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Are you looking for cool science experiments for kids at home or for class? We've got you covered! We've compiled a list of 37 of the best science experiments for kids that cover areas of science ranging from outer space to dinosaurs to chemical reactions. By doing these easy science experiments, kids will make their own blubber and see how polar bears stay warm, make a rain cloud in a jar to observe how weather changes, create a potato battery that'll really power a lightbulb, and more.

Below are 37 of the best science projects for kids to try. For each one we include a description of the experiment, which area(s) of science it teaches kids about, how difficult it is (easy/medium/hard), how messy it is (low/medium/high), and the materials you need to do the project. Note that experiments labelled "hard" are definitely still doable; they just require more materials or time than most of these other science experiments for kids.

#1: Insect Hotels

• Teaches Kids About: Zoology
• Difficulty Level: Medium
• Messiness Level: Medium

Insect hotels can be as simple (just a few sticks wrapped in a bundle) or as elaborate as you'd like, and they're a great way for kids to get creative making the hotel and then get rewarded by seeing who has moved into the home they built. After creating a hotel with hiding places for bugs, place it outside (near a garden is often a good spot), wait a few days, then check it to see who has occupied the "rooms." You can also use a bug ID book or app to try and identify the visitors.

• Materials Needed
• Shadow box or other box with multiple compartments
• Hot glue gun with glue
• Sticks, bark, small rocks, dried leaves, bits of yarn/wool, etc.

#2: DIY Lava Lamp

• Teaches Kids About: Chemical reactions
• Difficulty Level: Easy

In this quick and fun science experiment, kids will mix water, oil, food coloring, and antacid tablets to create their own (temporary) lava lamp . Oil and water don't mix easily, and the antacid tablets will cause the oil to form little globules that are dyed by the food coloring. Just add the ingredients together and you'll end up with a homemade lava lamp!

• Vegetable oil
• Food coloring
• Antacid tablets

#3: Magnetic Slime

• Teaches Kids About: Magnets
• Messiness Level: High (The slime is black and will slightly dye your fingers when you play with it, but it washes off easily.)

A step up from silly putty and Play-Doh, magnetic slime is fun to play with but also teaches kids about magnets and how they attract and repel each other. Some of the ingredients you aren't likely to have around the house, but they can all be purchased online. After mixing the ingredients together, you can use the neodymium magnet (regular magnets won't be strong enough) to make the magnetic slime move without touching it!

• Liquid starch
• Adhesive glue
• Iron oxide powder
• Neodymium (rare earth) magnet

#4: Baking Soda Volcanoes

• Teaches Kids About: Chemical reactions, earth science
• Difficulty Level: Easy-medium
• Messiness Level: High

Baking soda volcanoes are one of the classic science projects for kids, and they're also one of the most popular. It's hard to top the excitement of a volcano erupting inside your home. This experiment can also be as simple or in-depth as you like. For the eruption, all you need is baking soda and vinegar (dishwashing detergent adds some extra power to the eruption), but you can make the "volcano" as elaborate and lifelike as you wish.

• Baking soda
• Dishwashing detergent
• Large mason jar or soda bottle
• Playdough or aluminum foil to make the "volcano"
• Additional items to place around the volcano (optional)
• Food coloring (optional)

#5: Tornado in a Jar

• Teaches Kids About: Weather
• Messiness Level: Low

This is one of the quick and easy and science experiments for kids to teach them about weather. It only takes about five minutes and a few materials to set up, but once you have it ready you and your kids can create your own miniature tornado whose vortex you can see and the strength of which you can change depending on how quickly you swirl the jar.

• Glitter (optional)

#6: Colored Celery Experiment

• Teaches Kids About: Plants

This celery science experiment is another classic science experiment that parents and teachers like because it's easy to do and gives kids a great visual understanding of how transpiration works and how plants get water and nutrients. Just place celery stalks in cups of colored water, wait at least a day, and you'll see the celery leaves take on the color of the water. This happens because celery stalks (like other plants) contain small capillaries that they use to transport water and nutrients throughout the plant.

• Celery stalks (can also use white flowers or pale-colored cabbage)

#7: Rain Cloud in a Jar

This experiment teaches kids about weather and lets them learn how clouds form by making their own rain cloud . This is definitely a science project that requires adult supervision since it uses boiling water as one of the ingredients, but once you pour the water into a glass jar, the experiment is fast and easy, and you'll be rewarded with a little cloud forming in the jar due to condensation.

• Glass jar with a lid
• Boiling water
• Aerosol hairspray

#8: Edible Rock Candy

• Teaches Kids About: Crystal formation

It takes about a week for the crystals of this rock candy experiment to form, but once they have you'll be able to eat the results! After creating a sugar solution, you'll fill jars with it and dangle strings in them that'll slowly become covered with the crystals. This experiment involves heating and pouring boiling water, so adult supervision is necessary, once that step is complete, even very young kids will be excited to watch crystals slowly form.

• Large saucepan
• Clothespins
• String or small skewers
• Candy flavoring (optional)

#9: Water Xylophone

• Teaches Kids About: Sound waves

With just some basic materials you can create your own musical instrument to teach kids about sound waves. In this water xylophone experiment , you'll fill glass jars with varying levels of water. Once they're all lined up, kids can hit the sides with wooden sticks and see how the itch differs depending on how much water is in the jar (more water=lower pitch, less water=higher pitch). This is because sound waves travel differently depending on how full the jars are with water.

• Wooden sticks/skewers

#10: Blood Model in a Jar

• Teaches Kids About: Human biology

This blood model experiment is a great way to get kids to visual what their blood looks like and how complicated it really is. Each ingredient represents a different component of blood (plasma, platelets, red blood cells, etc.), so you just add a certain amount of each to the jar, swirl it around a bit, and you have a model of what your blood looks like.

• Empty jar or bottle
• Red cinnamon candies
• Marshmallows or dry white lima beans
• White sprinkles

#11: Potato Battery

• Teaches Kids About: Electricity
• Difficulty Level: Hard

Did you know that a simple potato can produce enough energy to keep a light bulb lit for over a month? You can create a simple potato battery to show kids. There are kits that provide all the necessary materials and how to set it up, but if you don't purchase one of these it can be a bit trickier to gather everything you need and assemble it correctly. Once it's set though, you'll have your own farm grown battery!

• Fresh potato
• Galvanized nail
• Copper coin

#12: Homemade Pulley

• Teaches Kids About: Simple machines

This science activity requires some materials you may not already have, but once you've gotten them, the homemade pulley takes only a few minutes to set up, and you can leave the pulley up for your kids to play with all year round. This pulley is best set up outside, but can also be done indoors.

• Clothesline
• 2 clothesline pulleys

#13: Light Refraction

• Teaches Kids About: Light

This light refraction experiment takes only a few minutes to set up and uses basic materials, but it's a great way to show kids how light travels. You'll draw two arrows on a sticky note, stick it to the wall, then fill a clear water bottle with water. As you move the water bottle in front of the arrows, the arrows will appear to change the direction they're pointing. This is because of the refraction that occurs when light passes through materials like water and plastic.

• Sticky note
• Transparent water bottle

#14: Nature Journaling

• Teaches Kids About: Ecology, scientific observation

A nature journal is a great way to encourage kids to be creative and really pay attention to what's going on around them. All you need is a blank journal (you can buy one or make your own) along with something to write with. Then just go outside and encourage your children to write or draw what they notice. This could include descriptions of animals they see, tracings of leaves, a drawing of a beautiful flower, etc. Encourage your kids to ask questions about what they observe (Why do birds need to build nests? Why is this flower so brightly colored?) and explain to them that scientists collect research by doing exactly what they're doing now.

• Blank journal or notebook
• Pens/pencils/crayons/markers
• Tape or glue for adding items to the journal

#15: DIY Solar Oven

• Teaches Kids About: Solar energy

This homemade solar oven definitely requires some adult help to set up, but after it's ready you'll have your own mini oven that uses energy from the sun to make s'mores or melt cheese on pizza. While the food is cooking, you can explain to kids how the oven uses the sun's rays to heat the food.

• Aluminum foil
• Knife or box cutter
• Permanent marker
• Plastic cling wrap
• Black construction paper

#16: Animal Blubber Simulation

• Teaches Kids About: Ecology, zoology

If your kids are curious about how animals like polar bears and seals stay warm in polar climates, you can go beyond just explaining it to them; you can actually have them make some of their own blubber and test it out. After you've filled up a large bowl with ice water and let it sit for a few minutes to get really cold, have your kids dip a bare hand in and see how many seconds they can last before their hand gets too cold. Next, coat one of their fingers in shortening and repeat the experiment. Your child will notice that, with the shortening acting like a protective layer of blubber, they don't feel the cold water nearly as much.

• Bowl of ice water

#17: Static Electricity Butterfly

This experiment is a great way for young kids to learn about static electricity, and it's more fun and visual than just having them rub balloons against their heads. First you'll create a butterfly, using thick paper (such as cardstock) for the body and tissue paper for the wings. Then, blow up the balloon, have the kids rub it against their head for a few seconds, then move the balloon to just above the butterfly's wings. The wings will move towards the balloon due to static electricity, and it'll look like the butterfly is flying.

• Tissue paper
• Thick paper
• Glue stick/glue

#18: Edible Double Helix

• Teaches Kids About: Genetics

If your kids are learning about genetics, you can do this edible double helix craft to show them how DNA is formed, what its different parts are, and what it looks like. The licorice will form the sides or backbone of the DNA and each color of marshmallow will represent one of the four chemical bases. Kids will be able to see that only certain chemical bases pair with each other.

• 2 pieces of licorice
• 12 toothpicks
• Small marshmallows in 4 colors (9 of each color)
• 5 paperclips

#19: Leak-Proof Bag

• Teaches Kids About: Molecules, plastics

This is an easy experiment that'll appeal to kids of a variety of ages. Just take a zip-lock bag, fill it about ⅔ of the way with water, and close the top. Next, poke a few sharp objects (like bamboo skewers or sharp pencils) through one end and out the other. At this point you may want to dangle the bag above your child's head, but no need to worry about spills because the bag won't leak? Why not? It's because the plastic used to make zip-lock bags is made of polymers, or long chains of molecules that'll quickly join back together when they're forced apart.

• Zip-lock bags
• Objects with sharp ends (pencils, bamboo skewers, etc.)

#20: How Do Leaves Breathe?

• Teaches Kids About: Plant science

It takes a few hours to see the results of this leaf experiment , but it couldn't be easier to set up, and kids will love to see a leaf actually "breathing." Just get a large-ish leaf, place it in a bowl (glass works best so you can see everything) filled with water, place a small rock on the leaf to weigh it down, and leave it somewhere sunny. Come back in a few hours and you'll see little bubbles in the water created when the leaf releases the oxygen it created during photosynthesis.

• Large bowl (preferably glass)
• Magnifying glass (optional)

#21: Popsicle Stick Catapults

Kids will love shooting pom poms out of these homemade popsicle stick catapults . After assembling the catapults out of popsicle sticks, rubber bands, and plastic spoons, they're ready to launch pom poms or other lightweight objects. To teach kids about simple machines, you can ask them about how they think the catapults work, what they should do to make the pom poms go a farther/shorter distance, and how the catapult could be made more powerful.

• Popsicle sticks
• Rubber bands
• Plastic spoons
• Paint (optional)

#22: Elephant Toothpaste

You won't want to do this experiment near anything that's difficult to clean (outside may be best), but kids will love seeing this " elephant toothpaste " crazily overflowing the bottle and oozing everywhere. Pour the hydrogen peroxide, food coloring, and dishwashing soap into the bottle, and in the cup mix the yeast packet with some warm water for about 30 seconds. Then, add the yeast mixture to the bottle, stand back, and watch the solution become a massive foamy mixture that pours out of the bottle! The "toothpaste" is formed when the yeast removed the oxygen bubbles from the hydrogen peroxide which created foam. This is an exothermic reaction, and it creates heat as well as foam (you can have kids notice that the bottle became warm as the reaction occurred).

• Clean 16-oz soda bottle
• 6% solution of hydrogen peroxide
• 1 packet of dry yeast
• Dishwashing soap

#23: How Do Penguins Stay Dry?

Penguins, and many other birds, have special oil-producing glands that coat their feathers with a protective layer that causes water to slide right off them, keeping them warm and dry. You can demonstrate this to kids with this penguin craft by having them color a picture of a penguin with crayons, then spraying the picture with water. The wax from the crayons will have created a protective layer like the oil actual birds coat themselves with, and the paper won't absorb the water.

• Penguin image (included in link)
• Spray bottle
• Blue food coloring (optional)

#24: Rock Weathering Experiment

• Teaches Kids About: Geology

This mechanical weathering experiment teaches kids why and how rocks break down or erode. Take two pieces of clay, form them into balls, and wrap them in plastic wrap. Then, leave one out while placing the other in the freezer overnight. The next day, unwrap and compare them. You can repeat freezing the one piece of clay every night for several days to see how much more cracked and weathered it gets than the piece of clay that wasn't frozen. It may even begin to crumble. This weathering also happens to rocks when they are subjected to extreme temperatures, and it's one of the causes of erosion.

• Plastic wrap

#25: Saltwater Density

• Teaches Kids About: Water density

For this saltwater density experiment , you'll fill four clear glasses with water, then add salt to one glass, sugar to one glass, and baking soda to one glass, leaving one glass with just water. Then, float small plastic pieces or grapes in each of the glasses and observe whether they float or not. Saltwater is denser than freshwater, which means some objects may float in saltwater that would sink in freshwater. You can use this experiment to teach kids about the ocean and other bodies of saltwater, such as the Dead Sea, which is so salty people can easily float on top of it.

• Four clear glasses
• Lightweight plastic objects or small grapes

#26: Starburst Rock Cycle

With just a package of Starbursts and a few other materials, you can create models of each of the three rock types: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Sedimentary "rocks" will be created by pressing thin layers of Starbursts together, metamorphic by heating and pressing Starbursts, and igneous by applying high levels of heat to the Starbursts. Kids will learn how different types of rocks are forms and how the three rock types look different from each other.

• Toaster oven

#27: Inertia Wagon Experiment

• Teaches Kids About: Inertia

This simple experiment teaches kids about inertia (as well as the importance of seatbelts!). Take a small wagon, fill it with a tall stack of books, then have one of your children pull it around then stop abruptly. They won't be able to suddenly stop the wagon without the stack of books falling. You can have the kids predict which direction they think the books will fall and explain that this happens because of inertia, or Newton's first law.

• Stack of books

#28: Dinosaur Tracks

• Teaches Kids About: Paleontology

How are some dinosaur tracks still visible millions of years later? By mixing together several ingredients, you'll get a claylike mixture you can press your hands/feet or dinosaur models into to make dinosaur track imprints . The mixture will harden and the imprints will remain, showing kids how dinosaur (and early human) tracks can stay in rock for such a long period of time.

• Used coffee grounds
• Wooden spoon
• Rolling pin

#29: Sidewalk Constellations

• Teaches Kids About: Astronomy

If you do this sidewalk constellation craft , you'll be able to see the Big Dipper and Orion's Belt in the daylight. On the sidewalk, have kids draw the lines of constellations (using constellation diagrams for guidance) and place stones where the stars are. You can then look at astronomy charts to see where the constellations they drew will be in the sky.

• Sidewalk chalk
• Small stones
• Diagrams of constellations

#30: Lung Model

By building a lung model , you can teach kids about respiration and how their lungs work. After cutting off the bottom of a plastic bottle, you'll stretch a balloon around the opened end and insert another balloon through the mouth of the bottle. You'll then push a straw through the neck of the bottle and secure it with a rubber band and play dough. By blowing into the straw, the balloons will inflate then deflate, similar to how our lungs work.

• Plastic bottle
• Rubber band

#31: Homemade Dinosaur Bones

By mixing just flour, salt, and water, you'll create a basic salt dough that'll harden when baked. You can use this dough to make homemade dinosaur bones and teach kids about paleontology. You can use books or diagrams to learn how different dinosaur bones were shaped, and you can even bury the bones in a sandpit or something similar and then excavate them the way real paleontologists do.

• Images of dinosaur bones

#32: Clay and Toothpick Molecules

There are many variations on homemade molecule science crafts . This one uses clay and toothpicks, although gumdrops or even small pieces of fruit like grapes can be used in place of clay. Roll the clay into balls and use molecule diagrams to attach the clay to toothpicks in the shape of the molecules. Kids can make numerous types of molecules and learn how atoms bond together to form molecules.

• Clay or gumdrops (in four colors)
• Diagrams of molecules

#33: Articulated Hand Model

By creating an articulated hand model , you can teach kids about bones, joints, and how our hands are able to move in many ways and accomplish so many different tasks. After creating a hand out of thin foam, kids will cut straws to represent the different bones in the hand and glue them to the fingers of the hand models. You'll then thread yarn (which represents tendons) through the straws, stabilize the model with a chopstick or other small stick, and end up with a hand model that moves and bends the way actual human hands do.

• Straws (paper work best)
• Twine or yarn

#34: Solar Energy Experiment

• Teaches Kids About: Solar energy, light rays

This solar energy science experiment will teach kids about solar energy and how different colors absorb different amounts of energy. In a sunny spot outside, place six colored pieces of paper next to each other, and place an ice cube in the middle of each paper. Then, observe how quickly each of the ice cubes melt. The ice cube on the black piece of paper will melt fastest since black absorbs the most light (all the light ray colors), while the ice cube on the white paper will melt slowest since white absorbs the least light (it instead reflects light). You can then explain why certain colors look the way they do. (Colors besides black and white absorb all light except for the one ray color they reflect; this is the color they appear to us.)

• 6 squares of differently colored paper/cardstock (must include black paper and white paper)

#35: How to Make Lightning

• Teaches Kids About: Electricity, weather

You don't need a storm to see lightning; you can actually create your own lightning at home . For younger kids this experiment requires adult help and supervision. You'll stick a thumbtack through the bottom of an aluminum tray, then stick the pencil eraser to the pushpin. You'll then rub the piece of wool over the aluminum tray, and then set the tray on the Styrofoam, where it'll create a small spark/tiny bolt of lightning!

• Pencil with eraser
• Aluminum tray or pie tin
• Styrofoam tray

#36: Tie-Dyed Milk

• Teaches Kids About: Surface tension

For this magic milk experiment , partly fill a shallow dish with milk, then add a one drop of each food coloring color to different parts of the milk. The food coloring will mostly stay where you placed it. Next, carefully add one drop of dish soap to the middle of the milk. It'll cause the food coloring to stream through the milk and away from the dish soap. This is because the dish soap breaks up the surface tension of the milk by dissolving the milk's fat molecules.

• Shallow dish
• Milk (high-fat works best)

#37: How Do Stalactites Form?

Have you ever gone into a cave and seen huge stalactites hanging from the top of the cave? Stalactites are formed by dripping water. The water is filled with particles which slowly accumulate and harden over the years, forming stalactites. You can recreate that process with this stalactite experiment . By mixing a baking soda solution, dipping a piece of wool yarn in the jar and running it to another jar, you'll be able to observe baking soda particles forming and hardening along the yarn, similar to how stalactites grow.

• Safety pins
• 2 glass jars

Summary: Cool Science Experiments for Kids

Any one of these simple science experiments for kids can get children learning and excited about science. You can choose a science experiment based on your child's specific interest or what they're currently learning about, or you can do an experiment on an entirely new topic to expand their learning and teach them about a new area of science. From easy science experiments for kids to the more challenging ones, these will all help kids have fun and learn more about science.

What's Next?

Are you also interested in pipe cleaner crafts for kids? We have a guide to some of the best pipe cleaner crafts to try!

Looking for multiple different slime recipes? We tell you how to make slimes without borax and without glue as well as how to craft the ultimate super slime .

Want to learn more about clouds? Learn how to identify every cloud in the sky with our guide to the 10 types of clouds .

Want to know the fastest and easiest ways to convert between Fahrenheit and Celsius? We've got you covered! Check out our guide to the best ways to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit (or vice versa) .

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

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32 Cool Science Experiments for Kids (that are Fun AND Easy!)

Do you ever want to do science experiments at home with your kids, but you’re not quite sure what to do? Not just any old kitchen science experiment will do – you want something cooler than vinegar + bicarb soda! But, you also want something simple and easy to do – because no-one wants a huge mess from their kids doing crazy science experiments at home!

We understand, and that’s why the writing team here at STEM Geek has put our heads together to come up with the most awesome at-home science experiments for kids! As science enthusiasts and educators, we also wanted to make sure that these are genuine science learning opportunities. So not only are they captivating for the kids, but we also emphasize what questions can be asked as kids explore and apply the scientific method! Plus, we’ve arranged them according to how much time they take: up to 1 hour, 1 to several hours, and long-term.

Related Post: Ultimate Boredom Buster: 101 Things To Do When Kids Are Bored

Science Experiments at Home that take Less than 1 Hour

1. tie-dye milk.

Sounds delicious, right? You’re not actually drinking it, but instead watching science magic happens when you combine dish soap with milk and food coloring. This is a very pretty experiment that draws the focus and mind into what’s happening on the plate, and all because of a little chemistry with everyday items. Well, food dye may not be an everyday item, but it might be after your kids get a hold of this!

So, what’s going on here, scientifically-speaking? Milk is made up of two major ingredients: water and fat. When you add a little dish soap, it bonds with the fat in the milk so strongly that it literally pushes the food coloring and water away from the cotton ball. On a microscopic level, the dish soap is wandering around the milk, which causes the colors to swirl and swirl.

Questions to ask beforehand:

• Before knowing what will happen to the food coloring, ask the kids what they think will happen when dish soap mixes with milk.
• Since the major catalyst is fat in the milk, what would happen if you used other types of milk: Skim milk, soy milk, coconut milk?

You’ll need:

• Round cake pan or plate with high edges
• Cotton ball (some tutorials show cotton swabs)
• Dish detergent
• Different colors of food dye (three or four should do)

Procedure/Instructions:

• Fill the pan halfway with milk.
• Drip one color of food dye in one section of the plate away from the center. Four to five drops works and later you can play around with more or less. Do the same for the rest of the colors around the plate.
• Soak the cotton ball in dish detergent, and when you’re ready for action, place the cotton ball into the center of the pan.
• Watch the colors racing around, creating a psychedelic tie-dye effect!
• You can add more cotton balls throughout the dish to see more action.
• If some food coloring hugs the wall of the plate, take a cotton swab dipped in dish detergent and place it into the food coloring. It will move away!

2. Saturn’s Glowing Rings

I don’t know about you, but I love everything about space. This experiment shows you how Saturn’s rings are made of rocks and ice chunks even though they look so smooth in pictures. You’ll also see why there are big gaps in the rings. Younger kids take delight in using a flashlight and sprinkling powder, while older kids can get more specific with questions about Saturn and how the rocks and ice stay in orbit.

• Do Saturn’s rings give off their own light?
• Why are some rocks and ice chunks more lit up than others?
• Compare the results of light sprinkles to thicker sprinkles.
• Strong flashlight
• Powder (flour, baby powder, etc) in a shaker
• Very dark room
• Darken a room and set the flashlight on the edge of a table or counter, pointing it at a blank wall. Lay the newspaper on the floor between the flashlight and the wall.
• Turn on the flashlight and notice where the light comes from the flashlight and where it hits the wall. You should only see the light from these two places and not from the space between them. This shows you that the light travels through the air without being seen until it hits the wall. The light represents the sun’s light.
• Now to see how Saturn’s rings glow: Hold the powder shaker and sprinkle some powder over the beam of light where you know the light is traveling. You’ll notice the powder lights up and sparkles in the beam of light. The powder shows in glowing clumps, just like in Saturn’s rings.

3. Breaking Down Colors

We all know that the fun, vibrant colors we see in our lives are created by mixing the basic red, yellow, and blue. In this experiment, you and your child will learn which colors make up those fun shades they have in their art supplies. This also teaches some basic chemistry and uses materials you already have at home. It can be done very simply and expanded to create a large-scale investigation if you love it.

• Which colors separate out first?
• Is the same order for each test?
• Which colors make up the original shade?
• Do the different types of color (pen, pencil, paint) separate in the same way or differently?
• Are some separated in a shorter space are the colors the same mixture?
• Coffee filters
• Color sources (markers, colored pencils, paint, etc.)
• A plain pencil
• To complete this experiment, cut the coffee filters into strips, mark one end with a line the same distance from the bottom on each strip.
• Color in each strip (between the bottom and line) with your colors, and write at the top what the color and source are (e.g., purple marker).
• Place each strip in a glass and help it to stand up by folding the top over a pencil (a chopstick, table knife, or any long narrow object will also work) so that it stands up in the glass.
• Fill the glass up to the top of your colored block, and wait. The water will move up the filter, and the colors will separate out as it goes.
• Remove the strip once the water gets near the top of the strip to stop the experiment. 

To make this a true experiment, we recommend testing multiple colors and using markers, colored pencils, and paint (as some starting examples). You could test the same colors from each type of art supply to investigate whether they all use the same mix of basic colors to create the same end product.

This post has a nice full description of the methods if you need more detail.

4. Water Xylophone

This simple experiment will teach your child about sound and pitch using glasses, water, and something to act as a mallet. Don’t let the simplicity deceive you, there are a lot of ways to experiment and learn through this process, and it also brings in an element of music that makes it interesting and engaging.

• Do you think more water makes the sound higher or lower in pitch?
• How do you think the shape or size of the glass will affect the sound?
• How should we arrange the glasses to play a simple song?
• Do you think this will work with a plastic cup, why or why not?
• Some glasses
• Something wood to act as a mallet (we recommend wood so you don’t break the glasses!)
• A great way to start is with glasses that are the same size, shape, and material, and filling them with different amounts of water.
• Have your child use the mallet to test how the amount of water affects the sound.
• From there, it’s a really simple extension to use different sized and shaped glasses (or any glass vessel like jars and bowls) to experiment with how the shape, size, and amount of water in the glass affect the tone. 

To take this one further and really bring in the musical component, you and your child could work out a simple song and create the right tones to play it. If you or your child are musical, you could get very elaborate and creative (try googling harry potter or star wars theme songs on glasses, there are so many options that I couldn’t even choose one)!

