Spark Curiosity: Fun Science Activities for Kids

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Why Science Activities Are Essential for Young Learners
3. Getting Started: Your At-Home Science Lab
4. Engaging Chemistry Experiments: Fizz, Goo, and Color
5. Fascinating Physics Fun: Forces, Light, and Sound
6. Exploring Biology & Earth Science: Nature’s Classroom
7. How Speech Blubs Amplifies Learning and Communication
8. Conclusion
9. FAQ: Fun Science Activities for Kids

Introduction

Have you ever watched a child’s eyes light up as they discover something new, maybe how two colors mix to make a third, or how a simple object can float in water? That unadulterated wonder isn’t just a fleeting moment of joy; it’s the genesis of scientific thinking. Children are, by nature, budding scientists, constantly observing, questioning, and experimenting with the world around them. Transforming everyday moments into exciting scientific explorations is one of the most powerful ways we can nurture their natural curiosity.

This blog post will delve into a treasure trove of engaging, easy-to-do science activities for kids, using materials you likely already have at home. Beyond the “wow” factor, we’ll explore the profound developmental benefits these activities offer, from honing fine motor skills and encouraging critical thinking to, crucially, fostering robust language and communication abilities. We believe that joyful discovery is at the heart of learning, and when coupled with innovative tools designed to support speech development, the sky’s the limit for our young learners. Get ready to turn your kitchen, backyard, or living room into a vibrant laboratory where every experiment is a step toward unlocking your child’s full potential, perfectly complementing resources like Speech Blubs to nurture whole-child development.

Why Science Activities Are Essential for Young Learners

Engaging in hands-on science activities offers a multitude of benefits for children, impacting various facets of their development in powerful ways. It’s far more than just learning facts; it’s about cultivating a mindset of inquiry and discovery.

Cognitive Growth and Critical Thinking

When children participate in science experiments, they aren’t just following instructions; they’re actively developing crucial cognitive skills. They learn to make predictions (hypothesizing), observe closely, analyze results, and draw conclusions. These experiences enhance their problem-solving abilities, encourage logical reasoning, and build a foundational understanding of cause and effect. Simple activities, like predicting if an object will sink or float, challenge them to think critically about properties like density and buoyancy.

Fine and Gross Motor Skills Development

Many science activities require children to manipulate objects, pour liquids, squeeze droppers, or mix ingredients. These actions are excellent for developing fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and dexterity – all vital for tasks like writing and self-care. Larger movements involved in setting up experiments or exploring outdoors contribute to gross motor development and spatial awareness.

Emotional Development and Resilience

Science isn’t always about getting it right on the first try. Experiments can “fail” or yield unexpected results, offering valuable lessons in patience, resilience, and adaptability. Children learn that mistakes are part of the learning process and that perseverance often leads to exciting breakthroughs. Successfully completing an experiment, no matter how small, also boosts self-esteem and confidence, encouraging them to tackle new challenges.

Language and Communication Skills: A Vital Connection

Perhaps one of the most significant, yet often overlooked, benefits of science activities is their profound impact on language and communication development. Every step of a scientific exploration—from planning to execution to reflection—is ripe with opportunities for verbal interaction and vocabulary expansion.

• Vocabulary Expansion: Science introduces children to a rich lexicon of new words. Think about terms like “magnify,” “dissolve,” “erupt,” “buoyant,” “hypothesis,” “viscosity,” “refraction,” and “density.” These words become tangible through hands-on experience, making them easier to understand and remember.
• Descriptive Language: Encouraging children to describe what they see, feel, smell, and hear during an experiment helps them develop vivid descriptive language. “Is the slime sticky or slimy? Does the liquid look clear or cloudy? Is the sound high or low?” These prompts encourage them to use adjectives and comparative terms effectively.
• Sequencing and Storytelling: Explaining the steps of an experiment or recounting what happened helps children practice sequencing events logically. “First, we added the baking soda; then, we poured in the vinegar; next, it fizzed!” This narrative practice is fundamental for storytelling and understanding complex instructions.
• Asking and Answering Questions: Science naturally sparks questions. Parents can model asking open-ended questions like, “What do you think will happen next?” or “Why do you think it did that?” This fosters curiosity and encourages children to articulate their thoughts and observations.
• Following Instructions: Many experiments involve multi-step directions, which are excellent for strengthening a child’s ability to listen and follow instructions, a critical skill for both academic success and daily life.
• Imitating Sounds and Actions: For younger children, activities can be linked to imitating sounds – the “fizz” of a volcano, the “pop” of a bubble, or animal sounds during a nature walk. This direct imitation is a cornerstone of early speech development, which is why at Speech Blubs, we leverage our unique “video modeling” methodology where children learn by watching and imitating their peers. This direct, engaging approach, combined with hands-on play, provides a powerful path to communication.

