY slime powders in glowing green and glowing purple, two slime containers, one glowing putty in a storage tin, one wernerite rock, one UV light, and a full-colour learning guide that takes you through each experiment step by step.

To win one of THREE kits, answer this question in the comments:

What is the name of the gel used for growing bacteria in petri dishes?


A) Agar
B) Ajar
C) Afar

This competition closes at midnight on Friday 30th September 2022. For full terms and conditions visit whizzpopbang.com/terms-and-conditions

Thanks to Bandai, National Geographic and Playtime PR for this brilliant prize!


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COMPETITION CLOSED: WIN a GEOMAG Magnetic Construction Set!

Posted on | by Kirsty Williams | 392 Comments on COMPETITION CLOSED: WIN a GEOMAG Magnetic Construction Set!

We’ve got four epic construction sets to give away from Geomag!

Use the strength and energy of the Geomag magnets and spheres to build crazy spinning tops and suspended models that will spin for ages. Put your building and spinning skills to the test with this Geomag E-Motion Magnetic Construction Set! Plus, they are made from recycled plastic!

For your chance to win, simply answer this question in the comments:

What type of vehicle is the Gossamer Albatross?

a) Bicycle
b) Boat
c) Plane

This competition closes at midnight on 31st August 2022. For full terms and conditions visit whizzpopbang.com/terms


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Make a drawing float!

Posted on | by Kirsty Williams | Leave a Comment on Make a drawing float!

Watch a drawing of a stick person float! The whiteboard pen drawing floats because the ink is less dense than the water.

Use a dry-erase (whiteboard) marker with non-soluble ink, draw a swimming stick figure onto a smooth, shiny plate (test it on the back first to make sure it doesn’t stain the plate!). After about 10 seconds, pour water onto the plate VERY slowly (away from the drawing) – and your swimmer should lift off the plate and swim around! The drawing floats because the ink is less dense than the water.

This super easy and fun experiment for kids is from Whizz Pop Bang 84: SUPER SWIMMERS where you can find bucket-loads more science fun!

Buy this issue!
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COMPETITION CLOSED: WIN Build Your Own marble run!

Posted on | by Kirsty Williams | 39 Comments on COMPETITION CLOSED: WIN Build Your Own marble run!

We’ve teamed up with Build Your Own to offer 6 lucky winners the chance to win a super cool Eco Marble Run.

This eco-friendly, STEM-inspired Marble Run is assembled using slot together techniques – no glue, no mess, no fuss. Everything you need is provided in the kit – follow the detailed instructions: press out the pre-cut parts, build and watch them go!

Wind the handle to raise the 10 swirly glass marbles up the elevator; then watch as they speed down one of the three different neon coloured tracks. Enjoy endless fun as the marbles twist, turn, drop down the steps, and then whizz round the vortex cone before racing to the finish! Which marble will win?

Budding engineers will enjoy the challenge of the construction. And once built, the Marble Run stands at an impressive 50 cm tall, and has 3 different neon courses with run switches to randomise the marble directions.

Building the Marble Run will encourage children to use their imagination and problem-solving skills. Plus, they’ll learn about physics and kinetic energy as they play.

Build Your Own are the creators of an exciting range of award-winning, STEM-inspired children’s toys that you can build yourself. The Build Your Own range is suitable for ages 8 to 100!

Marbles were a popular toy in the Victorian era, to be in for a chance to win one of 6 Marble Run Build kits simply answer this question in the comments:

What years did the Victorian Era span?

A 1837 – 1901

B 1850 – 1950

C 1890 – 1991

This competition closes at midnight on 30th May 2022. For full terms and conditions visit whizzpopbang.com/terms-and-conditions


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How to spot the Lyrid meteor shower 2022

Posted on | by Kirsty Williams | Leave a Comment on How to spot the Lyrid meteor shower 2022

The best time to spot the Lyrid meteor in the UK in 2022 is on the night of 22nd – 23rd April. The Lyrids begin on the 14th April this year which is 2 days before a full moon so the sky will still be pretty bright at the peak of the shower which will make spotting meteors a bit tricky – but don’t be deterred! Follow these tips from the Royal Observatory in Greenwich for the best chance of meteor-spotting.

For full information about the Lyrids meteor shower, head to this article on the Royal Museums Greenwich website.

☄️Find a dark site with an unobstructed view of the sky.
☄️The best time to see the shower is in the early morning of the peak day, which this year is the morning of the 23rd April (the night of the 22nd April).
☄️Fill your view with the sky and wait! Lying on the ground is a great way to see as much as possible.
☄️Look towards the Vega constellation – here’s a handy map showing how to find it at this time of year thanks to Astronomy Now.
☄️Blanket optional but highly recommended. Reclining deckchairs make an even more comfortable way to view the sky.
☄️Remember to wrap up warm!

Image: Canva

Whizz Pop Bang is a top-quality, gender-neutral, advert-free science magazine for families everywhere. Each issue is packed with experiments, activities, amazing facts, puzzles, jokes, riddles and more. Find out more here and flick through a space-themed issue here!


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