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35 Easy Science Experiments You Can Do Today!

Looking for easy science experiments to do at home or in the classroom? You’re in luck because we’ve got over 35 easy science activities for kids that will help you make science fun for all ages. 

Most of these simple science experiments for kids are easy to prepare, quick to perform, and use household items or inexpensive materials you can find almost anywhere. To connect the fun to the “why it works” you’ll find an easy to teach explanation with every experiment!

Musical Jars Science Experiment 

This super easy experiment is simple as it is fun! Kids make their own musical instruments with clear jars and water then investigate sound waves, pitch, and more.

When the experiment is complete, use the colorful new “instrument” for a fun music lesson. Kids can play and take turns to “name that tune”!

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial ->  Musical Jars Science Experiment

Viscosity of Liquids Science Experiment

Viscosity may be a confusing term for kids at first, but this super easy experiment can help them see viscosity in action!

With marbles, clear jars, and a few household materials, kids will make predictions, record data, and compare the results while they test high and low density liquids.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial ->   Viscosity Science Experiment

Floating Egg Science Experiment

Can a solid egg float? Kids can find the answer and understand why with this quick science experiment. 

Discover just how easy it can be to make a raw egg float while testing the laws of density. We’ve included additional ideas to try so kids can make predictions and test the concept further.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial ->   Floating Egg Science Experiment

Paper Towel Dry Under Water Experiment

Is it possible to keep a paper towel dry even when submerging it under water? The answer is a surprising “yes,” if you use science to help!

Start with the properties of your materials, make a prediction, then explore matter, density, volume, and more.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial ->   Paper Towel Dry Under Water Experiment

Mixing Oil & Water Science Experiment

This simple experiment for kids helps them better understand density and the changes that happen when adding an emulsifier to the mix. 

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial ->   Mixing Oil & Water Experiment

Will it Float or Sink Science Experiment

Will it sink or will it float? This fun experiment challenges what students think they know about household items!

Students record their hypothesis for each item then test it to compare what they think will happen against their observations.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Float or Sink Science Experiment

Water Temperature Science Experiment

What does thermal energy look like? In this easy science experiment, kids are able to see thermal energy as they explore the concept in action.

With clear jars and food coloring, students can quickly see how molecules move differently through hot and cold water.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Water Temperature Science Experiment

Balloon Blow-up Science Experiment

Kids will discover how matter reacts when heated and cooled as they watch with surprise as baking soda and vinegar blow the balloon up before their eyes.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Balloon Blow-up Science Experiment

Floating Ping Pong Ball Science Experiment

Kids will giggle with joy with this super easy experiment. With only a ping pong ball and a hair dryer, students will have a great time while exploring Bernoulli’s Principle in action. 

We’ve included additional ideas to further explore the concept with different objects and observe the change in results.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Floating Ping Pong Ball Science Experiment

Hair Stand on End Science Experiment

It’s especially fun for those who’ve never seen static electricity in action before!

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Hair Stand on End Science Experiment

Oil Bubbles in Water Science Experiment

Kids explore density and experience some chemistry when creating oil bubbles in water with everyday household items.

This experiment is particularly fun when kids see that they’ve made what looks like a lava lamp!

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial ->  Oil Bubbles in Water Science Experiment

Color Changing Water Science Experiment

Kids will be surprised as they watch a new color being “created” without mixing! Using only a clear bowl and glass, some food coloring, and water, this super easy science experiment is quick and easy with a huge wow factor. 

Try it with yellow and blue to follow along with our demonstration video then try different primary color combinations and explore the results.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial ->  Color Changing Water Science Experiment

Magnetic Paper Clip Chain Science Experiment

It may seem a bit like magic but it’s actually science! It’s not hard to capture your kids’ attention with this quick and easy science experiment as they watch paper clips “stick” together and form a chain!

Perfect for younger children, the experiment only takes a few minutes and is a fun way to explore the concept of magnetic transference.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial ->  Magnetic Paper Clip Chain Science Experiment

Is it Magnetic Science Experiment

With only a magnet and a few household items, kids will make and record their predictions, test and observe, then compare what they think is magnetic against the results.

Simple and quick, but some of the results may surprise your students!

Cloud in a Jar Experiment

This simple experiment only requires a few materials but really holds student attention as a cloud forms before their eyes!

Kids will learn new weather vocabulary as they explore how physical changes and reactions happen as clouds begin to take form. We’ve also included a helpful chart on the types of clouds.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial ->  Cloud in a Jar Science Experiment

Magic Milk Science Experiment

Create a dancing rainbow of colors with this easy science experiment for kids!

Using only a few ordinary kitchen items, your students can create a color explosion in ordinary milk when they add our special ingredient. (Hint: The special ingredient (soap!) includes hydrophilic and hydrophobic molecules that make the magic happen!)

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial ->  Magic Milk Science Experiment

Walking Water Science Experiment

Water can’t really walk upwards against gravity, but this cool science experiment makes it seem like it can! 

Kids are able to see the capillary action process and learn how attraction and adhesive forces in action allow water to move out of one glass into another. 

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Walking Water Science Experiment

Light Refraction Science Experiment

The results of this easy science experiment are so amazing, it makes kids (and adults) think it must be magic!

Young scientists watch in surprise while they see an arrow change directions instantly. Investigating refraction couldn’t be more fun!

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Light Refraction Science Experiment

Dancing Raisins Experiment

Learn about the reactions of buoyancy and density in this simple science activity for kids. 

They may not need dancing shoes, but give them a glass of soda pop and the raisins in this fun experiment love to dance!

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Dancing Raisins Science Experiment

See Sound Experiment

Kids love this experiment because they are encouraged to drum loudly so they can “see” sound waves in action!

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> See Sound Science Experiment

Elephant Toothpaste Science Experiment

Grab some giant brushes and get ready to make elephant toothpaste! Although you might not be able to get an elephant excited by this super easy experiment, kids love it!

The impressive and quick results created by the chemical reaction and the heat released in the process makes an abundant amount of fun and colorful foam!

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Elephant Toothpaste Science Experiment

Upside Down Glass of Water Science Experiment

We all know what happens when we turn a glass of water upside down, but what if I told you you can do it without the water spilling out?

The experiment only requires a few common items and you’ll be amazed by the results of air pressure in action!

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Upside Down Glass of Water Science Experiment

Pick up Ball with a Jar Science Experiment

It almost seems like magic but with the help of science, you can pick up a ball with an open jar!

Instead of magic, this easy science activity uses centripetal force and practice to do what seems like the impossible. 

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Pick up Ball with a Jar Experiment

Will It Melt Science Experiment

Can you guess which items will melt? This easy outside experiment challenges what students think they know about the effects of the sun.

Pepper Move Science Experiment

Can you make pepper move and zoom away with just a light touch of your finger? With science you can!

This experiment only takes a few quick minutes from beginning to end, but the reaction caused by surface tension makes kids want to do it over and over. 

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial ->  Pepper Move Science Experiment

Crush a Plastic Bottle Science Experiment

Go for it, crush that bottle, but don’t touch it! Although it usually can’t be seen or touched, air pressure is pushing against all surfaces at all times.

With this easy science activity kids can see air pressure at work when they watch a bottle crushes itself!

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Crush a Plastic Bottle Science Experiment

Egg in Vinegar Science Experiment

This vinegar science experiment will have your eggs and kids bouncing (with excitement!) before you know it!

Kids can watch and explore the results of chemical reactions as the egg changes from something that seems solid into what feels like something bouncy!

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Egg in Vinegar Science Experiment

Straw Through a Potato Science Experiment

Can you make a normal plastic straw go into a raw, solid potato? It seems like something impossible, but science can easily make it possible!

Pick your potatoes then let kids try their strength as they explore air pressure with this super easy experiment.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Straw Through a Potato Science Experiment

Rainbow in a Jar Science Experiment

With only a few household items, they’ll explore mass, volume, and density with every color layer!

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Rainbow in a Jar Experiment

Tornado in a Bottle Science Experiment

Kids can have fun while learning more about centripetal force with this fun experiment.

With a little muscle and science, kids watch with amazement as they create their own glitter cyclone in a bottle as the centripetal force vortex appears.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Tornado in a Bottle Science Experiment

Why Doesn’t the Water Leak Science Experiment

Can you poke holes in a plastic bag full of water without the water leaking out? With this super easy science activity you can!

Kids are stunned as they learn about polymers and how they can do what seems to be impossible.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Why Doesn’t the Water Leak Science Experiment

Use a Bottle to Blow-up a Balloon Experiment

Is it possible to blow up a balloon with only water and science? 

In this super easy experiment, kids learn more about how matter behaves as they watch a balloon inflate and deflate as a result of matter being heated and cooled.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Use a Bottle to Blow-up a Balloon Experiment

Orange Float Science Experiment

Kids explore buoyancy as they learn about and test density in this sink or float science activity.

While it only takes a few minutes, this super easy experiment invites kids to predict what they think will happen then discuss why the heavier orange floats!

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Orange Float Science Experiment

Pick up Ice with String Science Experiment

With only a few household items, kids learn about freezing temperatures and the results they create in saltwater versus freshwater.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Pick Up Ice with String Science Experiment

Color Changing Walking Water Experiment

Using the concepts explored in our popular Walking Water Science Experiment, kids will see color walk from one glass to another and change colors as it goes!

The quick experiment seems to defy gravity like magic, but don’t worry, kids can find out how science makes it work!

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Color Changing Walking Water Experiment

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40+ Easy Science Experiments For Students: Lots Of Great Ideas

Categories Activities & Ideas

Science is one of the most intriguing subjects to learn in school. It’s so varied and it can be a lot of fun for kids – especially when it comes to conducting science experiments. However, science experiments do not always have to be about beakers and bunsen burners. There are several ways that students can conduct easy science experiments, and it does not require a lot of resources or money to do so.

But what exactly are the options?

Well, if you are a teacher or a parent looking for easy science experiments for students, then we’ve got you covered. Our comprehensive list below shows you plenty of options that they can take part in.

So, if you’re ready to find out a lot more – then read on for lots of ideas!

Easy Science Experiments For Students! 

Without any further delays, let’s dive right into this list of some easy science experiments for students. We’re sure that your young minds will love some of these!

1. Dancing Pepper

Perhaps one of the most intriguing and fun experiments is the dancing pepper experiment. It shows kids how substances behave differently when placed on water in an effort to show how molecular behavior can differ with surface tension.

This can result in some things appearing to dance, so it’s a pretty fun experiment to observe! 

2. Colored Celery 

This is a pretty basic experiment but it can help to show kids how plants absorb water. You just need either celery or a white flower and some colored water. Once the celery is placed in the colored water, it can help kids to visualize how plants sustain themselves.

3. Dissolve Or Not?

This experiment can help teach kids about different solutions, but it’s more about showing kids the way to create their own hypotheses. For example, having six different substances and six different solutions, questioning whether it will dissolve and why they think so. 

4. Volcano (Baking Soda)

Every kid will have fond memories of this experiment. It’s a super fun and easy science experiment that shows how bases and acids react when they are in contact with one another, and it results in a miniature volcano! 

5. The Skittles Experiment 

This is a cool way to learn about diffusion. You simply need a packet of Skittles and observe what happens when each different color coating is exposed to shallow, cold or hot water. 

6. Burn The Bill 

Don’t panic, you won’t be burning any money with this experiment . It’s an easy way to teach kids about combustion, so you can use any paper item. 

7. Dr. Seuss’ Butter Experiment

Any fans of Dr. Seuss may recognize this experiment. You simply need to put heavy whipping cream into a tight jar and observe how the fat molecules clump together and form a butter product!

8. Liquids And Layers 

Using items that you can find in your pantry, this experiment can help to show kids how liquids have different densities and how they might operate.

9. Egg Crystal Geode 

Merging Springtime and Geology together, this is a fun experiment whereby kids can make their own geodes and learn about super-saturated solutions.

10. Make Rain In A Jar 

This quick and simple experiment can help to show students how rain occurs. As we know, rain is the result of warm, humid air converging with cold air in the upper atmosphere. 

So, using a jar and a plate, you can place ice and water into a jar and show kids how rain works by making your own in a jar! 

11. The Unpoppable Balloon 

Students will be intrigued by how you can put a sharp stick through a balloon and it won’t pop! It’s a quick and simple experiment that demonstrates polymers.

12. Float Or Sink?

This experiment is pretty basic but it’s quite important to learn. It can be conducted anywhere too, but it’s best during hot weather using a lake or river. 

Create a hypothesis with multiple items and question whether or not you believe certain items will sink or float. 

13. Make Your Own Sand 

Any kid will get a kick out of making their own sand ! The experiment doesn’t need too many resources or items, but it’s something you need to ensure before you start.

14. Make Your Own Barometer 

This experiment can help show kids how air pressure has an effect on the weather. The best way to do this is to build your own barometer! 

15. Create A Solar Oven

This is a quick and easy way to show students how radiant heat works. By harnessing its power, there are many things you can do! You just have to be careful.

16. The Sticky Ice Experiment 

It’s really fun to show students how salt has an effect on water and its freezing point. You need water, salt, and some string to carry this one out!

17. An Egg In A Bottle

Using a small bottle, some matches, and an egg, you can show your students how objects may react to adaptations in air pressure.

18. Make A CD Garden 

You’re certain to have some old CD cases around. If so, you can get kids involved in making their own CD case garden and observe the ways that plants grow!

19. The Gummy Worm Dance 

When an acidic liquid is mixed with a neutral solution, it’s possible for some things to react in hilarious ways that kids will love. Place a gummy worm in a jar and mix the solutions to watch your students laugh at the results.

20. Make A Green Penny 

If you have an old penny lying around, then why not test out this experiment , which takes about three days? It’s a cool way to learn about metal and chemical reactions , though! 

21. Soap Popcorn 

This experiment needs supervision from an adult, but it’s awesome to watch. Using Charles’ law, simply place a bar of soap in a microwave and watch how it expands as it heats up. 

22. The Cabbage PH Indicator 

Students can test out the PH levels of different liquids simply by using cabbage. It’s pretty simple to perform and it’s cool to watch.

23. Can Ice Grow?

This experiment needs to be followed step by step, but it’s really interesting to observe. With some basic steps, you can get your students to observe how ice might grow and form towers.

24. Paper Cup – The Strength In Numbers 

Using several paper cups and some cardboard sheets, this is an outdoor experiment that can help to demonstrate weight distribution and how paper cups can hold body weight when in numbers.

25. Separate Pepper And Salt 

Draw from the power of static electricity via a plastic spoon and show students how easy it is for matter to divide and separate – which can be shown with salt and pepper.

26. Fireworks In A Jar

At the right time of year, you can theme this experiment using oil, water, food coloring, and a jar. It’s a super fun project to help kids understand density – and the results are pretty! 

27. Water And Oil Discovery Bottles 

Most of us will be familiar with making water and oil discovery bottles from when we were kids, and it continues to be a super fun experiment for students today. All the bright colors are an awesome sensory experience for kids.

28. Color Mixing With Coffee Filters

This experiment is more for younger students, but it’s simple and effective. Using coffee filters, you can add liquids to watch how the filters absorb them and change colors, making mixes which make new colors.

29. Create Fizzy Lemonade 

A tasty experiment for the summer, this can help teach kids how mixing base liquids with acid creates a chemical reaction – but it results in something that you can enjoy at the end! 

30. Magic Milk 

This simple experiment needs a few items; milk, dish soap, and food coloring. This is a super colorful and fun thing to do and can help show kids how molecular behavior might work, how surface tension works, and a little bit about an object’s density.

31. Walking On Eggs 

Another experiment that can show the power of weight distribution is walking on eggs. Show your students how something so fragile can withstand body weight when in large numbers.

32. Create A Hydraulic Elevator 

This experiment sounds more complex than it actually is. You just need to use some sticks and large medicine droppers. It’s a classic experiment that many STEM teachers have used in the classroom before.