5. Ultimate Bottle Flipping

Ah, bottle flipping. The fad that kids can’t get enough of, but parents are well and truly over. The constant thud of semi-filled water bottles being tossed (and hopefully landing upright) is guaranteed to send parents around the twist!

If you can stand it for a bit longer though, there’s a lot of STEM knowledge to be gained in this bottle flipping experiment. As we know, the aim of bottle flipping is to flip a partially filled water bottle underhand and get it to land upright.

In this experiment, kids will learn the importance of observing a result multiple times before changing a variable (the amount of water in the bottle).

• How much water should you put in the bottle?
• What is the ideal amount of liquid to get the perfect flip?
• What should be the ideal amount of water?
• Was their prediction correct?
• Why do they think the amount of water affects the chances of landing the bottle?
• A plastic water bottle
• Measuring jug
• Paper to record results
• Get the kids to start by flipping their bottle with no water in it at all. Kidspot recommends flipping it 50 times for each step, but you could do less if you need to.
• Try it again with 50ml of water.
• Keep adding more water until the bottle is full.

If they’re keen, you could try other types or sizes of bottles, or even try different liquids to see if that affects the results!

6. Rainbow in a Jar

This simple science experiment is not only very visually appealing, but it’s also a great way to learn about the density of liquids. Warning though, this one could get messy so make sure kids are in some old clothes and you might want to take it outside! I like this experiment because you’ll probably have most of the materials in your kitchen already!

• Which liquids they think will be heaviest?
• Which ones will be lightest?
• Why do they think that?
• A glass jar
• Food coloring
• Various liquids like honey, corn syrup, dishwashing liquid, olive oil, rubbing alcohol and water.
• Use the food coloring to make all your liquids a different color. A dropper comes in handy here, but if you don’t have one you can manage without.
• Slowly add each liquid to the jar (pouring into the middle of the jar is best).
• Soon, you’ll have different layers of colored liquid forming your very own rainbow in a jar.

You might even get them to draw a diagram of what they think the jar will look like at the end. They can compare this with the experiment results to see if their prediction was correct.

It might also help to talk to your kids first about what density is and how materials are all made of different amounts of molecules. The more molecules a liquid has, the heavier it will be. Playdough to Plato demonstrates a great way of introducing this concept using marbles. 

7. Write Your Own Secret Messages! 

We love science experiments that are made up primarily of supplies that you likely already have in your home.

• Why do you think this will work?
• Which liquid do you think will make the best secret message?
• Why do people write secret messages?
• Juice (eg. Lemon)
• Lamp (or anything else that can be used as a heat source)
• In order to complete this experiment, you’ll need to gather all of your supplies along with a piece of paper, some q-tips, and a lamp or other item that you can use as a heat source.
• Next, you’ll mix your lemon juice with a slight amount of water. 
• Using your q-tip, use the mixture you’ve created to begin writing your message. 
• Allow it to dry. 
• Once dry, apply heat to it in order to get your message to appear.

Extend this project by attempting to write with a juice and water mixture, a milk and water mixture, or any other variation of the liquids we listed as necessary supplies!

8. Create Your Own Butterfly

Your little ones will love practicing their color mixing by creating their very own coffee filter butterflies. Hang them in the windows of your home to spread some cheer and to watch the sun flow through their beautiful wings! 

• What colors can mix together to make other colors?
• How do butterflies fly?
• What do you think will happen when we add water to the markers?
• Water spray bottle
• Allow your child to draw on the coffee filter to their heart’s content.
• Spray it with water and allow the colors to mix together.
• Allow it to dry thoroughly.
• Once dry, fold it like a fan and then clip it in the middle.

Ta-da, you’ve created a beautiful butterfly! 

9. Make A Duck Call

Give your family an excuse to head outdoors by allowing your children to craft their own duck calls. Test them out at a local pond and see if you can get the ducks to come closer to you for a healthy veggie snack! 

• Do you think ducks will be able to hear us with this?
• What other materials do you think could make this noise?
• How is what we have created similar to a duck’s beak?
• Plastic straw
• Push down on the straw to flatten one end and then cut the flattened end into a point.
• Flatten out your straw and then blow into it.
• Feel free to experiment with different amounts of flattening and different point shapes to see how you can adjust the sound.
• When finished, take your duck call into the wild to test it out.

10. Make Ivory Soap Boats

Did you ever carve items out of soap at camp when you were a child? Give your child the same opportunity. Soap can be carved using safe items, like plastic knives. 

• Why are we able to carve soap so easily?
• Do you think our boats float?
• Why do you think they float or sink?
• Carving tools (for kids)
• Allow your child to express their creative side by carving their boat out of soap. 
• Once they have finished carving it, allow them to test them out in the bathtub. . Extend their learning by discussing density with them–the soap floats because it is less dense than the water.

11. Make Your Own Quicksand 

As John Mullaney famously said, “I thought quicksand would be a much bigger problem in my adult life than it would have turned out.” For some reason, quicksand permeates children’s adventure stories – and their imaginations! 

• Where can we find quicksand in real life?
• How do you think quicksand works?
• What do you think we will need to make our own quicksand?
• Cornflower (one cup)
• Water (half cup)
• A container
• To make your quicksand, you’ll need to mix the cornflour and water. 
• Be sure to stir slowly in order to demonstrate – if you stir too quickly, it will become hard and you won’t be able to see it function the way it should!

12. Make Your Own Lava Lamp

We’ve tried this one in our classrooms, and trust us, our kids go wild year after year. Kids love making something that they can use as home decoration, and they love how easy it is to show new people – this is the experiment that lives on and on! 

• How do you think density is involved in this experiment?
• Why don’t the water and oil mix?
• Why can’t we shake our lava lamps?
• Clear Plastic Bottle
• Vegetable Oil
• Food Coloring
• Alka-Seltzer
• Pour water into the plastic bottle until it is approximately one quarter full. 
• Then pour vegetable oil in until the bottle is almost completely filled. 
• Allow some time for the oil and water to separate. 
• It is important that your children do not shake the bottle in this step. It will extend the experiment for no other reason than you waiting for the bubbles to dissipate. 
• Add as much food coloring as your child deems fit and then drop a piece of Alka-seltzer tablet into the bottle for the lava lamp fun to begin.

13. Guess the Smell

This one will take a little more prep work, but it’s a great touchstone for your children to begin discussing one of their five senses: the sense of smell! 

• What are examples of times we use our sense of smell?
• What other senses do we have?
• If you could only use one sense for the rest of your life, which one?
• Plastic Cups
• Smells (eg. coffee, cinnamon, vanilla, lemon juice)
• Place a variety of common smells in small plastic cups. We like to use coffee, cinnamon, vanilla, and lemon juice. 
• Pour these in and place tin foil securely over the top of the cup. 
• Poke small holes in the top of the foil. 
• Secure the foil with tape (on the sides, not over the holes). 
• Allow your children to guess the smells and record their findings on paper.

Home Science Experiments that take 1 to Several Hours

14. mangrove bioshield  .

Ecologists and conservationists are pushing for more regulations in building and saving mangrove forests around coastal areas. The reason is represented in this STEM activity. The trees act as a mangrove BioShield (bio = life, shield = protection), showing how natural obstacles can prevent critical damage from marine natural disasters such as tsunamis.

The mangrove BioShield can be for older elementary kids through to high school. Obviously, the younger they are, the more parent involvement. This experiment is done twice to show the effects of having and not having a BioShield. The first part uses little to no trees, and the second uses a forest of trees and rocks.

• What will happen in a tsunami if the village is without a BioShield? And the village with a BioShield?
• Would a BioShield help with hurricanes?
• Would you want to encourage people to save manatee forests if they are beneficial?
• Medium to large clear, plastic container
• Newspaper – wad into balls, then cover half of the bottom container – this help to keep the ground sturdy
• Mud – cover the newspaper and press it in to form a slope down to the empty side of the container. The top side should be flattened for the cardboard houses, then it slopes down into the empty half of the container.
• Cardboard houses (use the bottoms of milk cartons for the house and popsicle sticks for the roofs, place houses on the mud towards the top of the high slope
• Model trees or leafy stems from plants – Different amounts for activity 1 and activity 2
• Several small rocks
• Cardboard – long enough to fit across the container and tall enough to hold it from out of the water
• Water – enough to go halfway up the slope

A tsunami without the mangrove forest – insert only one or two trees down the slope. Place the cardboard piece into the water end of the container and move back and forth to create waves. Notice how easy it is for the water to destroy the village you’ve created.

Repeat the process of constructing the village, but this time insert a lot of trees down the slope to where the water meets the mud. They need to be deeply rooted like mangroves, and I’ve found that aquarium plants work well for this reason. Place the rocks within the mangrove forest and in front of the trees. Add a little bit more water. Insert the cardboard again and move it back and forth to create waves.  

15. A Greater Crater

When you look at the night sky and see the moon, one of the first things you notice is its craters. The moon is completely covered in them, and some are so large we can see them from Earth. Meteorites often make the craters that we see when they hit the surface, but it makes us wonder why some craters are so much bigger than others.

This experiment will help you to investigate one of the main reasons why craters come in different sizes.

• What causes craters?
• How big do the meteorites have to be to make a crater?
• What is it about the meteorite that causes the size of the crater?
• Paper to record your results
• Flat floor surface for the experiment, large enough for the newspaper to cover
• Shallow metal pan at least 2 inches deep
• Flour to fill 2 inches of the pan
• ¼ cup hot chocolate powder
• Mesh strainer or flour sifter
• Large marble (and others of varying sizes if comparing results)
• Metric ruler
• Tongs or long tweezers
• Pour the flour into the pan until it reaches 2 inches. Place the pan on top of the newspaper on a level surface.
• Sift a layer of hot chocolate powder over the flour (this is so you can better see the rays and other features of the craters).
• You will be dropping your marble from three different heights, then comparing the sizes of the craters. Measure the diameter (side to side) of the marble and record this on your paper as Marble 1. Hypothesize how large the crater will be and write that next to the diameter of Marble 1.
• Stand next to your pan and hold the marble at knee height above the flour. Drop the marble (do not throw it, just let it fall from your fingers) into the flour and study the shape of the crater. Look for a rim around the crater or any rays coming from the edges.
• Measure across the widest part of your crater, from rim to rim and record on your data sheet as Marble 1 – Knee Height – Width or something similar. You can also draw a picture of your results.
• Very gently use the tongs or long tweezers to remove the marble without destroying the crater.
• Repeat this procedure from waist height, shoulder height, top of head height. Make sure you aim in different parts of the flour so you don’t land on top of another crater. Record all of your results as the different heights you’re using.
• Compare your results.
• You can try again with a different sized marble as “Marble 2” to compare those results with each height as done with Marble 1.

Perhaps now, you’ll look at the moon a little differently!

16. Rube Goldberg Chain Reaction Machine

We’ve all seen them, some pretty far-out there chain reaction machines to complete simple tasks, usually in movies. But they are real , and are becoming even more popular now that we’re all stuck at home for a while. This is a fun way to explore physics with stuff you have at home.

Ask your child to decide what the end goal is (e.g. get the ball into the cup), and ask them to think about creative ways to make it get there. Working together, you can start with small pieces of a circuit to find out how your ball reacts to the set-up, and grow it from there. You can even refer to this video for more ideas:

• What will happen when the ball bounces off of this wall?
• How will these dominoes change the speed of the ball?
• What can we use to make sure that the ball goes in the direction we want it to at this point?
• What should we put here to get the best bounce? 
• Paper towel
• Toilet paper tubes
• Fixed objects like walls or furniture
• Any other toys and materials that can be used to build your circuit

To make this a true experiment, it needs to include more than a one-off demonstration, and there are a lot of ways to accomplish this.

• Set up parallel courses and use different sized or weighted balls to go through the circuit.
• Set up one elaborate circuit and use different objects one at a time.
• Set up circuits in different ways to see how different set-ups affect your end goal.

Another experimental component is the process used to create a circuit that reaches your end goal ( like this video about getting the ball into the cup, but you could come up with lots of other endpoints!). Along the way, you and your child get a lot of time to learn about momentum, velocity, friction, energy transfer, and interference (e.g., the cat). 

17. Melting

This is a simple and fun experiment that can be set up in a short time and then fill-up your day with observations and new experiments. Using only things you already have at home, you can set-up an engaging experiment with your kids!

Ice melts at different rates depending on a variety of factors including temperature, pressure, and if there are impurities (think salt, sugar, dirt) in the ice or touching the ice. There is a lot of opportunities to get creative and do the experiment in multiple ways, keeping your kids engaged and developing their investigative, experimental, and critical thinking skills.

• Which ice melts the fastest, slowest, and if they have any guesses about why?
• What other ice-melting experiments they think would be fun: Using different temperature liquids? Using different amounts of ice? Different sized cups?
• Lots of ice
• Several matching cups (i.e., they are the same size, shape, and color)
• Measuring cups
• A variety of liquids for the test
• Paper for writing down observations
• Measure the same amount of ice and place it in each cup.
• M easure equal amounts of each liquid and place them in the cups: try to complete this part quickly so that the ice in each cup is in liquid for as close the same amount of time as possible.
• Set up your cups in a place that is easy for your child to watch and observe.
• Ask them to check in at regular intervals (every 15 minutes, every hour) and record or talk to you about their observations.

Other potential experimental examples:

• Using different liquids to test if they affect melting time;
• Using the same liquid and placing ice in different locations to test what conditions throughout your home affect melting;
• Test if different amounts of ice melt at different rates;
• Test if different kinds of cups change melting time.

There are endless possibilities for you to come up with new ways to complete these simple experiments. You get the idea. Explore more!

18. Breathing Leaves

Science experiments don’t get much more simple than this one!  It’s effective though and kids will enjoy watching their leaf ‘breathe’. Learning about plant science is often tricky because it can seem a bit abstract. This experiment allows kids to see the process of plants making oxygen right before their eyes!

A question to ask beforehand:

• What do you think will happen if we leave it for a few hours?
• A fresh leaf from a tree
• A bowl of water
• Pluck a fresh leaf from a tree and place it in a bowl of water.
• Use a rock to weigh it down and leave the experiment out in the sun.
• Have your kids predict what they think they will see when they come back in a few hours (they can write their prediction down or draw a diagram if that’s more their style).
• After a few hours, your kids will see lots of tiny little bubbles on the edge of the leaf and in the glass bowl of water (use a magnifying glass to get a closer look if you have one).

So, what’s happening here? Leaves take in carbon dioxide and convert it to oxygen during photosynthesis. The bubbles you can see are the leaf releasing the oxygen it’s created. You could explain to your kids how trees and plants make the oxygen we need to breathe. Kids Fun Science explains this experiment in more detail and suggests taking it further by leaving the plant for a longer period of time (do you see more or fewer bubbles?) or placing a leaf in a dark area to see what difference that makes!

19. How Does Sunscreen Work?

If there’s one thing I know, it’s that kids hate wearing sunscreen! Trying to get it on them is like wrestling a crocodile. Maybe if they knew how sunscreen worked they’d understand how important it is to wear it when they’re out in the sun (and be slightly more cooperative when we’re lathering it over their little faces). This is a simple experiment that shows kids the difference wearing sunscreen will make to their skin.

• What do they observe when they come back?
• Why do they think one side faded and the other not?
• A piece of colored cardboard (a dark color would be best)
• Your usual bottle of sunscreen
• Have your kids smear the sunscreen over one part of the cardboard and leave the other part clear.
• Kids can then predict what they think will happen when they return to the experiment after a few hours.
• Talk to them about how the sun’s UV radiation is absorbed by the sunscreen so it can’t get through to damage the cardboard.

You could even take it further by trying different kinds of sunscreen or leaving your cardboard out during different times of the day.

20. Make A Rubber Egg

Imagine a world in which eggs can be used like bouncy balls. Well, with a couple of home supplies and a little bit of science, you can live in that world. Your child will be dazzled as they remove eggshells from eggs while leaving the insides intact. 

• Is vinegar an acid or a base?
• Is there another substance that could do this?
• Simply leave the egg in the vinegar for a few hours and wait to see what happens. Because of the transformative nature of this experiment, it lends itself to science journaling. 
• Consider having your kiddos draw before and after pictures of the eggs in order to track their journeys. 

21. Flying Tea Bags

Nothing will get your kids’ attention faster than telling them that you are going to spend some time creating something that will fly. However, because this experiment will involve fire, please ensure that you select a time in which you will be able to provide ample adult supervision. 

• How do we stay safe with fire?
• How do we make sure we don’t damage the surface we are working on?
• Why do you think the tea bag will fly?
• Single Serving Tea Bags
• A Small Bowl
• A Non-Flammable Work Surface
• First, open the tea bags and unfold them. 
• Empty the leaves from the bag. 
• Stand the tea bags up on your surface and light the top of each bag on fire. 

As they begin to burn, they will float into the sky! 

22. Make Wax Paper Lanterns

Your children will love the chance to display their fantastic art skills by creating these paper lanterns. If you want to add a culture lesson, have your children research German’s St. Martin’s Day and learn about why children parade through the streets with lanterns. We promise there’s a good moral story involved here! 

• When could we use lanterns?
• What safety considerations do we need to use in this project?
• Why can we see the light through the wax paper?
• Popsicle Sticks
• To begin, tear a ten-inch piece of wax paper off of the roll and cut it in half. 
• After that, fold each piece in half. 
• Allow your child to color their image on top of the wax paper. (This is a great place for an impromptu lesson in color mixing). 
• Fold the wax paper and iron it (consider something in between the crayon mess and the iron you use on your clothes). 
• Finally, glue the craft sticks into squares, add the wax paper, and turn it into a cube.

Voila, you’ve created your own lantern!

23. Create an Insect Habitat

Alright, this one isn’t for the faint of heart. Draw up your courage and send your child into the backyard to collect all of the creepy crawlies they’d like to.

Now you have a home for them. Better yet, you can keep your child entertained for hours as they track the growth of their bug friends.

• What do bugs need to survive?
• What do bugs eat?
• What is the difference between a need and a want?
• Imagination
• Find something that you’re willing to sacrifice to the bugs in order to create a habitat for them – we recommend a shadowbox so that your child can see inside, but a cardboard box will do just fine as well. 
• Ensure that there is breathing room for the bugs. 
• Create a habitat with sticks, bark, small rocks, dried leaves, and whatever else you can find.
• If you’re willing to hang onto the habitat long enough, use it as an opportunity to talk about decomposition as the bugs begin to break down the twigs.

Long-Term Science Experiments at Home

24. crystal kingdom.

This is the oldest trick in the book, but it’s popular because it’s so effective, fun, and has great results. The only drawback to most crystal-growing recipes is that they take ages to grow, and to be quite honest this one is no exception. In fact, these crystals will take several days to grow but the end result is worth it. The reason is that this experiment involves growing a whole landscape of beautifully colored salt and bluing crystals. Here’s a video for visual reference: 

A few things to keep in mind: Allow for plenty of air circulation, preferably inside rather than outside. Ammonia is not necessary but does help in the process.

• What will happen when you add ammonia?
• Why does more salt and less liquid create faster crystallization?
• What part does the bluing solution have in crystal growing?

(Answers can be found here )

• Two bottles of bluing solution
• Large tray/cookie sheets with sides
• Measuring cup
• Liquid watercolors
• Eye droppers
• Cut sponges into large pieces. Spread them out on the tray.
• Measure out 1 cup of each of salt, water, and bluing and then gently mix together.
• Evenly coat or sprinkle the mix over the sponges.
• Add 1 cup of ammonia to the sponges.
• Coat an extra 1 cup of salt on to the sponges.
• By now you’ll see some crystals growing . Sprinkle the magic mix again: 1 cup each of salt, water, and bluing. You can pour the ingredients onto the tray instead of on top of the crystals to keep them from breaking. Don’t worry, more will grow!
• Take an eyedropper, and drop a tablespoon of each liquid watercolor (undiluted) in different patterns over the sponges and crystals.
• Take note of your garden and what the crystal formations look like. You can make a sketch in your notebook as a before and after. Ask questions and observe!
• Observe how the crystals are bigger than before, and notice the colors aren’t as vibrant. Compare the differences in shapes, sizes, and colors.
• If you want more crystals to grow, add a little more water, bluing, and salt.

25. Blow up a Balloon with Yeast

We are surrounded by science in action, but sometimes it is really difficult to see what is happening, especially when it is on a small-scale. When we make bread, yeast ‘eats’ the sugars in the food and creates CO2, giving bread its airy texture. This experiment lets you both visualize what happens when yeast consumes sugar and is a great set-up for an experiment that can be observed throughout the day.

Depending on your supplies and time, you could start with a demonstration and use that to think of other tests, or you could set up several parallel tests at the same time.

• How quickly does the balloon filled with air?
• When does it stop filling (at some point the yeast will run out of food and will stop making gas)?
• Does the starting temperature affect the experiment?
• Does the balloon fill faster in different places in your home (try especially for different air-temperatures, you could include an outside location)?
• Some balloons
• Blow up the balloon a few times before starting so that it’s loosened up a bit.
• Fill the bottle with about 1 inch of warm water (heat is required to activate the yeast, but you could experiment with different temperatures), add the yeast and swirl to dissolve.
• Add the sugar and swirl more.
• Place the balloon over the opening to the bottle and wait. You should expect to see the balloon begin to inflate after around 20 minutes.
• Continue checking and observing how much the balloon inflates throughout the day.

More example experimental setups include:

• Do different temperatures – either with the water you start with or the air the yeast lives in – affect how quickly the balloon blows-up?
• Does using 2x the yeast result in a balloon that is 2x bigger, or blows-up 2x faster?
• Do different types of sugar (e.g., white sugar, honey, syrup, flour) affect how quickly the balloon blows up or how big it gets?

A sk your child to think of new experiments (you could prompt with some of the examples above, or ideas from this post ). 

26. Seed Germination

A really simple but fun multi-day experiment is germinating seeds under different conditions. This means finding some quick-sprouting seeds such as beans and putting them in different conditions to see how that affects germination (sprouting leaves and roots) and growth.

I love using seed experiments because they are inexpensive, simple, and leave a ton of room for creating your own unique experiment.

• Which seed will sprout fastest?
• Seeds (Beans, radishes, squashes, and many flowers sprout quickly from large seeds, making them good choices.)
• Small pots or paper cups
• Potting soil
• Cloth or paper towel
• Somewhere with good light
• To get started, you’ll need some seeds – feel free to choose something you already have, if you’re a gardener you might have some seeds ready for the coming season and could spare a few – or find something online or at your local nursery.
• Use small pots or paper cups and fill each with your growth material (we recommend a minimum of 3 for a useful comparison).
• Fill one with potting soil, one with sand, and one with a cloth or paper towel.
• Place them somewhere with good light, and add water.
• Ask your child to predict which seed will sprout fastest, and make observations every day. If possible, make them around the same time each day.
• Once you see growth, you can ask your child what they think caused any differences, and you can use that as a jumping-off point for more experiments

Additionally, you could:

• Use one type of seed and different types of growth media: soil, paper towel, gravel, sand, water, etc.
• You could use different seeds (beans, flowers, grass, herbs) and grow them under the same conditions (soil, water, sun exposure) to see how different plants grow differently.
• You could see how different light conditions (by a window, in the basement, in a bright room away from a window, etc.) affect germination.

You could also extend each experiment by simply continuing to grow each seed to learn whether the different germination time affects long-term growth (you may want to re-pot everything in the soil for this to be effective, depending on the specifics of your initial experiment).

27. Colored Celery

It’s hard to imagine plants having little capillaries inside them that transport water and nutrients, but this experiment shows that in action. It’s easy to set up, but you’ll have to wait at least a day to see some results. Your kids will be able to see how transpiration takes place and plants absorb water from the soil all the way up into their leaves.

• A few stalks of celery (celery works best for this because it’s a bit more visible, but you could also use flower stems)
• Different food coloring
• Place each stalk in a cup of colored water and make your predictions about what will happen.
• After a day or so you’ll see the celery leaves becoming the color of the water they’re standing in.
• Have your kids describe their observations (they can write down what they see or draw it if they prefer).
• If you look at the base of the stem you’ll also see tiny little holes that the colored water is traveling through.

When you’re done with the experiment, make sure you snap the celery and look inside – you should be able to see the capillaries in action. For more ideas, Little Bins for Little Hands has got some great hints and tips for this experiment.

28. Moldy Bread

This experiment is an oldie, but a goodie! Kids love looking at disgusting things and this one will certainly come up with the goods. Not only will kids learn about how mold grows, but they might also take on some lessons about the importance of washing their hands!

You might want to check out the results of this experiment at Science Alert before you start to see if your stomach is up to it.

• A few slices of bread
• Some ziplock bags
• Sticky little hands. 
• Get a few slices of bread and lay them out on your kitchen bench.
• Have your kids touch one piece of bread with dirty, unwashed hands.
• They can wash their hands with soap and water and touch another slice, then do the same using hand sanitizer.
• Leave one piece of bread untouched.
• Place them all in clear, labeled ziplock bags and predict which one will grow the most mold.
• Leave your bread slices for at least a week (it may take a bit longer, depending on the conditions where you live) and get the kids to record their observations.

You can also try wiping your bread slices on other surfaces to see what moldy results you get (their laptop or tablet is a great place to start)!

29. Sprouting Beans

Give your household a real survivalist feel by beginning an indoor garden. We recommend planting your beans in a clear cup so that your children can be privy to all of the processes during the plant’s journey.

• How does a plant grow?
• What does germination mean?
• What is in season to grow in our area now?
• Unprocessed Beans
• If you’d like your child to see every step of the process, consider placing the beans inside of a damp paper towel inside of a ziplock. 
• You can wait, see the germinated seed together, and then plant it inside of a small cup.
• Once inside the cup, watch it grow.

Extend your work by planting various beans and altering the growth conditions in order see what makes your beans grow best! 

30. Begin Composting

Begin your “go green” resolutions by teaching your child the value of composting! Best of all, once the science experiment is done, your family will have a recycling process that will last your entire lifetimes. 

