You can test how long it takes for ice to melt with different types of insulation. This experiment will require three cups -- one of plastic, one of metal, and one of Styrofoam. If you do not have cups made of these materials, you could substitute small bowls. You will also need a measuring cup and pen and paper to jot down measurements for each cup as the ice melts.
Freeze equal amounts of water in the plastic cup, the Styrofoam cup and the metal cup. After the samples have been frozen for 12 hours, remove them and set them on a counter at room temperature. Every 20 minutes, pour out the melted liquid water into the measuring cup to determine how much has been lost, and record it. Do this until the water is completely melted. Note which cup melted fastest, and which melted slowest. These are the worst and best insulators.
Get some baby food jars and ice water and a variety of household items to see which ones insulate best. You must use the same amount of water and ice cubes for each baby food jar.
Choose the household items that you want to test as insulators. Do a minimum of three, and make certain they are large enough to wrap around the jars. Choose one jar per item you're going to test plus one. For example, if you're testing one cotton sock, one wool mitten and some aluminum foil, one sheet crumbled and one straight and smooth, you will need five baby food jars, because you should have one that is not insulated as a control variable. Pour in your ice water and begin taking temperatures at a set interval. Note which jar changes temperature the most quickly.