33. Demonstrate Inertia 

Newton’s first law of motion can be demonstrated pretty easily, and it’s never too early or too late to show students how it works! 

34. Grow Your Gummy Bears

When it comes to students and science, what better way to teach them than using candy ? Using all areas of the major sciences, you can turn little gummy bears into big gummy bears! 

35. The Disappearing Egg Shell

Students of all ages enjoy watching this experiment , and it’s helpful to show them the ways that chemical reactions operate.

36. Coca-Cola Tooth Experiment 

This is a classic experiment that can help show students the effects of sugary drinks on their teeth. When your students are young and losing their baby teeth, ask them to bring in a tooth and show them the horrible effects in a jar! 

37. Small Tornado In A Bottle

Most of us performed this experiment when we were students, and it’s super fun to keep it going with your own students. Demonstrating centripetal force by creating a water vortex in a bottle is awesome! 

38. Make A Bag Leak-Proof

Another experiment that demonstrates polymers, you need a plastic bag, some water, a sharp pencil, and some patience – and you can show kids the seemingly impossible!

39. Make A Non-Newtonian Fluid 

There are substances out there that get firmer when pressure is applied to them, and these are known as non-Newtonian fluids. It’s really intriguing to see how fluids can behave in such ways, so your students are bound to get a kick out of this.

40. Demonstrate Capillaries

You can show kids how our capillaries function using items you can find pretty much everywhere. It’s super cool and colorful and you’re bound to excite everyone with this in the classroom.

41. Make Candy Rock 

Students, candy, and rocks – they go hand in hand! Your students will love to create their own candy rock and watch as the rock crystals grow.

42. Make The Super Bubble

You can show students how to make a better version of bubble mixture to create much larger bubbles, called superbubbles! 

43. Frozen Vegetable Oil Paintings

Here’s another classic experiment that most kids have conducted when they were in the classroom. It’s a fun way to show kids how some liquids behave when they are frozen, and as vegetable oil behaves differently – you can make awesome paintings! 

44. Make An Ice Magnifying Glass 

This experiment is pretty simple, but we like to add something more fun to it. Once you have made your ice magnifying glass, show your students how glass behaves underwater by designing a real magnifying glass (do not allow them to do this though).

Glass under water can be cut and sliced in much different ways than above the surface, so you can easily create your own glass designs to show your students in a safe way.

45. Can Eggs Float?

Finally, on our list, we have the experiment that has shown students for years how eggs can float on water if salt is added to the liquid. It’s a simple way to explain density, and it’s always a good idea to bring in the Dead Sea example.

The Dead Sea is so salty that people can simply float on its surface, but it’s also deadly because if you turn around – it’s difficult to get your head out of the salty water! 

Things To Remember

There are always things you should remember when it comes to these sorts of experiments. Some are much more obvious than others, but it’s always important to ensure we’re on the same wavelength. These include the following.

Safety 

Conduct a health and safety risk assessment before you carry out any experiment, and always be aware of any safety equipment you and your students may need to wear. Be sure to take reasonable care with all of your experiments (and best to do a trial run first!).

Reinforce Learning 

It’s all fine and good demonstrating the experiments, but you must ensure that you reinforce the student’s learning by asking questions at the end of the lesson. It’s also wise to set some theoretical homework based on their practical experiment. 

Do Your Research 

It’s of course critical that you know exactly what you are doing before you show your students, but it’s also as important to know your students. For example, if an experiment is more tailored for younger students, do not try it for older kids.  You may also like: 1st grade science project ideas .

The Bottom Line 

And that’s our comprehensive list of the easiest science experiments that you can show students in the classroom, at home, or out in the field! We hope you have enjoyed our guide and you’ve found some amazing new experiments for your students! Good luck.

Top tip: Teach your students about the most famous inventors while they work on their own science experiments.

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Discover the Joy of Science: 16 Experiments Perfect for Elementary Students

The future is dependent on humans who know how to use science to make sound decisions, innovate, and take part in cultural, political, and civic conversations. Understanding this, I felt a responsibility. With that being said, I wanted to help other teachers around the world learn how to introduce science in fun, practical, and interactive ways for their elementary-aged students. Therefore, I am sharing my ultimate list of 16 science experiments for elementary school in this article.

WOW! The 5th graders at Northridge Elementary School participated in our lesson NEWTON’S 2nd LAW OF MOTION. Their experiments helped them understand force, mass, and acceleration. https://t.co/IRMc0iv6RJ pic.twitter.com/a93gleNPnL — WPAFB EO Office (@wpafbeo) March 2, 2022

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Easy Science Experiments For Every Classroom: DIYs, Observations, Discussions, And Exploration

January 13, 2024 //  by  Suzanne Bucknam

Are you searching for the perfect way to engage your students in the world of science? Look no further! We’re excited to share a collection of the easiest science experiments that are proven to be classroom favorites. These hands-on and visually captivating activities, ranging from candy making to creating lava lamps, transforming eggs into gems, and even making balloons that don’t pop, will revolutionize your lessons. Read on and see which experiments will grab your kiddos’ attention!

1. Making a Magnifying Glass with Ice

Have your kiddos make their very own magnifying glass out of ice! Help them to shape frozen water into handmade lenses that can focus sunlight and let them start a fire with ice. If starting a fire isn’t right for your kiddos, then their homemade magnifying glasses will still work to enlarge tiny details, so there’s still lots of fun to be had.

Learn More: Steamsational

2. Floating Eggs

Shatter your kiddies’ expectations by revealing salt’s hidden talents! Have your young scientists hypothesize whether eggs will sink or float when placed in salty water. They’ll be amazed as the eggs bob to the surface as they add salt to the water, illustrating concepts of density and liquid properties through a classic hands-on experiment.

Learn More: Science Kids

3. Frozen Vegetable Oil Prints

Fuse art and science in this creative experiment! Begin by having your students freeze oil with a drop of food coloring in it overnight. They can then use the semi-solid result to print a colorful masterpiece! Watch how combining STEM and art makes challenging concepts like states of matter beautifully clear.

Learn More: Mini Monets and Mommies

4. Making a Better Bubble

Set the challenge – who can create the best bubble?! You won’t need to give your kiddos much encouragement before they’re researching and tweaking bubble recipes for this idea. Once they’ve found the ultimate formula, challenge them to demonstrate it in action by seeing who can produce the biggest bubble.

Learn More: Red Tricycle

5. Making Rock Candy

Satisfy your kids’ cravings for knowledge by growing sweet crystalline treats! Set them up with water, sugar, and food dye to make rock candy, and let them see crystallization unfold firsthand! Making their own sugary snacks illuminates the scientific process deliciously.

Learn More: Play Learn Grow

6. Capillary Action Experiment

Recreate tiny blood vessels using simple materials from home! Your learners will be amazed as they watch colored water climb through paper towels, visualizing capillary forces firsthand. Needing just paper towels, water, and food dye, you probably already have everything you need for this cool experiment!

Learn More: 123 Homeschool 4 Me

7. Making a Non-Newtonian Fluid (Oobleck)

Defy intuition with oobleck, an otherworldly goop that’s somehow both solid and liquid! By combining cornstarch and water, your kiddos will be able to explore this non-Newtonian physics phenomenon. They’ll be delighted and baffled as the goo oozes and then stiffens at the slightest force.

Learn more: The Montessori-Minded Mom

8. Making a Leak-Proof Bag

Unlock your students’ ingenuity by challenging them to engineer waterproof bags! Give them simple materials to use and then let their creativity unfold through designing, testing, and refining the ultimate dry bag. Watch perseverance and problem-solving blossom through this hands-on engineering project.

Learn more: Steve Spangler Science

9. Tornado in a Bottle

Summon mesmerizing vortexes and model forces of nature! Have your kiddies layer liquids in bottles, then encourage them to swirl their homemade tornadoes and watch as they come to life! As they observe the dramatic forces in action, concepts of centripetal motion will whirl to life.

Learn More: Cool Science Experiments

10. What Do Sugary Drinks Do To Your Teeth?

Convey the destructive effects of sugary drinks with a simple egg! Have your kiddos place an egg in a beaker and add a sugary soda. They’ll be astounded to observe that over time, the egg becomes bendy and malleable. This shocking demonstration is the perfect way to spotlight the health impacts of sugary drinks on your little learners.

Learn More: Feels Like Home Blog

11. Static Detectives with Homemade Electroscope

Turn your students into static detectives with this homemade electroscope activity. Have your learners use a clear jar, paperclips, aluminum foil, and a balloon to create this simple homemade electroscope, and they’ll embark on a fascinating quest to investigate static electricity and learn about scientific instrumentation.

Learn More: The Homeschool Scientist

12. Making Gummy Bears Grow

The science of diffusion becomes a teddy bear picnic! Captivate your students by having them place gummy bears in a bowl and add water. Let them watch diffusion in action as the gummy bears soak up the water and expand to gigantic sizes!

Learn more: Mama Smiles

13. Inertia Demonstration

Introduce the abstract concept of inertia using simple coins and cards! Have your learners place a piece of card over a glass, then place a coin on the card. Once in place, have them quickly pull the card away and they’ll be amazed as the items fall into the glass, revealing inertia in action!

Learn More: The After School Life

14. Build a Hydraulic Elevator

Guide young engineers by having them build hydraulic elevators! Provide syringes, straws, and plastic bottles, and let your class engage in some creative problem-solving as they create a water-powered elevator. As their prototypes rise, so will your students’ persistence, collaboration, and STEM skills.

Learn More: Teach Beside Me

15. Walking on Eggs

Hatch an improbable feat by having your students walk on fragile eggshells! Set up some trays of eggs on the ground, then ask a young volunteer to test the theory by gently standing on the eggs. When the delicate shells unexpectedly support their weight, the concepts of physics and engineering will crack wide open!

Learn More: Steve Spangler Science

16. Magic Milk Experiment

Use simple household ingredients to guide your kiddies through incredible colorful chemical reactions. Set up bowls of milk, then encourage your students to dip cotton swabs in food coloring and dish soap before dipping them into the milk; vivid colors will come alive as the soap reacts with the proteins of the milk

Learn More: Crafts by Amanda

17. Making Fizzing Lemonade

Turn lemons into hands-on learning opportunities by having your kiddos mix up some fizzy lemonade! Have them combine lemon juice and baking soda to create this fun chemical reaction they can see and taste for themselves.

Learn More: Learn with Play at Home

18. Reflecting on Mirror Experiments

Enter a world where light meets mirrors! Using mirrors, you can guide your students to explore the interesting science of light reflection, opening their eyes to how light interacts with different surfaces.

Learn More: Hands On As We Grow

19. Oil and Water Discovery Bottles

Bring the concept of density to life inside these fun discovery bottles! Have your learners layer colorful oils, water, beads, and glue inside a bottle, and then observe the contents separate and shift. This colorful experiment is a super way for them to visualize this intriguing scientific concept.

Learn More: Play Trains

20. Ballooning with Vinegar and Baking Soda

Prepare for liftoff! In this hands-on activity, challenge your kids to inflate a balloon using a classic kitchen chemistry reaction using baking soda and vinegar! As the chemicals react, the gad created will fill the balloons, allowing you to provide an engaging and dynamic lesson on this cool scientific process!

Learn More: Kids Academy

21. Separate Salt and Pepper

Challenge assumptions and defy expectations by having your kiddos attempt the seemingly impossible – separating combined salt and pepper! Give them simple materials like a plastic comb and let them use the power of static electricity to magically capture the pepper.

Learn More: YouTube

22. Standing on a Pile of Paper Cups

Reveal the surprising strength hiding in everyday items like paper cups! Have your kids stack some paper cups in a pyramid, then invite them to climb on top without crushing them. This demonstration lets them jump feet-first into the world of logic-defying physics principles!

Learn More: Science Sparks

23. Making Ice Grow

Reveal water’s hidden powers by guiding your students in creating their very own icy landscapes! Start by super cooling some bottles of water in the freezer then let them pour to create icy towers before their eyes. Once agitated by the pouring, the supercooled water will freeze, crystallizing concepts about the freezing properties of liquids.

Learn More: Teach Pre-school

24. DIY Cabbage PH Indicator

Empower your young chemists by having them use cabbage to reveal markers of acidity! Show them how to extract the indicator pigments from cabbage, then watch as these change color at different pH levels as you allow them to add drops of lemon. What a flavorful introduction to everyday kitchen chemistry.

25. Making a Monster Popcorn From Soap

Sculpt slippery hot monsters from soap to model Charles’ Law! As your kiddos heat and mold melting soap into wild creatures, they’ll observe expansion from heat firsthand. Their artistic designs are sure to bring these key physics concepts to life in a super creative way.

Learn More: Techno Eager

26. Turn a Penny Green

Teach your learners patience as they make observations over time in this next idea. Have them submerge pennies in vinegar and salt, then track the gradual chemical reactions, as their pennies turn green. Reactions are the main attraction of this lesson!

Learn More: Mess for Less

27. Make Gummy Worm Dance

Bring chemistry to life by having your students make gummy worms wiggle! Let your learners add worms to baking soda and vinegar and watch as the bubbles created by the chemical reaction make the candy worm dance. The dancing worm is sure to make this challenging science concept simply unforgettable!

Learn More: Playdough to Plato

28. Growing a CD Garden

Repurpose old CD cases into planters overflowing with life! Have your students plant sprouted seeds into soil-filled plastic CD cases and observe growth going on under the soil through the clear sides of the case. As plants flourish, the scientific process unfolds sustainably through reuse and repair.

Learn More: Rookie Parenting Science

29. Egg in a Bottle

Captivate your littles with magic that you can prove! In this experiment, you’ll harness air pressure to magically shove an egg into a bottle! Start by lighting some paper on fire and dropping it into a bottle, then quickly sealing it with the egg on top. The shrinking oxygen inside the bottle forces the egg through the top, showing atmospheric forces at work.

30. Sticky Ice Experiment

Reveal salt’s magical effect on freezing with a sticky ice experiment! Have your kiddos immerse string in icy saltwater then find ice sticking when pulled out. This super practical experiment demonstrates how salt lowers water’s freezing point in a simple, hands-on way for learners.

31. DIY Solar Oven

Empower your young engineers by having them harness the sun’s heat to build solar ovens! Guide them in angling mirrors to generate and trap heat in a box to cook food using only sunlight. Let trial and error pave the way for their learning about renewable energy and its uses.

Learn More: I Can Teach My Child

32. Build Your Own Barometer

Unlock air pressure mysteries by having your kiddies construct their own barometers! Let them use everyday materials like a tin can, balloons, a rubber band, a paper clip, and a straw to assemble their own device, and discover how scientific instruments channel the invisible forces shaping our natural world.

Learn More: Edventures with Kids

33. DIY Kinetic Sand

Let your kids get their hands dirty making magical kinetic sand! Encourage them to follow the simple instructions for combining oil and cornstarch to create sand that oozes and bounces unlike anything else. This super sensory activity is a fun way to demonstrate and play with non-Newtonian fluids.

Learn More: Artsy Fartsy Mama

34. Float/Sink Experiment

Spark hands-on predictions by testing classroom items to see if they’ll float or sink! Set up a bucket of water and have your students hypothesize buoyancy outcomes, then put their predictions to the test. This fun exploration is sure to make a splash and will set the stage for deeper scientific understanding.

Learn More: Paper Scissors Crafts

35. No Bursting Balloon

Shatter expectations by having your kiddos pierce balloons with no pops! Have them place tape on the balloon then insert sharpened sticks through the tape without bursting it! This astounding demonstration is sure to leave your learners speechless and will encourage them to be more flexible in their thinking.

Learn More: Crazy Science Show for Kids

36. Making Rain

Create your very own miniature storms to model the science of rain! Have your learners chill metal containers to collect water condensation, then add some heat underneath. As the air in the container heats and begins to circulate, the water evaporates and then condenses into rain, demonstrating this meteorological process beautifully.