• Why is composting important?
• How else can our household go green?
• Why do we need a foundation layer for compost?
• Compost Bin
• Organic Material
• First, create a compost bin. You can purchase one or build one out of wood. 
• To begin your composting, you’ll need even amounts of brown materials (think shredded paper, dryer lint, etc.) and green materials (think fruit and vegetable waste, lawn clippings, etc.). 
• If you’re really feeling fancy, throw some earthworms in there.

For days to come, your family will be able to discuss what can and cannot be broken down by the decomposers inside of the compost bin. Never-ending science! 

31. Turn Grapes Into Raisins

Your kids may or may not eat raising – but we can guarantee you, they’ve likely never considered the option of creating their own! 

• What other snacks can we make with science?
• Should we ever eat our experiments?
• How does this work?
• For this experiment, you’ll need grapes. (Really, that’s it!) 

Leave your grapes somewhere where they will not be disturbed and use this as an opportunity for your children to journal the changes in the grapes from day to day. Believe it or not, this type of sequential journaling is a valuable literacy skill! 

32. DIY Science Experiment

The best science experiment your child can engage in is the one they create themselves! Begin brainstorming a list of questions and let the world be their oyster as they plan and carry out their own experiments. Some of our favorite brainstorming questions, from Scholastic’s Science-Fair Project Guide, are listed below:

• What is the effect of toothpaste brand on teeth-cleaning power?
• What brand of trash bag can withstand the most weight before ripping?
• How does the type of material affect how long a shirt takes to dry?

Written by Miranda Altice, Kaitlin Anselmo, Mark Coster, Allison Ebbets, and Jodie Magrath.

Mark is the driving force behind STEM Geek. With 20 years of experience in chemistry education and research, and 3 willing children as guinea pigs, Mark has a passion for inspiring kids and adults to combine fun and learning with STEM Toys!

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50 Fun Kids Science Experiments

Science doesn’t need to be complicated. These easy science experiments below are awesome for kids! They are visually stimulating, hands-on, and sensory-rich, making them fun to do and perfect for teaching simple science concepts at home or in the classroom.

Top 10 Science Experiments

Click on the titles below for the full supplies list and easy step-by-step instructions. Have fun trying these experiments at home or in the classroom, or even use them for your next science fair project!

Baking Soda Balloon Experiment

Can you make a balloon inflate on its own? Grab a few basic kitchen ingredients and test them out! Try amazing chemistry for kids at your fingertips.

Rainbow In A Jar

Enjoy learning about the basics of color mixing up to the density of liquids with this simple water density experiment . There are even more ways to explore rainbows here with walking water, prisms, and more.

This color-changing magic milk experiment will explode your dish with color. Add dish soap and food coloring to milk for cool chemistry!

Seed Germination Experiment

Not all kids’ science experiments involve chemical reactions. Watch how a seed grows , which provides a window into the amazing field of biology .

Egg Vinegar Experiment

One of our favorite science experiments is a naked egg or rubber egg experiment . Can you make your egg bounce? What happened to the shell?

Dancing Corn

Find out how to make corn dance with this easy experiment. Also, check out our dancing raisins and dancing cranberries.

Grow Crystals

Growing borax crystals is easy and a great way to learn about solutions. You could also grow sugar crystals , eggshell geodes , or salt crystals .

Lava Lamp Experiment

It is great for learning about what happens when you mix oil and water. a homemade lava lamp is a cool science experiment kids will want to do repeatedly!

Skittles Experiment

Who doesn’t like doing science with candy? Try this classic Skittles science experiment and explore why the colors don’t mix when added to water.

Lemon Volcano

Watch your kids’ faces light up, and their eyes widen when you test out cool chemistry with a lemon volcano using common household items, baking soda, and vinegar.

Bonus! Popsicle Stick Catapult

Kid tested, STEM approved! Making a popsicle stick catapult is a fantastic way to dive into hands-on physics and engineering.

Grab the handy Top 10 Science Experiments list here!

Free Science Ideas Guide

Grab this free science experiments challenge calendar and have fun with science right away. Use the clickable links to see how to set up each science project.

Get Started With A Science Fair Project

💡Want to turn one of these fun and easy science experiments into a science fair project? Then, you will want to check out these helpful resources.

• Easy Science Fair Projects
• Science Project Tips From A Teacher
• Science Fair Board Ideas

50 Easy Science Experiments For Kids

Kids’ Science Experiments By Topic

Are you looking for a specific topic? Check out these additional resources below. Each topic includes easy-to-understand information, everyday examples, and additional hands-on activities and experiments.

• Chemistry Experiments
• Physics Experiments
• Chemical Reaction Experiments
• Candy Experiments
• Plant Experiments
• Kitchen Science
• Water Experiments
• Baking Soda Experiments
• States Of Matter Experiments
• Physical Change Experiments
• Chemical Change Experiments
• Surface Tension Experiments
• Capillary Action Experiments
• Weather Science Projects
• Geology Science Projects
• Space Activities
• Simple Machines
• Static Electricity
• Potential and Kinetic Energy
• Gravity Experiments

Science Experiments By Season

• Spring Science
• Summer Science Experiments
• Fall Science Experiments
• Winter Science Experiments

Science Experiments by Age Group

While many experiments can be performed by various age groups, the best science experiments for specific age groups are listed below.

• Science Activities For Toddlers
• Preschool Science Experiments
• Kindergarten Science Experiments
• First Grade Science Projects
• Elementary Science Projects
• Science Projects For 3rd Graders
• Science Experiments For Middle Schoolers

How To Teach Science

Kids are curious and always looking to explore, discover, check out, and experiment to discover why things do what they do, move as they move, or change as they change! My son is now 13, and we started with simple science activities around three years of age with simple baking soda science.

Here are great tips for making science experiments enjoyable at home or in the classroom.

Safety first: Always prioritize safety. Use kid-friendly materials, supervise the experiments, and handle potentially hazardous substances yourself.

Start with simple experiments: Begin with basic experiments (find tons below) that require minimal setup and materials, gradually increasing complexity as kids gain confidence.

Use everyday items: Utilize common household items like vinegar and baking soda , food coloring, or balloons to make the experiments accessible and cost-effective.

Hands-on approach: Encourage kids to actively participate in the experiments rather than just observing. Let them touch, mix, and check out reactions up close.

Make predictions: Ask kids to predict the outcome before starting an experiment. This stimulates critical thinking and introduces the concept of hypothesis and the scientific method.

Record observations: Have a science journal or notebook where kids can record their observations, draw pictures, and write down their thoughts. Learn more about observing in science. We also have many printable science worksheets .

Theme-based experiments: Organize experiments around a theme, such as water , air , magnets , or plants . Even holidays and seasons make fun themes!

Kitchen science : Perform experiments in the kitchen, such as making ice cream using salt and ice or learning about density by layering different liquids.

Create a science lab: Set up a dedicated space for science experiments, and let kids decorate it with science-themed posters and drawings.

Outdoor experiments: Take some experiments outside to explore nature, study bugs, or learn about plants and soil.

DIY science kits: Prepare science experiment kits with labeled containers and ingredients, making it easy for kids to conduct experiments independently. Check out our DIY science list and STEM kits.

Make it a group effort: Group experiments can be more fun, allowing kids to learn together and share their excitement. Most of our science activities are classroom friendly!

Science shows or documentaries: Watch age-appropriate science shows or documentaries to introduce kids to scientific concepts entertainingly. Hello Bill Nye and the Magic Schoolbus! You can also check out National Geographic, the Discovery Channel, and NASA!

Ask open-ended questions: Encourage critical thinking by asking open-ended questions that prompt kids to think deeper about what they are experiencing.

Celebrate successes: Praise kids for their efforts and discoveries, no matter how small, to foster a positive attitude towards science and learning.

What is the Scientific Method for Kids?

The scientific method is a way scientists figure out how things work. First, they ask a question about something they want to know. Then, they research to learn what’s already known about it. After that, they make a prediction called a hypothesis.

Next comes the fun part – they test their hypothesis by doing experiments. They carefully observe what happens during the experiments and write down all the details. Learn more about variables in experiments here.

Once they finish their experiments, they look at the results and decide if their hypothesis is right or wrong. If it’s wrong, they devise a new hypothesis and try again. If it’s right, they share their findings with others. That’s how scientists learn new things and make our world better!

Go ahead and introduce the scientific method and get kids started recording their observations and making conclusions. Read more about the scientific method for kids .

Engineering and STEM Projects For Kids

STEM activities include science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In addition to our kids’ science experiments, we have lots of fun STEM activities for you to try. Check out these STEM ideas below.

• Building Activities
• Self-Propelling Car Projects
• Engineering Projects For Kids
• What Is Engineering For Kids?
• Lego STEM Ideas
• LEGO Engineering Activities
• STEM Activities For Toddlers
• STEM Worksheets
• Easy STEM Activities For Elementary
• Quick STEM Challenges
• Easy STEM Activities With Paper  

Printable Science Projects For Kids

If you’re looking to grab all of our printable science projects in one convenient place plus exclusive worksheets and bonuses like a STEAM Project pack, our Science Project Pack is what you need! Over 300+ Pages!

• 90+ classic science activities  with journal pages, supply lists, set up and process, and science information.  NEW! Activity-specific observation pages!
• Best science practices posters  and our original science method process folders for extra alternatives!
• Be a Collector activities pack  introduces kids to the world of making collections through the eyes of a scientist. What will they collect first?
• Know the Words Science vocabulary pack  includes flashcards, crosswords, and word searches that illuminate keywords in the experiments!
• My science journal writing prompts  explore what it means to be a scientist!!
• Bonus STEAM Project Pack:  Art meets science with doable projects!
• Bonus Quick Grab Packs for Biology, Earth Science, Chemistry, and Physics

Subscribe to receive a free 5-Day STEM Challenge Guide

~ projects to try now ~.

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

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72 Easy Science Experiments Using Materials You Already Have On Hand

Because science doesn’t have to be complicated.

If there is one thing that is guaranteed to get your students excited, it’s a good science experiment! While some experiments require expensive lab equipment or dangerous chemicals, there are plenty of cool projects you can do with regular household items. We’ve rounded up a big collection of easy science experiments that anybody can try, and kids are going to love them!

Easy Chemistry Science Experiments

Easy physics science experiments, easy biology and environmental science experiments, easy engineering experiments and stem challenges.

1. Taste the Rainbow

Teach your students about diffusion while creating a beautiful and tasty rainbow! Tip: Have extra Skittles on hand so your class can eat a few!

Learn more: Skittles Diffusion

2. Crystallize sweet treats

Crystal science experiments teach kids about supersaturated solutions. This one is easy to do at home, and the results are absolutely delicious!

Learn more: Candy Crystals

3. Make a volcano erupt

This classic experiment demonstrates a chemical reaction between baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and vinegar (acetic acid), which produces carbon dioxide gas, water, and sodium acetate.

Learn more: Best Volcano Experiments

4. Make elephant toothpaste

This fun project uses yeast and a hydrogen peroxide solution to create overflowing “elephant toothpaste.” Tip: Add an extra fun layer by having kids create toothpaste wrappers for plastic bottles.

5. Blow the biggest bubbles you can

Add a few simple ingredients to dish soap solution to create the largest bubbles you’ve ever seen! Kids learn about surface tension as they engineer these bubble-blowing wands.

Learn more: Giant Soap Bubbles

6. Demonstrate the “magic” leakproof bag

All you need is a zip-top plastic bag, sharp pencils, and water to blow your kids’ minds. Once they’re suitably impressed, teach them how the “trick” works by explaining the chemistry of polymers.

Learn more: Leakproof Bag

7. Use apple slices to learn about oxidation

Have students make predictions about what will happen to apple slices when immersed in different liquids, then put those predictions to the test. Have them record their observations.

Learn more: Apple Oxidation

8. Float a marker man

Their eyes will pop out of their heads when you “levitate” a stick figure right off the table! This experiment works due to the insolubility of dry-erase marker ink in water, combined with the lighter density of the ink.

Learn more: Floating Marker Man

9. Discover density with hot and cold water

There are a lot of easy science experiments you can do with density. This one is extremely simple, involving only hot and cold water and food coloring, but the visuals make it appealing and fun.

Learn more: Layered Water

10. Layer more liquids

This density demo is a little more complicated, but the effects are spectacular. Slowly layer liquids like honey, dish soap, water, and rubbing alcohol in a glass. Kids will be amazed when the liquids float one on top of the other like magic (except it is really science).

Learn more: Layered Liquids

11. Grow a carbon sugar snake

Easy science experiments can still have impressive results! This eye-popping chemical reaction demonstration only requires simple supplies like sugar, baking soda, and sand.

Learn more: Carbon Sugar Snake

12. Mix up some slime

Tell kids you’re going to make slime at home, and watch their eyes light up! There are a variety of ways to make slime, so try a few different recipes to find the one you like best.

13. Make homemade bouncy balls

These homemade bouncy balls are easy to make since all you need is glue, food coloring, borax powder, cornstarch, and warm water. You’ll want to store them inside a container like a plastic egg because they will flatten out over time.

Learn more: Make Your Own Bouncy Balls

14. Create eggshell chalk

Eggshells contain calcium, the same material that makes chalk. Grind them up and mix them with flour, water, and food coloring to make your very own sidewalk chalk.

Learn more: Eggshell Chalk

15. Make naked eggs

This is so cool! Use vinegar to dissolve the calcium carbonate in an eggshell to discover the membrane underneath that holds the egg together. Then, use the “naked” egg for another easy science experiment that demonstrates osmosis .

Learn more: Naked Egg Experiment

16. Turn milk into plastic

This sounds a lot more complicated than it is, but don’t be afraid to give it a try. Use simple kitchen supplies to create plastic polymers from plain old milk. Sculpt them into cool shapes when you’re done!

17. Test pH using cabbage

Teach kids about acids and bases without needing pH test strips! Simply boil some red cabbage and use the resulting water to test various substances—acids turn red and bases turn green.

Learn more: Cabbage pH

18. Clean some old coins

Use common household items to make old oxidized coins clean and shiny again in this simple chemistry experiment. Ask kids to predict (hypothesize) which will work best, then expand the learning by doing some research to explain the results.

Learn more: Cleaning Coins

19. Pull an egg into a bottle

This classic easy science experiment never fails to delight. Use the power of air pressure to suck a hard-boiled egg into a jar, no hands required.

Learn more: Egg in a Bottle

20. Blow up a balloon (without blowing)

Chances are good you probably did easy science experiments like this when you were in school. The baking soda and vinegar balloon experiment demonstrates the reactions between acids and bases when you fill a bottle with vinegar and a balloon with baking soda.

21 Assemble a DIY lava lamp

This 1970s trend is back—as an easy science experiment! This activity combines acid-base reactions with density for a totally groovy result.

22. Explore how sugary drinks affect teeth

The calcium content of eggshells makes them a great stand-in for teeth. Use eggs to explore how soda and juice can stain teeth and wear down the enamel. Expand your learning by trying different toothpaste-and-toothbrush combinations to see how effective they are.

Learn more: Sugar and Teeth Experiment

23. Mummify a hot dog

If your kids are fascinated by the Egyptians, they’ll love learning to mummify a hot dog! No need for canopic jars , just grab some baking soda and get started.

24. Extinguish flames with carbon dioxide

This is a fiery twist on acid-base experiments. Light a candle and talk about what fire needs in order to survive. Then, create an acid-base reaction and “pour” the carbon dioxide to extinguish the flame. The CO2 gas acts like a liquid, suffocating the fire.

25. Send secret messages with invisible ink

Turn your kids into secret agents! Write messages with a paintbrush dipped in lemon juice, then hold the paper over a heat source and watch the invisible become visible as oxidation goes to work.

Learn more: Invisible Ink

26. Create dancing popcorn

This is a fun version of the classic baking soda and vinegar experiment, perfect for the younger crowd. The bubbly mixture causes popcorn to dance around in the water.

27. Shoot a soda geyser sky-high

You’ve always wondered if this really works, so it’s time to find out for yourself! Kids will marvel at the chemical reaction that sends diet soda shooting high in the air when Mentos are added.

Learn more: Soda Explosion

28. Send a teabag flying

Hot air rises, and this experiment can prove it! You’ll want to supervise kids with fire, of course. For more safety, try this one outside.

Learn more: Flying Tea Bags

29. Create magic milk

This fun and easy science experiment demonstrates principles related to surface tension, molecular interactions, and fluid dynamics.

Learn more: Magic Milk Experiment

30. Watch the water rise

Learn about Charles’s Law with this simple experiment. As the candle burns, using up oxygen and heating the air in the glass, the water rises as if by magic.

Learn more: Rising Water

31. Learn about capillary action

Kids will be amazed as they watch the colored water move from glass to glass, and you’ll love the easy and inexpensive setup. Gather some water, paper towels, and food coloring to teach the scientific magic of capillary action.

Learn more: Capillary Action

32. Give a balloon a beard

Equally educational and fun, this experiment will teach kids about static electricity using everyday materials. Kids will undoubtedly get a kick out of creating beards on their balloon person!

Learn more: Static Electricity

33. Find your way with a DIY compass

Here’s an old classic that never fails to impress. Magnetize a needle, float it on the water’s surface, and it will always point north.

Learn more: DIY Compass

34. Crush a can using air pressure

Sure, it’s easy to crush a soda can with your bare hands, but what if you could do it without touching it at all? That’s the power of air pressure!

35. Tell time using the sun

While people use clocks or even phones to tell time today, there was a time when a sundial was the best means to do that. Kids will certainly get a kick out of creating their own sundials using everyday materials like cardboard and pencils.

Learn more: Make Your Own Sundial

36. Launch a balloon rocket

Grab balloons, string, straws, and tape, and launch rockets to learn about the laws of motion.

37. Make sparks with steel wool

All you need is steel wool and a 9-volt battery to perform this science demo that’s bound to make their eyes light up! Kids learn about chain reactions, chemical changes, and more.

Learn more: Steel Wool Electricity

38. Levitate a Ping-Pong ball

Kids will get a kick out of this experiment, which is really all about Bernoulli’s principle. You only need plastic bottles, bendy straws, and Ping-Pong balls to make the science magic happen.

39. Whip up a tornado in a bottle

There are plenty of versions of this classic experiment out there, but we love this one because it sparkles! Kids learn about a vortex and what it takes to create one.

Learn more: Tornado in a Bottle

40. Monitor air pressure with a DIY barometer

This simple but effective DIY science project teaches kids about air pressure and meteorology. They’ll have fun tracking and predicting the weather with their very own barometer.

Learn more: DIY Barometer

41. Peer through an ice magnifying glass

Students will certainly get a thrill out of seeing how an everyday object like a piece of ice can be used as a magnifying glass. Be sure to use purified or distilled water since tap water will have impurities in it that will cause distortion.

Learn more: Ice Magnifying Glass

42. String up some sticky ice

Can you lift an ice cube using just a piece of string? This quick experiment teaches you how. Use a little salt to melt the ice and then refreeze the ice with the string attached.

Learn more: Sticky Ice

43. “Flip” a drawing with water

Light refraction causes some really cool effects, and there are multiple easy science experiments you can do with it. This one uses refraction to “flip” a drawing; you can also try the famous “disappearing penny” trick .

Learn more: Light Refraction With Water

44. Color some flowers

We love how simple this project is to re-create since all you’ll need are some white carnations, food coloring, glasses, and water. The end result is just so beautiful!

45. Use glitter to fight germs

Everyone knows that glitter is just like germs—it gets everywhere and is so hard to get rid of! Use that to your advantage and show kids how soap fights glitter and germs.

Learn more: Glitter Germs

46. Re-create the water cycle in a bag

You can do so many easy science experiments with a simple zip-top bag. Fill one partway with water and set it on a sunny windowsill to see how the water evaporates up and eventually “rains” down.

Learn more: Water Cycle

47. Learn about plant transpiration

Your backyard is a terrific place for easy science experiments. Grab a plastic bag and rubber band to learn how plants get rid of excess water they don’t need, a process known as transpiration.

Learn more: Plant Transpiration

48. Clean up an oil spill

Before conducting this experiment, teach your students about engineers who solve environmental problems like oil spills. Then, have your students use provided materials to clean the oil spill from their oceans.

Learn more: Oil Spill

49. Construct a pair of model lungs

Kids get a better understanding of the respiratory system when they build model lungs using a plastic water bottle and some balloons. You can modify the experiment to demonstrate the effects of smoking too.

Learn more: Model Lungs

50. Experiment with limestone rocks

Kids  love to collect rocks, and there are plenty of easy science experiments you can do with them. In this one, pour vinegar over a rock to see if it bubbles. If it does, you’ve found limestone!

Learn more: Limestone Experiments

51. Turn a bottle into a rain gauge

All you need is a plastic bottle, a ruler, and a permanent marker to make your own rain gauge. Monitor your measurements and see how they stack up against meteorology reports in your area.

Learn more: DIY Rain Gauge

52. Build up towel mountains

This clever demonstration helps kids understand how some landforms are created. Use layers of towels to represent rock layers and boxes for continents. Then pu-u-u-sh and see what happens!

Learn more: Towel Mountains

53. Take a play dough core sample

Learn about the layers of the earth by building them out of Play-Doh, then take a core sample with a straw. ( Love Play-Doh? Get more learning ideas here. )

Learn more: Play Dough Core Sampling

54. Project the stars on your ceiling

Use the video lesson in the link below to learn why stars are only visible at night. Then create a DIY star projector to explore the concept hands-on.

Learn more: DIY Star Projector

55. Make it rain

Use shaving cream and food coloring to simulate clouds and rain. This is an easy science experiment little ones will beg to do over and over.

Learn more: Shaving Cream Rain

56. Blow up your fingerprint

This is such a cool (and easy!) way to look at fingerprint patterns. Inflate a balloon a bit, use some ink to put a fingerprint on it, then blow it up big to see your fingerprint in detail.

57. Snack on a DNA model

Twizzlers, gumdrops, and a few toothpicks are all you need to make this super-fun (and yummy!) DNA model.

Learn more: Edible DNA Model

58. Dissect a flower

Take a nature walk and find a flower or two. Then bring them home and take them apart to discover all the different parts of flowers.

59. Craft smartphone speakers

No Bluetooth speaker? No problem! Put together your own from paper cups and toilet paper tubes.

Learn more: Smartphone Speakers

60. Race a balloon-powered car

Kids will be amazed when they learn they can put together this awesome racer using cardboard and bottle-cap wheels. The balloon-powered “engine” is so much fun too.

Learn more: Balloon-Powered Car

61. Build a Ferris wheel

You’ve probably ridden on a Ferris wheel, but can you build one? Stock up on wood craft sticks and find out! Play around with different designs to see which one works best.

Learn more: Craft Stick Ferris Wheel

62. Design a phone stand

There are lots of ways to craft a DIY phone stand, which makes this a perfect creative-thinking STEM challenge.

63. Conduct an egg drop

Put all their engineering skills to the test with an egg drop! Challenge kids to build a container from stuff they find around the house that will protect an egg from a long fall (this is especially fun to do from upper-story windows).

Learn more: Egg Drop Challenge Ideas

64. Engineer a drinking-straw roller coaster

STEM challenges are always a hit with kids. We love this one, which only requires basic supplies like drinking straws.

Learn more: Straw Roller Coaster

65. Build a solar oven

Explore the power of the sun when you build your own solar ovens and use them to cook some yummy treats. This experiment takes a little more time and effort, but the results are always impressive. The link below has complete instructions.

Learn more: Solar Oven

66. Build a Da Vinci bridge

There are plenty of bridge-building experiments out there, but this one is unique. It’s inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s 500-year-old self-supporting wooden bridge. Learn how to build it at the link, and expand your learning by exploring more about Da Vinci himself.

Learn more: Da Vinci Bridge

67. Step through an index card

This is one easy science experiment that never fails to astonish. With carefully placed scissor cuts on an index card, you can make a loop large enough to fit a (small) human body through! Kids will be wowed as they learn about surface area.

68. Stand on a pile of paper cups

Combine physics and engineering and challenge kids to create a paper cup structure that can support their weight. This is a cool project for aspiring architects.

Learn more: Paper Cup Stack

69. Test out parachutes

Gather a variety of materials (try tissues, handkerchiefs, plastic bags, etc.) and see which ones make the best parachutes. You can also find out how they’re affected by windy days or find out which ones work in the rain.

Learn more: Parachute Drop

70. Recycle newspapers into an engineering challenge

It’s amazing how a stack of newspapers can spark such creative engineering. Challenge kids to build a tower, support a book, or even build a chair using only newspaper and tape!

Learn more: Newspaper STEM Challenge

71. Use rubber bands to sound out acoustics

Explore the ways that sound waves are affected by what’s around them using a simple rubber band “guitar.” (Kids absolutely love playing with these!)

Learn more: Rubber Band Guitar

72. Assemble a better umbrella

Challenge students to engineer the best possible umbrella from various household supplies. Encourage them to plan, draw blueprints, and test their creations using the scientific method.

Learn more: Umbrella STEM Challenge

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100 Easy Science Experiments for Kids to do at Home (2024)

Welcome, young scientists!

If you’ve arrived here today, you’re probably looking for easy science experiments for kids that you can do at home. 

The only problem? So many experiments require obscure ingredients that are hard to find or require planning.

Good news! There are literally hundreds of simple science experiments & STEM activities you can do at home, with materials you already have on hand.

We scoured the internet and practiced these experiments with our own young kids to test them out and make sure they were good ones. They’re super educational and so much fun for kids of all ages!

Each of these easy STEM challenges and science experiments will take about 30 minutes to complete from start to finish, and they’re a great way to teach simple science concepts that your kids will use in school.

The best part? They each use simple ingredients from around the house like food coloring, dish soap, paper towels, ice cubes, rubber bands, white vinegar, vegetable oil, and baking soda.

So, let’s dive in to our giant list of 100 fun science experiments for kids!

1. Traveling Rainbows

This colorful experiment is an easy way of demonstrating capillary action, water travel, and color mixing. Kids of all ages will love watching the color move through the paper towel on its own, and they’ll have a better idea of how plants get their nutrients.

What You need:

• 6 glasses or jars
• Paper towels
• Food coloring (red, yellow, & blue)

2. Homemade Lava Lamp

This simple lava lamp experiment is especially a hit with kids ages 4-12 (and beyond!), and it will take their favorite adults back a few decades, too! It’s a fun way to learn about density.