At Speech Blubs, our mission is to empower children to “speak their minds and hearts.” We understand that every child’s journey to communication is unique, and often, it benefits from a blend of playful, immersive experiences and targeted support. Our company was born from the personal experiences of our founders, who all grew up with speech problems and created the tool they wished they had. We are committed to providing an immediate, effective, and joyful solution for the 1 in 4 children who need speech support, blending scientific principles with play into one-of-a-kind “smart screen time” experiences. These activities are a wonderful complement, providing real-world context for the language skills children practice with us.

Getting Started: Your At-Home Science Lab

You don’t need a fancy laboratory to conduct incredible science experiments. The best at-home science labs are often found in your kitchen, backyard, or even a designated corner of your living room. What you do need is a spirit of curiosity, a willingness to get a little messy, and a few simple supplies.

Safety First

Before diving into any experiment, always prioritize safety.

• Adult Supervision: All activities should be conducted with close adult supervision.
• Non-Toxic Materials: Stick to common, non-toxic household items, especially for younger children who might put things in their mouths.
• Protective Gear: Consider child-sized safety goggles for experiments involving potential splashes, especially when working with anything acidic like vinegar or lemon juice.
• Allergies: Be mindful of any potential allergies your child might have to certain foods or substances.
• Clean-up: Have a clean-up plan in place before you start. Lay down newspaper, a plastic tablecloth, or do activities in an easy-to-clean area like a kitchen sink or outdoors.

Gathering Materials: Everyday Treasures

The beauty of these activities lies in their simplicity. You likely have most of what you need already!

• Kitchen Staples: Baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, cornstarch, food coloring, milk, cooking oil, salt, sugar, dish soap, various fruits and vegetables, eggs, spices (like pepper).
• Recycled Items: Empty plastic bottles, jars, cardboard boxes, paper towel rolls, plastic containers.
• Craft Supplies: Cotton balls/swabs, string, markers (dry-erase!), glue, shaving cream, pipe cleaners.
• Nature’s Gifts: Leaves, flowers, rocks, pinecones, water.
• Basic Tools: Spoons, measuring cups, bowls, plates, droppers, magnifying glass, flashlight, magnets.

Encouraging Exploration: Let Them Lead

While you’ll guide the activity, allow your child space to explore, make choices, and even deviate from the “plan.” Their questions and ideas are gold! If they want to add an extra ingredient or try a different object, within safe boundaries, let them. This fosters true scientific inquiry and ownership of the learning process.

The Role of Adult Interaction: Your Co-Play Power

Your involvement is the magic ingredient. Don’t just set up the experiment; actively participate!

• Ask Open-Ended Questions: Instead of “What color is it?”, try “Tell me about the colors you see.” Or, “What do you think will happen if we add more water?”
• Model Language: Narrate your actions and observations using rich vocabulary. “I’m observing how the liquid disperses when we drop the soap in.”
• Follow Their Lead: If your child is fascinated by a particular aspect, lean into that interest.
• Embrace the Mess: Science can be messy, and that’s often where the most engaging learning happens.

Engaging Chemistry Experiments: Fizz, Goo, and Color

Chemistry is all about how things interact and change, and it’s full of “aha!” moments for young scientists.

The Classic Volcano: Baking Soda and Acid Reaction

This timeless experiment is a staple for a reason: it’s visually dramatic and incredibly simple.