37. Egg Shell Geode Crystal

Grow dazzling crystals that reveal the hidden powers of chemistry! Have your kids fill cleaned-out egg shells with solutions of water, food dye, rock salt or borax then watch on as the liquid evaporates and shimmering crystals begin to form inside the hollow shells. What a stunning way to demonstrate the principles of super-saturated solutions and evaporation!

Learn More: Science Bob

38. Liquid Layers Density Experiment

Open young eyes to density by filling jars with brilliantly colored liquid layers! Have your learners add liquids of varying densities and observe the colorful bands that form. The concept of density comes to life in this colorful, visual experiment!

Learn More: Coffee Cups and Crayons

39. Making Butter in a Jar

Explore the science of our food with this next experiment. Let your students get hands-on experience in separating solids and liquids by churning their own butter. Pour heavy cream into a jar and let them shake until it separates, to form butter and buttermilk. After all their hard work, your kids can then use their butter to make themselves a well-earned snack!

Learn More: Little Bins for Little Hands

40. Soda Geyser with Mentos

It’s explosion time! Have your kiddos bring science to life as they place a few Mentos into a bottle of soda and back away before it erupts. The exciting experiment is a classic and unforgettable hands-on way to show a chemical reaction in action!

Learn More: Know Your Meme

41. Skittles Experiment

Roll out the rainbow and let your kids explore diffusion using Skittles. Have them place a few Skittles on a plate and cover them with water before stepping back to watch the reaction that takes place. This colorful experiment will certainly intrigue your pupils and make them eager to learn more about this amazing process!

42. Baking Soda Volcano

Build excitement for chemical reactions by having your students construct fizzy baking soda volcanoes! Allow your students to create playdough or paper mache volcanos with a cup of baking soda and food dye in the center. Add vinegar to the cup and watch as the volcanoes erupt and spring to life! Who knew chemical reactions could be so much fun!?

43. Will it Dissolve?

Grab your learners’ attention with this fantastic inquiry-based learning idea. Have them make hypotheses about the solubility of different items or substances and then set them loose on investigating! As they test their theories, this exploratory learning opportunity fosters their inquisitive spirit and scientific thinking skills.

Learn More: The Picky Apple

44. Colored Celery Experiment

Reveal plants’ hidden highways by creating different colors of celery! Have your kiddos place crisp white celery stalks in cups of dyed water and get ready to observe the excitement as they watch the plants drawing up the pigments in the water. This demonstration creatively showcases plants’ natural capillaries in action!

Learn More: Tinker Lab

45. The Dance of Pepper and Soap

Get your kiddies ready for a captivating performance as they make pepper dance in this next activity! Watch as the wonders of surface tension are put on show as the pepper shoots across the water’s surface as it’s repelled by the soap. It’s a simple yet powerful way to visualize an otherwise invisible concept.

Learn More: Big Bang Education

46. Sprouting Seeds in a Sandwich Bag

Join us on a journey into the world of plant biology! Unleash your learners’ scientific curiosity by encouraging them to sprout seeds in a simple sandwich bag. As they witness the miracle of life, you can start some stimulating discussions about the process of germination and plant growth. 

Learn More: Mom Brite

47. DIY Lava Lamp

Together with your eager kiddos, you can create a lava lamp to demonstrate the concept of liquid density. Let them add oil, water, and food coloring into a plastic bottle, before adding an Alka-Seltzer tablet. The chemical reaction of the tablet dissolving will create a cool lava lamp effect. They’ll marvel at the beautiful interplay of colors and bubbles while hypothesizing and learning.

Learn More: Experience Camps

48. Paperclip Pontoons

Welcome to a magical world of science where a simple paperclip defies gravity and floats on water! Use this activity to engage your kiddos in hands-on learning about surface tension, turning an everyday phenomenon into a captivating science experiment.

Learn More: Science Wonder How To

49. Magnetic Labyrinth

Venture into the thrilling world of magnetism with this cool maze idea. Challenge your kids to design their own maze and then use magnets to navigate it! They’ll not only be putting their creativity to the test but also delving deeper into the principles and science behind this force.

50. Thermometer from Trash

Turn your classroom into a mini weather station and engage your students in understanding how temperature changes can be recorded and measured. The exciting part of this experiment is that they can make it all happen using recycled items – a plastic water bottle, rubbing alcohol and a straw is all you need to bring this science experiment to life. 

Learn More: What Do We Do All Day

51. Delicious DNA

Transform your classroom into a vibrant genetics lab! Use colored marshmallows and licorice to replicate a DNA helix. It’s a fun, engaging, and flavorful way to introduce your young scientists to the complex world of genetics. You’ll have them eating out the palm of your hand! 

Learn More: Science Project Ideas

52. Vanishing Color Wheel

Have your youngsters dive into an intriguing mix of art and science with the Vanishing Color Wheel! Encourage them to construct their own color wheel, and let them watch in wonder as the colors blend to become white when spun. This activity offers them a firsthand experience of color theory in action.

53. Hydroponic Wonders

Welcome to the future of farming – right in your classroom! Guide your students to grow plants without soil, introducing them to the intriguing world of hydroponics. This project will allow them to research, build, and record: scientific skills that they will use for years to come.

54. Purification Through Filtration

Transform your classroom into a mini water purification station with this filtration experiment. In this hands-on activity, your kiddies will make a homemade water filter using a plastic bottle, gravel, and charcoal. What a super way to explore the importance of clean water and the science behind how it’s achieved.

Learn More: Generation Genius

55. Catapulting Marshmallows

Take your class on a fun-filled leap into physics! By setting the challenge of constructing a marshmallow catapult, your kids will investigate the principles of energy and motion, all while enjoying the fun of launching marshmallows across the room.

Learn More: The Gazette  

56. Secret Messages with Invisible Ink

Let your kiddos play spies for the day with this cool chemical reaction activity. Using just lemon juice, they can write invisible messages, which reveal themselves under heat. This fun-filled experiment is the perfect introduction to basic chemistry and heat reactions.

Learn More: Popular Science

57. DIY Weather Vane

Welcome your students to the world of meteorology and have them create their own weather vane. Using simple materials they can create their weather vanes, and then use them to monitor and record the direction of the wind. What an engaging and hands-on way to learn about weather patterns and observation.

58. Crystal Suncatcher Creations

Bring some magic to your classroom with this beautiful crystal-growing activity! Your learners will use simple materials like pipe cleaners and string to grow borax crystals overnight! Creating these sparkling decorations provides your students with a kaleidoscopic lesson about supersaturated solutions and their products.

Learn More: Steve Spangler

59. The Simple Straw Flute

Turn your classroom into a symphony of science with this simple straw flute experiment. By encouraging your kiddos to construct and play their own straw flutes, your class will gain a deeper understanding of sound waves and pitch, all while creating unique melodies. A symphony of science- what’s not to love?

Learn More: Sask Science Centre

60. Plastic Bag Paratroopers

Your class will be eager to launch into this thrilling exploration of gravity and air resistance with this next activity. As they create and test their own parachutes using plastic bags, they’ll gain hands-on experience with these two fundamental forces of physics. Look out below!

Learn More: wikiHow

61. Cartesian Diver Exploration

Pressure and buoyancy come to life in this exceptional experiment. Have your kiddies create a Cartesian diver and submerge them into the fascinating study of physics with pressure and gas. As they put pressure on the outside of the bottle they’ll be amazed that the divers move in response, like magic!

Learn More: Ronyes Tech

62. DIY Compass

Chart a course through the mysteries of Earth’s magnetism with this DIY Compass activity. As your kiddos build their own compasses, they’ll learn about the incredible magnetic forces that shape our world and help us navigate.

63. Slime Science

Allow your littles to get gooey and hands-on with slimy science! Have them create their own batch of slime using one of these simple recipes and let them dive into the world of polymers in a most entertaining and memorable way. Learning about viscosity has never been so sensory! 

Learn More: Mini Science

64. Leafy Laboratory

Encourage your learners to step into the vibrant world of plant pigments with this amazing chromatography experiment! Start by collecting and crushing up leaves, before adding some rubbing alcohol. Then add the chromatography paper to the solution and watch as the leaf pigments separate on the paper to give a colorful insight into both botany and chemistry.

Learn More: Playdough To Plato

65. Moldy Sandwich Science

Turn your classroom into a mini biology lab! Encourage your class to grow mold on bread under different conditions, teaching them about fungi, bacteria, and decomposition, and also the importance of washing our hands! What a brilliant way to transform a mundane phenomenon into a captivating learning experience.

Learn More: Mad About Science

66. Yeast Inflation

Blow up your students’ interest in biology next! By using the gas produced by yeast to inflate a balloon, your keen scientists will observe the process of fermentation firsthand, enhancing their understanding of microbiology.

67. Static Tricks with Balloon and Can

Get your learners ready for a hair-raising exploration of static electricity! They’ll be delighted to observe how a balloon and a can magically attract each other, or roll a can without even touching it! What a fantastic way to illustrate the invisible but powerful force of static electricity. 

Learn More: Instructables

68. Cloud in a Bottle

Welcome to the atmospheric science lab! Bring the wonders of weather into your classroom using a plastic bottle, some rubbing alcohol, and a bicycle pump. By creating a cloud inside a jar, your kiddies will gain an up-close understanding of the process of condensation.

Learn More: National Geographic Kids

69. Sponge Soak-up

Dive into the concept of absorption! Through a simple hands-on activity using everyday items like a sponge, paper towels, and plastic bags, your kiddos can investigate absorption. They’ll discover how absorption works by testing different materials, bringing this everyday phenomenon to life.

70. Prismatic Rainbow Creation

Step into the vibrant world of light and color! Have your learners explore the concept of light refraction by encouraging them to create their own rainbow with a prism and sunlight, turning your classroom into a mini rainbow factory. Who knew science could be so colorful?

As you can see, there are tons of science experiments for kids you can do with items you have in your home right now. What fun science activities does your child enjoy?

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best science experiments.

The best science experiments are the ones that answer a question your child has. When choosing science experiments for kids, always follow your child’s interests.

How do you do a simple science experiment at home?

When setting up a science experiment to do at home, it’s a good idea to set aside a time wherein there are no distractions. This will ensure that your child gets the most out of the experiments.

It’s also a great idea for parents to read about and practice the experiment ahead of time. This way, you know what’s going to happen and are ready to answer any questions.

What are some fun science experiments?

Fun science activities for kids are in no short supply. The list above is a great resource for kids’ science activities. Pinterest is a great resource, as well!

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37 Cool Science Experiments for Kids to Do at Home

General Education

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) .

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Easy Science Experiments for Kids

Looking for some easy experiments to do with the kids? We’ve got you covered with all of our favourite, easy science experiments for kids. The best part about all of these ideas is that they may be simple, but the lessons are powerful! Plus they can be adapted for a wide variety of ages and learning environments.

100+ Genius Easy Science Experiments for Kids

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Fun Science Experiments

First let’s kick things off with a list of easy science experiments for kids that we have done many times over and are a favourite of STEAM Powered Family readers around the world. Almost all of these projects use common household items and are tested by kids and teachers. We have science experiments for all ages, from preschool to middle school, even adults love to do these. The best part is that you can use these ideas to help students gain comfort and eventually mastery of the Scientific Method . This list is also a fantastic place to find ideas for your science fair projects.

Baking Soda and Vinegar Experiments

It is incredible the number of cool science experiments you can create from this one simple chemical reaction between Baking Soda and Vinegar . This endothermic reaction, is a classic acid and base chemical reaction.

Here is the chemical formula of this reaction

C 2 H 4 O 2  + NaHCO 3  -> NaC 2 H 3 O 2  + H 2 O + CO 2 vinegar + sodium bicarbonate -> sodium acetate + water + carbon dioxide

Some of our favourite baking soda and vinegar science activities of all time include Bottle Rockets , Fireworks Experiment , Baking Soda Oobleck , and Hatching Dinosaur Eggs . No matter which one you pick, you must try at least one vinegar and baking soda experiment when little scientists are first learning about chemistry.

Balloon Races – Physics Science Experiment

This fast paced, exciting science experiment explores the principles of physics and Newton’s Laws of Motion. It is so simple, kids won’t believe how much they are learning while having fun! Balloon Races make a fantastic activity for the classroom, camp, after school program or at home when the kids need to burn off some energy while learning!

Build a Compass – A Magnetism Science Experiment

Did you know it is actually very easy to build a compass ? All you need is a bowl of water, a needle and a cork! Have your children explore the same magnetic forces that inspired Einstein as a child in this fun science experiment.

Lollipop Layers Density Experiment

Density is such a fun phenomenon to explore, and in this version of a density experiment we are using candy! Lollipop layers is so simple, all you need is a bunch of lollipops or hard candies, water, and a patient hand. The result… GORGEOUS!

Greenhouse Effect Science Experiment

Climate change experiments are so important for helping foster a deep understanding in our students. In this Greenhouse Effect Science Experiment we learn how gas are changing the atmosphere and affecting global temperatures.

Volcano Experiment

A classic science project for kids, making a volcano can be as simple or as complex as you want to make it. The goal of the exercise, a big, bubbly reaction that is sure to WOW students. Here are some of our favourite Volcano Experiments we have done.

Have you ever made a Lava Lamp at home? This sensory science experiment is mesmerizing! Watching those bubbles bounce and dance and play is sure to capture students of all ages. Best of all, we have 5 different ways you can make a Lava Lamp (including the old favourite with alka seltzer), so no matter what supplies you have available, we have a Lava Lamp experiment you can do.

Make Milk Plastic

While teaching elementary science I was always on the hunt for cool science experiments that would impress my kids and really stretch their interests and foster their curiosity. One of the biggest hits of all time was a surprisingly simple experiment, that we never really considered as possible… making plastics. Specifically making bioplastics out of milk . With this concept you can create a lesson that is a powerful way to explore polymers with kids. This easy science experiment is a sure fire hit with students and gives them a wonderful keepsake of their studies.

Bouncy Naked Egg in Vinegar Experiment

Have you ever tried to shell a raw egg? Impossible you say? Challenge your hypothesis in this egg in vinegar science experiment ! Not only will you remove the shell from a raw egg, but the result is a bouncy, rubbery, raw egg. An incredibly simple science experiment, it can also be used to teach higher level concepts in osmosis and biology for students learning about the parts of the cell.

Making Water Rise Experiment Magic

When we did this water experiment the kids jaws hit the floor! It is so simple, but the results shock the kids. This is one very easy science experiment that is also incredibly memorable. It teaches the science of creating a vacuum in a very simple approach with just a jar, water and a candle. Learn how to make water rise and wow your students!

Elephant Toothpaste

You have probably seen the Elephant Toothpaste Science Experiment done on TV or at the Science Center where they create a massive gusher that goes many feet into the air, but did you know there is a very simple and easy way you can do this experiment yourself with items you already have available? This classic science experiment is one every student should experience.

Frozen Bubbles

If you live where it gets well below freezing, one of our favourite winter science experiments is to freeze bubbles . There are some specific science principles you need to understand to ensure this experiment is a beautiful success!

Growing Crystals

As a crystal lover and passionate family of rock hounds, the idea of growing crystals is something that we love! Over the years we have found all the ways to simplify and perfect the process so you can easily grow gorgeous crystals and learn the science behind crystallization. We have made crystals from borax, alum and sugar. We even have edible crystals called Rock Candy … yum!!

Explore Surface Tension with Glitter (or Pepper) and Soap

Surface tension is the focus of this simple science experiment that provides a powerful demonstration of the effect soap has on surface tension. Do this easy experiment, all you need is a plate, water, glitter or pepper and dish soap. Such an easy science experiment for kids!

Bottle Crush – Simple Heat Transfer Experiment

Got a soda pop bottle, some hot water and a cold winter day (or a bucket of ice)? Then you have all the makings of a cool science experiment! This this Bottle Crush science experiment , kids feel like all powerful magicians as they crush plastic bottles without touching them.

pH Testing Lab

Have you ever done a pH lab ex periment? In this simple version, you can use items from the kitchen to create a science lab that allows students to explore pH and learn more about acids and bases.