What You Need:

• A clean plastic bottle or glass jar
• Vegetable Oil
• Baking Soda
• Food Coloring

3. Jumping Pepper!

Have you ever seen pepper jump ? You’re about to! This simple experience using water, soap, and black pepper will get kids of all ages exploring the concept of surface tension.

• black pepper
• a plate or bowl
• liquid soap

4. Invisible Ink

In this fun experiment, your kids can write a secret message with invisible ink that they will learn how to reveal scientifically. Like all of these at-home science experiments, you need only basic materials, and it’s sure to be a big hit.

• Cotton swab
• lamp or light bulb
• plain white paper
• bowl or cup
• lemon juice

5. Mini Volcanos

This super easy baking soda and vinegar volcano eruption is a real crowd-pleaser for kids of all ages, and your kids will be begging to do it over and over again!

All you need is a few very basic household ingredients, and your colorful volcano will be erupting in no time. It only takes about three minutes to prep.

Ingredients

• Plastic cup
• 3-4 Tbs of baking soda at least
• 1 tsp of dish soap
• Food coloring (or washable paint if you want to avoid staining)
• 1 cup (8 oz) of Vinegar

6. Elephant Toothpaste

H ave you heard of the elephant toothpaste experiment yet? It’s a blast! You will need an adult for this experiment. Kids of all ages will love learning about catalysts and exothermic reactions in this simple fun science activity.

• 16-oz plastic soda bottle
• 1/2 cup 20-volume of 6% solution hydrogen peroxide liquid
• 1 Tablespoon dry yeast
• 3 Tablespoons of warm water
• Liquid dish soap

Food coloring

• Safety goggles

7. Dry Erase Marker Magic

Bring your drawings to life with nothing more than a glass plate, a dry erase marker, and a little water! Dive into this magical and straightforward dry erase marker experiment that will not only wow the kids but also ignite their curiosity about chemistry and physics. 

8. Light Refraction Magic

This super simple science experiment is really more of a magic trick, and it will teach your kids all about light refraction.

• Piece of Paper

9. Skittle Heart Experiment

This visually stunning experiment is not only a treat to watch but also a great way to explore concepts of water solubility and color mixing. Let’s dive into the simple Skittle Heart Experiment that will capture your kids’ hearts.

10. Dancing Raisins

Home science experiments don’t have to be complicated. In this very easy science experiment that’s perfect for young kids, you’ll need a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your household: clear soda, a glass of water, and a handful of raisins. With these simple ingredients, you’ll produce chemical reactions that your kids can watch in real time!

What You’ll Need:

• A clear glass of water
• Handful of raisins

11. Rainbow Celery

Got some celery in the fridge? Then you can begin to l earn about capillary action with a simple and colorful color-changing celery experiment . It’s a really cool project that your kids are sure to remember for years to come!

What you need:

• Glasses of water

12. Homemade Slime

What kid doesn’t love slime? This is one of our favorite science experiments because it’s a sure kid-pleaser! In this basic recipe , you can make some of your own right in your kitchen, and have fun squeezing it with your bare hands all day long.

Slime has quickly become one of those classic science experiments that every family should try at least once!

• White school glue
• food coloring

13 . Shiny Pennies

You definitely have some dirty pennies lying around your house, so let’s put them to good use in a classic science experiment that even young kids can enjoy. Pennies are copper, and they are often in circulation for years (yuck!), so they often appear very tarnished. In this experience, you’re going to see if soap or vinegar (or other liquids) do a better job at cleaning the exterior of the dirty copper penny.

What You’ll Need

• dirty pennies
• 2 paper cups
• Paper towel
• Different liquids from around the house (ketchup, soda, Diet Coke, etc.)

14. Orange Fizz

Discover orange fizz bubbles popping inside of your mouth! This sensory experiment is really fun for learning about acids and bases. And hardly any materials are needed.

• Orange or clementine
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

15. Exploding Soap

The Exploding Soap experiment is a surefire hit with all ages, and all you need is soap and microwave! (And a little help from your parents.)

16. Sink or Float?

Kids of all ages – but especially young children – will love this easy science experiment that builds a foundation to understanding density. This is one of our favorite science activities for the little ones!

• Two glasses of water
• Small items from around the house
• A piece of paper and a pen

17. Mixing Impossible

This super easy experiment involves mixing equal parts oil and water and adding a drop of food coloring to see what happens. Kids will love watching the food coloring make it through the oil. You will love how easy it is to set up and clean up!

• Several drinking glasses
• vegetable oil
• liquid food coloring
• a toothpick (if you have it)

18. Exploring Colors With Baking Soda / Vinegar

I n this science activity for kids of all ages, your little scientists will create a chemical reaction, explore color mixing, AND create colorful artwork. Triple win!

• Tray (A baking sheet will do)
• Baking soda
• White vinegar
• Ice Cube Trays or other containers to hold the colored vinegar
• Pipettes or eye droppers
• Liquid watercolors or food coloring

19. Water Cycle In A Bag

This is one of the best science experiments to teach your kids about the water cycle, and it’s so easy to do! They’ll watch the water cycle in a bag play out right before their eyes.

• Zip lock bag
• permanent marker
• blue food coloring

20. Tie-Dye

Who would have thought that everyone’s favorite t-shirt pattern is actually a great science lesson, too? As your child dyes the shirt, they’ll be observing water solubility and absorption in real time. The dyes are fiber-reactive, which means that a chemical reaction takes places between the dye molecules and fabric molecules so that they actually become one. The dye bonds with the fabric and actually becomes a part of it.  

• White T-shirt or pillowcase
• Buckets or bins filled with water
• Rubberbands
• Plastic gloves

Here are 10 Easy Tie-Dye Patterns For Kids . To learn how to wash and care for your tie-dye shirt, click here . 

21. Static Electricity Hair

Want to provide your kids with (literally) hair-raising good time? It’s super simple to teach your kids about static electricity with this easy, no-mess science activity.

• an inflated balloon
• a piece of cloth

Rub the surface of the balloon with the cloth for at least40 seconds. Then, hold the balloon a short distance above your head and watch your hair stick to it!

What’s Happening:

T he balloon gains electrons from the cloth and becomes negatively-charged when you rub it together. Then, when the balloon touches you hair, it attracts your hair, which is positively charged.

22. What’s That Mystery Object?

The process of using your sense of touch is very important to the scientific method. In this experiment, you’ll use your sense of touch to see how many different textures you can recognize.

• A grown-up or friend to help
• A blindfold
• A “feely” bag that you can’t see through

Small objects from around the house that have different textures, such as: a plastic bag, a water bottle, a banana, a piece of paper, a cell phone, a rubber ball, a cotton ball, a tooth brush, a washcloth, etc. Try to find objects of different materials like velvet, wool, cotton, leather, metal objects, wooden spoons or toys, pieces of aluminum foil, and other interesting objects and textures.

First, put on your blindfold. The next step is to have a grown up or friend put a mystery object in the bag for you to fell. Can you guess what each object is?

23. Sugar Water Rainbows

This science experiment is especially meant for older kids, but it can me modified for kids of all ages. Your kids will love this colorful experience about density and buoyancy, and all you need are some common household ingredients.

• food colorings (preferably in rainbow colors including red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple)
• a clear straw
• salt or sugar

First, fill each of the cups with the same amount of water.

Next, add the food coloring, one color in each cup, preferably in rainbow order.

Line the cups up next to each other.

In the first cup, do not add any sugar at all.

In the second cup, add one tablespoon of sugar.

In the third cup, add two tablespoon of sugar.

In the fourth cup, add three tablepoons of sugar, and so on.

Stir each mixture until all the sugar is dissolved in each glass.

The next step is to make a sugar rainbow by placing the end of the straw in the first cup (the cup with no sugar), only about a half of an inch.

Cover the top of the straw with your thumb before lifting it out of the water so that the water does not fall out of the straw.

Now dip the straw into the second cup (1 tablespoon sugar). This time, insert it deeper so that the end is one inch below the water level. In one quick move, release the thumb and recap again. Now you should have two layers of color.

Keep dipping the straw into each solution from the one with the least sugar to the one with five tablespoons of sugar. Each time, the straw is inserted half an inch deeper.

What’s happening?

Density is the amount of substance (mass) within the volume occupied by the object. If two cups have the same amount of water (i.e. same volume), the one with more sugar is denser than the one with less sugar.

Buoyancy is determined by relative density. The solution with less density floats above the solution with higher density. That is why the color don’t mix.

Sugary water has higher density than plain water. The solution with more sugar has higher density than the one with less sugar. If you have inserted the straw in the solutions from the least sugar to the most sugar, then the color don’t mix and you have a sugar water rainbow.

24. Painted Nature

In this activity, kids will be closely observing natural phenomena, looking for signs of life and growth, and using their senses to experience natural materials. These skills are extremely important scientific foundations.

First, have your child search for natural objects in nature. Fill a bag with interesting sticks, leaves, rocks, twigs, pebbles, and anything else you can find.

Next, bring them into the “classroom” or home to closely observe and paint them.

As you paint, you can discuss the natural colors and features of these objects: What is their texture? What do they notice about each object?

My kids love “melty crayons”. They can’t get enough of them. Gather several rocks and heat them up in the oven. Then, carefully draw on them with crayons. The heat of the rock will melt the crayon wax and the it will go on like paint.

25. Magnet Dump

This activity is a great introductory magnet activity, and for younger kids, they’ll be practicing skills of classifying and sorting.

First, dump out a selection of metal objects onto the table.

Next, ask your kids to help you “clean up” by using the magnets to pick up different objects and sort them into containers.

Discuss which objects are attracted to a magnet and which are not. What patterns do they notice? What other objects would they like to try?

26. Magnet Magic

• Clear plastic box (look in your recycling bin)
• Pipe cleaners

This super-easy experiment is a really fun way to teach your child about magnets in a colorful, magical way, and it only requires simple materials from around the house. 

First, cut up several pipe cleaners and place them in a clear plastic box. The box does not need to be fancy, just see-through.

For your first time through this demonstration, have your child take a magnet and touch it against the surface of the plastic box. They’ll find that the pipe cleaners are lifted up and move with the magnet!

What’s Happening?

Magnets attract certain types of metal. The pipe cleaners have a thin strip of metal, so the magnet is able to attract those pieces and pull it around the box.

Extension:  Next time, think of what other objects could you place in the box? What objects do you predict the magnet could move around?

27. LEGO Boats

This experiements present a great opportunity to get kids thinking about engineering and design.

First, challenge your kids to build their own boat out of LEGO bricks. For an added challenge, only give them a certain number of pieces.

Once everyone has finished building, put the boats to the test in a tub of water.

Add pennies a few at a time to see how many each boat can hold.

Talk to your kids about how weight and design matter. Reflect on good designs and help them understand why they worked well.

28. DIY Parachute

You can learn about gravity by making a DIY parachute for a light-weight toy. The parachute is easily made from materials around your house, and you can experiment with different strategies and objects.

• Plastic Bag (i.e. grocery bag)
• Yard/String

First, use the scissors to remove the handles from the plastic bag. Next, poke four holes around the plastic bag so that they are the same distance apart and on opposite sides of the bags.

Then, cut four holes into the rim of the paper cut.

You’ll also need to cut four pieces of yarn, 10-12 inches long. Thread one piece of yarn through the hole in the plastic cup and tie the yarn to the cup with a knot. Repeat with all four strands of yarn in the remaining holes.

Next, thread the other end of the pieces of yarn through the hole in the plastic bag and tie a knot. 

Finally, personalize and decorate your cup with stickers, paint, crayons or markers.

Now it’s time to find a toy that is going to take a ride in your parachute. Launch your parachute into the air and see what happens!

Experiment with putting different objects into the paper cup and see how it affects the parachute’s effectiveness. Does the parachute flight time increase or decrease?

You can also try creating the parachute with different materials to replace the paper bag, such as a paper towel or napkin, and see how that affects the performance.

29. Magic Milk Experiment

• Full Fat Milk
• Dawn Dish Soap
• Cotton Swabs

First, pour the milk in a small baking dish until the bottom is covered. Next, fill the milk with drops of food coloring. Glitter is optional!

Then, pour some dishwashing soap into a bowl, and dip your cotton swap tip into the dish soap to coat it. Then, gently touch your cotton swab to the milk and watch what happens!

Milk is composed of minerals, proteins, and fats, which are easy to change. When you add the dish soap to the milk, the soap molecules try to attach to the fat molecules in the milk.

When everything stops moving, you can see where all the fat molecules are.

30. Steel Wool & Vinegar Reaction

This experiment will make abstract concepts like “chemical reaction” and “rusting” become more clear and concrete.

• two beakers
• something to cover the beaker (paper or a lid)
• Thermometer

First, place the steel wool in a beaker. Then, pour vinegar onto the steel wool and let it soak for about a minute.

After a minute or so, take the steel wool out and shake off any excess vinegar.

Next, wrap the steel wool around the base of the thermometer and then place them both in the other beaker.

Then, cover the beaker with paper or a lid. It’s important that you keep the heat in.

You’ll want to make sure that you can still read the temperature on the thermometer. It’s a great idea to poke a hole if possible through the covering so that the thermometer can fit through it, and you can easily read the temperature.

Make a note of the initial temperature, and observe it for about five minutes.

You will see that the temperature on the thermometer gradually rises, and the beaker will likely get foggy. When you soaked the steel wool in vinegar, it removed the protective coating on the steel wool, allowing the iron in the steel to rust.

Rusting is actually a chemical reaction between iron and oxygen (or oxidation). This is the chemical reaction that creates heat, thereby increasing the temperature of the beaker and on the thermometer. This is an examples of an exothermic reaction (a chemical reaction that releases energy in the form of heat).

31. Corn Syrup Viscosity Experiment

This experiment could not be simpler, and it’s the perfect tool for teaching kids of any age about viscosity.

-Corn Syrup

-2 glass containers (one should be smaller than the other)

-cupcake pan or 3 small bowls

-Food coloring

First, fill the larger glass container 1/2 to 3/4 full with corn syrup. Then, add the small glass container to the center. Careful! The corn syrup will rise a bit when you do this.

Next, Use a cupcake pan or 3 small bowls and put in a small amount of corn syrup. Mix each one with a food coloring of your choice. You should have three separate colors of corn syrup.

Then, put some colored corn syrup in the dropper, insert the dropper into the clear corn syrup and add the coloring in different places. Do that for each color as many times as you wish.

Now, you can turn the smaller glass jar while holding the outer glass still. The colored syrup will start to spread a bit. Now, switch direction and turn the small glass jar back to its original place. The colored dots return right back to their original form.

Corn syrup has a viscosity that is 5,000 times that of water, so they don’t mix in the same way.

32. Homemade Play Dough

This is a classic DIY project, and kids of all ages will love it.

• 3 cups of flour
• 1.5 cups of salt
• 6 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 3 tablespoons of oil
• 3 cups of water

33. Melting Snowballs

This is another acid and base experiment, and it’s fun on a couple different levels!

First, form snowballs by adding water to the baking soda. You’ll need about a 1/3 cup per snowball.

Then, place them in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Finally, pour drop of vinegar on the snowballs and watch them sizzle and melt.

Variations:

You can also make a snowman and do the same thing!

34. Paper Airplanes

Overview: There’s no better way for kids to learn about aerodynamics than by making a paper airplane. Wow Fold, a paper airplane website, offers dozens of paper airplane designs and easy to follow instructions.

35. Flying Ping Pong

Your kids will love this flying ping pong trick, and there are only two things you need.

First, make sure your hair dryer is on a cool setting. Then, hold the ping pong above the nozzle and turn on the air. When you let the ping pong go, it should float! Next, try it on different settings. Try to see how far you can tilt your hair dryer before the ball drops.

36. Magical Balloon

Your kids won’t believe their eyes when you push a needle through a balloon and it doesn’t pop!

• Scotch tape

First, blow up your balloon. Next, take two pieces of scotch tape and make an X on your balloon. Then, with parental supervision, push a needle through the middle of your X.

Leave the needle in and see how long it take for your balloon to finally pop!

The tape slows down the process of the hole in the balloon widening, so it takes longer for the balloon to pop.

37. What’s That Mystery Smell?

Kids of all ages can recognize a lot of different smells, and the process of using your senses is very important to the scientific method.

In this experiment, you’ll use your senses to see how many different smells you can recognize.

• Small, lidded containers that you can’t see through
• Smelly things from around the house such as bananas, an orange peel, lemons, a cotton ball soaked in perfume, chopped onion, coffee (or a used coffee filter!), rose or flower petals, pencil shavings, vanilla, vinegar, ginger, etc.

First, have a grown up put the smelly items in the containers.

Then, write a number on the side of each container.

The next step is to put your blindfold on and have them help you smell each object.

Write down what you think is inside of each container.

Finally, check your guesses! How many did you guess correctly?

38. Wacky Spoon

This is more of a science trick than an experiment, but it’s super easy to do at home!

Kitchen Spoon

Look at your reflection in a large spoon. It will be upside down!

A regular mirror is flat and sends your reflection straight back into your eyes. The rounded spoon bounces your reflection back at different angles and turns your reflection upside down. 

39. Floating Eggs

This experiment will show your child how things float differently in fresh water and salt water.

• 2 tall drinking glasses

First, fill one glass with water. Then, fill another glass with water and add 8 tablespoons of salt. Mix it up.

Next, place an egg in both glasses. One will float and the other will sink.

Adding salt to the water increases the water’s density which causes the egg to float.

40. Jumping Pepper

This simple experiment will demonstrate static electricity right before your eyes.

Place a tablespoon of pepper on a plate. Then, run a hair comb through your hair. While still holding on the comb, hold the comb over the plate and watch the pepper jump!

The plastic comb builds up a negative charge as it moves through you hair. The pepper has a positive charge, so it jumps!

Try it with other spices and powders.

41. Walking on Eggs

Your kids will be astonished to see that they can actually walk on eggs without breaking them!

• 6 dozen eggs in their cartons-Drop cloth / newspaper

Lay down your drop cloth in case the experiment doesn’t work as expected!

Place the open egg cartons next to each other. Take off your sock and shoes and gently step onto the eggs keeping your feet flat. Then bring up your other foot and carefully walk across the eggs.

Your foot is big enough that your weight spreads evenly out across the eggs, keeping them from breaking.

You can also demonstrate this concept with a heavy book. 

42. Disappearing Reflection

Make your reflection vanish! All you need is aluminum foil.

-Aluminum Foil

-Scissors (optional)

Rip off a large piece of aluminum foil (ten inches should do) and take a look at your reflection. Then, crumple up the aluminum foil. Next, Carefully flatten it back out. Finally, look for your reflection. It’s nowhere to be found!

When the aluminum foil is smooth, light reflect off of in in straight lines, which enables you to see your reflection. But once you crumple the foil, it has a wrinkled surface that sends your reflection in all different direction, causing it to disappear.  

43. Defy Gravity!

When you turn over a cup of water, you expect the water to spill and fall. But not always!

Clear plastic cup

Playing card or notecard

First, fill your clear glass about 3/4 of the way with water.

Next press your playing card or notecard gently on the top of your glass to completely cover the top. Gently rotate the cup upside down. After a few moments, remove the card. The water will stay in place!

Try it again, adding something that will float in the water. Repeat the steps, and see what happens!

45. Water Fireworks

This totally safe fireworks experiment will be a hit around the Fourth of July or any time!

Tall water glass

Small water glass

First, fill up your all water glass almost all the way with water. In the small glass, pour two tablespoons of oil. Add 2 drops of food coloring to it and mix it around with a fork until the food coloring is broken up into smaller specks.

Then, pour the oil mixture into the water and see the firework expand!

What’s happening:

Food coloring dissolves in water but not oil, causing it to go different directions.

Try two colors! Try a different size glass!

46. Bird Feeder Fun

In this simple science project, you’ll learn where birds like to have their meals.

-Pipe Cleaner

Place cheerios on a pipe clean and make a simple circle. Place it out for the birds to eat.

To experiment, place different bird feeders in different places and see if it makes a difference for how much gets eaten.

You could also make your bird feeder into different shapes to see how the birds prefer it.

47. Rain Gauge

It’s super simple to make a rain gauge from a soda bottle and track your area’s rain water!

Soda Bottle

X-acto knife (with parental supervision)

Cut the top off of a soda bottle and invert the top so that the rain water funnels into the bottle. You may want to secure it with duct tape. Next, place it outside in a spot where it can collect rain water.You’ll want to secure it so it doesn’t fall over. Then, begin measuring the rain water each day!

48. Magic Leak Proof Bag

-Ziplock Back

-Very Sharp Pencils

Fill your bag up halfway with water. Carefully poke the pencil through the bag and out the other side. (Don’t push the pencil all the way through so that it comes out the other side!)

The plastic bag’s molecules form easily around the smooth sides of the pencil forming a seal.

49. Paper Cup Tower

Similar to the “walking on Egg” experiment listed above, this activity will wow your children as they discover they won’t crush the paper cups by standing on them!

8 paper cups

First, set the paper cups on the grounds, spaced evenly. Next, place the cardboard on top of them. Then, try to stand on it and see what happens. Can you make another level?

50. Rubber Band Guitar

Tap into your musical side and explore sound with this simple rubber band guitar.

Paper or plastic cup

Rubber bands

First, wrap your rubber bands of different sizes around the cup so that the rubber bands act as strings over the hole of the cup. Then, pinch the sides of them together as best you can and tap them around the sides of the cup. See what sounds they make, and experiments with rubber bands of various sizes to see what sounds they make!

+50 More Science Experiments We Love:

Kids of all ages will love these cool science experiments that you can do together on the weekend or after school.

These science activities all use simple household items and take about 30 minutes to complete.

51. Rock Candy Experiment – Grow colorful rock candy in a glass!

51. Giant Dish Soap Bubbles – Make a giant bubble with household ingredients.

52. Solar Oven S’mores – Cook up a tasty snack in a solar oven.

53. Layering Liquids – See how liquids can stack on top of each other according to density.

54. Human Sundial – Become a human sundial to learn about solar patterns.

55. Windowsill Trash – Demonstrate how the heat of the sun helps trash decompose.

56. Naked Egg Experiment – Dissolve an eggshell with vinegar and see the membrane below!

57. Balloon Magic – Blow up a balloon without blowing, using vinegar and baking soda.

58. Tornado in a Bottle – Create a cyclone in a bottle in this classic, simple experiment.

59. Egg Teeth – Explore how sugar affects teeth in this easy experiment.

60. Step Through an Index Card – Amaze your kids by stepping through an index card that’s been strategically cut.

61. Frozen Bubbles – Find out what happens when you blow bubbles in freezing temperatures.

66. Make Butter – Shake cream and turn it into butter!

67. Ice Cream in a Bag – Turn simple ingredients into delicious ice cream.

68. Moldy Bread Experiment – See how important it is to wash your hands in the viral science experiment.

69. Map Your Taste Buds – Learn about your taste buds in this easy mapping activity.

70. Make a Rainbow – See how you can easily create your own rainbow.

71. Soap Boats – Explore density with this easy DIY boat-making activity.

72. Egg Drop Project – See if you can build a contraction to protect an egg from breaking.

73. Growing Gummy Bears – Watch gummy bears grow before your eyes.

74. Fingerprinting – Dive into the infinite world of fingerprints with a no. 2 pencil and paper.

75. Homemade Bouncy Balls – Make your own bouncy ball toys with household ingredients.

76. Dancing Corn Experiment – Explore and investigate carbon dioxide by making corn dance. 

77. Big Stick Balance – This surprising experiment will teach kids about balance.

78. Upside Down Reflection – All you need is a kitchen spoon to learn about the principles of reflection.

79. Make a Sundial – Learn how to tell time with the sun by making a simple sundial.

80. Exploding baggie – Use a simple chemical reaction to explode a plastic zip close baggie. 

81. Flame-Proof Balloon – Use cold water to make a balloon resistant to a fire’s flame!

82. Rotten Banana Balloon – Use that rotten banana in your kitchen to blow up a balloon. You can also try it with a lemon. (Here’s the Lemon Balloon Trick .)

83. Mouth-Foaming Fun – Experience a chemical reaction first hand while brushing your teeth.

84. Foot Fat Experiment – Compare the levels of fat in different foods with this simple experiment.

85. Smashing Seashells – Discover how to easily smash seashells with vinegar.

86. Super Bubble Solution – Find out how you can make giant bubbles with an easy homemade solution.

87. Shaving Cream Rain Clouds – learn about the water cycle with shaving cream. The shaving cream represents the rain cloud and the water is the atmosphere.

88. Water Bending Trick – Learn how to bend water with one simple thing you have lying around your house.

89. Dry Paper Experiment – See how you can magically dunk paper in water and not make it wet.

90. Bending Straw Illusion – Learn about light refraction in this quick and simple experiment.

93. Magic Napkin – Learn about inertia with a napkin and a plastic cup filled with water.

94. Water Fireworks – Create fireworks in a glass of water using this simple experiement with household ingredient.

95. Liquid Sandwich – Learn about density with water, oil, and honey.

97. Talking String – Learn about sound waves and make a string “sing” by using one simple button.

98. Noisy Paper – Create a loud vibration noise with just two pieces of computer paper.

99. Sunscreen and Skin – Learn about the human body and how sunscreen works with this simple experiment using sunscreen and construction paper.

100. Taste Bud 101 – Learn about the taste buds with this fun and interactive experiment.

Looking for more at-home fun ideas? Check out our list of 100 Fun Things To Do At Home >>

So, there you have it!

100 kids science experiments that are super easy to do at home.

These simple science projects are meant to spark the curiosity of your child (and the whole family.)

We hope you loved this list of our very favorite science experiments.

Email us at [email protected] to add your idea.

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Calie Herbst, Editor-in-Chief of Milwaukee With Kids, has spent over a decade combining her experiences as a parent of three to create a hub for Milwaukee’s family adventures.

Her decade-long teaching career in Milwaukee Public Schools and academic background, including a Master’s in Teaching from Marquette University and dual B.A.s in Sociology and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, fuel her passion for inclusive and engaging family content.

Calie is also a recognized voice in local media, contributing to WISN Channel 12 News, WTMJ Wisconsin Morning News, Fox 6’s Real Milwaukee, and B93.3.

