Home today and curious? What can I do?
This shelf is full of things to read, wonder about and try at home. Look for the badges: some you can do from the couch, and some need a short walk or a grown-up helper.
The badges
Couch OK
Read, wonder or draw without getting up.
Short walk
A slow walk around the house to look and listen.
Grown-up helps
Do it together at the kitchen table.
Print it
A sheet to print and fill in on paper.
🛋️ Couch OK shelf
Quiet Corner
Calm air science for slow days: look and listen, cloud watching, and breathe with the whoosh.
House Mysteries
Puzzles your house gives you, to solve from the couch.
Why Bank
Short answers to big “why?” questions about air, heat and weather.
Hero Words
Learn a science word or two, like humidity and insulator.
How AC Works
Where does the heat from your house go?
How Heating Works
How your house stays cozy in winter.
Austin Whys
Why does Austin weather do what it does?
How Animals Keep Cool
Panting dogs, big jackrabbit ears and more.
Cool Reads
Books about weather, air and science to borrow with a grown-up.
🚶 Short walk shelf
House Sounds
Clicks, whooshes and hums, plus a listening log.
Missions
Five quick jobs: fan on, curtain in, doors closed, big air grille clear, and more.
Air Trail
Follow the air through your house, one stop at a time.
Hero Habits
Small habits, with a way to prove they work.
🧑🤝🧑 Grown-up helps shelf
Kitchen Table Lab
Easy experiments with cups, water and ice.
Cloud in a Glass
Why does a cold glass sweat?
Static Balloon
Make your hair stand up with a balloon.
Keep It Cold
Which wrap keeps an ice cube frozen longest?
🖨️ Print it shelf
Printables
Word searches, lab sheets and more to print and fill in.
My Hero Log
A paper log for your missions and habits.
Why from your bed
Wonder about these without getting up. Tap to see the answer.
Why does the ceiling fan make me feel cooler?
The fan moves air across your skin. Moving air carries heat away from you, so you feel cooler. The room itself is not colder.
Why can I hear the house click before the air starts?
The thermostat sends a signal, and a switch inside the machine clicks on. A few seconds later, the fan starts and you hear the whoosh.
Why is my blanket warm?
Your body makes heat. The blanket traps warm air close to you so the heat stays longer. Blankets are insulators.
Why does the window feel cold even when my room is warm?
Glass lets heat pass through it more easily than a wall does. On a cold day, heat from your room leaks out through the glass, so the glass feels cold.
Why do I see dust floating in the sunlight?
Tiny bits of dust and lint float in every room. A bright sunbeam lights them up from the side, so you can finally see them.
Why does the AC run more in the afternoon?
The sun has been heating the roof and walls all day. By afternoon, more heat has soaked into the house, so the AC works longer to carry it back outside.