Gummy Mummies – Gummy Bear Mummification Experiment

Gummy Bear Science Experiments are always a hit with kids and in this easy science experiment we explore how the mummification process works. Add an extra fun comparison by also placing some of the gummy bears in liquid.

Walking Rainbow

Want a beautiful rainbow science experiment that is soooo easy it all happens without you even needing to do anything? Simply set it up, walk away, and come back to a beautiful rainbow of colours. In the Walking Rainbow Science Experiment kids learn about capillary action and color mixing. All you need is jars, paper towels, water and food coloring.

Rainbow Rain

On a rainy day, why not make Rainbow Rain in this simple science experiment for kids. The results are beautiful and will brighten a dreary day. All you need is water, shaving cream and a few drops of food colouring.

Skittles Experiment

It doesn’t get any easier than the simple Skittles Experiment . All you need is a plate, some Skittles and water. Soon you will have a spectacular science experiment the kids will beg to do again and again.

It’s been all the rage for a few years, and whether you love it or hate it, making slime can actually be a fantastic science experiment for kids.

Ready to do one of the most simple science experiments, but also the most fun? It’s time to make non-Newtonian Fluids! Known as Oobleck , it turns sold under pressure and liquifies when you remove pressure. And it will keep kids learning hands on and exploring for hours! The best part is all the different science experiments you can do with Oobleck.

Now when you think of Moon Dough , you don’t immediately think of easy science experiments for kids, but that’s because you have never made Moon Dough the way we make Moon Dough! In our recipes we learn about emulsifiers, glow in the dark science, chemical reactions, heat transfer, all while having so much fun exploring science and sensory play with kids of all ages.

Making playdough with your kids is a great way to teach them about mixtures, solutions, substances, and chemical changes. It is also teaches about the importance of formulas and the role each ingredient plays in creating one of the all time most popular sensory play items, playdough!

Magic Milk Experiment

Ready for some serious wow factor in a really easy science experiment? Magic Milk is a classic experiment that always mesmerizes kids. Over the years we have used it to learn about surface tension, space, pollution on Earth Day, and so much more. All you need is milk, dish soap and a drop of food colouring… and watch the magic colour explosion happen!

Simple Snow and Ice Experiment

Is it winter where you live? This is a fantastic, very simple and easy experiment to do with young students. All you need is some jars, snow, ice cubes and water… and watch the melting magic !

Heat Transfer Experiment – Slurpee Making

Kids love this simple slurpee science experiment where they get a cold, sweet treat at the end in the form of a homemade slurpee! Using the science of heat transfer, kids will make their very own slurpee out of juice. A great experiment for learning about temperature, heat and heat transfer.

Flying Ghosts Tea Bag Experiment

Obviously this easy science experiment is perfect for Halloween, but don’t let that stop you from doing it at any time during the year. The results of the flying tea bag experiment are always a hit with kids and all you need is fire and a tea bag to set flight to curiosity!

Ice Fishing

Inspire your little ones to learn more about how salt and water react in this fun ice fishing science experiment .

Water and Oil Experiment

Demonstrate how oil and water don’t mix in this colourful oil and water experiment. All you need is a few simple ingredients: water, oil and food colouring. When it comes to easy science experiments for kids, it doesn’t get easier than this!

Magnet Science – Harry Potter Inspired Wingardium Leviosa

Use the magic of science to wow students, or teach students this experiment so they can wow their friends with their new found magical abilities. You can also use this science to make ghosts fly! Who knew magnet science was so cool?

Marshmallow Science

Marshmallows are the secret to easy science experiments that you never knew existed in your pantry! Learn how to teach concepts around heat, molecules, expansion and more in this marshmallow science experiment .

Sky Science

Kids wondering why the sky changes colour during sunrise and sunsets? Or the always famous, why is the sky blue, question? Explore the science of the sky colours in this easy experiment .

Easy STEM Challenges

Why not combine Science with some Technology, Engineering and Math in these easy STEM Projects for kids.

Build a Popsicle Stick Catapult

One of the original STEM projects kids have been building for generations is the simple catapult. There are lots of different ways you can build a catapult, but here we are making the always easy and popular Popsicle Stick Catapult .

Build a Water Clock

This easy STEM project has some significant historical context that your history loving students will go wild over. Plus building a water clock is surprisingly easy but packs a powerful learning punch.

Make a Glow Salt Circuit

Before you start to worry, building a circuit doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, once your students master the basics of electricity and circuits, they will want to start adding circuits to everything. To get started, one of the most simple circuit projects you can make is our Glow Salt Circuit . Don’t worry, we provide all the detailed instructions to ensure your project is a hit.

Build a Battery

Another great way to explore electricity science is to build a simple battery out of food. We have built Lemon Batteries , Pumpkin Batteries and even Potato Batteries . Kids love capturing the energy in our foods and using it to light up!

Build a Bridge

A bridge building challenge is a great way to challenge a class either in school, at camp or in an after school program. Kids get to let their innovation, creativity, and understanding of science and engineering go wild as they build their creations. Then test them out against other designs to see which concepts come out on top.

Rube Goldberg Machine

Building simple machines is an incredible STEM project for all ages. With a Rube Goldberg Machine you are linking simple machines into a chain reaction to achieve an end goal. The best part about a Rube Goldberg Machine project is that it challenges students to work together and apply critical thinking and problem skills as they develop their STEM literacy. Check out the Rube Goldberg Machine we built as a Leprechaun Trap .

Build a Catapult Cannon

Catapults may be fun, but as kids get older, they want bigger challenges, bigger launches and bigger fun with their learning. Enter the Catapult Cannon , a Catapult design that launches harder and farther than your regular catapults, and challenges students to apply more advanced engineering and physics concepts.

Build a Confetti Cannon or Seed Bomb Launcher

For a smaller scale challenge with mini cannons, try making this Confetti Cannon , which includes two different designs, one for little learners and one more complex design for older kids. Plus you can use a similar design concept to make a Seed Bomb Launcher for homemade Seed Bombs.

Tower Construction Challenge

A very easy STEM Project is to challenge kids to build a tower. Now you can do this with blocks or LEGO, but up the challenge by having kids build with candy , marshmallows , paper, pasta or even frozen bubbles . Add a time limit to turn this into a one minute STEM challenge.

Make a Thaumatrope

Optical illusions are always a fun experiment for kids. For a quick and easy optical illusion for kids, try building Thaumatropes . It is so easy, especially with our ideas and templates.

Build a Balloon Car

This is a STEM build that is perfect for a classroom or after school group. Build a Balloon Car that is powered by air. For younger kids, challenge them with the Make It Move STEM Challenge .

Biology Science Building Models

Turn a boring Biology lesson into a fun science class with a STEM project inspired by the human body. Build functioning models of The Lungs , The Heart or The Hand .

Science Projects and STEM Activities for the Holidays

Need something specific to celebrate the seasons or holidays? Check out all of these resources featuring the best in easy science experiments for kids with a special theme!

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Hands On As We Grow®

Hands on kids activities for hands on moms. Focusing on kids activities perfect for toddlers and preschoolers.

50 Amazingly Simple Science Experiments for Kids at Home

Science Kindergartners Preschoolers Experiment Resources 30 Comments

Kids love experimenting , and these 50 simple science experiments for kids at home from Brigitte are perfect for all ages! Plus, you probably already have the basic supplies at home.

My daughters and I have had a lot of fun doing science experiments. Each year when we create our spring and summer list , we make sure to include “science days” which are days filled with science experiments.

Sometimes our science experiments don’t work according to plan, but I have been told that all scientists have failures with experiments from time to time.

It’s okay if they aren’t all successes.

Get the FREE Science Experiments Download

50 Simple Science Experiments with Supplies You Already Have

I love these 50 simple science experiments for you to try with your little scientists. They all use basic household supplies that you probably already have at home!

Most of these are experiments my daughters and I have done together. I hope you enjoy them as much as we have!

Get little ones involved with these easy toddler-friendly science experiment ideas!

Simple Science Experiments with Water

Not only can water  be a blast to play in, but water plus a few basic supplies equals a lot of science fun!

• Make an orange sink and float with an orange buoyancy experiment from Playdough to Plato.
• Compare the amount of salt in different types of water with this salty egg experiment  as seen on Uplifting Mayhem.
• Do a little more sinking or floating with a fun sink or float experiment  even toddlers can do from Hands On As We Grow.
• Use the free printable to record what sinks or floats in an outdoor experiment from Buggy and Buddy.
• Create some beautiful pieces of paper with this rainbow paper experiment from Science Kiddo.
• Talk about solutions as you try the “what dissolves in water” experiment  as seen on Hands On As We Grow.
• Learn about water absorption with this simple experiment from Little Bins for Little Hands.
• Mix some fun colors with this oil and water experiment  from Fun Learning for Kids.
• Make your own lava lamp , just like on  Hands On As We Grow.
• Can you keep all the water in the bag? Try it with a  leak-proof bag experiment  as seen on Hands On As We Grow.
• Learn about surface tension with this  magic finger pepper experiment  found on Hands On As We Grow.
• Make your own  water cycle in a bottle  as seen on A Dab of Glue Will Do.

Simple Science Experiments with Baking Soda and Vinegar

Baking soda + vinegar = a great chemical reaction! This fizzy reaction can fuel a variety of simple science experiments at home.

First of all, we have tested and found out the absolute best combination of baking soda and vinegar to get the best reaction possible. It makes a difference if you add vinegar to baking soda or vice versa! And how much you use!

• Inflate a balloon without blowing into it with a baking soda and vinegar balloon experiment  as seen on Little Bins for Little Hands.
• Practice colors as you do a baking soda and vinegar with color experiment as seen on Hands On As We Grow.
• Have fun outside with an outdoor volcano eruption  as seen on Preschool Inspirations.
• Have more volcano fun by making apple volcanoes as seen on The Resourceful Mama.
• Learn about acids and bases and the chemical reaction that occurs when you make apple seeds dance with a   jumping apple seeds experiment  as seen on JDaniel4s Mom.
• Watch some rice dance with a   dancing rice experiment as seen on Green Kid Crafts.
• Continue your dance party by making raisins dance with a dancing raisin experiment  as seen on 123 Homeschool 4 Me. What other items can you get to dance?
• Learn more about acids and bases by dissolving a sea shell as seen on Teach Beside Me.
• Make an egg shell disappear with this disappearing egg activity  as seen on Premeditated Leftovers.
• See how far you can launch a soda bottle with this baking soda powered boat as seen on Science Sparks.
• Make your own rocks (or eggs) with this fizzy treasure rocks experiment as seen on Living Life and Learning.
• Have some fun this summer with this frozen vinegar experiment as seen on Inspiration Laboratories.

Plant Themed Simple Science Experiments

Enjoy learning about seeds, plant parts, and how plants grow with these simple science experiments.

• Learn about how plants soak up water through their stems with a flower experiment for kids  from Growing A Jeweled Rose.
• Watch seeds sprout as you grow seeds in a jar  as seen on Teaching Mama.
• Learn about the parts of the seed with a seed coat experiment as seen on Gift of Curiosity.
• Build a house out of sponges and then watch it sprout with this sprout house as seen on The Stem Laboratory.
• Learn what liquids allow seeds to grow the best with this seed experiment  as seen on Gift of Curiosity.
• Explore how plants grow towards the light with this shoe-box maze experiment from Plants for Kids.

Animal Themed Simple Science Experiments

Learning about animals can be even more fun with some simple hands-on simple science experiments.

• Find out more about giraffes and create some giraffe spots  as seen on Preschool Powol Packets.
• Learn about how animals in the Arctic keep warm by making an arctic glove  as seen on Steve Spangler Science.
• Discover how penguins stay dry with a penguin feather experiment as seen on Raising Little Superheroes.
• Learn about different bird beaks with a bird beak experiment as seen on Blessed Beyond a Doubt.
• Explore how fish (and hermit crabs) breathe with this gill experiment  as seen on Preschool Powol Packets.
• Learn about sharks with a   shark buoyancy experiment as seen on Little Bins for Little Hands.

Even More Simple Science Experiment for Kids at Home!

If you are still looking for more science fun, you may enjoy the following simple science experiments.

• Find out how sugary drinks hurt teeth with an  eggs-periment  as seen on Feels Like Home Blog.
• Discover geodes (the state rock of Iowa) with this eggshell geode crystal experiment  as seen on Science Bob.
• Learn about air pressure with an egg and bottle experiment  as seen on Science Sparks.
• Find out what causes an apple to brown with this apple science experiment  as seen on Teach Beside Me.
• Make an  edible bubble apple with an experiment as seen on Preschool Powol Packet.
• Learn more about surface tension with a penny and water experiment  as seen on Artful Parent.
• Mix colors like magic with this color changing milk experiment  from Hands On As We Grow.
• Blow up a balloon with this soda and balloon experiment from Learn Play Imagine.
• Practice letters by making beautiful crystal letters as seen on Books and Giggles.
• Make your own indoor hovercraft  as seen on Living Life and Learning.
• Learn about colors with this beautiful butterfly chromatography craft  as seen on Buggy and Buddy.
• Make soap souffle  as seen on Steve Spangler Science.
• After talking about liquids and solids (and finding them in your own home), create oobleck  as seen on Babble Dabble Do. Is it a liquid, or is it a solid?
• Learn about frost by making some indoor frost as seen on Little Bin for Little Hands.
• Make your own homemade butter in a jar as seen on Happy Hooligans.

What scientific experiment will you try first?

About Brigitte Brulz

Brigitte Brulz is a homeschooling mom of two daughters, wife of her high school sweetheart, and author of Jobs of a Preschooler and Pickles, Pickles, I Like Pickles. She offers free coloring pages and activity ideas on her website at BrigitteBrulz.com .

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30 comments.

college brawl says

March 13, 2024 at 1:05 am

Wow, these experiments look like so much fun! I can’t wait to try them out with my kids. We’re always looking for new and creative ways to learn about science at home, and these experiments look like they’ll be perfect for us. Thanks for sharing! 😊

threadsBay says

August 31, 2023 at 3:13 am

I love science experiments! This one is really simple and easy to do.

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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!

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Cool Crystals:

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Crystal Candy:

10 Awesome 5-Minute Science Experiments

Krystal DeVille

October 1, 2023

Sometimes you don’t have enough time to do a full experiment during class.

But, you still want to be able to demonstrate the lesson!

All of these science experiments can be done in about 5 minutes! Plus, you likely already have everything you need to do them.

If you don’t have everything you need, all of these ingredients can be easily found at a grocery store.

If you’re doing these science experiments at home, remember that just because they only take 5 minutes, the fun doesn’t have to stop there!

As an example, check out the bouncy ball experiment below. You can make these bouncy balls in 5 minutes, and keep enjoying them for hours after.

—– If you’d like more STEM activity ideas, make sure to grab my FREE eBook on 25 STEM activities here . —–

Have any other quick science experiments you love? Please share them with us in the comments below!

Alright, now let’s get started with these fun and quick 5-minute science experiments.

Table of Contents

10 Quick Science Experiments You Can Do with Ingredients at Home

1. easy slime recipe.

This slime recipe is so simple! All you need is glue, water, and borax. You can add some creativity to the mix by also coloring the slime with food coloring. Mix the ingredients together, and see how the borax and glue react with each other to form a non-Newtonian liquid – slime!

2. Make an Eggshell Disappear

By simply soaking an egg in vinegar, the shell will disappear.

The setup and observation for this science experiment takes only 5-minutes, but you have to wait 48 hours until the chemical reaction between the shell and vinegar dissolves the shell completely. When it’s done, the outside layer of the shell will be the eggs membrane. It feels like a this squishy rubber egg you can keep playing with. (Be careful though – they can still burst!)

3. DIY Bouncy Ball

While you’re making slime, give this project a go too. By adding starch, you can turn your slime into a bouncy ball. Clear glue also makes great looking bouncy balls!