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45 Easy Science Experiments for Kids

Hello, STEM! These simple DIY activities can be done at home or in school.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

Imagine blowing the biggest bubbles imaginable — or even making bubbles within bubbles. Or sending vessels — rockets, tea bags, airplanes — soaring through the sky for impossible distances. Now imagine making things explode, or change colors, or reveal hidden messages with just a few simple mixtures.

First off, it's good to start them off with the scientific method. Give them a journal to record their observations, questions, hypotheses, experiments, results and conclusions. As always, safety counts: wear goggles and coats or aprons if need be (sometimes kids get a kick out of how scientific the protective gear makes them look), and always make sure that the kids are supervised when doing them. (Warning: Some of these are messy!)

These experiments are mostly designed for preschoolers through elementary schoolers — with a couple that are either demonstrations or better for older kids — but if you have a younger one, you can check out these 1-year-old learning activities , toddler learning activities and preschool/kindergarten learning activities , some of which also cover STEM subjects.

Floating Fish

Here's another one that deals with solubility and density.

• Draw the outline of a fish on the bottom of a glass plate or tray in dry-erase marker. Retrace your drawing to make sure all the lines are connected. Let dry for a minute or two.
• Fill the measuring cup with tap water. Place the pour spout just inside the corner of the dish and add water very slowly until it just covers the bottom. Be careful not to pour water directly onto your drawing or make splashes near it. The water will move toward your drawing, eventually surrounding it. Observe what happens. If the water splashes or it doesn’t work on your first try, empty the dish, erase the drawing with a paper towel, dry off the dish, and try again.
• Tilt the dish slightly from side to side. What happens? Jot it down.

The ink in dry erase markers is engineered to be slippery. It’s made with a chemical that causes it to easily release from surfaces. (Permanent markers are made with a chemical that makes the ink stick to surfaces, so be sure not to use these in your experiment!)

The easy-release ink lets go from a surface, but why does it float? There are two reasons. First, dry erase ink isn’t soluble, which means it won’t dissolve in water. Second, dry erase ink is less dense than the water, so it becomes buoyant, meaning it can float. When you tilt the dish, the fish moves around on the water’s surface.

From Good Housekeeping Amazing Science: 83 Hands-on S.T.E.A.M Experiments for Curious Kids! See more in the book »

Brush, Brush!

This one will really get them into brushing their teeth once they scientifically prove all the good things that toothpaste can do.

• Write on sticky notes: Soda 1, Soda 2, Juice 1, and Juice 2. Place them in a row on a counter.
• Fill two glasses halfway with brown soda and place behind the Soda 1 and Soda 2 sticky notes. Fill two glasses halfway with lemon juice and place behind the Juice 1 and Juice 2 sticky notes.
• Carefully place one egg in the bowl. Squeeze a big dollop — about one tablespoon — of toothpaste on top of the egg and gently rub the toothpaste all around with your hands until the egg is completely covered in a thick layer of toothpaste. Repeat with a second egg.
• Gently submerge the toothpaste-covered eggs into the liquids: one egg in the glass labeled Soda 1 and the other egg in the glass labeled Juice 1. Wash and dry your hands.
• Gently submerge the remaining eggs, without toothpaste on them, in the remaining glasses: one in the glass labeled Soda 2 and the other in the glass of juice labeled Juice 2. Wash and dry your hands. Leave the eggs in the glasses for 12 hours.
• After 12 hours, remove the eggs from the glasses of soda one at a time. Rinse them in cool water and pat them dry with the towel. Place each egg by the sticky note of the glass it was in. Are the eggs the same or different colors?
• Remove the eggs from the glasses of juice one at a time. Rinse them under the faucet and pat them dry. Place each egg by the sticky note of the glass it was in. Feel the eggs gently. Does one feel stronger or weaker than the other?
• Write down your observations in your science notebook.

The eggshells in this experiment represent the enamel (outer coating) on your teeth. Toothpaste cleans your teeth and prevents stains: it removes food and drink particles that are stuck on your teeth. Teeth can be stained easily by dark-colored liquids like cola, coffee or tea. The egg without toothpaste will be brown and discolored. The egg covered in toothpaste was protected from turning brown.

Toothpaste also protects your pearly whites from decay (breaking down). The egg without toothpaste left in the lemon juice was worn down and soft to the touch, while the egg that was protected with toothpaste is stronger. The lemon juice is acidic, and those acids broke down the shell just as acidic drinks can wear away your tooth enamel. When a tooth is worn down, a cavity can form more easily. But the fluoride in toothpaste mixes with your saliva to create a protective coating around your tooth enamel. It helps keep your teeth strong and cavity-free.

Grow an Avocado Tree

For an easy lesson in Earth Science, your family can grow an avocado tree from a pit. You can buy an AvoSeedo kit , or just peel the seed and suspend it over water with toothpicks.

Get the tutorial »

Milk Bottle Xylophone

No for an experiment in sound!

• Arrange six glass jars or bottles, all the same size with no lids, in a line. What will each jar sound like when you tap it with a spoon? Make a prediction, then tap each jar. Record your observations.
• Next, put water in each of the jars. Pour 1⁄4 cup (60 ml) of water into the first jar. Add 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) of water to the second jar. Continue in 1⁄4-cup increments, adding 3⁄4 cup (180 ml) of water to the third jar, 1 cup (240 ml) of water to the fourth jar, 11⁄4 cups (300 ml) of water to the fifth jar, and 11⁄2 cups (360 ml) to the sixth jar. Add a couple of drops of food coloring to each jar.
• What will each jar sound like? Will they sound the same or different than when the container was empty? Will they sound the same or different from one another? Record your predictions.
• Tap each jar with a metal spoon. Write down your observations about each jar’s pitch (how high or low a sound is) in your notebook.

Sound waves are created by vibrations, which are back-and-forth movements that are repeated again and again. Pitch depends on the frequency of the waves — how many are created each second. A high pitch is created by high-frequency sound waves, and can sound squeaky. A low pitch is created by low-frequency sound waves, and sounds deep and booming.

When you tapped the jar, it vibrated. The vibrations traveled from the jar to the water to the air and eventually to your ears. The jars with more water had a low pitch. The sound waves vibrated more slowly because they had more water to travel through. The jars with less water had higher pitches. The sound waves vibrated faster because they had less water to travel through. A jar with no water in it makes the highest pitch because it has the least substance to travel through.

"Elephant Toothpaste"

Okay, elephants don't really brush with this stuff, which is made from a chemical reaction between hydrogen peroxide, yeast, dish soap and a few other simple ingredients. But this experiment has a big "wow" factor since, when the substances are mixed, the "toothpaste" foams out of the bottle. You can use it to teach kids about catalysts and exothermic reactions.

Get the tutorial at Babble Dabble Do »

DIY Compass

Explore the way magnetism works, and how it affects everyday objects, by magnetizing a needle and making a DIY compass. You can even spin the compass in the water, and it'll end up pointing the right way again.

Get the tutorial at STEAM Powered Family »

Craft Stick Chain Reaction

Kids can learn about the differences between potential and kinetic energy with this chain reaction. It makes a big impact: Once the tension is released, the pom poms go flying through the air!

Get the the tutorial at Science Sparks »

Color-Changing Invisible Ink

Kids will feel like super-spies when they use this heatless method to reveal pictures or colors written with "invisible ink." You can try different acid/base combinations to see which one makes the most dramatic result.

Get the tutorial at Research Parent »

Paper Bridge

Get the engineering back into STEM with this activity, which challenges kids to create a paper bridge that's strong enough to hold as many pennies as possible. How can they manipulate the paper to make it sturdier? (Hint: Fold it!)

See the paper bridge tutorial at KidsActivities.com »

Challenge your little scientist to lift up an ice cube with just a piece of string. It's possible ... with a little salt to help. Salt melts the ice and lowers the freezing point of the ice cube, which absorbs the heat from the water around it, making the water cold enough to re-freeze around the string.

Get the tutorial at Playdough to Plato »

Marshmallow Catapult

Another lesson in potential and kinetic energy, kids will love sending mini marshmallows flying in the name of science. Change some of the variables and see how that affects the marshmallow's trajectory.

Get the tutorial at Hello, Wonderful »

Leaf Breathing

It's hard for kids to picture how plants and trees "breathe" through their leaves — until they see the bubbles appear on a leaf that's submerged in water. You can also teach them about photosynthesis by putting different leaves in different spots with varying levels of sunlight.

Get the tutorial at KC EDventures »

Hoop-and-Straw Airplane

We all remember how to fold those classic, triangular paper airplanes, but these hoop-and-straw airplanes fly way better (and straighter). Experiment by changing the length of the straw and the size of the hoops and see how it affects the flight.

Get the tutorial at Mombrite »

Film Canister Rocket

Blast off! You don't need jet fuel to make these rockets go, just Alka-Seltzer tablets and baking soda, but they'll be amazed when they achieve lift-off! (Note: If you can't find old film canisters, tubes of Airborne work, too.)

Get the tutorial at Raising Lifelong Learners »

Coin Inertia

Stack up about five or so coins on a piece of cardboard and place it over a glass of water. Then, flick the cardboard out from on top of the glass. Do the coins drop into the water, or ride with the cardboard? Due to inertia, they drop into the water — a very visual (and fun!) demonstration of Newton's First Law of Motion.

Get the tutorial at Engineering Emily »

Apple Oxidation

What works best for keeping an apple from turning brown? Test to find out! Slice up an apple, and let each slice soak in a different liquid. Then take them out, lay them on a tray, and check the brownness after three minutes, six minutes and so on. Not only does this test the properties of different liquids, it also helps students practice the scientific method if they create hypotheses about which liquids would be most effective.

Get the tutorial at Jennifer Findley »

RELATED: 50 Fun Activities for Kids Will Keep Them Entertained for Hours

Coffee Ground Fossils

By making a salt dough with coffee grounds and pressing various shapes into it (toy dinosaur feet, seashells), kids can get a better understanding of how fossils are made. If you poke a hole in the top before it dries, the kids can hang their "fossils" up in their rooms.

Get the tutorial at Crafts by Amanda »

Chromatography Flowers

Chromatography is the process of separating a solution into different parts — like the pigments in the ink used in markers. If you draw stripes around a coffee filter, then fold it up and dip the tip in water, the water will travel up the filter and separate the marker ink into its different pigments (in cool patterns that you can display as a craft project). This family made the end-result even brighter by adding an LED circuit to the center.

Get the tutorial at Steam Powered Family »

Water Walking

You'll need six containers of water for this one: three with clear water, one with red food coloring, one with blue coloring, and one with yellow coloring. Arrange them in a circle, alternating colored and clear containers, and make bridges between the containers with folded paper towels. Your kids will be amazed to see the colored water "walk" over the bridges and into the clear containers, mixing colors, and giving them a first-hand look at the magic of capillarity.

Get the tutorial at Fun Learning for Kids »

Sunscreen Test

This experiment puts the A (art) in STEAM: Paint different designs on construction paper with different sunscreens, leave the papers out in the sun and compare the results. Then, hang your "conclusions" on your fridge.

Get the tutorial at Tonya Staab »

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50+ Genius STEM Activities for Kids

With a name like The STEM Laboratory, it’s no surprise that we’re obsessed with science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) activities for kids.

These 50+ STEM projects are sure to keep little scientists engaged, learning and well-prepared for their STEM-filled future.

Get inspired below and then sign up for our 5 Day STEM Challenge!

Not only will you learn exactly how to plan and teach STEM like a pro – but we’ll show you how to do it using supplies you already have in your storage closet. Score!

It’s never been simpler (or faster!) to get everything in place. Hop over and join right here!

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Science Projects

There are countless science experiments for kids but these 14 projects are our hands-down favorites!

Make a mini model of the water cycle with just a Ziploc bag!

Turn your name into crystals!

Find out why the sky is blue. // Rookie Parenting

Test whether objects are magnetic . // The Measured Mom

Whip up some frothy, foamy toothpaste .

Pour ice that is warm to the touch but freezes.

Make one orange sink and another one float!

Pour a rainbow into a jar. 

Capture fireworks in a jar using just a few common household supplies. // I Can Teach My Child

Go fishing for ice.

Learn about color mixing when you make  water walk! // Parenting Chaos

Catch a cloud in a jar.

Build a sand volcano that really erupts. // Growing a Jeweled Rose

Play with Magnetic Slime . // Frugal Fun 4 Boys 

Technology Activities

Build robots that really walk, talk and “think”. // Amazon

Teach kids about coding !

Let kids have a little screen time playing 20 teacher-approved apps.

Program a set of kid-friendly robot friends: Dash and Dot . // Amazon

Or build a Kano computer! // Amazon

Engineering Projects

Solve a batch of LEGO challenge cards.

Fold paper into building blocks that really stack. // Babble Dabble Do

Use plastic cups and craft sticks to create four brilliant challenges . // Frugal Fun 4 Boys

Build with straws and tape. // Lemon Lime Adventures

Build structures with marshmallows and pretzels.

Design a pom pom drop  that guides the pom pom from one paper towel roll to the next. // Coffee Cups and Crayons

Learn about bridges and then build your own. // Carrots are Orange

Make a craft stick catapult that really launches!

Try a classic! Organize an egg drop challenge . Can you build a structure that will keep the egg from breaking?! // Buggy and Buddy

Build a batch of exploding boomerangs . // I Can Teach My Child

Test the strength of a piece of paper . // Creekside Learning

Make a moveable pulley! // Carrots Are Orange

Work as a team to build with pipe cleaners and aluminum foil. // Housing a Forest

Math Activities

Practice counting with some truck playdough mats . // Pre Kinders

Or add googly eyes to monsters! 

Teach kids about odd and even numbers with some hands-on activity sheets.

Clip 2-dimensional shapes. // The Measured Mom

Solve a batch of shape puzzles.

Use a Ziploc bag to solve addition problems on a number line. // Source unknown

Make a set of little math books. // Liz’s Early Learning Spot

Solve hands-on addition problems with LEGOS!

Play a round of math fact Jenga.

Learn about fractions with some handy pizza clip cards.

Practice adding together a handful of coins.

Teach kids about AM and PM.

Learn about the multiplication rule of nine. // Shelley Gray Teaching

Now Let’s Take Your STEM Centers to the Next Level

If you’re ready to give your STEM centers a MAJOR boost, hop over and take our 5 Day Challenge!

Not only will you learn exactly how to plan and teach STEM like a pro – but how to do it using supplies you already have in your storage closet.

It’s never been simpler (or faster!) to get everything in place.

Hop over and join right here!

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How do i buy the 50 genius stem activities for kids? i did not see that in the shop thank you

All of the STEM activities are linked to free blog posts. Just click on the activity you’d like to try and you’ll automatically be taken to the page with all the details. 🙂

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Science Fun

Science Experiments for Kids:

Science experiments you can do at home!  Explore an ever growing list of hundreds of fun and easy science experiments. Have fun trying these experiments at home or use them for science fair project ideas. Explore experiments by category, newest experiments, most popular experiments, easy at home experiments, or simply scroll down this page for tons of awesome experiment ideas!

Making A Volcano:

Acids and Bases Can Erupt in Your Faces

Orange Fizz:

Awesome Experiments:

New Experiments:

Check Out Our Newest Experiments

Top Experiments:

Easy Experiments:

Storm In A Glass:

Home Made Play Dough:

Snow Fluff:

Snow Globe:

Squishy Turkeys:

Rainbow in a Glass:

Sizzlin’ Snowballs:

Jello Lenses:

Ice Fishing:

Super Cool Soda:

Jack-O-Cano:

Dancing Hearts:

Marbled Gift Wrap:

Massive Expanding Soap:

Surface Tension Art:

Fizzy Fruit:

Rotting Pumpkin:

Explode A Bag:

Invisible Extinguisher:

Paper Hovercrafts:

Fun Fossil Stamps:

Cool Crystals:

Balloon Pop! Not!

Solar Eclipse Kit:

Moldy Apples:

Cool Off Volcanoes:

Vinegar Pops:

Make It Rain:

Black Light Blue Beverage:

Changing of the Leaves:

Snowflakes:

Water Fireworks:

Mind of a Student:

Balloon Speakers:

Polar Bear Blubber:

Gorgeous Gooey Gobstoppers:

Olympic Medals:

Dyed Flowers:

Rain, Rain, Don’t Go Away Gauge:

Blossoming Beans:

Butter Fingers:

Polishing Pennies:

Dancing Liquid:

Floating Egg:

Bendy Bones:

Pot Of Gold:

Layers of Liquids:

Crystal Candy:

100 Fun Science Experiments / Science Fair Projects for Kids

• May 16, 2021
• Science Experiments

Enjoy the huge collection of Fun and Interesting Experiments / Science Fair projects for all Kids!

In this ever-changing world, simply knowledge is not enough! The only way to bridge the gap between knowledge and real-time application is by performing experiments.

The school does a great job in inculcating practical skills in children by arranging projects and exhibitions.

So, we decided to help your child come up with some amazing experiments and impress their teachers and peers.

100 Science Experiments for Kids

Crystal-based experiments  .

Crystals are fun to play with but the fact that kids can make crystals of their own using some basic chemicals is all the more interesting!

They can make their own snowflakes and add customized crystals to their favourite objects. Not worrying about them melting, they can hang it up on their Christmas tree and show it off.

The below-mentioned experiments will help them venture into the magical world of crystals and the process of making them.

• Learn how to Make Snow Crystals at Home!
• Make your own Crystal Snowman!
• Learn how to make a Borax Crystal Flower!
• DIY a Crystal Candy Cane
• Make your own Crystal Hearts!
• How to Make Crystal Snowflakes

Atmospheric Pressure-based Experiments

We humans cannot quite tell the effects of atmospheric pressure on our body because the effect has been there since the day we were born.

Kids can study the effect of atmospheric pressure by experimenting with different objects.

From inflating a balloon to building a balloon-powered car, kids can study the pushing and pulling of air and the motion it causes to an object near it.

Your child will be able to raise up the water level thereby going against gravity. The following experiments are going to spark a light in the minds of your kids.

• Learn how to Put an Egg in a Bottle Without Touching it
• Make a DIY Car Launcher!
• Launch your Paper Cup in the Air!
• Can you Crush a Can Without Actually Crushing it?
• Make Water go Against Gravity!
• Make a Multi-Layered Fountain Using Just a Bottle!
• Make your very own Balloon Powered Car
• Blow Balloon in a Bottle!
• Fizzy Bottle Rocket Thruster
• Build a Fast Balloon Car in Minutes!
• Importance of Oxygen for Burning
• DIY a Locker with Number a Password

Surface Tension-based Experiments

Surface tension is a phenomenon that every liquid, up to some extent, shows.

It is nothing but the sticky effect liquids show on the walls of the container or any boundary as such.

Surface tension is a very interesting concept and hence, by performing the experiments given below, kids will not only grasp it well but also start to notice its day-to-day applications.

The purpose of performing experiments on surface tension is to make the children aware of its wide range of applications.

Using this concept, kids can form bubbles of different shapes and sizes. They can also build soap powered boats. All the possible, and fun, applications of surface tension are mentioned below.

• Pierce a Skewer and Watch the Balloon not Pop at all!
• DIY your Square Bubble
• Make a Soap Powered Boat!
• The Bubble Tree Wand
• Cute Heart Shaped Bubble Wands
• Cute Easter Egg Bubble Wands

Electricity and Magnetism

The world is governed by the phenomenon of electricity and magnetism. Electricity can produce magnetism and magnetism can produce electricity.

Static electricity works on the concept of friction. Friction causes the exchange of electrons, hence cause a small amount of electricity.

How are we supposed to make the kids understand such complex terms?  Simply, ask them to perform activities and experiments that are mentioned below.

These experiments are going to help them grasp concepts at a faster rate. From questions like why do paper pieces stick to the comb, to making their very first electromagnet, we will guide them through our experiments and make them jr. geniuses.

• DIY Fridge Magnet Runner
• Simple Way to Turn a Non-magnet to a Magnet
• How to Make Balloons Stick to your Hair
• Use Science to Bend Water!
• Attract Salt and Pepper with Static Electricity!
• DIY Magnet Maze Runner
• Build your own Magnet Maze
• Identify Magnets with Us!

Biology-Based Experiments

Kids are curious beings. What if, out of the blue, they ask you the lifecycle of a ladybug or a silkworm? Why and how do plants breathe? Why is brushing teeth so important? Won’t it be a little overwhelming to tell them the entire process verbally?

That is exactly why performing experiments is very much important. The purpose of the below-mentioned experiments is to build in them the biological terms and their application in real life.

These experiments teach your kids important life processes like respiration, absorption and bacterial growth. Each experiment is aimed toward complete understanding and application of concepts.

• Make your own Mushroom Spore Monkey!
• Have Fun and Learn about Different Seeds!
• Learn how Absorption Changes Color of Flowers
• A Fun Way to Learn Respiration in Plants!
• Walking Water Experiment
• What is the Chlorophyll Effect?
• DIY Model of Lifecycle of a Ladybug
• Learn how Important Brushing your Teeth is
• 3D Model of Life Cycle of a Silkworm
• Steps to Clean and Dissect Owl Pellets
• Learn how to Bend a Bone Using just Vinegar

Luminance-based Experiments

Children love working with lasers. The light that emits from lasers mesmerizes them. It’s so much fun to walk with a fluorescent stick at night!

Can you believe what impact would it have on their minds if we told them they can illuminate ice cubes? How about emitting light off of water?

Performing the below experiments, the child will know exactly what superpowers, simply to put it, chemicals, he/she needs to emit light out of any object.

They can create customized lamps by using home ingredients. Here are some experiments kids can perform to see the magic of science!

• Use Science to Make Water Glow!
• Make your Own Glow Water Beads!
• How to Make Edible Glowing Ice Cubes
• How to Make a Customized Lava Lamp

Test your Touch Senses!

Wouldn’t it be amazing for children to know that a substance can neither be solid nor be liquid? Imagine creating a customized substance that doesn’t flow but slip right through your fingers when you pick it up.

Kids are going to love it! Through these experiments, they will become more aware of their touch.

• Learn how to Make a Solid that Acts as a Liquid!
• Test your Touch Sense with Jelly

Density-based Experiments

Why do you think ice-cream floats above your smoothie? Why are air conditioners installed up on the wall and heaters next to the floor? Why are cold fluids denser than hot fluid?

You might have the answer but the learning doesn’t stop at knowing, it requires the application of knowledge too. 

The experiments mentioned below help kids to grasp the importance of the density of the different fluid and gives them enough knowledge of whether an object is going to sink or float.

• Learn how to Make your Ice-Cream Float!
• Analyze Balloon Behavior in Cold and Hot Water
• Can you Make an Egg Float?
• Watch Color Spread in Slow Motion because of Density
• Build a 9 Layer Density Tower using Science!
• Can Change in Density Resists Mixing of Water?
• Draw Figures that Float in Water!
• Can Candles Play See-Saw?

Some Fun Experiments and Small Concepts

Play and learn concepts:.

These experiments are easy going and focus more on the concept than on the application.

They help kids to test their knowledge and to gain some more!

The purpose of these experiments is to teach kids to be good observers and analyzers.

• Learn Moon Phases with Oreo!
• How Strong Can an Egg be?
• Test the Strength of Eggshells
• The Behavior of Water at Triple Point
• Learn how Baking Soda Changes the Temperature of Water
• Play and Learn about the Refraction of Light!

Become an Inventor:

Let your child go crazy with his/her creative skills. The list of activities below will inspire them to be the creators of the next generation. Let them build catapults, hot air balloons and their very own anemometer.

Building objects from scratch helps the child’s imagination power to grow. The child will be able to read and apply instantly and build up the patience to finally produce the end product.

• Easy Way to Make Baking Soda & Vinegar Powdered Boat!
• Natural Dye your Fabrics, Eggs and Papers with Home Ingredients
• Naturally Dye your Easter Eggs in Few Minutes
• Build your very own Anemometer!
• An Easy Way to Build a Hovercraft
• Easily build a Construction set with Cardboard Slots!
• Build a Fun Pulley
• Build a Robotic Arm in Few Easy Steps
• Build 3D Structures with Clay!
• Easy Steps to Build a Catapult
• Upcycled DIY Catapult
• Build Balance Scales for Toddlers
• Hacks to Make a Mini Hot Air Balloon
• How to Create World’s Fastest Paper Airplane
• Hacks to Make Your own Electric Newton’s Disc
• Write a Secret Message Using Simple Science!
• Where did the water go?
• Make your own Mini Tornado
• How to Create a Customized Bouncy Ball
• Make a Mini Volcano Mountain Erupt!
• Start a Fire using Magnifying glass

Experiment with Foodstuffs:

Eggs, sugar, jellies, you name it we can give you an experiment on it. Through these experiments, you will learn how science is present in the smallest of the smallest things.

Change the colour of your rainbow, use orange peels to make fireworks, isn’t that crazy?

Go through the list of experiments and pick up your favourite foodstuff to start. You will be amazed how science can turn a simple item into a masterpiece!

• Have you Heard of Edible Sugar Glass?
• Making Homemade Butter!
• Easy Steps for Kids to Make Curd!
• Learn how to make Fizzy Sherbet!
• Create and Customize your Skittle Rainbow
• How to DIY your Crackers Using Orange Peels, at Home
• How to Change the Color of your Egg to Silver
• Customize your Rainbow with Sugar!
• Make your Own Rainbow Rubber Egg
• Can you Dissolve Eggshells?
• Home made pH paper using Red Cabbage

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Fun with Science: 27 Sensory Science Experiments for Kids

If you told my 15-year-old self I would one day be sitting at this desk writing a post about sensory science experiments for kids, I wouldn’t have believed you.

And yet, here we are, LOL.

While I did the mandatory biology, chemistry, and geology courses in middle and high school, I found each subject tedious, boring, and difficult, and figured I just wasn’t smart enough to be a scientist.

I avoided anything to do with science from grade 10 onwards, and it wasn’t until my daughter started telling me about all of the amazing science experiments she did in preschool and kindergarten that I started poking around on Pinterest for science experiments for kids we could do together at home, and I was pleasantly surprised with all of the fun ideas I found.

As it turns out, science can actually be fun!