• Materials: Baking soda, vinegar (or lemon juice for a different scent!), dish soap (optional, for more foam), food coloring, a container (like a plastic bottle or a lemon half for a “lemon volcano”), a tray for the mess.
• How-to: Pour a few spoonfuls of baking soda into your container. Add a few drops of food coloring and a squirt of dish soap if desired. Slowly pour in the vinegar and watch the eruption!
• The Science: This is an acid-base chemical reaction. Vinegar (acetic acid) reacts with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to produce carbon dioxide gas. The gas creates bubbles, causing the “eruption.”
• Language Connection: Use words like “erupt,” “fizz,” “bubble,” “mix,” “pour,” “acid,” “base.” Ask, “What sound does the volcano make?” “How does it feel to touch the foam?” Practice sequencing: “First, baking soda, then vinegar!”

Oobleck: Solid or Liquid?

Oobleck is a non-Newtonian fluid that delights children with its不思議な properties.

• Materials: Cornstarch, water, a bowl, a spoon.
• How-to: Start with about two parts cornstarch to one part water (e.g., 1 cup cornstarch, 1/2 cup water). Gradually add water to the cornstarch in the bowl, mixing with your hands until you get a consistency that acts like a solid when squeezed or hit, but flows like a liquid when relaxed.
• The Science: Oobleck challenges our typical understanding of states of matter. Its unique property means its viscosity changes depending on the stress applied to it.
• Language Connection: Explore opposites: “Hard” vs. “soft,” “solid” vs. “liquid,” “fast” vs. “slow.” Describe the texture: “gooey,” “slimy,” “powdery,” “runny.” Encourage verbs like “squish,” “drip,” “press,” “flow.”

Magic Milk Marbling

This colorful experiment beautifully demonstrates surface tension and chemical reactions.

• Materials: Milk (whole milk works best due to fat content), shallow dish, various food colorings, dish soap, cotton swabs.
• How-to: Pour milk into the shallow dish to cover the bottom. Add several drops of different food colorings in various spots on the milk. Dip a cotton swab into dish soap, then touch the soap-coated swab into the center of the milk. Watch the colors swirl!
• The Science: Milk has surface tension. Dish soap breaks that tension. The soap molecules chase the fat molecules in the milk, causing the food coloring to be carried along, creating a swirling, marbled effect.
• Language Connection: “Swirl,” “mix,” “spread,” “colors” (name them!), “beautiful,” “magic.” Ask, “What do you see happening?” “What colors are mixing?”

Rainbow Skittles Diffusion

A simple yet mesmerizing way to explore diffusion and solubility.

• Materials: Skittles candies, a white plate, warm water.
• How-to: Arrange Skittles in a circle or a pattern around the edge of the plate. Gently pour warm water into the center of the plate, just enough to cover the bottom of the candies. Watch as the colors diffuse into the water, creating a vibrant rainbow.
• The Science: The colored candy coating dissolves in the water, and the sugar and dye diffuse outwards. The different colored dyes have different chemical properties, and the sugar concentration creates density gradients that prevent the colors from mixing completely for a short time.
• Language Connection: “Colors,” “dissolve,” “spread,” “rainbow,” “wait,” “slowly,” “fast.” Practice counting the Skittles or naming the colors as they appear.

DIY Slime & Slime Worms

Slime is endlessly fascinating for kids, offering tactile sensory input and chemistry lessons.

• Materials: Many variations exist, e.g., baking soda + mustard/ketchup (which contains vinegar), or sodium alginate + calcium chloride for “slime worms,” or shaving cream + glue + baking soda for fluffy slime.
• How-to: Follow specific recipes for each type of slime. For example, for “slime worms,” dissolve sodium alginate in water, then drop the solution into a calcium chloride bath, creating instant gel “worms.”
• The Science: Slime is a polymer, a long chain of molecules. The ingredients react to create new bonds, forming a viscous, elastic substance.
• Language Connection: Describe textures: “sticky,” “stretchy,” “gooey,” “fluffy,” “slimy.” Use action verbs: “squeeze,” “pull,” “mix,” “pour.” Talk about the “recipe” for sequencing and following directions.

Fascinating Physics Fun: Forces, Light, and Sound

Physics explores the fundamental laws of the universe—motion, energy, light, and sound—and can be surprisingly hands-on for children.

Sink or Float Exploration

A classic experiment that introduces concepts of density and buoyancy.