4. Magic Milk Science Experiment

This experiment is commonly referred to as exploding colors. With just a bit of food coloring, milk, and dish soap, you can cause a reaction that will make the colors burst apart. The dish soaps causes the fat molecules in the milk to separate to send the colors flying.

5. Density Jars

This amazing density jar has 9 layers! You can take it a level further by adding solid objects that will “float” between the layers too. Which liquid do you think will float at the top? Create your own hypothesis before the experiment and then observe the results.

6. DIY Lava Lamp

Creating your own lava lamp is another fun way to learn about density. Mix oil and food coloring together. Add the colored oil to a jar of water. Then drop in an alka seltzer tablet.

The liquid will begin to fizz and push the oil up, but the oil and water won’t mix. Slowly the oil, which is more dense, will fall back to the bottom of the bottle.

7. Levitate a Match

You’ll have to watch closely for this quick science experiment! Simply lean a match onto another match. Light the leaning match at the center. It will burn towards the top of the match, and when the two match heads ignite they fuse together! The leaning match, which is now less heavy from burning, will levitate up into the air.

8. Exploding Bag Experiment

Who doesn’t love a science experiments that end in a POP!? This exploding bag experiment is perfect for waking up the class. All you need is baking soda and vinegar to make a bag explode.

When baking soda and vinegar react, they produce carbon dioxide which fills up the bag. Soon there will be so much carbon dioxide causing pressure in the bag, it will burst!

9. Fingerprint Balloons

Look closely at your fingerprints and compare it to classmates by placing your finger print on a balloon. You’ll need stamp ink and balloons. Inflate the balloon to enlarge your fingerprints, so you can take a closer look. Can you identify the different patterns in your own print?

10. Elephant Toothpaste

Elephant toothpaste seems to be an experiment that’s blown up on Pinterest. This fun chemical reaction will leave you with a bunch of foam you can keep on playing with.

11. Exploding Colors Science Experiment

Here’s another fun experiment to show the chemical reaction between baking soda & vinegar – but there’s a twist! You hide food coloring underneath the baking soda, so before you add the vinegar, the class has to guess the color that will explode from the bowl.

With these quick science experiments, you don’t need much time to demonstrate a lesson in a fun, engaging way. I hope you enjoy these experiments as much as I do!

3 thoughts on “10 Awesome 5-Minute Science Experiments”

Wow! I did not realize how many experiments that are relatively safe can be made with vinegar as a primary ingredient! Thanks for sharing these!

All the experience you cannot do in 5 mins

Sure they can. Did you even do any of them?

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50 Exciting 2nd Grade Science Projects for the Classroom and Beyond

These simple ideas will help kids fall in love with science.

Kids love science, especially when it involves hands-on experiments. These 2nd grade science projects, experiments, and activities are guaranteed to bring excitement and enthusiastic vibes into your classroom. Your students will learn basic concepts about physics, chemistry, biology, and more while having a blast!

To make it even easier to find the best 2nd grade science projects, we’ve given each a rating based on difficulty and the materials you’ll need.

Difficulty:

• Easy: Low or no-prep experiments you can do pretty much anytime
• Medium: These take a little more setup or a longer time to complete
• Advanced: Experiments like these take a fairly big commitment of time and/or effort
• Basic: Simple items you probably already have around the house
• Medium: Items that you might not already have but are easy to get your hands on
• Advanced: These require specialized or more expensive supplies to complete

Nature and Earth Science 2nd Grade Science Projects

Food science activities and projects for 2nd graders, more 2nd grade science experiments and activities.

Explore animals, ecosystems, geology, plate tectonics, and more with these interesting and interactive 2nd grade science activities.

Pollinate like a bee

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

Use pipe cleaner bees to discover how these pollinators pick up and move cheese powder “pollen” from one juice box flower to the next. Simple, fun, and adorable!

Learn more: Cheese Powder Pollination Activity at Around the Kampfire

Simulate a landslide

This NASA video shows you how to create an indoor landslide in a milk carton, showing students the power of weather, erosion, and nature in action.

Grow a sprout house

Difficulty: Medium / Materials: Medium

This two-part science project first challenges kids to use their engineering skills to construct a miniature house made of sponges . Then, they plant chia, alfalfa, or other quick-sprouting seeds and keep the sponges moist until they start to grow.

Learn more: Sponge Garden at The STEM Laboratory

Re-create the water cycle in a bag

This simple but effective experiment explores the water cycle. Fill a plastic bag 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 Bags at Grade School Giggles

Create an earth model from play dough

Play-Doh has so many uses in the classroom! Use it to teach 2nd grade science students about the layers of the earth by building a fun and colorful model.

Learn more: Layers of the Earth at The Crafty Classroom

Explore erosion with sugar cubes

Simulate the effects of erosion by shaking sugar cubes in a cup with some pebbles to see what happens. Get more ideas for 2nd grade science activities about erosion and weathering at the link.

Learn more: Weathering and Erosion at The First Grade Roundup

Find out which liquid is best for growing seeds

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium

As you learn about the life cycle of plants , explore how water supports their growth. Plant seeds and water them with a variety of liquids to see which sprout first and grow best.

Learn more: Watering Experiment at Lessons for Little Ones

Build a folded mountain

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

Learn more: Towel Mountain at The Chaos and the Clutter

Explode a balloon seed pod

After you learn about pollination, take the next step and explore how plants disperse their seeds far and wide. One way is with exploding seed pods. Use a balloon to see how it works.

Learn more: Seed Dispersal Activity at Around the Kampfire

Watch a leaf “breathe”

Plants “breathe” through transpiration, and you can see the process in action simply by submerging a leaf in water.

Learn more: Leaf Transpiration at KC Edventures With Kids

Grow a self-sustaining ecosystem

Plant seeds inside a sealed plastic bottle and observe both the water cycle and the plant life cycle in one simple 2nd grade science experiment.

Learn more: Plastic Bottle Planter at Carly and Adam

Compare and contrast animal habitats

Build a variety of habitats (woodland, arctic, savanna, etc.). Then have kids compare to see how they are similar (all have water) and how they are different (trees, temperatures, etc.).

Learn more: Animal Habitats at KC Edventures With Kids

Discover plate tectonics with graham crackers

Use graham crackers as the Earth’s crust floating on a bed of whipped topping “mantle” to learn about how tectonic plates interact.

Learn more: Graham Cracker Plate Tectonics at Playdough to Plato

Collect and classify rocks

Take a nature walk to pick up rocks of all kinds. Bring them back and have kids examine them closely and sort them into groups by properties (color, size, shape, texture, and so on). This is a fantastic lead-in to learning about the types of rocks.

Learn more: Classifying Rocks at Rhythms of Play

Make edible dirt cups

Help your students remember the four types of soil with this tasty 2nd grade science experiment. Layer pudding, graham crackers, and Oreos for a mouthwatering, memorable lesson.

Learn more: Edible Soil Cups at The Kitchen Is My Playground

Raid the pantry and try these kitchen science experiments with your second graders! They all use common food items to explore all sorts of fascinating science concepts.

Power up a lemon battery

Here’s another classic science experiment every kid should try. They’ll be amazed to learn a citrus fruit can generate an electric current!

Learn more: Lemon Battery at Education.com

Conduct a cookie dunk experiment

Introduce or review the scientific method with a fun and easy experiment to determine which cookies float or sink when dunked in milk. Then you can eat the results! ( Find more great edible science experiments here. )

Learn more: Milk and Cookies Scientific Method Experiment at Around the Kampfire

Use bread to learn about handwashing

There’s never been a better time for an experiment involving the importance of washing your hands! All you need for this one is bread, plastic bags, and some dirty hands.

Learn more: Moldy Bread Experiment at Parenting Isn’t Easy

Drink root beer floats to learn about states of matter

What’s easy to make, delicious to eat, and demonstrates all three states of matter at once? Root beer floats! This will easily be your students’ favorite science lesson of the year.

Learn more: Root Beer Float Science at Learning Lab Resources

Mix flavors in a lollipop lab

Candy science experiments are always a hit with kids! In this one, they’ll dissolve sugary lollipops in water, then mix flavors to make something new.

Learn more: Lollipop Lab at Fantastic Fun and Learning

Learn about osmosis with gummy bears

This is one of those classic experiments your 2nd grade science students will love to see in action. Soak the gummies in water to watch them grow through the power of osmosis.

Learn more: Osmosis Gummy Bears at Nurture Store UK

Freeze and observe liquid expansion

As you explore the states of matter, experiment to see if some types of liquid expand more than others when frozen.

Learn more: Freezing Liquids Experiment at Education.com

Use crackers to learn about properties of matter

Practice sorting, comparing, and classifying using properties of matter in this tasty experiment. All you need is a variety of snack crackers and inquiring minds! (These magnifying glasses would be fun too.)

Learn more: Properties of Matter Cracker Lab at Around the Kampfire

Demonstrate heat energy with chocolate kisses

Give each student two chocolate kiss candies to hold onto for five minutes. Students should keep one palm open, while closing their other around the kiss. See what happens simply from our body heat.

Learn more: Chocolate Kiss Experiment at Sandy Fiorini/TPT

Explode a watermelon

How many rubber bands does it take to make a watermelon explode? Find out while observing the concepts of potential and kinetic energy with your students.

Learn more: Exploding Watermelon Science at 123 Homeschool 4 Me

Turn an egg into a bouncy ball

Simply soak an egg in vinegar for 48 hours for this amazing chemical reaction. This is guaranteed to blow your students’ minds!

Learn more: Bouncy Egg Experiment at Cool Science Experiments Headquarters

Build a solar oven to make s’mores

Observe the power of solar energy while baking a delicious, gooey dessert in the process. Yum!

Learn more: Solar Oven Project at Desert Chica

Conduct an egg drop

In this STEM project, your students will create a protective egg holder from simple materials. They will love seeing if their contraption keeps their egg in one piece during the competition.

Learn more: Egg Drop at Buggy and Buddy

Drop a Mento in soda and watch it erupt

Here is another 2nd grade science experiment that will make your students explode with excitement. Drop a Mento candy in different types of soda, and see which one causes the tallest geyser.

Build marshmallow-and-pretzel structures

Get creative while practicing engineering skills by building structures with marshmallows and pretzels. Sweeten the deal by eating them afterwards!

Learn more: Pretzel Marshmallow STEM Challenge at The STEM Laboratory

Kids will love these 2nd grade science ideas, from making their own slime to projecting stars on their ceiling, and everything in between!

Brew up tie-dye slime

Slime is more than just an ever-popular toy. It’s also got a lot of great science behind it. Mix up some eye-popping tie-dye slime and take the opportunity to learn about polymers and non-Newtonian fluids.

Learn more: Tie-Dye Slime at I Heart Arts and Crafts

Dissect a seed

Soak a large seed (beans are ideal) in water, then carefully take it apart to see what’s inside. Draw a diagram to label parts like the seed coat and plant embryo.

Learn more: Seed Dissection at The Applicious Teacher

Use cereal to learn about states of matter

Learn how atom arrangements affect the states of matter with this easy 2nd grade science activity that doubles as a snack!

Learn more: Cereal States of Matter at The First Grade Roundup

Make a bouquet of chromatography flowers

Use chromatography to split secondary paint colors into their original hues. The results are both pretty and fascinating!

Learn more: Chromatography Flowers at 123 Homeschool 4 Me

Concoct a foaming rainbow

Every kid loves the classic baking soda and vinegar chemical reaction experiment. This version makes a foamy rainbow, thanks to some added food coloring.

Learn more: Foamy Rainbow at Messy Little Monster

Sculpt pipe cleaner constellations

Help kids find the constellations in the night sky by making these models from pipe cleaners . The little star beads are such a clever touch!

Learn more: Pipe Cleaner Constellations at 123 Homeschool 4 Me

Tell time with a sundial

How did people tell time before clocks and watches? Help 2nd grade science students find out by making their own sundials from paper plates.

Learn more: DIY Sundial at Paging Supermom

Race clothespin cars

Explore simple machines by building race cars from basic supplies like clothespins and drinking straws . It’s a really fun way to learn about wheels and axles.

Learn more: Clothespin Cars at The Primary Brain

Build a body from play dough

Play-Doh activities are always fun to do! Visit the link below for free printable mats to use as you have your 2nd grade science students sculpt the bones, organs, and muscles of the body.

Learn more: Play-Doh Body at 123 Homeschool 4 Me

Turn pom-poms into crystal balls

Every kid loves making crystals! They’ll learn about supersaturated solutions as they make these cute little crystal pom-pom balls.

Learn more: Crystal Pom-Poms at A Dab of Glue Will Do

Test sunscreen for effectiveness

Kids might wonder why they need to wear sunscreen when they’re at the park or playing soccer. This experiment shows them the power of the sun’s rays and the protection sunscreen provides.

Learn more: Sunscreen Experiment at JDaniel4’s Mom

Design and build an index card tower

Challenge your 2nd grade science students to a little early engineering. Given only index cards , how tall and/or strong of a structure can they build?

Learn more: Index Card STEM Challenge at Education to the Core

Repel glitter with dish soap

Every teacher 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 students how soap fights glitter and germs.

Bend objects to test flexibility

Explore one of the properties of matter with this easy experiment. Kids plan how to test flexibility, then try it out with a variety of basic objects.

Learn more: Flexibility Experiment at Around the Kampfire

Discover density with saltwater solutions

This simple experiment covers a lot of 2nd grade science concepts. Learn about solutions, density, and even ocean science as you compare and contrast how objects float in different water mixtures.

Learn more: Water Density at The Science Kiddo

Blast off drinking-straw rockets

Engineer rockets from drinking straws and have a blast when you send them flying! Kids can tweak the design to see whose can fly the highest.

Learn more: Straw Rockets at Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls

Create a solar system out of play dough

This is a perfect culminating project for your space unit. Your students can display their models at home when the project is complete.

Learn more: Play Dough Solar System at Good to Know

Count how many water drops will fit on a penny

How many water drops fit on a penny? Find out with this fun and easy experiment that focuses on surface tension. Your students will be amazed by the results!

Learn more: Penny Surface Tension at Little Bins for Little Hands

Project stars on the ceiling

Everyone loves visiting a planetarium. Turn your very own 2nd grade science classroom into one with this simple DIY star projector.

Learn more: Star Projector at Mystery Science

Write secret messages with invisible ink

Make your own invisible ink from just baking soda and water, then have your students write messages to one another. Reveal the secret messages with a flashlight once the ink is dry.

Learn more: Invisible Ink at ThoughtCo

Looking for more? Try these 25 Second Grade STEM Challenges To Help Kids Think Creatively .

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10 Super Simple Science Experiments for Elementary Students

by Sara Ipatenco

Science is one of the core subjects necessary in every elementary school classroom. Experiments are a critical part of any science curriculum, because they allow your students to get up close and personal with learning concepts. Science experiments don’t have to be expensive, hard, or time-consuming. With a few inexpensive materials, a science lab, and a class period or two, you can bring science alive for your students. Here are 10 experiments to get your students started.

Just so you know, we may get a small share of the sales made through affiliate links on this page.

1. Dancing popcorn

Materials needed:.

• 1-quart jar
• 1 tablespoon popcorn kernels
• 2-4 tablespoons baking soda
• 1 cup white vinegar

Directions:

• Fill the 1-quart jar about three-quarters with water.

2. Add the baking soda to the water and stir until it’s dissolved.

3. Gently pour the popcorn kernels into the jar.

4. Slowly pour in the vinegar. Go slowly or you’ll get a volcano overflowing over the top of the jar.

5. Watch the popcorn kernels dance! The reaction between the baking soda and vinegar causes bubbles to form in the liquid. As the bubbles move, they knock into the popcorn kernels, causing them to look like they are dancing.

2. Lemon volcano

• Food coloring
• Baking soda
• Cut the lemon in half. Slice a tiny sliver off the bottom of one lemon half so it sits flat on a plate. Cut a few slits in the flesh of the lemon.