RELATED:  100+ Fun STEM / STEAM Projects and Why They Work

And with a huge shift towards STEM learning , finding ways to get kids interested in science is becoming more important than ever. Whether you’re looking for sensory science experiments for kids in preschool and kindergarten, or amazing science experiments for kids in elementary school and beyond, we’ve got 27 super cool ideas below!

What is Science?

Simply put, science refers to the act of studying the world around us.

There are all different types of science – biology, chemistry, physics, botany, paleontology, geology, astronomy, etc. – and scientists study these through observation, hypotheses, prediction, and experimentation.

Why Is It Important to Do Science Experiments with Kids?

With more classrooms focusing on STEM education – a multifaceted approach to learning that combines science, technology, engineering, and math to develop a child’s problem solving and critical thinking skills while also encouraging creativity, communication, and teamwork – finding ways to foster a love for science is becoming more important than ever. Engaging children in science experiments at home and in the classroom:

• Encourages higher level thinking
• Teaches children not to accept the status quo and make their own predictions
• Fosters an interest and excitement for research
• Provides opportunities for failure in a safe environment
• Encourages innovative and creative thinking
• Teaches children how to work collaboratively

Unfortunately, kids are often taught that science is boring and difficult, and if parents and teachers don’t intervene, these negative thoughts can persist through high school and beyond, making children less interested in and willing to participate in STEM-based subjects. This can have a huge impact on their academic growth and development, not to mention their career paths.

How to Get Kids Excited About Science

Start young. It’s never too early to get kids excited about science and other important areas of education, and the internet is filled with all kinds of amazing science experiments for kids of all ages. Sensory science experiments tend to work best with younger kids as they are more hands on, and we’ve rounded up some fabulous ideas below to inspire you!

Make it hands on. Instead of getting kids to MEMORIZE scientific facts and equations, get them involved! Not only will this make your lesson plans more engaging and fun, but it will also help your students retain more information.

Appeal to your child’s interests. If you’re finding it difficult to foster a love for science in your child, find ways to apply it to the things he or she loves. Think outside the box and use props, materials, and/or toys that appeal to your child’s interests to capture his or her attention and make learning fun instead of tedious.

Get online. There’s no question that our children love spending time watching TV and on their iPad, so use this to your advantage! Find science-themed TV shows and search YouTube for inspirational videos and tutorials your child might find interesting.

Be a good role model. Instead of telling your child how much you hated science when you were in school (ahem…), model everyday inquisitive behavior to foster a love for learning in your child. You will be amazed at what this simple change in mindset can do!

Make it fun!  From sensory science experiments for preschoolers, to amazing science experiments for kids in elementary school, there are SO MANY WAYS you can make science fun for kids. We’re rounded up 27 ideas for kids aged 3 to 13 below to help get you started!

14 Sensory Science Experiments for Preschoolers

Fizzing Colors Baking Soda & Vinegar Experiment | Happy Hooligans Heat Sensitive Color Changing Slime | Left Brain Craft Brain Instant Hot Ice with Baking Soda and Vinegar | Frugal Fun with Boys and Girls Fizzy Cloud Dough Experiment | Powerful Mothering Floating M M&M Candy Science Experiment | Little Bins for Little Hands Underwater Magic Sand | Teaching Mama Turn Milk Into Plastic! | How Wee Learn What Dissolves in Water Experiment | Hands On As We Grow Rainbow Soap Foam | The Chaos and the Clutter Melting Snowman Baking Soda Science Experiment | Little Bins for Little Hands Expanding Ivory Soap Experiment | The STEM Laboratory Dancing Oobleck | Housing a Forest Elephant Toothpaste | Preschool Powol Packets Erupting Apple Science Experiment | Little Bins for Little Hands

13 Amazing Science Experiments for Kids in Elementary School

Salt Volcano Liquid Density Science Experiment | What Do We Do All Day? Static Electricity Butterfly Experiment | I Heart Crafty Things Magic Milk Science Experiment | Natural Beach Living How Clouds Make Rain | Mrs. Jones’ Creative Station How to Make a Lava Lamp | 123 Homeschool 4 Me Glowing Tornado in a Jar | Growing a Jeweled Rose Fireworks in a Jar | I Can Teach My Child Crystal Growing Experiment | Creekside Learning The Science of Sound Waves | Edventures with Kids Invisible Ink Science Experiment | Homeschool-101 Snow Volcanoes | Growing a Jeweled Rose Frozen Bubbles Science Experiment for Kids | Growing a Jeweled Rose Homemade Butter Science Experiment | 123 Homeschool for Me

I hope this collection of tips to get kids excited about science, as well as the sensory science experiments for younger kids and the awesome science experiments for older kids we’ve included inspires you in your quest to raise inquisitive learners!

‘We should not teach children the sciences but give them a taste for them.’ -Jean Jacques Rosseau

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And if you’re looking for more ways to have fun with your students and/or children, please follow our Kids board where we share all kinds of fun ideas we find each day!

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7-9 Year Olds

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Here are some fun science activity suggestions that we’ve done on Go Science Kids that I think primary (or elementary) school aged kids (7-9+ year olds) might like to try.

We’ll be adding more ideas as we go, so be sure to bookmark this page (or subscribe ) to keep up with the latest.

Fun Science & STEM Activities for 7-9 Year Olds

Want even MORE science fun?

Here are some cool science activities, that I’ve found from around the web that I think would be perfect for the 7-9 year old age group:

• Make (and decorate) your own inertia zoom ball – these look fun! From What Do We Do All Day .
• Did you know you can make homemade magnetic slime ? So awesome. From Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls .
• Try these three different ways to make water wheels . Which one works best? From JDaniel4’s Mom .
• Make a hurricane in a bottle , or more precisely, in two bottles! These kids did this activity as part of an astronomy lesson on the eye of Jupiter (cool!), but you could also do it as an (earth) weather lesson. From My Joy Filled Life .
• Here’s how to make a cool DIY Wind Anemometer (and learn what that even is), from There’s Just One Mommy .
• Create constellations using DIY magnetic LED lights , then turn the lights of to see them shine! From Buggy and Buddy .
• Or you could use up some of those loom bands and create constellation patterns on a geoboard . From School Time Snippets .
• Create your own body-shaped chalk board, so kids can draw their skeleton . Once they’ve mastered bones, they could move on to drawing in the organs. And could double as a great prop for Halloween! From Fantastic Fun and Learning .
• Planet Smarty Pants has a great series on teaching kids to think like scientists. Here’s one activity where she challenged her daughter to separate and identify two unknown substances .
• Learn about geology, and more specifically, how to test if a found rock is limestone using just everyday materials you’ll already have at home. From KC Edventures .
• Or if you’re a bit more hardcore, you can try a similar experiment using hardware store supplies. A few precautions (safety goggles etc) are needed for this one, but kids should love seeing the sedimentary rocks fizzle and bubble . From Preschool Powol Packets .
• Learn about noise vibrations with these cool DIY spinning noise makers . (And then send the kids over to the grandparents house to annoy them with the noise. They’ll love that!) From What Do We Do All Day?
• Can you make a balloon-powered boat ? From JDaniel4’s Mom .
• Make your own pH indicator using cabbage ! And then play around with natural acids and bases to make colour changing potions. So much fun! From What Do We Do All Day?
• Making your own cartesian diver is an awesome classic buoyancy science activity. Buggy and Buddy has a cute “squidy” cartesian diver idea , and JDaniel4’s Mom shows how to make one with a LEGO man . Schooling A Monkey has a ketchup fish version which demonstrates one of the ways fish can rise and sink in the water .
• Can you design and build shelters to protect UV-sensitive animals from the sun ? Afterwards, you can test how effective your designs are, with UV-sensitive beads! From Buggy and Buddy .
• Learn about simple lab techniques and how to think like a scientist while exploring unknown substances, with this exploring an unknown liquid experiment . From Planet Smarty Pants .
• Have you tried making Borax crystals yet? It’s a popular science experiment or demonstration for this age group, because it’s always really impressive! You’ve probably seen a few of our own crystal science activities above. One Creative Mommy made letter and spiral crystals and Little Bins for Little Hands has a cool crystal bouquet of flowers version.
• NurtureStore shows how to make beautiful crystals using alum . These look like diamonds. 🙂
• The Coke & Mentos explosion is classic science that’s always impressive. Lemon Lime Adventures shows three ways to try it.
• Make your own thermometer ! (No mercury required). From What Do We Do All Day?
• If you’re looking for an outdoor science activity, this DIY PVC pipe rocket launcher looks like it would be a ‘blast’. Lol. From Preschool Powol Packets .
• Are your kids crafty? Encourage them to learn about electronics and circuits, while creating super cute ‘make a wish’ light up birthday card for a friend . From Artsy Momma .
• Can you make an igloo? Science, engineering, fine motor skills, and patience are required for this one! From Preschool Powol Packets .
• What is the best DIY fertiliser? This would be a great activity for spring. From Planet Smarty Pants .
• Speaking of spring, KC Edventures has a fascinating post about exploring the anatomy of a flower . NurtureStore has a similar post about dissecting daffodils . I can’t wait to try this in the spring!
• And here’s a fun physics lesson for summer out in the backyard. Can you make an empty soft drink (soda) can twist without touching it ? From Kids Minds .
• NurtureStore shows how you can incorporate kitchen potion making with chemistry and the periodic table . Fun!

Want even, EVEN more?

There are plenty of activities and ideas in the same section of our Fun Science for 5-6 Year Olds page – many of these activities would be appropriate for 7-9 year olds as well. Often there are usually extension ideas to make them more challenging if need be, and you could always adapt the activities yourself as well, by encouraging kids to follow the scientific method, hypothesize, plan and set up the activities for themselves, experiment with changing one variable at a time, document the process, etc.

Do you know of any other cool science ideas that would be great for 7-9 year olds to try? I’d love to hear of them!

Please note….

All kids activities on this blog require attentive adult supervision. Parents and carers will need to judge whether a particular activity is appropriate their child’s age and skill level. Click here for more information.

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10 of the BEST Science Experiments for Kids

May 28, 2021 By Emma Vanstone 1 Comment

Here at Science Sparks, we’ve tried a lot of science experiments over the years; some have been brilliant on the first go, some have taken a LOT of tweaking, and some have been a complete disaster! Most have been great fun, whatever the outcome. To save you and your budding scientist the disasters, I’ve put together a list of the BEST science experiments for kids !

The BEST Science Experiments for Kids

1. mini baking soda rocket.

Up first is my mini baking soda powered rocket . A fun way to do this activity is to split it into two parts.

Design the Rocket

It needs to stand up with a gap between where the cork fits and the floor. Remember not to add too many decorations or it will be too heavy.

Launch the Rocket

Experiment with different amounts of baking soda and vinegar to find the best rocket fuel !

The rocket must be placed on a hard surface to launch.

2. Skittles Experiment

If you haven’t tried the good old skittles experiment, where HAVE you been?

Pour water over Skittles on a plate and watch as the colours dissolve from the candy into the water.

Investigate using different temperatures of water and even different types of sweets. If you have any Skittles left over at the end, another idea is to try some candy chromatography .

3. Elephants Toothpaste

Babble Dabble Do has the most amazing version of this explosive science activity. Elephant toothpaste is always fun!

4. Colour Changing Potions

Everyone loves a fizzy potion, but it’s even better if you can get it to change colour!

If you use red cabbage indicator juice as the base liquid for a traditional baking soda and vinegar potion , it will change colour as it reacts.

5. Chromatography

Chromatography is a visual way to separate the different dyes in inks. All you need is some non-washable felt tip pens, filter paper and water. It’s a brilliant colourful science investigation for kids .

A fun twist on this activity is to use candy instead of felt-tip pens. Watch as the candy colours separate as they travel up the filter paper.

6. Create a Chain Reaction or Rube Goldberg Machine

A Rube Goldberg machine uses the principle of a chain reaction to achieve an end goal. Examples are popping a balloon or delivering an item to someone.

7. Lolly Stick Explosion

A craft or lolly stick explosion is a fantastic group activity or science demonstration.

They take some time to set up but are worth the effort.

Oobleck is made from cornflour and water . It’s called a Non-Newtonian liquid as it feels solid when you squish it between your fingers but turns back into a liquid when the pressure is released.

9. Absorbing with Sugar Cubes

This activity uses sugar cubes to learn about absorption and properties of materials , especially whether they are waterproof or not.

The idea is to build a tower of sugar cubes and test different materials to see which can save the higher cubes. It’s a lovely visual, hands-on experiment.

10. Bouncy Egg

Do you know how to make an egg bounce ?

First, you need to remove the shell by soaking the egg in vinegar. This leaves just the membrane behind. Once you’ve washed off the shell, you can bounce the egg.

Take care with this one, as eventually, the egg will break!

What do you think? Have I missed any? What would you add to the list? Perhaps a mento geyser ?

More of the best science experiments for kids

Make dry erase pictures float with The Best Ideas for Kids.

Create a lens with jello and Science Fun.

Make a bouncy ball with The 36th Avenue , and then find out why balls bounce !

Set up a colourful fizzy rainbow with Messy Little Monster.

Make water travel down a string with Rookie Parenting.

Last Updated on April 9, 2024 by Emma Vanstone

Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

Reader Interactions

November 09, 2022 at 4:15 pm

Love the experiments! I really want to try one!

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12 ways to make science fun for your kids at home

The vinegar and baking soda volcano is a science fair classic, but making science fun for your kids can mean a lot more than making a mess of your kitchen.

If you're looking for a way to bring more science into your home, there are plenty of fun and even delicious ways to get kids excited about biology, chemistry, and physics — without a single worksheet.

Check out these 11 science projects for kids that are perfect for hands-on learning.

1. Make 'quicksand' with cornstarch

What kids will learn about: non-Newtonian fluids

While this might seem like a big task, you've likely done this before. When you slowly mix about 10 parts cornstarch to one part water, you create a liquid with the consistency of honey, and the properties of quicksand.

This is how it works: When you mix the cornstarch into the water, you create a suspension, which is when one substance is dispersed inside another. This makes the mixture act like a solid when pressure is applied, and a liquid when it's allowed to flow freely.

If you smack, slap, or scoop the mixture, it will feel solid since you'll be pushing the cornstarch particles closer together. Slowly run your fingers through it or pour it out, and it will flow like a liquid.

These mixtures are called non-Newtonian fluids, referring to Isaac Newton's observation that substances typically become more fluid when they're heated and viscous when they're cooled. Those substances, like honey, are Newtonian fluids.

Since the cornstarch goop's consistency is affected by pressure as well, it's considered a non-Newtonian fluid. Quicksand — a suspension of sand in water — works the same way.

2. Bake a paleontology cake

What kids will learn about: dinosaurs

There are plenty of cool ways to use science to create food — and we'll get to one later — but sometimes all you need is a cake to start an appetite for knowledge.

These paleontology-themed pastries don't automatically teach your children anything about dinosaurs, but it can be a delicious way to get them interested in learning more. Use them as a way to keep their attention as you teach them about the lizards that once ruled the Earth.

The above video shows how to make a very cool cake which lets kids brush aside cookie crumbs to reveal a dinosaur fossil. If you're after something a bit simpler with less potential for mess, you can also decorate a cake with a few fossil toys .

3. Create an electromagnet

What kids will learn about: electromagnetism

Making an electromagnet is a middle school science-class staple, and it's an easy project to do with a few small items from a hardware store. Simply wrap copper wire around a nail, connect the ends of the wire to a battery, and watch the magnetic magic unfold.

The magnetic field gets amplified with each additional loop around the wire, and your kids can test out different wire gauges, lengths, and materials to see which will make the strongest magnets.

4. Make pepper swim with dish soap

What kids will learn about: surface tension

Surface tension is a tricky concept to explain to younger children, but an easy and engaging thing to show them.

Here's how to do the pepper soap trick you've probably seen all over the internet:

Sprinkle a bunch of pepper on the surface of a bowl of water,

Then have a kid dip her finger in dish soap

Next, gently touch the surface of the water.

The pepper will jet to the edge of the bowl because the soap broke the surface tension of the water. Tah-dah!

Surface tension is the result of the surface-level molecules of water being pulled downward by attraction to other molecules. This holds them in place and allows particles like pepper to float on them.

Because soap is another highly attractive substance, it will pull the water molecules near it and break the surface tension. This flings the pepper particles out to the edges of the bowl, where the surface tension remains.

You can also do the same experiment with milk and food coloring .

5. Extract DNA from split peas

What kids will learn about: what DNA looks like

This might sound deceptively tricky, but with some household supplies and a little bit of lab equipment, you can help show your kids what DNA looks like. The video above walks you through the whole process, which involves breaking down the subject, using salt and meat tenderizer to release the DNA, and extracting it with alcohol.

An individual DNA molecule would be too small to see with the naked eye, but this experiment makes the long, sticky stands visibly tangle together.

6. Suck an egg into a bottle with fire

What kids will learn about: air pressure and vacuums

This is a surefire way to wow your kids with nothing more than a hard-boiled egg, a glass bottle, a lighter, and some paper. Take strip of paper, light it on fire, put it inside a glass bottle, and let the smoke reach the brim. As soon as it does, place the egg narrow-side down at the mouth of the bottle, and it will slowly get sucked into the bottle.

As the smoke fills the bottle and it heats up, the air inside expands. Once the flame is cut off by the egg's seal of the bottle, the air begins to cool and contract, creating a vacuum that sucks the egg in.

If you can't stand the smell of hard-boiled eggs or can't find the right size bottle, you can use balloons instead.

7. Make a carnation change colors

What kids will learn about: the vascular system of flowers

It's not the quickest science experiment, but it might be one of the coolest. Take a few white carnations, vases and different types of food coloring. Dye the water, then place the flowers in the different vases to watch them change color day by day.

You can even split stems to color one side of the carnation and not the other, or color it two different colors.

8. Make hot maple ice cream

What kids will learn about: molecular gastronomy

At its core, molecular gastronomy is using chemicals and creative cooking methods to create food that flips its usual form and function on its head. More home chefs have been trying out these techniques over the past few years, and you can join them by using a little bit of methyl cellulose to make a hot ice cream that melts as it cools.

Methyl cellulose is a derivative of plant cell walls, and creates gels only when it heats up. The recipe in the video above shows you how to make it yourself, and you can get the key ingredient for as cheap as $7.99 .

9. Build Heron's Fountain

What kids will learn about: air and pneumatic pressure

This modern adaptation of a first-century Alexandrian fountain is a great way to introduce kids to air and pneumatic pressure. Water and air pressure are moved through a series of tubes, which draw water down from the top, through the bottom, and up to the top again.

10. Explain why the sky is blue with milk, water, and a flashlight

What kids will learn about: rayleigh scattering.

Rayleigh scattering is what happens to light when it passes through the atmosphere. As light travels from the sun to Earth, it's absorbed and emitted by tiny particles, which scatter white light into different colors. Blue and violet are scattered the most, and because the sun emits more energy as blue light (which our eyes pick up better), our sky looks blue.

You can replicate this effect with a glass of water, milk, and a flashlight. Shine the light into the glass of water as you slowly add drops of milk. Once there are enough protein and fat particulates from the milk in the glass, the water will look blue.

11. Make your own rock candy

What kids will learn about: crystallization

If the dino cake and hot ice cream weren't enough, you can teach your kids all about crystallization with some rock candy. Simply mix sugar into water until the sugar stops dissolving. Then, tie a clean string to a butter knife laying across the top of a glass and pour in the solution.

Keep the glass covered with a paper towel or plastic wrap to keep out bacteria, and watch the crystals grow each day.

12. Bend chicken bones

What kids will learn about: calcium in bones

Like the carnation experiment, this science experiment takes a bit of time. However it's also incredibly simple — and a great excuse to order some fried chicken.

Simply immerse a clean, dry chicken bone in a jar of vinegar and leave it to soak for a week. Take the bone out, and you should be able to bend it fairly easily. This is due to the vinegar dissolving the calcium, which is what makes bones rigid. It's a great way to demonstrate to kids why they need to drink their milk or eat other calcium-rich foods.

And remember: all these science experiments for kids should be fun. They don't need to know they're learning something amazing and new.

And if you're looking for even more ways to keep your kids entertained at home:

STEM toys for kids

20 DIY projects to help you (or the kids) stay sharp while at home

BONUS: 5 Fun Science Experiments for Kids (w/ Grover!)

This story was originally published in 2014 and updated in 2020. Additional reporting by Amanda Yeo.

Amanda Yeo is Mashable's Australian reporter, covering entertainment, culture, tech, science, and social good. This includes everything from video games and K-pop to movies and gadgets.

STEM Water Projects and Science Experiments For Kids

50+ STEM Water Science Experiments and STEM Projects for Kids in Elementary – play, educate and grow with nature’s favourite drink

Water is one of the greatest mediums for exploring science. It’s easy to work with, it’s readily available, it’s safe and kids love playing with it. It is impossible not to have fun while learning with water. Are you looking for some great ideas for water projects in your class, homeschool or home? Find inspiration on this list of over 50 fun science experiments and water projects for kids!

The Best Water Science Experiments for Kids

What you will discover in this article!

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Influencer I earn from qualifying purchases. Not seeing our videos? Turn off any adblockers to ensure our video feed can be seen. Or visit our YouTube channel to see if the video has been uploaded there. We are slowly uploading our archives. Thanks!

To make navigating this resource easier, I have divided all of our water projects and STEM activities into some general categories.

CHEMISTRY WATER EXPERIMENTS

Bath Bombs or Bath Fizzies are the ultimate in bath time fun! They are also an exceptional chemistry experiment. You can simply make a bath bomb and see how water is the magic ingredient to trigger the reaction, or do a science experiment exploring the effect of water temperature on bath bomb reactions .

Water Lab Exploring Safe Drinking Water is a science experiment that turns students into water testers with an eye for safety. Using water sources around your home or school you can easily set up this activity and in the process learn a valuable lesson about how precious safe water is for families everywhere. For more testing ideas you can check out this article .

What’s the difference between baking soda and baking powder? Learn the answer in this experiment. Take water and add sodium bicarbonate or baking powder. Watch the results to see something spectacular!

Super Simple Chemistry is a kid favourite activity that explores how different substances mix with water. Not everything dissolves, start exploring these ideas with this simple activity.

Learn about pH (acidic and basic) properties with this fun fluids experiment that uses items from your kitchen to create a fascinating lab study.

Elephant Toothpaste might not seem like a water science experiment at first, but this activity is actually really cool because one of the by products of the chemical reaction is water!

WATER PROJECTS EXPLORING DENSITY

Skittles Experiments require only two things – Skittles and Water. It may be simple, but this is one water experiment that is stunningly gorgeous and will have kids begging for more science time! With our study we brought in Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night as a way to see fluid dynamics in action.

The classic oil and water experiment is a fascinating way to introduce students the density, and in this experiment the results are beautiful!

Marble Run Density Project is a simple activity that explores the density of different liquids using marbles. It’s fun and accessible for all ages. Everyone loves a good race!

Does It Float – Pop Can edition is a fascinating activity that demonstrates how the density of different canned drinks affects whether they float or not. The results are fun and this makes for a great activity during camp outs.

Teaching The Scientific Process With Water Balloons – This is a fantastic idea for learning how to create scientific proof by exploring the science behind the “does it float pop can edition” experiment.

COLOURFUL WATER PROJECTS

Chromatography Flowers is a super easy activity that even little kids will be able to do with minimal adult help. Watch how water helps colours travel through the coffee filter making pretty designs. For older kids, take the challenge up a level and light up your flowers with a simple circuit building activity.

Walking Rainbow – This was our attempt at the walking rainbow experiment but when things went wrong it became a whole new and exciting water science lesson.

WINTER THEMED WATER PROJECTS FOR KIDS

It’s time to get chilly with this mind bending experiment. In Snow and Ice Simple Science – Melting Magic we ask kids to predict the outcome of a test that will have them saying WOW! when they see the outcome.

Why does salt melt ice? This STEM activity dives into some great winter science as it explores how salt affects ice.

Live somewhere cold? Explore the Mpemba Effect in a spectacular way as you create snow.

Bottle Crush is a project that will have kids asking to go outside on a cold winter day over and over again. Like magic, kids will learn how to crush a plastic bottle without touching it, astounding their friends and family.

Ice Fishing Science Experiment – What is more winter than Ice Fishing? In this fun, hands on science, kids learn how salt and water interact as they go fishing for the big catch! A great challenge for a classroom or summer camp.

SWEET WATER SCIENCE

Slurpee Science Continue exploring the power of salt and water with states of matter changes with this experiment that ends with a tasty treat.

Layered Lollipops is a fascinating study into density. Makes a beautiful experiment that smells amazing!

Lego Gummy Mummies is a project that explores what happens when water is removed, also known as desiccation which is part of the mummification process. It’s also an experiment using candy minifigs, so kids love it!

ENGINEERING WITH WATER PROJECTS

Build A Water Clock and learn a bit about history with this easy STEM project. This project can be scaled for use by kids of all ages.

Ice STEM Projects explore all the amazing things you can do when water enters a solid state, better known as ice! The dinosaur ice sculpture is just too cute and kids will love engineering their own ice creations.

Build a Compass and embrace your inner Einstein! Witness the invisible forces that captured a young Einstein’s imagination and led to a lifetime of incredible discoveries.

Build a Heart Model filled with water (aka blood) and explore how the blood moves around the heart.

Engineer An Ice Lantern , perfect for the holidays.

WATER PROJECTS THAT ARE LIKE MAGIC

Chasing Hearts – This science experiment is like magic as you explore science and physics principles, all while playing a fun game!

Keep it Dry – A slight of hand activity that kids of all ages love to take a turn at. Become a magical scientist!

Why Does Water Rise? is an activity that is like magic! Kids love this STEM Activity that involves a little tech in the investigative process.

Build a Leak Proof Bag that is filled with water and pierced through with tons of pencils? Sounds impossible, but it’s not if you know the science!

ENVIRONMENTAL WATER PROJECTS FOR KIDS

Students get hands on with a major threat to our marine environments in this Oil Spill Cleanup Experiment .

Learn about the Water Cycle in this simple science experiment in a jar. Perfect for students or as a classroom demonstration.

In this experiment, explore how acid rain affects plant life . It is a simple experiment with powerful results.

