Water Science: Water Pump Sprinkler

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It’s SUMMER, so we need to do some water science, right? My kids and I love this homemade mini water pump sprinkler. It is simple to make and a blast to play with, especially on a hot day. This one is science-y but is fun enough to call a toy that your little ones will enjoy, too!

Supplies for the Water Pump Sprinkler:

Wooden Skewers 1 Per Child
Plastic Straw 1 Per Child (the non-bendy ones work best)
Masking tape (or painter’s tape as I used)
A Cup of Water
Lots of extra water for re-fills

How to Make the Mini Water Pump Sprinkler:

Push the pointy end of the wooden skewer through the center of the straw. Position the straw on the bottom third of the skewer.

An inch and a half from the center on each side, cut half way through one side of the straw leaving the other side attached.

Bend both sides downward to make a triangle shape.

Tape around the straw and the skewer to told it together, but not covering any of the holes in the straw.

Place in a cup of water and spin it around. It will spray around like a sprinkler, so be prepared to get little wet!

What’s Happening?

When you spin the straw it forces the water inside to spin. When an object is spinning anything on that object will feel a force pushing it outward. This is called centrifugal force. The water in your straw is pushed outward and the only way it can move outward is to move up the the straw. If you spin the straw fast enough the water will fly out like a sprinkler. Many pumps use the same principle. It is a very simple pump to build, so it is used in machines such as washing machines and vacuums.