2. Place a few drops of food coloring on the lemon half sitting flat on the plate. Use two or three colors for a more colorful reaction.

3. Squeeze a bit of dish soap on the lemon half right on top of the food coloring.

4. Sprinkle a spoonful of baking soda on top of the dish soap. Use the back of the spoon to press the baking soda into the flesh of the lemon.

5. Squeeze the other half of the lemon on top of the baking soda. You should start to see a colorful reaction right away!

6. Keep squeezing until you’ve gotten all the juice out of the second lemon half. As the lemon juice reacts to the baking soda it will fizz. The dish soap will also bubble, mixing with the food coloring to make the experiment colorful and easy to see. It works because of the reaction of the acidic lemon juice with the baking soda and dish soap.

3. Turning pennies green

• Paper towels
• White vinegar
• Pennies dated 1981 or older – younger pennies don’t have enough copper to get the proper reaction necessary to make this experiment work
• Place a folded paper towel into the bottom of a bowl.

2. Place the pennies on top of the paper towel. Put some of the pennies heads up and some of the pennies tails up so your students can see the green in a couple different ways.

3. Pour enough white vinegar over the pennies to saturate the paper towel. Save the rest of the vinegar to refresh the paper towel as it dries.

4. Observe the pennies after an hour or two. The green will just be starting to appear on the pennies.

5. Leave the pennies overnight. Observe them again the next day. There will plenty of green appearing on the pennies. The green, which is called malachite, continues to appear because of the chemical reaction between the copper, the vinegar, and the oxygen in the air. This is why the Statue of Liberty is green!

4. Glitter Germs

• White plate
• Fill the plate with water. Sprinkle glitter over the surface of the water. The more glitter you sprinkle, the more dramatic the reaction will be.

2. Have your students dip one finger in dish soap.

3. Students will gently dip their soap-covered finger into the center of the plate.

4. Observe what the glitter does! It will immediately scatter away from the soap. This happens because the soap lowers the surface tension of the water, which causes the molecules to scatter – the glitter just makes it so your students can see that happen. This is a great science experiment to teach the importance of washing hands – the soap will literally make the germs scatter!

5. Exploding baggies

• Plastic zip-top bag
• One square of toilet paper
• Pour half a cup of vinegar into a plastic zip-top bag.

2. Place a spoonful of baking soda into a square of toilet paper.

3. Fold the toilet paper square up to make a small packet.

4. Head outside because the next part will get messy! Once outside, quickly place the toilet paper packet in the bag, squeeze the air out, zip the bag closed, and set on the sidewalk. It’s important to do this part quickly!

5. Back up and watch. The bag will start to puff up.

6. Keep watching!

7. Watch some more. It’s almost there!

8. Bang! The bag will explode! This experiment works because the vinegar and baking soda create carbon dioxide gas in the bag. As more carbon dioxide is made, it builds up in the bag until the bag can’t hold any more. That’s when the bag pops.

6. Walking water

• 6 small glass jars
• Red, yellow, and blue food coloring
• Place the 6 glass jars in a circle so the jars are touching each other. Fill every other jar about three-quarters full of water.

2. Place a few drops of red food coloring in one jar, skip the empty jar, add yellow food coloring to the next jar, skip the empty jar, and then add blue food coloring to the next jar.

3. Fold six paper towels into fourths the long way.

4. Place the end of one paper towel in the red jar and the other end in the empty jar. Then place the end of another paper towel into the same empty jar and the other end in the yellow jar. Take the third paper towel and place one end in the yellow jar and the other end in the next empty jar. The fourth paper towel will have one end in the empty jar and the other end in the blue jar. The fifth will have one end in the blue jar and the other end in the following empty jar. The last paper towel will have one end in the empty jar and one end in the red jar.

5. Watch the paper towels begin to absorb the colored water.

6. After a few minutes, the paper towels will be saturated with the primary colors.

7. Keep watching and the colors will begin to transfer from the jars you filled to the empty jars. The experiment works because the primary colors will mix in the empty jars making the secondary colors. The paper towels will then begin to absorb the secondary colors, making it look like the water is walking from jar to jar.

• 4 cups white vinegar
• 4 tablespoons baking soda
• Large cooking pot
• Glass measuring cup
• Pour 4 cups of white vinegar into your cooking pot.

2. Add baking soda, one tablespoon at a time, to the white vinegar.

3. Stir the mixture well after each tablespoon. This will prevent the pot from overflowing.

4. Boil the white vinegar and baking soda mixture on medium-low heat for about an hour. You want to boil it long enough that that much of the liquid is boiled out. You want about three-quarters of a cup of liquid.

5. Scrape a small amount of the dried powder from the side of the pot and place it in the middle of a colored plate. A colored plate isn’t required, but it will make it easier to see the hot ice grow.

6. Pour the liquid into a glass measuring cup. It will be quite hot, so this is a job for the teacher! The liquid might also have a yellow tinge to it. This is normal and will not change the outcome of the project. Begin slowly pouring the liquid onto the powder on the plate. Patience is the key from here on out. Your students will need to pour the liquid very slowly or it will just spread all over the plate rather than growing.

7. Keep pouring, a drop or so at a time, and watch the ice begin to grow.

8. Keep pouring until you’ve used up all the liquid. The “ice” will continue to be hot to the touch, so make sure your students aren’t touching the ice as it grows. It works because the powder “seed,” called sodium acetate, crystalizes and releases heat energy, which is why it will be hot to the touch. It’s the same process used to make hand warmers.

8. Floating ink

    materials needed:.

•     White glass plate
•     Dry erase markers

    Directions:

• Draw simple pictures on a white glass plate using the dry erase markers.

2. Use another color to draw a few more images on the plate.

3. Place a small amount of water into a glass jar. Carefully pour the water onto the edge of the plate.

4. Watch the dry erase images begin to lift off the plate and float on top of the water. It works because the ink in dry erase markers is insoluble, which means it won’t dissolve in liquid. Instead, when the ink in a dry erase marker meets water, it floats to the top. Have your students experiment with different colors of dry erase markers and different temperatures of water to see if that changes the how quickly and easily the images float.

9. Snowstorm in a jar

• A glass jar
• White paint
• Blue food coloring
• Alka-seltzer tablet
• Fill a jar about three-quarters full of baby oil.

2. In the small bowl, mix white craft paint with water until the paint is completely stirred into the water.

3. Add several squirts of blue food coloring and a generous amount of glitter to the baby oil. Slowly pour in the white paint and water mixture.

5. Carefully drop an Alka-seltzer tab in the jar.

6. The snowstorm will immediately start in the jar! Your students will begin to see the glitter, blue oil, and white paint start to swirl slowly in the jar.

7. Keep watching because the snowstorm will get crazier! It works because water is denser than oil so the white paint water will sink to the bottom of the jar. The Alka-seltzer causes a chemical reaction with the water, forcing the water up toward the top of the jar. At the same time, the oil will be blocking the water, forcing it back down toward the bottom of the jar. These opposite forces of pressure make it look like there’s a blizzard!

10. Crushing cans

• Empty aluminum can
• Small cooking pot
• Fill the empty aluminum can with just enough water to cover the bottom and place it in a small cooking pot and over medium heat.

2. While you are waiting for the water in the can to boil, fill a bowl with plenty of ice and water.

3. Keep an eye on the can. Peek in the top to see if the water has started to boil.

4. Once the water is boiling, the teacher will use the tongs to remove the can from the pot.

5. Immediately turn the can upside down into the bowl of ice water. The can will crush instantly. It works because the steam from the boiling water in the can pushes all the air out the opening at the top. When the can is placed in the ice water, the steam cools and water takes it place. Since water takes up less space than steam, the blocked opening of the can makes it impossible for air to fill up the space the steam previously took up. The result is instant crushing.

With a few simple ingredients and class period or two, your students will learn a ton about scientific concepts while also observing just how much fun science can be.

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Simple But Fun Elementary Science Experiments to Try in Your Classroom

Written by Holly (Teach Starter)

Looking for some fun elementary science experiments you can do in the classroom that will wow your students? Getting hands-on with science and creating projects that are doable in a classroom setting but also have an element of “cool” are the Teach Starter team’s favorite way to get our students hooked on science.

So we put together some of our very favorite simple science experiments for kids to try out in your classroom! From making an eggshell disappear for a chemistry lesson to showing off the capillary action of flowers for biology, these science experiment ideas will be a sure hit in your classroom!

Simple Elementary Science Experiments

We have developed a series of simple elementary science experiments that are perfect for the busy teacher! Bonus: All of these fun experiments are simple to do and use everyday items.

Science Experiment: Make an Eggshell Disappear

This fun classroom science experiment falls under seriously simple — all you need is some white vinegar, a raw egg, and a glass jar for a chemistry lesson! Your students will learn all about the chemical reaction that occurs when you put an egg into vinegar and leave it overnight. This chemical reaction makes the egg shell disappear but will leave the rubbery membrane, keeping the egg intact.

For a simple description of the chemistry involved, the equipment required, the method and further questioning for your students, download our  Make an Eggshell Disappear – Science Experiment Booklet.

Science Experiment: Make a Rainbow with Water

Everyone loves a rainbow! Students learn all about density in this physics science experiment. They will use different measurements of sugar to create a variety of densities of colored water. Eventually, they will be able to layer water on top of the water, creating a rainbow tower. Sounds like fun, hey?

Again this experiment only requires water, food coloring, sugar, and some different glass jars! To read all about it, download our  Rainbow Water Density Tower – Science Experiment Booklet .

Science Experiment: Capillary Action of Water in Flowers (Biology)

This is always a class favorite! Students learn about how water gets from the bottom of a flower stem all the way to the petals by putting them into colored water!

Download our  Capillary Action of Water in Flowers – Science Experiment Booklet . In our ‘Take it Further’ section of the science booklet, get students to research early botanists.

Science Experiment: Rainbow Bubble Snake

Create a fun, colorful serpent with some simple ingredients for a science experiment that will leave kids giggling!

All you need is:

• Empty plastic bottle
• Dishwashing liquid
• Rubber band
• Food coloring
• A dish of water

• Make the bubble solution by adding water into a shallow dish and adding a few squirts of dishwashing liquid.
• Make the snake by carefully cutting the bottom of the bottle (adults will need to help). Then, place the sock over the end of the bottle and place a rubber band over it to secure it in place
• Wet the sock end with some of the bubble solution, then add a few drops of food coloring on to the end – the more colors, the more colorful!
• Finally, dip the sock end in the bubble solution one more time, and blow through the other end of the bottle. Your rainbow serpent will start to grow…

The hydrogen atoms in one water molecule are attracted to the oxygen atoms in the other water molecules, making the bubbles attach to each other when they come out of the sock fabric. The bubbles are forming because of the air being blown into the soap solution. The air is getting trapped under the surface of the flexible soap skin, stretching it into a sphere shape.

Make it a fair tes t by changing one variable, such as the material or perhaps a different-sized bottle.

Science Experiment: Create a Lava Lamp Science Activity

This simple science experiment for elementary students is an oldie but a goodie!

• Two glasses
• Vegetable oil
• Alka-Seltzer tablets

• First, mix half a cup of water with some drops of food coloring. You can make two different batches with different colors if you wish to make more than one lava lamp.
• Then, fill a glass 3/4 full with vegetable oil. Pour some of the colored mixture into the oil, being careful not to fill the glass too much.
• Add one Alka-seltzer tablet and watch the chemical reaction…

The Alka-seltzer tablets react with the water to produce carbon dioxide gas bubbles! These stick to the water droplets. The water and gas combo is less dense than the oil, so they rise to the top of the glass!

Make this a fair test by changing the amount of Alka-seltzer added. One glass you can add one tablet, another can have two tablets and another can have three. What happens?

Science Experiment: Refraction of Light Science Activity

File this science experiment for kids under SUPER simple. And seriously, we mean super!

• Glass of water

Draw something on a piece of paper. An arrow is a great visual to start this science activity, as it is obvious what happens when you put the glass of water in front of the drawn arrow. But, you don’t have to limit it to arrows. Get creative and draw anything you would like to see through the glass.

When the light is passing through the glass of water, it refracts or bends. The glass of water acts as a cylindrical convex lens and produces an inverted image.

Create a fair test by changing one variable. What happens if you change the size of the glass. Or what if you change the liquid variable? Does it change the result?

Check out our collection of science resources for more science experiments and science teaching resources.

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17+ Fun and Easy Science Experiments for Kids

1. Lava Lamp

2. raising water, 3. water walking, 4. orange fizz, 5. rainbow jar, 6. colorful foam, 7. dancing raisins , 8. rock candy, 9. magic milk, 10. mold test, 12. simple circuit.

Do you want to make science fun for your children? In that case, close science textbooks for a minute and organize kids’ science experiments in your classroom. 

When your kids see how everything is science, from baking soda to oranges, they will be more interested in learning science. So, this post will walk you through fun kids’ science experiments that only take two minutes to set up. 

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Kids see fun ., you see real learning outcomes ..

Watch your kids fall in love with math & reading through our scientifically designed curriculum.

Ingredients Required :

A plastic bottle, fizzing tablets, vegetable oil, water, food coloring.

How to Set Up:

• Fill a plastic bottle with water (1/4th part) and vegetable oil (remaining amount). 
• Add food coloring and wait for a few minutes before putting a fizzing tablet in the bottle. 
• Then, turn off the lights and flash a light on a lava lamp to observe colorful blobs building. 

Jar, water, small votive candles, food coloring, matchstick. 

• Pour the colored water into a shallow dish and place a small votive candle in the middle. 
• Lighten the candle and quickly place an empty jar over it. 
• Watch the candle burning slowly. This will eventually raise the water level in the dish. 

Tissue paper, six paper cups, and six different food coloring. 

• Pour water into all six paper cups and add different food colors to each one. 
• Using tissue paper, arrange them in a circle to create a bridge between cups. 
• Wait for a few minutes to complete this kids’ science experiment. Your child will be amazed to see water walking from one cup to another.

An orange and baking soda. 

• Slice an orange into different sections for this simple kid’s science experiment. 
• Then, dip a section into baking soda and ask your students to take a bite. 
• When orange bubbles form in your students’ mouths, they will surely enjoy this experiment. 

A jar, six glasses, sugar, food coloring. 

• Pour water up to an equal level in all six glasses and put different food colors in each glass. 
• Glass 1 – 2 sugar scoops,
• Glass 2 – 4, etc. 
• Once the sugar dissolves in the water, use a water dropper to pour colorful water into an empty jar. 
• Due to different density levels of water, colored water will form separate layers in the jar, making it look like a rainbow. 

A soda bottle, ½ cup hydrogen peroxide liquid, dry yeast, warm water, a small cup, safety goggles, and liquid dish soap. 

• Put on your safety goggles and pour hydrogen peroxide liquid into a bottle. 
• Add food color and liquid dish soap into a bottle. Shake it. 
• In a small cup, mix warm water and yeast for 30 seconds. 
• Finally, let your students pour the yeast mixture into a bottle to form colorful foam. 

Raisins, warm water, vinegar, a cup.

This is a simple kids’ science experiment for young STEM students. Just pour water and vinegar into a transparent cup along with some raisins. The water and vinegar reaction will keep raisins floating and engage your students. 

A jar, saucepan, water, sugar, food coloring, skewer, clothespin, thread. 

• Pour water into a saucepan and place it over the stove. Keep adding sugar into the Water until Water reaches saturation level (no more sugar can dissolve in water). 
• Cool the water down and pour it into a jar along with your favorite food coloring. 
• With the help of a skewer and clothespin, hang a thread in the middle of the jar. 
• It takes time for the crystallization process to start, but gradually dissolved sugar will wrap around the thread to create rock candy. 

A tray, milk, food coloring, toothpick sticks, liquid dish soap.

Magic milk is a fun kids’ science experiment for preschoolers. Just pour milk into a tray and add dollops of different food colors. The color will remain in the milk until kids use toothpick sticks dipped in liquid dish soap to twirl milk as they please. 