• Materials: A large bowl or tub of water, various objects (e.g., small toy, rock, leaf, coin, plastic bottle cap, cork, piece of fruit).
• How-to: Before placing each object in the water, ask your child to predict: “Will it sink or float?” Then, gently drop the object in and observe.
• The Science: Objects sink or float based on their density relative to water. If an object is denser than water, it sinks; if it’s less dense, it floats. Buoyancy is the upward force exerted by a fluid that opposes the weight of an immersed object.
• Language Connection: “Sink,” “float,” “heavy,” “light,” “predict,” “observe,” “up,” “down.” Practice comparative words like “heavier than” or “lighter than.”

Density Tower

Visually stunning, this experiment shows how different liquids layer based on their density.

• Materials: A tall, clear glass or jar, various liquids with different densities that won’t mix (e.g., honey, dish soap, water, vegetable oil, rubbing alcohol), food coloring (optional, to color the water).
• How-to: Slowly and carefully pour each liquid into the glass, starting with the densest (honey) and ending with the least dense (rubbing alcohol). Use a spoon or dropper to pour liquids down the side of the glass to prevent mixing. Watch as distinct layers form.
• The Science: Liquids have different densities (mass per unit volume). Denser liquids sink below less dense liquids, creating a layered effect.
• Language Connection: “Layer,” “top,” “bottom,” “dense,” “light,” “heavy,” “mix,” “separate.” Discuss the colors and textures of each layer.

Light Refraction with a Pencil in Water

An optical illusion that teaches about how light behaves.

• Materials: A clear glass, water, a pencil.
• How-to: Fill the glass halfway with water. Place a pencil into the water and observe it from different angles, especially from the side. The pencil will appear “bent” or “broken.”
• The Science: This phenomenon is called refraction. When light passes from one medium (air) to another (water) at an angle, it changes speed and direction, causing the light rays to bend. This bending makes the pencil appear distorted to our eyes.
• Language Connection: “Bent,” “straight,” “look,” “see,” “through,” “water,” “air.” Ask, “Does the pencil look straight now?” “What happens when you take it out?”

Milk Bottle Xylophone

Explore the science of sound with musical bottles.

• Materials: Several identical glass bottles or jars, water, a spoon.
• How-to: Arrange the bottles in a line. Fill each bottle with a different amount of water. Tap each bottle with a spoon and listen to the sounds.
• The Science: Sound is created by vibrations. When you tap a bottle, it vibrates, and these vibrations travel through the water and air to your ears. Bottles with more water have more mass to vibrate, causing slower vibrations and a lower pitch. Bottles with less water have faster vibrations and a higher pitch.
• Language Connection: “High pitch,” “low pitch,” “sound,” “tap,” “vibrate,” “music,” “compare.” Ask, “Which bottle makes a high sound? Which makes a low sound?”

Balloon Inside a Balloon: Air Pressure Fun

A surprising trick that illustrates air pressure and elasticity.

• Materials: Two latex balloons (one light-colored, one dark-colored), a pump (optional, for easier inflation).
• How-to: Carefully place the uninflated dark balloon inside the uninflated light balloon. Inflate the inner balloon partially and tie it off. Then, inflate the outer balloon. The inner balloon will expand as the outer balloon is inflated, creating a balloon within a balloon.
• The Science: This demonstrates air pressure and elasticity. When the outer balloon is inflated, the air pressure inside it compresses the inner balloon, making it seem to “shrink” relatively, but both are working with the air pressure to expand.
• Language Connection: “Big,” “small,” “inside,” “outside,” “inflate,” “air,” “squeeze,” “expand.” Discuss the concepts of inner and outer.

Paper Bridge Engineering

A challenge in structural engineering using simple materials.

• Materials: Several sheets of paper, pennies or small weights.
• How-to: Challenge your child to build a bridge out of paper that can hold as many pennies as possible. Encourage them to experiment with folding, rolling, or creating supports.
• The Science: This activity teaches about structural integrity, weight distribution, and different engineering designs. Folding or rolling paper greatly increases its strength and ability to bear weight compared to a flat sheet.
• Language Connection: “Strong,” “weak,” “build,” “design,” “support,” “heavy,” “light,” “collapse.” Encourage problem-solving language: “What can we do to make it stronger?”

Exploring Biology & Earth Science: Nature’s Classroom

The natural world is an incredible laboratory, offering endless opportunities for scientific discovery.

Nature Walk & Collection

A simple walk can become a rich scientific expedition.

