How to Build a Hovercraft: Air Cannons, Magnetic Motors, and 25 Other Amazing DIY Science Projects

In the past, I have found that many science-project books for kids tend to focus first on the hard science and less on what excites most kids (and parents) about this stuff in the first place which is: OHMIGOD WE MADE A HOVERCRAFT AWESOME!!!! I'm psyched to talk about the science after the cool thing happens and explain why it happened, but the first job of any book like this is to bring the awesome and get folks excited. I don’t know why so many authors don’t seem to get this.In this book, the AWESOME leads. We had the book for all of fifteen minutes and we were already showing Grandma how to implode soda cans on the stove with a bowl of ice (Grandma is always down for some awesome, bless her). A week later and we are about six projects in, with plans for knocking off a few more over the weekend. We have already built a simple electric motor using copper wire and fridge magnets, a paper airplane launcher, a few optical illusions and the big one, this past Saturday- the hovercraft.Building this hovercraft took literally only an hour. It used materials most people have ready at-hand: a chunk of plywood, some plastic, some pipe insulation (we had to borrow the leaf-blower from my neighbor) and a lawn chair. I paid exactly zero dollars to build this hovercraft (but I am now out of duct tape). We were off hovercrafting before anyone got bored or something else came up in the busy weekend schedule of soccer games, chores and other obligations. The neighbor kids came by to ride on it. We all brainstormed about ways to make it better and things to add (handles for carrying it back up the slight hill we were sliding down, a second leaf blower for more power…missiles).So the book really delivers. And at the end of every project is a QR code you can scan with your smart phone to go to videos of the project- I usually hate QR codes as they usually link to distracting junk, but in this case they added actual value to printed the content.I highly recommend this book for people looking to do quick, easy, but high-impact projects that demonstrate a particular principle using stuff you'll find either at home or a standard hardware store for short money. It's for anyone looking to connect with science-awesome.

Coming from Maine I have an extra soft spot in my heart for Stephen and Fritz, but bottom line - they deliver on their promise to 'make science fun'. But more than that, I think they speak to all those brilliant young people who struggle in the structure of today's public education. These experiments are simply inspiring and the addition of the science behind them is what makes this book work.So buy the book, lay in a supply of sticky notes, printer paper, never throw away a 5 gal. pail...and of course coke and mentos, and stimulate that amazing mind you may also have laying around the house.

Lots of cool experiments with the science behind them. All the activities can be found on youtube, but it is nice to have it in a solid book with neat writeups. Would be awesome for anyone who love science and building things. Ages 8+!I teach high school technology and bought it for the class.

Wonderful recipes for science experiments that are also great fun. I'd recommend it for junior high and up.Each section gives a list of required materials, many of which you may already have, a warning about possible hazards (and some of these experiments are dangerous), an explanation of the science involved, and a step-by-step, illustrated guide. The authors seem to be having a great time in the photos. I'm sure the readers will too.

it doesn't cover how to build a hover craft. it has one chapter on how to build a small leaf blower hover craft and that's it. the book is full of just simple science projects you can build at home

I bought it for my grandson and of course he said he liked it although he hadn't used it yet. I bought it after reading a review in the Orlando Sentinel and thought it would be great for him.

Using this for class to make these hover boards. I can project the book and quickly show the videos. Thank you!

My class loved reading and attempting some of the experiments in the book. Perhaps it will one day inspire them to become chemists, physicists, or engineers.

Fabulous read. Lots of practical ideas for those rainy days with the kids.