I have loved many of your science activities. Do you have any we could do outdoors? - Outside Science
Answer: Your children can go outside and learn whether black objects or white objects heat up faster.
Experiment No. 1: We give directions for doing this experiment with black and white objects, but you can expand it by using other colors.
Take two thermometers outside, and lay them on the ground. Cover one with a piece of white paper and the other with a piece of black paper. Go back in 30 minutes and read the temperature of each thermometer to discover which color paper heated the thermometer faster.
Experiment No. 2: Let's test this again by filling a can painted black and one painted white with the same temperature water. Cover each can with a piece of paper that is the same color as the can. Then place both cans outside for an hour. Go back and remove the paper and put a thermometer in each can.
From these two experiments, your children should discover the answer to whether it is smarter to wear a black or white T-shirt on a hot day if they want to stay cooler.