• Materials: A bag or basket for collecting, a magnifying glass (optional), a nature journal (optional).
• How-to: Go on a walk in your backyard, a local park, or a nature trail. Encourage your child to observe and collect interesting natural items like leaves, rocks, feathers, or flowers (if allowed and safe).
• The Science: This activity promotes observation skills, classification, and an appreciation for biodiversity. Discuss different textures, colors, shapes, and patterns found in nature.
• Language Connection: Use rich descriptive vocabulary: “Rough,” “smooth,” “prickly,” “soft,” “vibrant,” “dull,” “jagged,” “round.” Name objects: “leaf,” “bark,” “twig,” “petal.” Ask “What do you notice about this leaf?”

Leaf Breathing: Plants at Work

A visible way to understand plant respiration.

• Materials: Fresh leaves, a clear bowl, water, a rock or small weight.
• How-to: Place a leaf in the bottom of the bowl and weigh it down with a rock so it’s fully submerged. Fill the bowl with water and place it in a sunny spot. After a few hours, observe the leaf.
• The Science: You should see tiny bubbles forming on the leaf. These bubbles are oxygen, which plants release during photosynthesis (the process of converting sunlight into energy).
• Language Connection: “Breathe,” “bubble,” “plant,” “sun,” “water,” “grow.” Discuss where the bubbles come from and what plants need to live.

Cloud in a Jar / Tornado Jar

Bringing weather phenomena indoors for a close-up view.

• Materials: Clear jar with lid, warm water, ice cubes (for cloud), liquid dish soap/glitter (for tornado).
• How-to (Cloud): Pour about an inch of warm water into the jar. Place the lid upside down on top of the jar and put a few ice cubes on the lid. Observe what happens inside the jar as the warm, moist air meets the cold lid.
• How-to (Tornado): Fill a clear jar almost to the top with water. Add a few drops of dish soap and a pinch of glitter. Secure the lid tightly. Swirl the jar vigorously in a circular motion and watch the vortex form.
• The Science (Cloud): The warm water creates water vapor. As it rises and hits the cold air beneath the ice-cold lid, it condenses into tiny water droplets, forming a cloud.
• The Science (Tornado): The swirling motion creates a vortex due to centripetal force, mimicking a tornado.
• Language Connection: “Cloud,” “rain,” “spin,” “swirl,” “vortex,” “weather,” “cold,” “warm.” Use verbs like “rise,” “fall,” “form.”

Growing an Avocado Tree

A long-term project that teaches patience and life cycles.

• Materials: An avocado pit, three toothpicks, a glass of water.
• How-to: Carefully peel the avocado pit. Stick three toothpicks around the middle of the pit, evenly spaced. Suspend the pit over a glass of water so that the bottom third of the pit is submerged. Place in a warm spot with indirect sunlight. Change the water every few days. Wait for roots and a sprout to emerge (this can take weeks!).
• The Science: This demonstrates plant germination and growth, teaching about roots, stems, and the conditions necessary for life.
• Language Connection: “Grow,” “seed,” “root,” “stem,” “leaf,” “water,” “sunlight,” “wait,” “change,” “life cycle.” Practice sequencing: “First, we get the pit; then, we add water…”

How Speech Blubs Amplifies Learning and Communication

While these hands-on science activities are incredible for comprehensive development, including language, combining them with targeted speech support can create an unparalleled learning experience. This is where Speech Blubs shines as your partner in nurturing communication skills.

Imagine your child exploring the “Animal Kingdom” in Speech Blubs, imitating the sounds and words of different animals. This directly relates to the science activities we discussed, like observing animals during a nature walk or learning about leaf breathing. Our app provides “smart screen time” that isn’t passive viewing like cartoons. Instead, it’s an interactive, engaging tool designed to complement and reinforce the language concepts your child encounters in their daily scientific explorations.

At Speech Blubs, our unique “video modeling” methodology is at the heart of our approach. Children learn by watching and imitating their real-life peers, rather than animated characters. This fosters natural imitation, encourages sound production, and builds confidence in a way that resonates deeply with young learners. When a child learns new vocabulary through a science experiment, they can then practice articulating those words and sounds in a fun, supportive environment within Speech Blubs. This powerful combination empowers children to truly “speak their minds and hearts.”