Next, we explore how water pollution affects plants . This is a simple experiment exploring the effects of water pollution in two different ways. Students learn about osmosis, pH and the scientific method.

The Water Desalinization Project is a interesting activity that explores how to remove the salt from salt water making it safe to drink.

This Fish Diving Activity is a neat way to explore how fish use air to help them move around underwater. A similar activity involves creating a Cartesian Diver .

SENSORY WATER PROJECTS

DIY Play Dough Bubble Bath is not a water project exactly, but it’s an inexpensive way to create some bubble bath play dough. Perfect for doing water projects with kids in the bath tub or at a water table.

Oobleck is a captivating activity to explore the difference in liquids. With the addition of one ingredient to water you create the most bizarre substance. Oobleck projects are an excellent addition to the study of states of matter and the senses. We LOVE playing with Oobleck and have created dozens of fun ways to explore this non-Newtonian Fluid.

DIY Soap Projects , especially Soap Jellies are a fantastic sensory experience that will encourage kids to get clean! They are so much fun, and super easy to make. For an incredible cross study, make our DIY Layers of the Ocean soap and learn about the ocean with this gorgeous and easy soap making project.

More Water Science Experiments

Explore why the Sky Changes Colour in this fascinating and simple science project demonstrating how the skies change colour during sunrise and sunset.

Another great project is the Rainbow Rain Project . Students will create a stunning display of colour in a jar to explore how clouds (made with shaving cream), hold and release moisture, creating rain! This project is GORGEOUS and so simple.

Magic Glitter is a cool experiment that is also a powerful demonstration on how soap works and why it is so important to wash your hands with soap.

Have fun learning with nature’s most valuable liquid – water!

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• Science Fair Project Ideas for Kids, Middle & High School Students ⋅

Fun Science Projects for 7- to 8-Year-Olds

How to Make a Tornado in a Bottle Using Dishwashing Liquid

Science projects for elementary school students not only teach the students about particular topics in science, but they also provide fun and excitement. Instead of studying and doing homework, science projects are interactive and hands on. This can help a student understand new concepts. There are several projects that are fun and educational that elementary school students can conduct.

Create a Lava Lamp

Investigate the density between oil and water through a homemade lava lamp. In this experiment the students needs a clear plastic or glass bottle with a cap, vegetable oil, one Alka-Seltzer tablet, water and food coloring. Oil and water do not mix because water molecules are highly attracted to one another and oil is less dense than water, causing it to float on top of water. Fill the bottle 75 percent full of vegetable oil and add water to the remaining open space, leaving about an inch of air space. Choose a food color for the lamp and add 10 drops to the bottle. Break the Alka-Seltzer tablet into small pieces and add them one piece at a time. Record all results and take pictures if possible. Watch how the Alka-Seltzer tablet causes bubbling. After the bubbling stops, cap the bottle. Feel free to shake the bottle and observe the reaction.

Quicksand makes for a fun project for elementary schoolchildren that can be conducted safely at home, as well as demonstrated in the classroom for fellow students. The experiment requires 1 cup of corn flour, 1/2 cup of water and a large plastic container. Mix the corn flour and water in the container to make instant quicksand. Bring the project into school, along with additional corn flour and water. Illustrate how the quicksand is made. In addition, create a poster board with pictures, background information on quicksand components and problems it causes, as well as its distribution globally.

Bottled Tornado

Create a water vortex, or tornado, in a bottle for a science project. This is perfect for elementary schoolchildren because the necessary materials are found at home, such as liquid dish soap, water and glitter. Fill a soda plastic bottle three-fourths of the way with water and add three drops of dish soap. Sprinkle in glitter, securely fasten the cap and turn the bottle upside down and spin it in a circular motion. A mini-tornado should appear in the water. Bring this to class along with a poster presentation with pictures of tornadoes and written information on tornado development, locations and causes.

Water Sampling for Microorganisms

Explore different water environments around your home, such as the backyard, ponds, streams or the ocean. Natural water can contain different types of microscopic creatures. This project allows the student to collect field samples and learn to identify different microscopic animals. All that is needed is a microscope and microscope slides. Collect water samples in plastic containers. Remember to properly label the containers with the origin of the sample. Using a dropper, place a couple drops onto a microscope slide. Observe under the microscope. Remember to draw pictures of each slide. Try to identify the organisms, such as algae, amoebas and protozoans. Create a poster presentation of your slides and organisms found. Compare the results between sample locations.

Related Articles

How to make a tornado in a bottle using dishwashing..., water bottle science experiments, environmental science activities for kids, science projects with dishwashing liquid, density experiments for elementary, why are agar plates kept inverted whenever possible, how to test for mold in water, school projects on pollution, what is the difference between a control & a controlled..., the effects of water pollution around the world, science projects on dish detergents, science project and fair ideas, topics for experiments in ecology, types of water ecosystems, is hydropower a non-renewable or renewable resource, how to build a model tornado, ecosystem of ponds for kids, how to look at pond water with a microscope, how to make a whirlpool science project, how to build a miniature float school project.

• Education: Make Your Own Lava Lamp
• Science Kids: Make Your Own Quick Sand
• Science Kids: Make a Tornado in a Bottle
• Science Kids: Microscopic Creatures in Water

About the Author

Based in Huntington Beach, Calif., Dana Schafer has been writing environmental articles and grant proposals since 2006. Schafer has written for Grace Unlimited Corporation and Youth Have Vision. Schafer is in the process of receiving a Master of Science in biology from California State University, Long Beach.

Photo Credits

Jupiterimages/liquidlibrary/Getty Images

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• Raising Kids

The Best Science Kits for Hands-On STEM Fun

Kids of all ages will have a blast (but not literally) while learning.

In This Article

• Our Top Picks

Our Review Process

• Factors to Consider

Your Questions, Answered

Parents / Alli Waataja

You might not realize it, but you’ve probably been teaching your child science their whole life. Maybe they’ve watched you cook, or you pointed out a frozen puddle during a winter stroll. Science is all around us, waiting to be explored. But if you want to continue those lessons more purposefully, the best science kits for kids can help.

Even without your help, children are natural scientists, constantly observing, inquiring, discovering, testing, and problem-solving, according to Rachel Robertson, vice president of education development at Bright Horizons. “They’re masters at cause-and-effect experiments. They ask lots of questions. They make mistakes and try again. These are all valuable aspects of any STEM learning.”

Science kits can be a great addition to these instinctual learning experiences. “[Kits] tap into a child’s curiosity and provide a hands-on learning experience that can deepen their understanding of scientific concepts and provide opportunities for them to build, be creative, have fun, and explore new things,” says Michelle Felder, LCSW, MA, a parenting therapist and founder of Parenting Pathfinders. Not only does a good kit make abstract scientific concepts more tangible , enjoyable, and easier to understand, it can also boost a child’s confidence. “Science kits [let them] develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills as they make observations, engage in experiments, and explore how one thing can impact another.”

Whether they’re watching a volcano explode with foam “lava,” completing circuits that light up a room, or churning ice cream (yes, that’s science), playing with our favorite science kits can ignite your child’s love of learning. While we used our own kids’ experiences and consulted experts to create this list, every child is unique in their needs, development, skill set, and preferences. Choosing a kit that’s safe, fun, and reflective of their interests is key. Ultimately, one of these can spark your child’s curiosity and deepen their understanding of science.

Best for Preschoolers

Learning resources mix and measure activity kit.

If your 3-year-old always grabs at your measuring cups when you’re cooking, you might have a budding scientist on your hands. Why not let them experiment with their own? Measuring and mixing builds early math and science skills. The chunky, colorful tools in this set are contoured for little hands, and the activity cards introduce children to measurement while making mystery goo, puffy paint, slime, and more. For ages 3 and up.

Best for Pretend Play

Just play ada twist, scientist on the go lab set.

Consider this portable play with a side of learning. Based on the children’s book by Andrea Beatty , which gained more fame through a Michelle and Barack Obama-produced Netflix show, this kit inspires young children to view science as something fun and exciting. The colorful wheely case opens up to reveal test tubes, a beaker, safety goggles, a working scale, and other tools. Grownups can help conduct kid-friendly experiments with six instruction cards, or little ones can do them on their own. For ages 3 and up.

Best First Experiments

Learning resources primary science lab deluxe set.

Spark a preschooler’s imagination with more hands-on science investigation . Curious kids can conduct 20 “experiments” such as shining pennies, making a homemade volcano, and mixing colors with this kit. We love that it fosters independence through easy-to-understand instructions and real science tools such as test tubes, eye droppers, funnels, flasks, a magnifying scope, safety glasses, and more, all sized for little hands and made from durable plastic. For ages 3 and up.

Most Delicious

Kiwico science of cooking: ice cream.

While KiwiCo's subscription kits are great for a monthly dose of STEM, this one-off purchase by the company makes science literally cool. Your little scientist will learn about crystals, freezing points, and food stabilizers as they mix and shake, shake, shake their way into making delicious frozen desserts to share with the family. Instructions and equipment are included, but buying the ingredients is up to you. For ages 5 and up.

Best Bubbles

Dr. zigs magical frozen bubbles kit.

Uncommon Goods

When you’re looking for a fun activity on a chilly day, this frozen bubbles kit does the trick. Thanks to the bamboo cup and straw and a sustainable and biodegradable bubble solution, you can add a bit of hands-on magic to the science of crystal formation. When used outdoors in temps 23 degrees Fahrenheit or below, watch crystals slowly form on bubbles right in front of your eyes. Don’t feel like a trip outside? Use the kit in your freezer, though it will take 20 minutes. Your young artist or photographer will also love capturing the crystals on paper or in a photo. For ages 5 and up.

Best for Magic Lovers

Alex toys scientific explorer magic science kit.

This kit allows any wizard- or witch-obsessed kiddo to master “magic” by understanding the science behind it. To up their sorcery skills, Magic Science contains activities that teach them tricks using chemical reactions, such as making ordinary powders mystically foam and change color, creating test tube crystal balls, and more. The kit includes several of the chemicals needed (for example, citric acid, baking soda, vegetable oil, and red cabbage powder), so kids don’t have to raid the pantry to complete these experiments. It also has test tubes, a tube wand, measuring scoops, star stickers, and an activity guide. For ages 6 and up.

Best for Art Lovers

Crayola color chemistry set.

Color us impressed: Crayola never ceases to keep kiddos entertained, whether it's with an iconic box of 64 crayons or this chemistry set that’s just as colorful. The easy-to-read instruction booklet contains 50 colorful science activities and crafts to try out at home, including a tornado in a bottle, glow worms, and watercolor ice. They’ll love knowing these projects were developed by the same Crayola scientists who helped develop their favorite art supplies. For ages 7 and up.

Best Planetary Model

Thames & kosmos bouncing planets.

Under adult supervision, a little space cadet can create five colorful, rubbery planet models in just minutes using a spherical mold and polymer granules. Masquerading as a fun craft project, the real lesson of this experiment actually covers weighty topics such as matter (how and why the balls form) and why elasticity causes things to bounce. They’ll leave the table with science and planet know-how, as well as a bunch of bouncy balls for future play. Word to the wise: For quicker set time, use hot water. For ages 8 and up.

Best for 8 and Up

Abacus brands bill nye vr science kit.

While having Bill Nye over for an in-person science lesson would be the best gift ever, the VR headset in this science kit provides the next best thing. Download an app to your phone, place it in the headset, and Nye will pop out of the spiral-bound project book to explain the scientific principles behind each of the 30 science projects included in the kit. After all, he’s the Science Guy, so his explanations are probably better than most could provide. Much of the necessary equipment for each experiment is included, but you will need to use some typical household items as well. This kit got heavy use by one of our editor’s kids through the pandemic, and she still recommends it to everyone who asks. For ages 8 to 12.

Best for Space Lovers

Abacus brands bill nye vr space lab.

Like the general science kit above, this Space Lab kit uses hands-free virtual reality goggles to bring everyone’s favorite Science Guy right into your home for an immersive learning experience about space and time. Just point the phone at a picture in the 96-page interactive book, and it will turn into a video that takes viewers through an exploration of our planet, solar system, galaxy, universe, and more. The activities and physical crafts throughout the book are out of this world. For ages 8 to 13.

National Geographic Super Gross Chemistry Set

Kids can be gross. And usually, when you promise an experiment that’s full of yucky fun, they’re all ears. National Geographic harnesses some of that tendency in this kit that contains instructions and equipment for 15 different gross experiments with themes like boiling boogers, farting slime, bursting blood cells, eyeballs, and test-tube vomit. The bonus guide also has instructions for an additional 30 experiments, for those whose scientific curiosity keeps on going, no matter how disgusting. For ages 8 and up.

Best About Weather

4m green science weather science kit.

With all eyes on the younger generation to fight climate change, this mini-observatory aids in understanding how our weather works. Your up-and-coming meteorologist can experiment with static electricity for lightning, build a desktop water cycle model to learn about the greenhouse effect, attempt to grow seeds in “acid” rain, and even make clouds in their palm. For ages 8 and up.

Best Microscope

Omano juniorscope microscope.

Introduce a child to the world that’s invisible to the naked eye with this high-quality microscope kit. The glass objective lenses provide young scientists with crystal-clear views all the way up to 400x magnification level. They can study both solid objects (such as hair strands and leaves) and transparent specimens (blood cells, bacteria). It comes with DIY slides and petri dishes, as well as prepared slides. All they need is a lab coat and they’ll feel like real research professionals! For ages 8 to 12.

Best Electricity

Think fun circuit maze electric current logic game.

When it comes to a stealth learning experience, you can’t beat a puzzle, especially one with light-up LED circuits you create yourself. Electrify a boring rainy day or weekend alone time with this single-person game that comes with 60 challenges of varying levels, all with the goal of arranging the tokens to create a real circuit that lights up the different colored beacons. For ages 8 and up.

Best Crystals

4m crystal growing experimental kit.

Most adults would be hard-pressed to explain how crystals form—that is unless they too had a crystal-growing kit when they were younger. It is definitely one of the most aesthetically pleasing science projects kids can do. This kit comes with the compounds, containers, and dyes to make seven dishes of crystals that will form over the course of just a week. The display domes allow them to keep and show off their projects too. (Then maybe they can explain this magic to the rest of us.) For ages 10 and up.

Best Science Subscription

Mel science luminescence.

MEL Science

Shine a little light on their love of science with a MEL Science subscription. This company offers STEM, Math, Physics, Chemistry, and Medicine science kit subscriptions, and each is appropriate for a different age range. Our editor and her child have enjoyed building experiments following simple instructions along with the accompanying immersive VR lessons for some of the kits. For example, the Luminescence set from the Physics subscription creates loads of fun with light. You’ll build a fluorescent liquid night-light, create mysterious pictures with light, and make ink for special invisible notes. For ages 5 and up.

Wonder Workshop Dash Robot Wonder Pack

This friendly-looking little robot is powerful in all the right ways: Paired with one of four free apps, it teaches kids about block coding and how it can work in the real, three-dimensional world. The robot comes with accessories that let it draw, pick things up, and even launch objects in the air. It also has connectors that are compatible with Lego bricks, for kids who really want to customize its look. For ages 6 and up.

We handpicked all of the products on our list of the best science kits by considering entertainment value, safety, instructions, materials included, and challenge level to provide an exciting mix of science exploration for different interests and ages. We included chemistry, physics, and microbiology sets, along with engineering, STEM, STEAM, and robotic kits, many of which our own children have tried at home. And since what engages a 4-year-old with pretty colors and foam might bore a robotics-ready teen, we included kits for a wide range of ages.

Our Experts

To find out how science kits can enhance a child’s development and education, we interviewed the following experts:

• Michelle Felder , LCSW, MA, parenting therapist, founder of Parenting Pathfinders, and a member of the Parents Review Board
• Rachel Robertson , vice president of education development at Bright Horizons
• Marianne Szymanski , founder and president of Toy Tips Inc., whose son created an entire “science lab” in her basement when he was 7 years old

Factors to Consider When Buying a Science Kit for Kids

• Educational Benefits: Bringing this type of fun and engaging educational play into the home can ignite a child’s interest in science, technology, engineering, and math from an early age. “When STEM learning happens at home, it can also provide parents and caregivers a chance to spend time with their child engaging in a creative activity, [which is] an effective way of cultivating a connection through learning and exploring together,” says Felder. 
• Recommended Age: Age level is especially important when choosing science kits, says Szymanski. Following manufacturer guidelines ensures both safety and enjoyment. “Parts and pieces that are too small to operate, are messy, or easily lost may frustrate a child and parent, while science kits with small print instructions that are hard to read may [discourage] reading, which can turn into a safety issue,” she cautions. Felder agrees. “Consider if [your child] has the necessary skills to engage with the kit as it’s intended and how much grown-up involvement they’ll need, as some kits are designed to be done independently, while others require adult guidance.” 
• Type of Kit: While initially determined by the subject matter and age range, the kit you choose might include chemicals for fun reactions; kid-friendly versions of scientific tools such as beakers, test tubes, and microscopes; STEM-based circuits; and/or robotic elements. Kits for toddler age typically have simple familiar items, such as measuring cups, coloring agents, and activity booklets with stickers. Some kits are solely made of physical materials and paper manuals while others pair with apps and VR headsets for additional instruction.
• Safety: Safety should come first, whether you’re a young learner just starting out or an actual scientist by trade. Be sure that the kit you choose has the correct safety measures in place for a child, such as goggles for chemical reactions, gloves for messy parts, and non-breakable tools. Always pay attention to whether any experiments require adult supervision. 
• Price: How much you spend on a science kit can vary from $11 to a few hundred dollars, based on the level of equipment included, as well as how technical and involved the kit is. Robotics and STEM kits are typically more expensive than simple chemistry and biology sets. 

Why are science kits good for kids? 

Science kits can be wonderful learning tools for kids, as they create opportunities for them to engage with scientific concepts through experiments and activities. “Playing with science can foster a sense of curiosity and a desire to explore their world,” says Felder. “The ability to analyze and solve problems is a skill, and playing with science helps to hone this skill, even in young children.” Playing with science can also provide kids with examples of cause and effect, and opportunities to explore how different elements are connected and interact with each other. Learning through play can make the concepts explored more memorable and enjoyable. 

What does a science kit usually contain? 

Science kits incorporate tools to interact and make discoveries about the planet, physics, the human body, weather, biology, chemistry, interesting reactions, and scientific facts. That could mean anything from beakers and funnels to materials for magic growing crystals and robotics. 

According to Felder, there are some common components that you would typically expect to find in a science kit for kids, such as an instruction manual, experiment materials, child-friendly and non-toxic chemicals for experiments, and easy-to-use tools.

Are science kits worth the money?

While they’re fun and a great intro to science, a one-time use kit might not give your kiddo the full science experience, according to Robertson. “If a child follows a few steps and completes the kit, they didn’t really experience a true STEM activity,” she explains. “They need to have an opportunity to actively engage and use their natural curiosity and ingenuity.” For those interested in a more in-depth journey through the science world, focus on kits that result in something that can last over a longer period of time or be reused.

When should I introduce science to my child? 

It’s never too soon to introduce science to kids. “Science is all around us and woven into all facets of our lives,” says Felder. Although a child’s understanding of different concepts typically deepens as they grow, it can be beneficial to plant the seed of scientific learning, curiosity, and exploration early on.”

Cheryl Fenton is a Boston-based freelance lifestyle writer who has enjoyed a 30-year career of bylining in both national magazines and popular websites, as well as authoring a book or two. As the daughter of a retired microbiologist in molecular genetics and a retired cardiovascular physiologist, science was clearly in her DNA but not in her future, as she decided on a career path with the creative arts over the experimental kind.

Related Articles

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes

We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.

• Raising Kids

The Best Science Kits for Hands-On STEM Fun

Kids of all ages will have a blast (but not literally) while learning.

In This Article

• Our Top Picks

Our Review Process

• Factors to Consider

Your Questions, Answered

Parents / Alli Waataja

You might not realize it, but you’ve probably been teaching your child science their whole life. Maybe they’ve watched you cook, or you pointed out a frozen puddle during a winter stroll. Science is all around us, waiting to be explored. But if you want to continue those lessons more purposefully, the best science kits for kids can help.

Even without your help, children are natural scientists, constantly observing, inquiring, discovering, testing, and problem-solving, according to Rachel Robertson, vice president of education development at Bright Horizons. “They’re masters at cause-and-effect experiments. They ask lots of questions. They make mistakes and try again. These are all valuable aspects of any STEM learning.”

Science kits can be a great addition to these instinctual learning experiences. “[Kits] tap into a child’s curiosity and provide a hands-on learning experience that can deepen their understanding of scientific concepts and provide opportunities for them to build, be creative, have fun, and explore new things,” says Michelle Felder, LCSW, MA, a parenting therapist and founder of Parenting Pathfinders. Not only does a good kit make abstract scientific concepts more tangible , enjoyable, and easier to understand, it can also boost a child’s confidence. “Science kits [let them] develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills as they make observations, engage in experiments, and explore how one thing can impact another.”

Whether they’re watching a volcano explode with foam “lava,” completing circuits that light up a room, or churning ice cream (yes, that’s science), playing with our favorite science kits can ignite your child’s love of learning. While we used our own kids’ experiences and consulted experts to create this list, every child is unique in their needs, development, skill set, and preferences. Choosing a kit that’s safe, fun, and reflective of their interests is key. Ultimately, one of these can spark your child’s curiosity and deepen their understanding of science.

Best for Preschoolers

Learning resources mix and measure activity kit.

If your 3-year-old always grabs at your measuring cups when you’re cooking, you might have a budding scientist on your hands. Why not let them experiment with their own? Measuring and mixing builds early math and science skills. The chunky, colorful tools in this set are contoured for little hands, and the activity cards introduce children to measurement while making mystery goo, puffy paint, slime, and more. For ages 3 and up.

Best for Pretend Play

Just play ada twist, scientist on the go lab set.

Consider this portable play with a side of learning. Based on the children’s book by Andrea Beatty , which gained more fame through a Michelle and Barack Obama-produced Netflix show, this kit inspires young children to view science as something fun and exciting. The colorful wheely case opens up to reveal test tubes, a beaker, safety goggles, a working scale, and other tools. Grownups can help conduct kid-friendly experiments with six instruction cards, or little ones can do them on their own. For ages 3 and up.

Best First Experiments

Learning resources primary science lab deluxe set.

Spark a preschooler’s imagination with more hands-on science investigation . Curious kids can conduct 20 “experiments” such as shining pennies, making a homemade volcano, and mixing colors with this kit. We love that it fosters independence through easy-to-understand instructions and real science tools such as test tubes, eye droppers, funnels, flasks, a magnifying scope, safety glasses, and more, all sized for little hands and made from durable plastic. For ages 3 and up.

Most Delicious

Kiwico science of cooking: ice cream.

While KiwiCo's subscription kits are great for a monthly dose of STEM, this one-off purchase by the company makes science literally cool. Your little scientist will learn about crystals, freezing points, and food stabilizers as they mix and shake, shake, shake their way into making delicious frozen desserts to share with the family. Instructions and equipment are included, but buying the ingredients is up to you. For ages 5 and up.

Best Bubbles

Dr. zigs magical frozen bubbles kit.

Uncommon Goods

When you’re looking for a fun activity on a chilly day, this frozen bubbles kit does the trick. Thanks to the bamboo cup and straw and a sustainable and biodegradable bubble solution, you can add a bit of hands-on magic to the science of crystal formation. When used outdoors in temps 23 degrees Fahrenheit or below, watch crystals slowly form on bubbles right in front of your eyes. Don’t feel like a trip outside? Use the kit in your freezer, though it will take 20 minutes. Your young artist or photographer will also love capturing the crystals on paper or in a photo. For ages 5 and up.

Best for Magic Lovers

Alex toys scientific explorer magic science kit.

This kit allows any wizard- or witch-obsessed kiddo to master “magic” by understanding the science behind it. To up their sorcery skills, Magic Science contains activities that teach them tricks using chemical reactions, such as making ordinary powders mystically foam and change color, creating test tube crystal balls, and more. The kit includes several of the chemicals needed (for example, citric acid, baking soda, vegetable oil, and red cabbage powder), so kids don’t have to raid the pantry to complete these experiments. It also has test tubes, a tube wand, measuring scoops, star stickers, and an activity guide. For ages 6 and up.

Best for Art Lovers

Crayola color chemistry set.

Color us impressed: Crayola never ceases to keep kiddos entertained, whether it's with an iconic box of 64 crayons or this chemistry set that’s just as colorful. The easy-to-read instruction booklet contains 50 colorful science activities and crafts to try out at home, including a tornado in a bottle, glow worms, and watercolor ice. They’ll love knowing these projects were developed by the same Crayola scientists who helped develop their favorite art supplies. For ages 7 and up.

Best Planetary Model

Thames & kosmos bouncing planets.

Under adult supervision, a little space cadet can create five colorful, rubbery planet models in just minutes using a spherical mold and polymer granules. Masquerading as a fun craft project, the real lesson of this experiment actually covers weighty topics such as matter (how and why the balls form) and why elasticity causes things to bounce. They’ll leave the table with science and planet know-how, as well as a bunch of bouncy balls for future play. Word to the wise: For quicker set time, use hot water. For ages 8 and up.

Best for 8 and Up

Abacus brands bill nye vr science kit.

While having Bill Nye over for an in-person science lesson would be the best gift ever, the VR headset in this science kit provides the next best thing. Download an app to your phone, place it in the headset, and Nye will pop out of the spiral-bound project book to explain the scientific principles behind each of the 30 science projects included in the kit. After all, he’s the Science Guy, so his explanations are probably better than most could provide. Much of the necessary equipment for each experiment is included, but you will need to use some typical household items as well. This kit got heavy use by one of our editor’s kids through the pandemic, and she still recommends it to everyone who asks. For ages 8 to 12.

Best for Space Lovers

Abacus brands bill nye vr space lab.

Like the general science kit above, this Space Lab kit uses hands-free virtual reality goggles to bring everyone’s favorite Science Guy right into your home for an immersive learning experience about space and time. Just point the phone at a picture in the 96-page interactive book, and it will turn into a video that takes viewers through an exploration of our planet, solar system, galaxy, universe, and more. The activities and physical crafts throughout the book are out of this world. For ages 8 to 13.