Three bread slices, ziplock bags.

This is a quick kid’s science experiment to teach your students the importance of handwashing. Give three bread slices to your students and ask them to put them in different ziplocks. Before that, make them touch one bread slice with regular hands, one with water-washed hands, and another with sanitizer-clean hands. When they see how fast mold grows on the bread they have touched without washing their hands, they will never touch food without cleaning their hands. 

11. Balloon Blowing Trick

Balloons, vinegar, baking soda, a bottle 

• Take a balloon and pour vinegar into it. 
• Put some baking soda in an empty bottle. 
• Attach a balloon over the mouth of a bottle so that vinegar slowly pours inside it. 
• The reaction between vinegar and baking soda will produce gas, blowing up the balloon. 

Ingredients Required: 

Battery, small bulb, wires

How to Set Up:  This electricity experiment helps teach kids about electrical circuits. Connect one end of a wire to the positive terminal of the battery and the other end to the metal base of the bulb. Connect another wire from the negative terminal of the battery to the side of the bulb. Watch as the bulb lights up, showing how electricity flows through a circuit.

13. Leak Proof Bag

A ziplock bag sharpened pencils, and water.

Leak Proof bag experiment helps you teach unique water properties to your students. Pour water into the ziplock bag and ask your students to add pencils to it. They will be amazed to see how water didn’t leak despite all the pencil holes. 

14. Water Cycle

A ziplock bag, water, food coloring.

Filling a ziplock 1/4th with colorful water and placing it near your classroom window, you can show students how sunlight evaporates water to form rain, and the cycle keeps on repeating. 

15. Egg Challenge 

Eggs, straws, duct tape. 

You don’t have to do anything in this kid’s science experiment. Just give your students some straws and duct tape to create a mechanism to prevent eggs from breaking when you drop them out of your classroom window. 

16. Walking Ink-man

Markers, water, a tray.

With this kid’s science experiment, you can make your student’s eyes pop out. Draw a stick person on a tray using an ink marker and pour water into the tray. The insoluble nature of ink in water will make your ink character float over the water and amaze your class. 

17. Understand Liquid Density 

A jar contains different liquid items like honey, vinegar, soap, and rubbing alcohol. 

A simple experiment to make your class understand the density of different liquid products. Take an empty jar and ask your students to pour liquids into it to see which one floats on top of the other. 

18. Seed Germination

Source  

A jar, different seeds

Make your students understand the seed germination process with a simple classroom experiment. Request your class to bring different seeds like chickpeas, lentils, corn, etc. Show them how different seeds can germinate in a dark and humid bottle simultaneously.  

Make Science Fun With Simple Kids Science Experiments 

As you can see, everyday things lying around your class and home can turn into a great science experiment for kids. You can easily teach concepts like crystallization, water cycle, and water saturation with an experiment rather than a textbook. 

We have already shared cool kids’ science experiments with you. However, you can set up different science experiments in your class based on your student’s age and intellectual level. 

Here are many more online educational resources for kids that will help with their learning experience and make them smarter.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Why is science education important for a child's early development .

Science education activities help develop many attributes among students, like communication skills, teamwork, analytical thinking, social understanding, problem-solving, logical mindset, and more. 

What are the benefits of science experiments for preschoolers?

There are several benefits of kids’ science experiments:

• It helps to stimulate a child’s natural sense of adventure and curiosity.
• Make children aware of their surroundings. 
• Motivates kids to be persistent problem solvers and analytical thinkers. 
• Teach essential elements of scientific reasoning to children.

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SIMPLE SCIENCE EXPERIMENT: LET’S MAKE RAIN

This post may contain affiliate links.  Please read our disclosure here .

Science was the last subject area I taught during our day in the classroom.  After a morning of literacy, lunch, recess and math, it was finally time to teach some science lesson plans.  Honestly, I was usually exhausted by the time science rolled around.

Overwhelmed with Science

Setting out a ton of materials and making sure I knew the procedures for a complex experiment was not something I wanted to do…like ever!  The last thing I wanted to do was go on a late night run to the store.  Or even worse, sending a kid down the hall to grab a material from another teacher.

Don’t get me wrong, I love teaching science and love watching my students explore and investigate during our science lessons. However, I had to find something that worked for me.

And simplifying my science activities was the answer.

Simple Science Experiments

Simple science experiments are my favorite to use and by far a hit with my learners because…a happy teacher makes for a fun experiment.  Am I right???

I have a few experiments that are on the top of my science list because they are easy to plan, prep and teach with little learners.  One of the simplest experiments that my learners enjoyed so much was showing how clouds make rain.

Time for Prep

Collaborate Science

Not only is the prep easy, but the experiment is simple enough for little ones to join in.  First, we walked through the experiment together in a group. This way, I was able to engage my learners with questions before, during and after the experiment.

After we did the experiment together, my little scientists learned how rain falls down from clouds. Then, I let them get some practice.  After writing the procedure in their science notebooks they were able to break up into groups and practice on their own.

Hands On Science

I love hearing how this simple science experiment is working in other classrooms and homes.  It is one thing for it to work with my learners, but to hear that others are enjoying the simple science fun makes it even better.

We did this experiment last year, and my students loved it! We had such great conversations about the types of clouds and how they change when it gets windy or stormy. It was wonderful. Lets just say when six kids go through a whole can of shaving cream and are choosing to repeat the experiment over and over, you know it was a success! I will definitely be doing this one again this year!   – Jenny

Science Tools

Another way I keep science simple is with my science notebook .  Not only are there specific science activities, but the general experiment and exploration pages always save the day when I am in a crunch.  I usually create a science chart based on my science notebook pages to complete together.  Then let my learners create their own using a printable for their notebook.

Free Science Chart

My goal is to make science and specifically this simple experiment easier for you in your classroom. I have a  free science chart printable  that will help you create an engaging visual for your learners during this activity.  Just grab the printable  by click the MJCS download image at the bottom of this post.

And follow these four, yep…just four, steps for your science procedure and science chart.

• Fill the cup with water ( air )
• Add a thin layer of shaving cream ( clouds – water vapor )
• Place drops of blue food coloring on the top of the shaving cream ( water droplets )
• Wait for the “rain” to fall

For this experiment it is important to remind learners that this activity shows how the water gets heavier on the top of the cloud and gravity makes it fall as rain.  Let them know that we use the shaving cream and food coloring to represent the different forms of water we can easily see.

Want to check out my science notebook?  

Check out why I use a science notebook in my classroom  here .

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Coffee Cups and Crayons

Simple play ideas, learning activities, kids crafts and party ideas, plus acts of kindness for kids!

Science Experiments for Kids

Do you love science experiments for kids ? We totally do and want to help you love them too!

Doing simple science experiments at home or in your classroom is the easiest way to teach kids to be problem solvers and critical thinkers and help them develop a curiosity about the world around them. These skills empower kids to be confident in their ability to handle life’s challenges which is a life skill that cannot be overrated!

Plus they are a ton of fun to do and a great way to make memories with your family. Ready to get started? Here are some of our most popular and very favorite science experiments for kids to do!

If you are a long time reader of Coffee Cups and Crayons (high five!) then you already know that we strongly believe in simple fun and learning. You probably already have most of the supplies needed for these experiments in your kitchen cupboards right now. Which is important because it doesn’t matter how cool the science experiment is, if it’s not do-able it will just end up being an image that sits on your Pinterest board forever.

Speaking of Pinterest, you’ll want to make sure to pin this page to your favorite board . There’s a ton of experiments on here that you can keep coming back to when you’re looking for a new idea. We’ll also continue to add to this list as we post new ones to make this the best list of science experiments ever!

Kitchen Science Experiments

These are the ones you can set up in minutes with items you have in your kitchen. They also make great boredom busters for kids and are perfect for a rainy day!

• Make an Egg Float
• Celery Transpiration Experiment
• Make a Rubber Egg
• Dancing Raisins
• Liquid Layers Density Experiment
• Apple Acid and Base Experiment
• Making Rock Candy
• Skittles or M&M Experiment (try both on the same day!)
• Mad Scientist Baking Soda and Vinegar Art
• Walking Water Science
• Salt Crystal Painting STEAM Activity
• Flying Tea Bag Experiment for Kids
• Magic Pepper and Soap Experiment
• Milk Rainbow Science Experiment
• Climbing Rainbow Science Experiment

Nature and Weather Experiments

Kids are naturally curious about the world around them. Capitalize on this by doing fun weather and nature themed experiments to help them understand abstract concepts.

• How Wind Works
• Tornado in a Jar
• How to Make a Lava Lamp
• Cloud in a Bottle Experiment
• Classic Volcano Experiment
• Rain Cloud in a Jar
• Flower Pigment Experiment

Candy Science Experiments

What can be more fun than experimenting with candy? Not much. Many of the candies (not all) in the experiments below can be swapped for whatever you may have on hand so feel free to do some experimenting of your own!

• Diet Coke and Mentos Experiment
• M&M Experiment
• Take the S of a Skittle Experiment
• Peeps Science Experiments
• Candy Corn Experiments
• Conversation Heart Experiments
• Marshmallow Engineering

Explosions and Chemistry Experiments

Pop! Fizz! Bubble! Explosions and reactions get kids excited about chemistry and these experiments all pack a big bang.

• Diet Coke and Mentos Geyser
• Make a Volcano
• Make Silly Putty
• Does It Dissolve Experiment
• Mad Scientist Art
• Exploding Baggie
• How to Make Slime
• Make Super Bouncy Snowballs

Engineering and Physical Science Experiments

Turn your kids into problem solving engineers with these cool STEM experiments. They can explore how things work and test out some properties of physics while tinkering and experimenting.

• Lemon Battery
• Pom Pom Drop Experiment
• DIY Catapults
• Sun Melted Crayon Experiment
• Walking Water Science Experiment
• Simple Heat Experiment
• Marshmallow Engineering Experiment
• How to Build a Paddleboat
• DIY Marble Mazes for Preschool Kids

 Holiday and Seasonal Science Experiments

Get kids in the holiday spirit with science! These experiments make use of the seasonal candy and products and are a great way to add a little learning into the fun of the holidays.

• Insta Snow Science Experiments
• Peeps Experiments
• Super Cool Rainbow Science Experiments
• Apple Experiments
• Pumpkin Investigations
• Candy Corn Science Experiments
• Dissolving Candy Cane Science

45 Easy Science Experiments for Kids

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

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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 »

Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; she previously wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother . She lives with her husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found dominating the audio round at her local bar trivia night or tweeting about movies.

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Themes & Lesson Planning

16 easy science experiments for kids in the classroom.

Why are science experiments important? Kids are naturally inquisitive and love learning new things.

What better way to satisfy their curiosity than through science! Not only will the kids be having fun conducting these experiments but they will be learning too.

This guide will share 16 cool kids’ science experiments . They range from experiments involving diet coke and mentos to more elaborate experiments that create mummified apples.

List of 16 Science Experiments 

1. coke and mentos experiment for kids.

This is a reaction between Mentos candy and cola. The experiment involves dropping several Mentos candies (usually 5–8) into a bottle of diet cola resulting in an eruption occurring because of rapidly expanding carbon dioxide bubbles on the surface of the Mentos.

If you want an explanation:

There are various theories being debated as to the exact scientific explanation of the phenomenon, many scientists claim that it is a physical reaction and not a chemical one.

Water molecules strongly attract each other, linking together to form a tight connection around each bubble of carbon dioxide gas in the soda.

To form a new bubble, water molecules must push away from one another. It takes extra energy to break this surface tension. So, in other words, water resists the expansion of bubbles in the soda.

When Mentos are dropped into soda , the gellan gum and gum arabic of the candy dissolves and breaks the surface tension. This disturbs the water connection so that it takes less work to expand and form new bubbles.

Each Mentos candy has thousands of tiny pores over its surface. These tiny pores function as nucleation sites, perfect places for carbon dioxide bubbles to form. As soon as the Mentos enter the soda, bubbles form all over their surface.

They quickly sink to the bottom, causing carbon dioxide to be released by the carbonated liquid with which they come into contact along the way. The sudden increase in pressure pushes all of the liquid up and out of the bottle.

2. Alka-seltzer rocket experiment

A model rocket fashioned from a 35mm film canister and propelled by the generation of gas from an effervescent liquid. It is often used in science classes to demonstrate principles of chemistry and physics to students.

1. In the experiment, a film canister is filled with water and an effervescent tablet (commonly Alka-Seltzer) and tightly sealed.

2. After a short time, the evolved carbon dioxide reaches sufficient pressure to cause the body of the canister to be launched into the air with a popping sound.

3.  The canister may be elaborated with paper fins to resemble more closely as a real rocket.

(K-A tested) more simple rocket launch. Fill a small plastic film canister (Fuji works well) with one teaspoon of water. Quickly add one Alka-Seltzer tablet, put the lid on and place the canister on the floor with the lid side down. Wait about 10 seconds and whoosh! Your rocket should fly into the air .

3. Building a macaroni skeleton

Directions:

• Build a sample skeleton for the children to copy from. Review the key features with them.
• Guide children to build their skeleton working from the head down (i.e., head, neck/trunk, ribs, etc.), gluing the macaroni and beans to the paper as they go.
• When the glue and macaroni have set, have them draw a smile and eyes on the “head”.

Tip – As preparation for this project, study the human skeleton. Talk about symmetry between the two sides of the body, and how many ribs, fingers, and toes we have.

4. Egg drop science experiment

(K-A tested-the grade school and middle school kids loved it!)

Each student works within guidelines to fashion a container for an egg so that the egg won’t break when the student drops it from an established height.

Use hard-boiled eggs (you could probably do raw-but be cautious of Salmonella and spoilage!).

Have each child create their own container for the egg – with the purpose of the egg not breaking. Some kids have used “parachutes,” and cans with foam. It can be a lot of fun!

Of course, everyone’s hypothesis should be that their egg won’t break.

The testing is the fun part when the kids see if their egg remains intact. For this, you want to drop the egg container from the highest available point. A second-floor balcony, off the top bleacher of the football field or by a teacher on a ladder?

*Even though this is for older students, it can be adapted to the lower grades without going into weight and velocity.

5. Invisible ink science experiment

• 2 tablespoons of pure lemon juice
• Cotton swabs
• Pour the lemon juice into a small dish.
• Soak the end of a cotton swab in the lemon juice and use it to write a secret message or a picture.
• To read or see your secret message, hold the paper near a warm light bulb, burner, or toaster.
• The heat will turn the invisible writing brown and you can see it!

6. Spin experiment for kids (how long can you spin?)

• Film canister lid
• Construction paper
• Bamboo skewer
• Cut a circle out of construction paper, about the size of a DVD or CD.
• Tape a film canister lid to the center of the paper circle. (You can draw a design on it-that would look interesting spinning)
• With an adult – poke or drill a hole through the film canister lid.
• Poke the skewer through the hole in the lid.
• Keep the paper circle near the point of the skewer. Give the skewer a twirl.

How does it work

The paper circle gives the skewer extra mass. When you twirl the skewer, you also twirl all the mass of the paper circle. A spinning mass tends to keep spinning unless something like friction slows it down.

About 72% of kids can make it spin more than 10 seconds

7. Center of gravity experiment

Even George Washington couldn’t do this dollar pick-up trick! Tell the children you’ll give them each a dollar if they can pick it up from the floor. But there is a catch: They have to pick it up using your instructions. You’ll have fun fooling them with this easy indoor game for kids.

You’ll need a dollar bill and a wall

Step 1: Have children stand with their feet together and heels up against a wall.

Step 2: Put dollar bills on the floor 12 inches in front of their feet.

Step 3: Tell them to pick up the dollars without bending their knees or moving their feet.

It is impossible to do! Why? When you are standing against a wall, your center of gravity is over your feet. If you bend forward, you have to move your center of gravity forward to keep your balance. Since you can’t move your feet during this trick, you’re flat out of luck. But that’s better than being flat on your face.