Our mission is deeply personal. Our founders, having faced their own speech challenges as children, created the tool they wished they had—an immediate, effective, and joyful solution for the 1 in 4 children who need speech support. We blend scientific principles with play, ensuring that every interaction is both educational and fun. Speech Blubs is a powerful tool for family connection, encouraging adult co-play and interaction, transforming screen time into a valuable learning opportunity. It promotes not just speech, but a love for communication, builds confidence, reduces frustration, and develops foundational skills for future success.

We want to be transparent about the value we offer. You can start your journey with Speech Blubs through two convenient plans:

• Monthly Plan: For $14.99 per month. This plan offers access to our core features, designed to deliver engaging speech practice.
• Yearly Plan: Our best value at $59.99 per year. This breaks down to just $4.99 per month, which means you save 66% compared to the monthly plan!

The Yearly plan isn’t just cheaper; it unlocks a full suite of premium benefits to maximize your child’s learning:

• A 7-day free trial: Experience the full potential of Speech Blubs before committing.
• The extra Reading Blubs app: Enhance literacy skills alongside speech development.
• Early access to new updates: Be the first to enjoy new features and content.
• 24-hour support response time: Get prompt assistance whenever you need it.

The Monthly plan does not include these additional benefits. To truly get the most out of your Speech Blubs experience and empower your child’s communication journey with all our features, we highly recommend choosing the Yearly plan to start your 7-day free trial today.

Conclusion

Igniting a passion for science in children is about more than just conducting experiments; it’s about fostering a lifelong love for discovery, critical thinking, and, perhaps most importantly, communication. Through simple, engaging science activities, we equip our children with the vocabulary, descriptive language, and sequencing skills necessary to articulate their observations, express their curiosity, and share their joy of learning. These hands-on explorations, from the fizzing of a baking soda volcano to the quiet wonder of growing an avocado seed, provide a rich, multi-sensory environment that naturally enhances speech and language development.

When paired with a supportive tool like Speech Blubs, where children learn by imitating peers and engaging with scientifically backed, play-based activities, the impact on their communication journey is profound. We believe every child deserves the opportunity to “speak their minds and hearts,” and by blending the wonders of at-home science with our “smart screen time” approach, we provide a holistic path to confident and joyful expression.

Ready to embark on this exciting journey of discovery and communication with your child? Don’t wait to spark their curiosity and support their speech development. Download Speech Blubs on the App Store or Get it on Google Play today! To unlock all the amazing features, including a 7-day free trial and the Reading Blubs app, make sure to select our Yearly plan and start creating those joyful learning moments together.

FAQ: Fun Science Activities for Kids

Q1: What age are these activities best for?

Most of the activities described are suitable for preschoolers (ages 3-5) and early elementary school children (ages 6-8). Simpler activities like “Sink or Float” or “Magic Milk” are great for toddlers with close supervision, while more complex ones like the “Paper Bridge” challenge can engage older children. The key is to adapt the level of explanation and involvement to your child’s developmental stage.

Q2: How can I make these activities safe for my child?

Safety is paramount. Always provide close adult supervision, especially with younger children or when using small objects. Opt for non-toxic, household ingredients whenever possible. If an experiment involves potential splashes (like a volcano), consider child-sized safety goggles. Always review materials beforehand for any potential allergies your child might have. Conducting experiments in easy-to-clean areas or laying down protective covers can also help manage mess safely.

Q3: How do science activities help with speech development?

Science activities are incredibly beneficial for speech and language development. They provide natural opportunities for vocabulary expansion (e.g., “erupt,” “dissolve,” “buoyant”), encourage descriptive language as children explain observations, and reinforce sequencing skills when recounting steps. Parents can ask open-ended questions to prompt conversation, encourage imitation of sounds, and practice following multi-step instructions, all of which are crucial for building strong communication foundations.

Q4: How does Speech Blubs fit in with hands-on science?

Speech Blubs complements hands-on science activities by providing a targeted and engaging digital environment for practicing and reinforcing language skills. While science activities offer real-world context for new words and concepts, Speech Blubs utilizes “video modeling” where children learn by watching and imitating their peers, directly supporting sound production and articulation. It turns screen time into “smart screen time,” enhancing vocabulary, pronunciation, and confidence, ensuring a well-rounded approach to your child’s developmental journey. To experience the synergy, we encourage you to try Speech Blubs with our 7-day free trial, available when you choose the Yearly plan.