Science for Kids : Easter Science with Peeps Boats

Turn those funny and adorable peeps into boats. Hands on science for kids in this fun Easter Activity for kids. 

This post contains affiliate links. If you choose to shop through these links I will receive a small commission. 

Alright folks, the peeps have hit the stores! Playing with marshmallows is fun.  Here is a fun science project for Easter. People are going to start pounding the peeps, nuking them, cutting them and what not! I love peeps science and peeps experiments and generally all hands on science for kids. But we however are simply going to float our marshmallow peeps and make peeps boats.

Float or sink science experiments are great fun and a fantastic starting point for kids to start exploring density and displacement. Today’s post will give you an opportunity to combine those concepts as well as others if need be { center of mass, wind movement, lift}

 Easter Activity For kids : Peeps Boats Experiment

Materials {affiliate links are provided below}

• Marshmallow Bunny Peeps
• Toothpicks
• Card Stock Paper
• Foam Sheets
• Printer Paper
• Fabric {optional}
• Glue
• Tape
• Container for water
• Blue food color {optional}

First lay out your peeps along with supplies needed to make the sails

Foam sails, card stock paper sails, regular white paper sails, fabric sails, tissue paper sails. Explore making sails with different materials. The kids can even cut their own sails and personalize them.

Then attach the sail to the toothpicks using glue or tape. The placement of the sail on the toothpick is up for exploration. Try different positions with your kids. { too high, too low, just right}

Now time to make the peeps boat. Attach the toothpicks to the peeps. Again here the position of the toothpick on the marshmallow is up for exploration. Depending on the material used for the sail the center of mass may have shifted. For some peeps the toothpick’s position on the head makes the boat stable. For most it will be in the center near the belly of the bunny. Explore!

Time to set sailing. My 6 year made a few paper sails and tissue sails and got her peeps ready for the sailing action.

At the heart of science is experimentation, and that’s exactly what we did in this hands on science project. She made 2 sails – one paper and one foam to see the difference. { You could do felt and fabric sails}

Place them in a bowl of water if playing with 2-3 peeps.

But we went to town in this science experiment and made plenty of peeps boats. We needed a larger container.

Place your boats gently in the water container and observe them.

How to turn this fun Easter Kids Activity into a fun science experiment

By asking questions!

Start off with the basic ones

1. Why does the peep float?

2.Explore making sails from different materials

The kids used regular white paper, card stock paper, tissue paper and sparkly foam. While the foam was the most eye-catching it made the boat heavier.

3. Which sail { paper, tissue, foam or even fabric} is the best choice for making the most stable boat?

4. Why?

5.  Why do the sails have to be triangular?

Try making different shaped sails

6. Does the position of the toothpick matter?

Try placing the sail at different places 

7. What’s happening to the balance ?

8. Explore the effect of wind 

Grab a table fan and gently blow air on the water

Thanks for reading

Check out Lemon Lime Adventure’s post on a fun Peeps Experiment

More Science for Kids on our category page

Follow our hands on science for kids board for more inspiration

Follow Kids Play Box’s board Making science fun when it really matters on Pinterest.

Here is your pin

Some wonderful collaborative e-books we have released!

A book filled with playful science and math activities

Check out our resourceful e-book filled with many preschool play ideas.

We have also collaborated on another e-book with simple and practical baby play ideas.