National Geographic Super Gross Chemistry Set

Kids can be gross. And usually, when you promise an experiment that’s full of yucky fun, they’re all ears. National Geographic harnesses some of that tendency in this kit that contains instructions and equipment for 15 different gross experiments with themes like boiling boogers, farting slime, bursting blood cells, eyeballs, and test-tube vomit. The bonus guide also has instructions for an additional 30 experiments, for those whose scientific curiosity keeps on going, no matter how disgusting. For ages 8 and up.

Best About Weather

4m green science weather science kit.

With all eyes on the younger generation to fight climate change, this mini-observatory aids in understanding how our weather works. Your up-and-coming meteorologist can experiment with static electricity for lightning, build a desktop water cycle model to learn about the greenhouse effect, attempt to grow seeds in “acid” rain, and even make clouds in their palm. For ages 8 and up.

Best Microscope

Omano juniorscope microscope.

Introduce a child to the world that’s invisible to the naked eye with this high-quality microscope kit. The glass objective lenses provide young scientists with crystal-clear views all the way up to 400x magnification level. They can study both solid objects (such as hair strands and leaves) and transparent specimens (blood cells, bacteria). It comes with DIY slides and petri dishes, as well as prepared slides. All they need is a lab coat and they’ll feel like real research professionals! For ages 8 to 12.

Best Electricity

Think fun circuit maze electric current logic game.

When it comes to a stealth learning experience, you can’t beat a puzzle, especially one with light-up LED circuits you create yourself. Electrify a boring rainy day or weekend alone time with this single-person game that comes with 60 challenges of varying levels, all with the goal of arranging the tokens to create a real circuit that lights up the different colored beacons. For ages 8 and up.

Best Crystals

4m crystal growing experimental kit.

Most adults would be hard-pressed to explain how crystals form—that is unless they too had a crystal-growing kit when they were younger. It is definitely one of the most aesthetically pleasing science projects kids can do. This kit comes with the compounds, containers, and dyes to make seven dishes of crystals that will form over the course of just a week. The display domes allow them to keep and show off their projects too. (Then maybe they can explain this magic to the rest of us.) For ages 10 and up.

Best Science Subscription

Mel science luminescence.

MEL Science

Shine a little light on their love of science with a MEL Science subscription. This company offers STEM, Math, Physics, Chemistry, and Medicine science kit subscriptions, and each is appropriate for a different age range. Our editor and her child have enjoyed building experiments following simple instructions along with the accompanying immersive VR lessons for some of the kits. For example, the Luminescence set from the Physics subscription creates loads of fun with light. You’ll build a fluorescent liquid night-light, create mysterious pictures with light, and make ink for special invisible notes. For ages 5 and up.

Wonder Workshop Dash Robot Wonder Pack

This friendly-looking little robot is powerful in all the right ways: Paired with one of four free apps, it teaches kids about block coding and how it can work in the real, three-dimensional world. The robot comes with accessories that let it draw, pick things up, and even launch objects in the air. It also has connectors that are compatible with Lego bricks, for kids who really want to customize its look. For ages 6 and up.

We handpicked all of the products on our list of the best science kits by considering entertainment value, safety, instructions, materials included, and challenge level to provide an exciting mix of science exploration for different interests and ages. We included chemistry, physics, and microbiology sets, along with engineering, STEM, STEAM, and robotic kits, many of which our own children have tried at home. And since what engages a 4-year-old with pretty colors and foam might bore a robotics-ready teen, we included kits for a wide range of ages.

Our Experts

To find out how science kits can enhance a child’s development and education, we interviewed the following experts:

• Michelle Felder , LCSW, MA, parenting therapist, founder of Parenting Pathfinders, and a member of the Parents Review Board
• Rachel Robertson , vice president of education development at Bright Horizons
• Marianne Szymanski , founder and president of Toy Tips Inc., whose son created an entire “science lab” in her basement when he was 7 years old

Factors to Consider When Buying a Science Kit for Kids

• Educational Benefits: Bringing this type of fun and engaging educational play into the home can ignite a child’s interest in science, technology, engineering, and math from an early age. “When STEM learning happens at home, it can also provide parents and caregivers a chance to spend time with their child engaging in a creative activity, [which is] an effective way of cultivating a connection through learning and exploring together,” says Felder. 
• Recommended Age: Age level is especially important when choosing science kits, says Szymanski. Following manufacturer guidelines ensures both safety and enjoyment. “Parts and pieces that are too small to operate, are messy, or easily lost may frustrate a child and parent, while science kits with small print instructions that are hard to read may [discourage] reading, which can turn into a safety issue,” she cautions. Felder agrees. “Consider if [your child] has the necessary skills to engage with the kit as it’s intended and how much grown-up involvement they’ll need, as some kits are designed to be done independently, while others require adult guidance.” 
• Type of Kit: While initially determined by the subject matter and age range, the kit you choose might include chemicals for fun reactions; kid-friendly versions of scientific tools such as beakers, test tubes, and microscopes; STEM-based circuits; and/or robotic elements. Kits for toddler age typically have simple familiar items, such as measuring cups, coloring agents, and activity booklets with stickers. Some kits are solely made of physical materials and paper manuals while others pair with apps and VR headsets for additional instruction.
• Safety: Safety should come first, whether you’re a young learner just starting out or an actual scientist by trade. Be sure that the kit you choose has the correct safety measures in place for a child, such as goggles for chemical reactions, gloves for messy parts, and non-breakable tools. Always pay attention to whether any experiments require adult supervision. 
• Price: How much you spend on a science kit can vary from $11 to a few hundred dollars, based on the level of equipment included, as well as how technical and involved the kit is. Robotics and STEM kits are typically more expensive than simple chemistry and biology sets. 

Why are science kits good for kids? 

Science kits can be wonderful learning tools for kids, as they create opportunities for them to engage with scientific concepts through experiments and activities. “Playing with science can foster a sense of curiosity and a desire to explore their world,” says Felder. “The ability to analyze and solve problems is a skill, and playing with science helps to hone this skill, even in young children.” Playing with science can also provide kids with examples of cause and effect, and opportunities to explore how different elements are connected and interact with each other. Learning through play can make the concepts explored more memorable and enjoyable. 

What does a science kit usually contain? 

Science kits incorporate tools to interact and make discoveries about the planet, physics, the human body, weather, biology, chemistry, interesting reactions, and scientific facts. That could mean anything from beakers and funnels to materials for magic growing crystals and robotics. 

According to Felder, there are some common components that you would typically expect to find in a science kit for kids, such as an instruction manual, experiment materials, child-friendly and non-toxic chemicals for experiments, and easy-to-use tools.

Are science kits worth the money?

While they’re fun and a great intro to science, a one-time use kit might not give your kiddo the full science experience, according to Robertson. “If a child follows a few steps and completes the kit, they didn’t really experience a true STEM activity,” she explains. “They need to have an opportunity to actively engage and use their natural curiosity and ingenuity.” For those interested in a more in-depth journey through the science world, focus on kits that result in something that can last over a longer period of time or be reused.

When should I introduce science to my child? 

It’s never too soon to introduce science to kids. “Science is all around us and woven into all facets of our lives,” says Felder. Although a child’s understanding of different concepts typically deepens as they grow, it can be beneficial to plant the seed of scientific learning, curiosity, and exploration early on.”

Cheryl Fenton is a Boston-based freelance lifestyle writer who has enjoyed a 30-year career of bylining in both national magazines and popular websites, as well as authoring a book or two. As the daughter of a retired microbiologist in molecular genetics and a retired cardiovascular physiologist, science was clearly in her DNA but not in her future, as she decided on a career path with the creative arts over the experimental kind.

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‘Babies killing babies:’ Teenagers charged in shooting that killed 3-year-old, wounded 7-year-old

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Two teenage boys were indicted Tuesday in the shooting death of a 3-year-old who was killed while riding his tricycle outside his Buffalo home last week, officials said. The toddler’s 7-year-old sister was wounded.

“Literally, babies killing babies,” Mayor Byron Brown said as city leaders announced the charges against a 14-year-old and 16-year-old at an evening news conference.

Three-year-old Ramone Carter and Jamia Griffin, 7, were not the intended targets as the suspects fired toward another young person about 9:30 p.m. on June 21, acting Erie County District Attorney Michael Keane said.

The children’s mother, Shakenya Griffin, told  The Buffalo News  the next morning that she heard gunshots and ran outside to look for her children.

“He ran right to me, and he was full of blood,” she said. “I collapsed in my neighbor’s grass and said call 911.”

Keane said each of the teenagers fired an illegal gun, one of them a pistol and the other a revolver. Both boys were arraigned on charges of murder, attempted murder, assault and weapons possession and were being held without bail in a youth detention facility. The older boy would be sentenced as an adult if convicted, the prosecutor said.

The teenagers’ names were withheld because of their ages.

Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia credited the cooperation of witnesses in leading police to the suspects, recalling how officers arriving on the scene had rushed Ramone to the hospital themselves in the hope of saving him.

“They were able to get that poor baby in a police car, race the baby to (Erie County Medical Center) to try to give him a fighting chance,” Gramaglia said. “Unfortunately, we all know that that wasn’t the outcome. The baby was declared dead at the hospital.”

Keane declined to comment on a possible motive when asked whether the shootings may have been gang-related.

“It appeared that they were targeting someone else,” Brown said. “But the fact that these children had guns and were so willing to use them indiscriminately is what brings us to this point today.”

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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A scientist, a leftist and a former Mexico City mayor. Who is Claudia Sheinbaum?

Who is Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s future first female president?

Ruling party presidential candidate Claudia Sheinbaum greets supporters after the National Electoral Institute announced she held an irreversible lead in the election in Mexico City, early Monday, June 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

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Presidential candidate Claudia Sheinbaum arrives at her closing campaign rally at the Zocalo in Mexico City, Wednesday, May 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

A supporter of presidential candidate Claudia Sheinbaum takes a selfie with a campaign poster during Sheinbaum’s closing campaign rally at the Zocalo in Mexico City, Wednesday, May 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Ruling party presidential candidate Claudia Sheinbaum leaves the polling station where she voted during general elections in Mexico City, Sunday, June 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

Ruling party presidential candidate Claudia Sheinbaum shows her ID as she leaves a polling station where she voted during general elections in Mexico City, Sunday, June 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Claudia Sheinbaum, who will be Mexico’s first woman leader in the nation’s more than 200 years of independence, captured the presidency by promising continuity.

The 61-year-old former Mexico City mayor and lifelong leftist ran a disciplined campaign capitalizing on her predecessor’s popularity before emerging victorious in Sunday’s vote, according to an official quick count. But with her victory now in hand, Mexicans will look to see how Sheinbaum, a very different personality from mentor and current President Andrés Manuel López Obrador , will assert herself.

While she hewed close to López Obrador politically and shares many of his ideas about the government’s role in addressing inequality, she is viewed as less combative and more data driven.

Sheinbaum’s background is in science. She has a Ph.D. in energy engineering. Her brother is a physicist. In a 2023 interview with The Associated Press, Sheinbaum said, “I believe in science.”

Observers say that grounding showed itself in Sheinbaum’s actions as mayor during the COVID-19 pandemic, when her city of some 9 million people took a different approach from what López Obrador espoused at the national level.

While the federal government was downplaying the importance of coronavirus testing, Mexico City expanded its testing regimen. Sheinbaum set limits on businesses’ hours and capacity when the virus was rapidly spreading, even though López Obrador wanted to avoid any measures that would hurt the economy. And she publicly wore protective masks and urged social distancing while the president was still lunging into crowds.

Over 50 countries go to the polls in 2024

• The year will test even the most robust democracies. Read more on what’s to come here .
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• Keep track of the latest AP elections coverage from around the world here.

Mexico’s persistently high levels of violence will be one of her most immediate challenges after she takes office Oct. 1. On the campaign trail she said little more than that she would expand the quasi-military National Guard created by López Obrador and continue his strategy of targeting social ills that make so many young Mexicans easy targets for cartel recruitment.

“Let it be clear, it doesn’t mean an iron fist, wars or authoritarianism,” Sheinbaum said of her approach to tackling criminal gangs, during her final campaign event. “We will promote a strategy of addressing the causes and continue moving toward zero impunity.”

Sheinbaum has praised López Obrador profusely and said little that the president hasn’t said himself. She blamed neoliberal economic policies for condemning millions to poverty, promised a strong welfare state and praised Mexico’s large state-owned oil company, Pemex, while also promising to emphasize clean energy.

“For me, being from the left has to do with that, with guaranteeing the minimum rights to all residents,” Sheinbaum told the AP last year.

In contrast to López Obrador, who seemed to relish his highly public battles with other branches of the government and also the news media, Sheinbaum is expected by many observers to be less combative or at least more selective in picking her fights.

“It appears she’s going to go in a different direction,” said Ivonne Acuña Murillo, a political scientist at Iberoamerican University. “I don’t know how much.”

Sheinbaum will also be the first person from a Jewish background to lead the overwhelmingly Catholic country.

Follow the AP’s coverage of global elections at: https://apnews.com/hub/global-elections/

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2024 Faculty of Science Excellence Award winners announced

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Michelle Maillet (Academic Associate), Lauren Kay (Clerical), Chantal Marotte (Management), and Moshe Dalva (Technical) have been named recipients of the Faculty of Science Excellence Awards.  

These awards, announced at the Faculty of Science Council meeting on May 21st, recognize the outstanding contributions made by members of the Faculty’s administrative and support staff during the 2023-2024 academic year.  

Read below the citations prepared by the Faculty of Science Excellence Awards Committee. 

Michelle Maillet, Department of Geography, Faculty of Science Excellence Award for Academic Associates  

As Undergraduate Advisor, Michelle Maillet has been responsible since 2014 for guiding students through their programs in the Department of Geography. Her job expanded in 2019 when she became full-time advisor for the Interfaculty program in Sustainability Science and Society. As a steadfast supporter of students’ interests, Michelle consistently goes the extra mile to provide students with outstanding support. One of many examples of this is her organization of extra mid-semester activities centered around arts and crafts that enable students to connect, socialize, and let off steam. She has a university-wide reputation as an exceptionally caring undergraduate advisor, to the point where many students name their interactions with her as their favourite part of being a Geography student.  For all these reasons and many more, I am very happy to present the Faculty of Science Excellence Award for Academic Associates to Michelle Maillet. 

Lauren Kay, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science Excellence Award for Clerical Staff  

Since 2010, Lauren Kay has served the Department of Physics with great distinction as the Graduate Program Coordinator. This is a huge responsibility, as Physics has about 200 graduate students, many of whom are international, with around 80 new entrants to be selected and around 80 who complete their programs each year. Lauren has made exceptional efforts to ensure that students progress through their thesis work smoothly, from streamlining procedures for paying them to constituting their thesis committees and coordinating their final defenses. She handles changing or exceptional circumstances, such as students having sudden visa problems, with considerable skill and good grace.   For all these reasons and many more, I am very happy to present the Faculty of Science Excellence Award for Clerical staff to Lauren Kay. 

Chantal Marotte, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science Excellence Award for Management Staff   

Chantal Marotte has been with the Department of Chemistry for 38 years and has been managing the graduate program in Chemistry since 2003. She handles a range of activities, including filling TA positions, assessing graduate applications, and, perhaps most importantly, ensuring the well-being of graduate students with exceptional dedication and skill. At one point, she intervened extensively to find financial support for a student who experienced substantial loss because of a fire in their residence building. How much Chantal has touched the hearts of Chemistry students was made evident by a compilation of video testimonials that students and alumni made in 2021 to thank her for her efforts.  For all these reasons and many more, I am very happy to present the Faculty of Science Excellence Award for Management staff to Chantal Marotte. 

Moshe (Mike) Dalva, Department of Geography, Faculty of Science Excellence Award for Technical Staff   

Moshe (Mike) Dalva has been a Research Technician in the Department of Geography since 2004 and is also an MSc graduate from the same department. He couples exceptional understanding of the theory behind the intricate, complex, and sometimes old, pieces of equipment in Burnside Hall with remarkable technical skill in operating and fixing them. In one instance where an equipment failure appeared to be terminal, Mike was able to diagnose and begin fixing the problem within an hour, potentially saving the student who relied on this equipment many months of delay. He is deeply dedicated to ensuring that researchers conduct their work safely, not just in a laboratory setting but also in remote field locations, where he also provides essential support.   For all these reasons and many more, I am very happy to present the Faculty of Science Excellence Award for Technical staff to Moshe Dalva. 

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How to live happily past 100, according to 7 of the world's oldest people

• Today's centenarians grew up in a different world but their longevity advice is still relevant. 
• Seven centenarians shared their tips for living a long, happy life. 
• Their tips for living past 100 include keeping busy, doing things in moderation, and having hobbies.

Today's centenarians grew up in the 1910s and 1920s, when the world was a very different place.

The Jim Crow laws were still in place, World War II hadn't happened yet, and indoor toilets were a luxury.

But they have plenty of wisdom about making the most of life that's still relevant, particularly as younger people have a much higher chance of living to 100 than previous generations.

A healthy 30-year-old woman today has up to a 22% chance of living to 100, according to the Stanford Center on Longevity. In contrast, a woman born in 1920 had around a 2% chance of living to 100, according to actuary Mary Pat Campbell .

Business Insider has spoken to multiple 100+ year-olds , and while their longevity can likely be partly explained by genetics and luck, lifestyle factors can also play a huge role in healthy aging.

These centenarians all have different backgrounds but tend to give similar advice for living longer.

Many centenarians believe that eating a diet rich in healthy, non-processed foods is key to a long life.

For instance, since they grew up before the popularization of ultra-processed foods and ready meals, both Jack Van Nordheim, a 100-year-old social media influencer who lives in Southern California, and 114-year-old Texan Elizabeth Francis, who is the oldest living American , eat mostly home-cooked meals made from whole foods.

Van Nordheim ate plenty of fresh chicken because his family had a ranch, and Francis used to cook with collard greens, mustard greens, carrots, and okra she grew in her own backyard.

Centenarians in the world's Blue Zones , where people live to over 100 more often than in other populations, also tend to eat plenty of vegetables and whole foods.

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One 2022 study suggested that switching from the "typical" Western diet to an optimal one — which consisted of whole grains, legumes, fish, fruits, vegetables, and nuts, and limited red and processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, and refined grains — could add up to 10 years to people's life expectancies in the US.

Have a hobby

Not only did Van Nordheim grow up around animals, he also made them his life's passion, owning a monkey at one point and continuing to birdwatch today.

British 106-year-old Katie MacRae, meanwhile started gardening when she was 12 or 13, and has kept up the hobby for almost a century.

A 2023 meta-analysis on 93,263 adults aged over 65 found links between engaging in hobbies, higher life expectancy, and an increase in self-reported health, happiness, and life satisfaction.

Stay active

A hobby with physical elements can be particularly beneficial. MacRae and 102-year-old Janet Gibbs, who lives in Australia, both play bowls at their care homes. Gibbs played golf until she was 86 . And every morning, 100-year-old Joyce Preston , who's based in the UK, does gentle exercises such as yoga, and loves going for walks.

Staying active into older age is great for longevity, and research shows that even short bursts of vigorous activity could extend your lifespan .

Spend time with friends and family

Von Nordheim is really close with his nephew, who takes care of him; Francis lives with her daughter; Gibbs has a friend who is a sprightly 92 who she thinks keeps her young; and Preston is kept busy by lots of friends.

These close relationships may have helped centenarians beat the odds to some extent. Research shows strong associations between having good social relationships and increased longevity.

Practice moderation

John Tinniswood, from the UK — who is currently the oldest living man at 111 years old — and Japanese Kane Taneka — who was the second oldest person in recorded history when he died at 119 in 2022 — both do everything in moderation.

Yumi Yamamoto, the Japan research president for LongeviQuest, an organization that validates the ages of the world's oldest people, previously told BI that Tanaka's habit of never doing anything to excess is common among Japanese supercentenarians .

Find a sense of purpose

Many centenarians don't stop working until late in life , and even when they do, they tend to keep busy.

Francis does housework, MacRae is on committees at her care homes, Gibbs listens to audiobooks, and Van Nordheim is a social media star, writes books, and birdwatches.

Keeping your brain working and maintaining a sense of purpose is thought to be important for longevity. A 2019 study found a link between a higher sense of purpose and a lower risk of death, while a 2022 review of studies suggested that busier adults have better cognition and delayed onset of dementia.

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hUMNs of Chemistry #16

She/her/hers Associate Professor

Tell us about your journey to the University of Minnesota.

I first came to the U in the fall of 2006 as a chemistry graduate student, worked in Christy Haynes' group, and received my PhD in 2011. After a postdoc, I joined the chemistry department at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) as an assistant professor in 2014. During my time at VMI I realized I really enjoyed teaching and running teaching labs. My partner and I also missed living in the Twin Cities. I came back to the U in the Fall of 2017 as the term assistant professor for analytical chemistry.

What courses do you teach? What can students expect to get out of your course?

I teach introductory analytical chemistry lecture and lab, modern methods of instrumental chemistry lab, general chemistry I and general chemistry II. In all of the courses I teach students work on their critical thinking skills and how errors effect the accuracy and precision of their experiments.

Tell us about an important mentor in your academic life?

I can't choose just one, but the chemistry professors at my undergrad, Cornell College, were amazing. They had high expectations, but were always supportive and kind. They made learning tough topics approachable and were amazing role models. I try to be as good of a professor as they were and are each day.

What do you do outside of the classroom/lab/office for fun?

I enjoy being outdoors as much as possible. I like walking with my spouse and dogs, running with my running group, biking, and cross-country skiing. I read cozy mystery novels and travel during breaks in the academic year.

What’s your favorite piece of chemistry/science pop culture media? Why do you love it?

I still love the cheesy 1980's movie Real Genius. The idea of blowing up a giant jiffy pop popcorn bag with a military grade laser to destroy the evil professor's house is still hilarious. 

What was your very first job?

I worked as a fry cook at my undergraduate college's snack cafe. I worked the flat top, fryer, and made milkshakes.

Where is your favorite spot in the Twin Cities?

I love the trailhead @ Theodore Wirth Park. I spend most of my winter skiing there and I love how you can be out in nature and be able to see the city skyline.

Tell us about who makes up your household (including pets).

I live with my husband and two golden retrievers, Pepper(11) and Grey(2).

Arceus Pogany

They/Them/Theirs Senior Laboratory Technician

Please give a brief description of your role within the UMN Chemistry department.

I work with Patrick Schildt and Laura Kundel in the stockroom to support various teaching labs. Getting/creating materials, cleaning spaces and equipment, helping with safety and more to have successful classes.

I graduated from Macalester college and found it to be the best time of my life. Working in academia was a career goal, since an environment of learning is exactly what I like the best. I had a couple roles in commercial laboratories before ending up at the East Bank. I hope this is the start of a long career at the U!

Do you have a background in or like chemistry? Tell us about it!

My background is in biology, but that's because it was the most broad science major to pick. I have the problem of liking too many different things to pick just one, so that's why I majored in biology. I've always been interested in organic chemistry, since my father was an avid gardener and he had his compost heap down to a science to ensure the right ratio of nitrogen and carbon to get rich soil for his vegetables.

What professional successes are most important to you?

Improving myself every day. Be it with learning a new skill, mastering an old one, or staying informed about scientific discoveries, I like to feel like I go to bed a better person than when I woke up.

What do you hope to contribute to the chemistry community at the University?

Enthusiasm, accuracy, and a cheerful greeting everyday.

The Magic School Bus. I refused to play with dolls, but Ms. Frizzle was my one exception when mom bought a Ms. Frizzle doll from a Scholastic book fair when I was in elementary school. I loved her so much I almost tore her head off, and mom had to meticulously match the thread color with the fabric and stitch it back together. Someday I'll probably buy the whole series on disc if I can find it.

I worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Bloomington as a Youth Conservation Corps member. I did all sorts of things, like painting park buildings, catching and banding birds, clearing trails, cutting down invasive species, educating visitors, and wildlife surveys to name just some of the fun things I was able to do. I really loved the job!

I like to go hiking in the state parks with my DSLR camera. I will usually have quite a few pictures of fungus, moss, birds, and interesting tree bark by the time I'm finished.

What non-chemistry interest or activity of yours might surprise department members?

I started foraging for mushrooms a few years ago and it's been very fun! A giant puffball even popped up in the front yard that I was able to harvest for stir fry. It really is just like tofu for cooking.

Lake of the Isles. Mom and I love to walk, bike, or kayak around it. I keep a keen eye out for the birds, as we've seen kingfishers, egrets, loons, herons, and all sorts of migrating songbirds around it.

I live with my mom, Gillian and one-and-a-half year old cat, Matey. I also have numerous houseplants and a bioluminescent dinoflagellate (Pyrocystis fusiformis) colony!

Are there any family or cultural traditions you want to share with our community?

I have native white sage growing in the boulevard that we harvest and put into campfires to make wishes and share gratitude for what we have.

Daneasha Zackery

She/her/hers Graduate Student, Douglas Group

One day, as an undergraduate, one of my professors approached me about a great opportunity. She had told me about the Chemnext program hosted by the University of Minnesota. She said if I was interested in graduate school, then I should apply immediately (as the deadline was only two days away). I applied, and luckily, I was chosen to come and experience this community that I have come to appreciate dearly. It was during the Chemnext experience that I realized UofM was somewhere I wanted to be.

Are you involved in any student groups? What inspired you to get involved?

I am a member of NoBCChE. I was inspired to connect with other Black scientists along this journey in higher education to extend my sense of community.

What advice do you have for incoming chemistry students?

This journey is not linear, and will most likely be quite difficult at points, but always remember to celebrate your achievements. No matter how small they may seem in comparison to the overarching goal you have in graduate school, they are the things that will compel you to keep going and keep pursuing your dreams.

Dr. Eric Crumpler was my first chemistry professor and mentor. He is the person who made me realize that I could pursue chemistry as a career, and his teaching and mentorship taught me the value of "people first" as a way to approach being a scientist. We hold a social obligation to use our knowledge and findings to better the lives of the whole.

I am a big foodie and a snack enthusiast!

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