A set of books that we like around here are those by Neil Downie. The most recent one (The Ultimate Book of Saturday Science) could be used with a young kid, at least some of the projects. I think it's aimed at a younger audience than his earlier books. Anyway, there are a lot of ideas in the vein of Howler's post on experimental science. (One of the earlier books is "Vacuum Bazookas, Electric Rainbow Jelly and 27 other...") I don't see his books as "answer/telling" books - they're more of a repository of starting places for finding things out by doing.

If you happen to live near New Haven, CT, the Eli Whitney museum runs camps that do variations on projects from the Neil Downie books. Also, the Eli Whitney museum is a good place for a kid to learn how to use tools safely, though that's not so true in camps for the younger age groups as in some of the other camps and programs.

I forget what else I was going to recommend...

Kcab
Wow, that looks terrific - thanks! I hope that we don't need to be out in a field away from people to do these, we are backyard challenged! The "air driven carrots" makes me concerned!

DeHe

I think it probably should! I'll have to ask DD tomorrow if that's the one, but she was telling a story last week about carrot parts strewn a very long distance. And there was something about armor-piercing carrots? Anyway, yeah, umm... fields are good! Also, beaches!

My DS6 is another science lover (ditto I), he did Camp Invention this summer, it was age bracketed and I don't think he enjoyed it as much as he might've. One part of that was to bring an old bit of electronics from home for disassembly which he did enjoy. Contemplating some yard saling for some new things to dissect.

Local hackerspaces will sometimes have open houses (many amusing and cool tools/projects in those.) Another resource can be local manufacturers who can be surprisingly generous in giving individual tours.

And maybe someone already mentioned this site: http://howstuffworks.com
or this book: http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Way-Things-Work/dp/0395938473

DD loves math. She did beestar this summer. The program is full of all real life word problems, challenging stuff to help kids thinking. She rather do 9 hours of beestar than watch 1 minute of t.v. I think it is a well and easy-used program.
Lisa

Awesome thread! I'be been out of town so missed this the first time around. My DS5 is s science nut and had already proclaimed he's going to be a scientist so long as I can come to work with him (be still my heart).

HowlerKarma, I adore your post. My ds wandered around the other day testing what sticks to magnets and was distraught that it wouldn't stick to the two-year old being as "everyone has iron in their blood". He was also fascinated by the Olympic opening ceremony where they symboloized pouring molten steel to make the ring. He suggested we get ourselves some of our own molten steel...I suggested molten candy into molds instead.

We use cooking/baking a lot for chemistry fun. Alton Brown, from Good Eats on the Food Network, makes the science of food/baking/cooking fun. Plus you can eat your experiments (if you dare).

My ds also loves science kits. My dh and ds made a "non-Newtonian" liquid this week from cornstarch and water, but it didn't give a clear explanation of how this works. Any chemistry nuts out there want to help me answer my ds' curiosity?

I have bought many "Dummies" and "Idiot's Guide" books for my son (don't like the titles, but he reads them). Isaac Asimov wrote lots of science books for the layman, listed at http://www.asimovonline.com/oldsite/asimov_catalogue.html , of which my children have read several. His NYT obit http://www.nytimes.com/books/97/03/23/lifetimes/asi-v-obit.html is an interesting profile of a gifted and productive man.

"His usual routine was to awake at 6 A.M., sit down at the typewriter by 7:30 and work until 10 P.M."

That's how he wrote 500 books.

I love Dummies books. They could actually be called "[SubjectName] Written in Clear Prose." But I guess that's not as catchy as "[SubjectName] For Dummies."

Basher Books are a hit here.

http://basherbooks.com/usa/aboutbooks.html

ColinsMum
Had to resurrect this thread to give you and DS a huge thumbs up and to beg for more recs! We got the usbourne chemistry dictionary, and I was unsure how it would go over, I also got the physics book locounu recommended and both are too hard - but in a good way! At first DS just sort of glanced at the dictionary, but we also got him a model chem set which he LOVES. And so he just started this fabulous thing he does when it's too hard, he starts reading, but skips and skims, and asks questions. So you can tell its captured him. I was nervous because it's a revision aid for HS! I thought maybe I was jumping too far ahead. But now I think it's perfect - in terms of more advanced material without being too ahead and needing math skills he doesn't have yet. And having nice pictures and diagrams. Plan to get the other ones as well. And considering what I just found out his science curriculum is this year, these are welcome indeed!

DeHe