How to Teach Kids About Volume and Amplitude
Educational and Fun Activities
Written by Charlotte Wilson
10 January 2025
🕓 10 min
Making Sound Science Fun for Kids
Understanding how sound works can be a fascinating experience for children, especially when it’s explained through hands-on activities and simple, relatable concepts. Two key ideas in the science of sound are volume and amplitude. But what do these terms mean, and how can we teach them to kids in a way that’s engaging and fun?
At The Science of Sound, we specialise in making complex scientific concepts easy for kids to understand through interactive experiments. In this blog post, we’ll explain what volume and amplitude are, how they’re related, and share fun activities you can do with kids to explore these concepts.
1. What Is Volume?
Volume is how loud or soft a sound is. It’s what we adjust when we turn up the speaker or ask someone to lower their voice. In scientific terms, volume is related to the energy of the sound wave—more energy means a louder sound, while less energy results in a softer sound.
2. What Is Amplitude?
Amplitude refers to the height of a sound wave. When a sound wave has a large amplitude, it carries more energy, which produces a louder volume. A smaller amplitude means the sound wave carries less energy, resulting in a softer volume.
Here’s a simple way to explain amplitude to kids:
- Imagine you’re at the beach. A big wave (large amplitude) will crash loudly when it hits the shore, while a small wave (small amplitude) will make a softer sound.
- This analogy helps children visualise how the size of a wave affects the loudness of a sound.
3. How Are Volume and Amplitude Related?
Volume and amplitude are directly related—when the amplitude of a sound wave increases, the volume becomes louder, and when the amplitude decreases, the volume becomes softer. It’s important to note that while amplitude affects volume, other factors like frequency and pitch also influence how we perceive sound.
4. Fun Activities to Teach Volume and Amplitude
1. Clap Loud vs. Soft
What You’ll Need:
- Just your hands!
Steps:
- Ask kids to clap their hands softly and listen to the sound.
- Next, ask them to clap their hands loudly.
- Discuss how the loud clap had more energy, creating a larger amplitude and resulting in a louder sound.
What They’ll Learn:
Kids will understand that when they put more energy into clapping, they create a louder sound, which corresponds to a larger amplitude.
2. Rubber Band Guitar
What You’ll Need:
- A tissue box
- Rubber bands (of different sizes)
Steps:
- Stretch different-sized rubber bands around the tissue box.
- Pluck each rubber band and listen to the sound it makes.
- Try plucking the rubber bands softly, then more forcefully.
What They’ll Learn:
Plucking the rubber bands with more force increases the amplitude of the sound waves, making the sound louder. Plucking them softly produces a quieter sound with a smaller amplitude.
3. Water Ripple Experiment
What You’ll Need:
- A shallow tray filled with water
- A small stone or pebble
Steps:
- Drop the stone gently into the water and observe the small ripples it creates.
- Next, drop the stone from a higher position and observe the larger ripples.
- Explain how the size of the ripples represents the amplitude of the sound wave.
What They’ll Learn:
This activity helps kids visualise how larger waves (greater amplitude) result in louder sounds, while smaller waves (less amplitude) result in softer sounds.
5. Real-Life Examples of Volume and Amplitude
Musical Instruments:
When playing a guitar, strumming harder produces a louder sound because it increases the amplitude of the sound wave.
Speaking and Shouting:
Speaking softly creates a small amplitude sound wave, while shouting creates a large amplitude wave. This is why shouting is louder.
Microphones and Amplifiers:
A microphone captures sound waves and an amplifier increases their amplitude, making the sound louder.
6. Why Learning About Volume and Amplitude Matters
Understanding volume and amplitude helps children grasp how sound works in everyday life. It also lays the foundation for exploring more advanced topics, such as pitch, frequency, and sound wave behaviour in different environments.
7. Extend the Learning: Explore Sound with The Science of Sound
At The Science of Sound, we offer after-school clubs, holiday camps, and interactive workshops that bring sound science to life. Kids can participate in fun, hands-on experiments, learn how sound waves travel, and even build their own instruments!
Final Thoughts:
Discover the Wonders of Sound
Teaching kids about volume and amplitude doesn’t have to be complicated. With simple explanations and fun, hands-on activities, children can quickly grasp these important concepts and enjoy learning about the science of sound. Whether it’s clapping hands, plucking rubber bands, or watching water ripple, the world is full of opportunities to explore sound!
Ready to inspire the next generation of scientists? Join one of our interactive STEM events at The Science of Sound and make learning unforgettable!
Contact us today to find out how you can be part of the borough’s exciting future!