8. Ringing ears – Simple sound experiment for kids

• 3 feet of String/Thread
• Take the string and tie the fork to the center of the string/thread.
• Take one end of the string/thread and tie it around your right index finger (pointer), then tie the other end of the string/thread around your left index (pointer) finger.
• Place your fingers (index/pointer) to your ears and let the fork dangle in front of you.
• Get someone to tap the fork with the spoon. You should hear loud ringing in your ears.

The ringing sound travels up the string/thread to your ears.

You could tie other metal objects to the string/thread to see what sounds travel to your ears.

9. Mummification science experiment

Discover how the Ancient Egyptians used drying as one step

#1 Experiment: fish mummy

• l raw fish from the market
• Two boxes of baking soda
• Kitchen scale
• Plastic container with a lid

Instructions:

• Weigh the fish on a kitchen scale.
• Coat the fish inside and out with baking soda, and bury it completely in baking soda in the plastic container. Let it sit this way for a week in a cool shady place (in a refrigerator, if you like).
• After a week, take it out, dust it off, and weigh it again. Re-bury it in fresh baking soda, for another whole week.
• Take it out and weigh it once more.

What does the fish look, feel, and smell like?

Baking soda acts as a preservative and drying agent. The weight loss you noticed is due to the removal of water by the baking soda. Drying the fish is essential to making it a mummy. What happened after the first week? After the second week?

10. Sink or float – water buoyancy experiments

Can you sink an orange?

What you need?

✓ A Bowl ✓ Water ✓ 1 Orange

How to do it:

• Fill the bowl with water.
• Put in the orange…What happens to the orange?  See if you can get the orange to sink.
• Take the orange and peel it.
• Place the peeled orange back in the bowl of water. What happens this time?
• The orange sinks because the orange peel if full of trapped air pockets, therefore making the orange light for its size (so   it floats).
• When you remove the peel (including the air pockets) the orange weighs a lot for it.

Along with the above experiment try a ‘Sink or Float with a Pumpkin or Watermelon.

• Fill a bin or aquarium or tub half full of water. Place everyday items near the bin. Get the kids to guess which items would sink and which ones would float. Have youth write their guesses in their notebooks. Then do the experiments to determine if they were right or not.
• Be sure to add watermelon to the guess! (You can eat it afterward!) Pumpkins are also fun. The pumpkin and watermelon will float because its mass is less than the mass of water it displaces. This is due primarily because the inside of the pumpkin and melon are hollow. It is mostly air, which has a much lower mass than water.

11. Crystal growing experiment

• Epsom salt, a tablespoon
• A cup of water
• A paper circle
• Cut out a paper circle the same size as the jar lid. Put the circle in the lid.
• Measure 4 big tablespoons of Epsom salt. Don’t worry if you add too much – the more, the better.
• Dissolve all 4 tablespoons in the water and stir the mixture thoroughly.
• Pour the water mixture into the jar lid. Stick the lid in a place where it won’t be disturbed. It will take a few days, but let the water evaporate and see what happens.

In a few days, the water will evaporate from the lid. But the Epsom salt will be left behind. The salt will build up into its own unique crystal shape. You can make a miniature rock forest.

This is a classic science experiment and an easy one. To make the volcano, mix 6 cups flour, 2 cups salt, 4 tablespoons cooking oil, and 2 cups of water. The mixture should be smooth and firm.

Stand a large soda bottle in a baking pan or shallow dish, and begin to shape the dough around it. Don’t cover the hole and don’t drop any of the dough into it. Fill the bottle about three-quarters full with warm water and a few drops of red food coloring. Add 6 drops of liquid detergent to the bottle, and 2 tablespoons of baking soda.

Slowly pour vinegar into the bottle and step back.

13. Dancing popcorn

Fill a clear cup  3/4 full with vinegar. Add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. Drop-in a few kernels of unpopped popcorn. Watch as the kernels rise and fall.

Variations: Try substituting club soda for the vinegar and baking soda. You can also try using other objects like buttons or pebbles.

14. Bread mold experiment

This is a very easy science experiment. The most difficult part is the patience to see the experiment through.

Children seem to love watching mold grow. Here is a safe way to experiment with mold.

• Give children a small zip-lock bag and a piece of bread.
• Have them place the bread into the bag and then add a teaspoon of water. Zip up the bag and set out the bag to observe.
• After a few days, mold will appear on the bread.
• Discard bags unopened, when the experiment is over.
• Variation: You may want to repeat this experiment, but this time make two bags of water and bread and put one in the center and one in the refrigerator. Which one grows mold the fastest?

15. Fingerprint lift experiment

Here’s an amazing trick that lets children try their hands at a little forensic science by lifting their own fingerprints.

1. Individually, have each child press their fingertip on a pocket mirror.

2. Cover the entire print with graphite dust by rubbing a soft pencil with sandpaper.

3. Blow gently to remove excess dust.

4. Now carefully stick a strip of tape to the print and slowly peel it off. Stick the tape to a piece of white paper, and the print should be distinct. You can inspect the fingerprint under a magnifying glass, or just with the eye.  If you go to the wiki website, I you can decide whether the fingerprints are ‘s’ whirl, loop, or an arch.

16. Make a ‘naked egg’ – Egg in vinegar experiment

A naked egg is an egg without a shell. Using vinegar, you can dissolve the eggshell without breaking the membrane that contains the egg.

• White vinegar
• A container big enough to hold all the eggs
• A cover for the container
• A big spoon
• Place eggs in the container so that they are not touching.
• Add enough vinegar to cover the eggs. Notice that bubbles form on the eggs. Cover the container and put it in the refrigerator. Let the eggs sit in the vinegar for 24 hours.
• Using the spoon, scoop the eggs out of the vinegar. Be careful the eggshell has been dissolving. The egg membrane, which is not as durable as the shell, maybe the only thing holding the egg together.
• Carefully dump out the vinegar. Put the eggs back in the container and cover them with fresh vinegar. Leave the eggs in the refrigerator for another 24 hours.
• Scoop the eggs out again and rinse them carefully. Throw out the eggs where the membranes have broken and are oozing out.
• When complete, there will be an egg without a shell. It looks like an egg but is translucent. The membrane will flex when squeezed.

Explanation :

An eggs shell dissolves when submerged in vinegar.

Vinegar contains acetic acid, which breaks apart the solid calcium carbonate crystals that make up the eggshell into their calcium and carbonate parts.

The calcium ions float free (calcium ions are atoms that are missing electrons), while the carbonate goes to make carbon dioxide.(Those are the bubbles that you see)

Note: The shell dissolved in 24 hours. Although directions say to put the egg in the refrigerator, I forgot to. (It still came out fine) The remainder of the experiment was followed as directed. After a couple of days, you could actually see the yolk floating within the membrane. Both kids and adults liked this one! The egg feels rubbery but it does ‘splat’ when dropped.

More articles about science:

• Kids Experiment With Plants and Life Cycles …
• Collecting Critters (Insects)
• Mad Science Theme for Clubs and Parties

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A father to three young boys with a passion of homeschooling. I am always seeking new ways to help them learn, grow, and have fun. I have a passion for traveling with the family and exposing our kids to new experiences and life lessons.

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50 Easy Science Activities For Preschoolers

Curious kids turn into junior scientists with these fun and easy preschool science experiments . Th ese science activities for preschoolers are doable and use simple supplies for home or in the classroom. Plus, you can scale any of these activities to use with kindergarten through elementary-age students!

Science for Preschoolers Engages the Senses

Preschool science encourages observations of the five senses, including sight, sound, touch, smell, and sometimes taste. The more kids can fully immerse themselves in an activity, the greater their interest will be !

Kids are naturally curious creatures, and once you have piqued their curiosity, you have also activated their observation, critical thinking, and experimentation skills.

These science activities are perfect for the senses, allowing play and exploration without adult-led directions. Kids will naturally start to pick up on the simple science concepts presented just by having a fun conversation about it all with you!

• 5 Senses Exploration Station
• 5 Senses Coloring Book (Free)
• 5 Senses Discovery Bags
• Apple Taste Test with the 5 Senses
• Pop Rocks and 5 Senses

Awesome Science Activities for Preschoolers

💡 Many of the preschool science projects below can be adapted to your kids’ current level. Also, these are perfect for kids of multiple ages to work together in small groups.

Click on each link below for full instructions. Also, look through our seasonal preschool science activities and grab the free science experiment cards!

• Spring Preschool Science Experiments
• Fall Preschool Science Experiments: apples and pumpkins
• Winter Preschool Science Experiments

Check out how different materials absorb water with this simple what absorbs water activity. 

ALKA SELTZER CHEMICAL REACTIONS

Make an Alka Seltzer Rocket , try a simple Alka Seltzer Experiment or a homemade Lava Lamp to check out this neat chemical reaction.

BAKING SODA AND VINEGAR EXPERIMENTS

Who doesn’t like a fizzing, foaming eruption? From an erupting lemon volcano to our simple baking soda balloon experiment. . Check out our list of baking soda science activities to get started!

BALLOON RACE CARS

Explore energy, measure distance, build different cars to explore speed and distance with simple balloon cars. You can use Duplo, LEGO, or build your own car.

BALLOON ROCKETS

Gas, energy, and power! Make Go power! Set up a simple balloon rocket. All you need is a string, a straw, and a balloon!

BURSTING BAGS

Definitely take this bursting bags science activity outside! Will it pop? This science activity will have you on the edge of your seat!

BUTTER IN A JAR

The science you can spread with a tasty homemade butter, after a good workout for the arms anyway!

BUTTERFLY LIFE CYCLE

Explore the butterfly life cycle with a free printable pack and butterfly sensory bin idea. Or create an edible butterfly life cycle instead!

Explore the simple fun of bubbles with these easy bubble experiments ! Can you make a bubble bounce? We have a recipe for the perfect bubble solution too.

Check out even more bubble fun with 2D bubble shapes or 3D bubble shapes , bubble painting , and bubble snakes !

BUILDING BRIDGES

This bridge building activity is an easy engineering project for young kids. It starts with the planning and designing process and ends with the building process. Construct your own bridge from simple supplies.

BUILDING TOWERS

Kids love building, and building structures is a great activity that incorporates many skills and is also frugal. Check out a variety of building activities .

CANDY SCIENCE

Play Willy Wonka for a day and explore candy science with floating m&m’s, chocolate slime, dissolving candy experiments, and more!

CELERY AND FOOD COLORING

Watch how water moves through a plant with a simple celery food coloring science experiment!

CHICK PEA FOAM

Have fun with this taste-safe sensory play foam made with ingredients you probably already have in the kitchen! This edible shaving foam, or aquafaba as it is commonly known, is made from the water chickpeas are cooked in.

COLOR MIXING

Color mixing is a science. Learn colors through play with these preschool color activities .

CRYSTAL GROWING

Growing crystals is simple! You can easily grow your own crystals at home or in the classroom with our simple recipe. Make a rainbow crystal , a snowflake , hearts , crystal eggshells , and even crystal seashells.

DENSITY {LIQUIDS}

Can one liquid be lighter than the other? Find out with this easy liquid density experiment!

DINOSAUR FOSSILS

Be a paleontologist for a day, make homemade dinosaur fossils , and then go on your own dig . Check out all our fun preschool dinosaur activities .

DISCOVERY BOTTLES

Science in a bottle. Explore all kinds of simple science ideas right in a bottle! They are perfect for themes, too, like these Earth Day ones!

Test how strong an egg is with this easy eggshell strength experiment. Find out what happens to an egg in vinegar , and try our mess-free egg drop challenge for young kids.

Have you ever changed the color of a flower? Try this color-changing flower science experiment and learn about how a flower works! Or why not try growing your own flowers with our list of easy flowers to grow .

What goes up must come down. Have young kids explore concepts in gravity around the house or classroom with simple objects you already have.

FIZZING LEMONADE

Explore the senses and a little chemistry with our fizzy lemonade recipe.

ICE CREAM IN A BAG

Homemade ice cream is yummy, edible science with only three ingredients! Don’t forget the winter gloves and sprinkles—this gets cold!

ICE MELT SCIENCE

An ice melt activity is a simple science you can set up in many different ways with many themes. Ice melting is a wonderful introduction to a simple science concept for young kids! Check out our list of ice activities for preschool.

Try the classic expanding ivory soap experiment! One bar of ivory soap can be very exciting! Also see how we experimented with one bar of soap and turned it into either soap foam!

Another must try science experiment using oil and water, a lava lamp experiment is always a favorite!

LETTUCE GROWING ACTIVITY

Set up a lettuce growing station. This is fascinating to watch and pretty quick to do. We watched the new lettuce grow taller each day!

Magic milk is one of our most popular science experiments. It is also just plain fun and mesmerizing!

What’s magnetic? What’s not magnetic? You can set up a magnet science discovery table for your kids to explore and this fun magnet activity !

MIRRORS AND REFLECTIONS

Mirrors are fascinating and have wonderful play and learning possibilities plus it makes for great science!

BOUNCY EGG EXPERIMENT

Ah, the egg in vinegar experiment. You need a little patience for this one {takes 7 days}, but the end result is really cool!

OOBLECK {NON-NEWTONIAN FLUIDS}

Oobleck is 2 ingredient fun! A simple recipe using kitchen cupboard ingredients, but it is the perfect example of a non-newtonian fluid. Also makes for fun sensory play. Make classic oobleck or colored oobleck.

Take the penny boat challenge and find out how many pennies your tin foil boat will hold before sinking. Learn about buoyancy and how boats float on water.

Make a simple pulley that really works, and test out lifting loads.

Learn about the science of rainbows as well as fun rainbow-themed science experiments. Check out our fun selection of simple-to-set-up  r ainbow science experiments . 

RAMPS AND FRICTION

We use cars and balls all the time with our rain gutters! Even flat pieces of wood or stiff cardboard work! Newton’s laws of motion really come alive with simple toy cars and homemade ramps.

ROCK CANDY (SUGAR CRYSTALS)

Another tasty science activity as you explore how sugar crystals form!

FOUR SEASONS

What’s the reason for the seasons, perfect for kids?

SEED GERMINATION

Our simple seed jar science activity is one of our most popular science activities for preschoolers. It is an excellent way to see how a seed grows!

THE 5 SENSES

Let’s explore the senses! Young kids are learning to use their senses every day. Set up a simple 5 Senses Science Table for exploring and learning how their senses work! Our candy taste test and senses activity are fun, too.

SHADOW SCIENCE

Explore shadows in several ways! Make shadows with your body (fun outdoor play and learning idea) and animal shadow puppets to check out!

Every kid should build a volcano with a simple chemical reaction, baking soda and vinegar! Build a sandbox volcano or a LEGO volcano ! Learn about fun volcano facts too!

Young kids learn by exploring, observing, and figuring out the way things work with hands-on activities. This volume activity encourages all of the above and is simple to set up.

WATER EXPERIMENTS

There are all kinds of fun science activities you can do with water. Use your STEM design skills to build your own water play wall , observe refraction of light in water , explore what dissolves in water or even try a simple solid liquid gas experiment .

WATER XYLOPHONE

Learn a little bit about the science of sound with a simple water xylophone.

WEATHER SCIENCE

Explore weather with rain clouds and tornados or even make a water cycle in a bottle!

TORNADO BOTTLE

Create a tornado in a bottle and study the weather safely!

We made both an indoor and outdoor zip line this year. Explore science concepts through play.

How to Teach Science to Preschoolers

Teaching science to preschoolers is a wonderful way to spark their curiosity about the world around them. Making the learning process fun, engaging, and age-appropriate is essential.

Make sure to check out…

• STEM for Toddlers
• STEM for Kindergarten
• STEM for Elementary

Begin by incorporating hands-on activities and experiments that encourage exploration and observation. Use simple and relatable examples from their everyday lives, such as observing plants grow, mixing colors, or exploring the properties of water.

Encourage questions and provide simple explanations that align with their level of understanding. Picture books can also be valuable tools for teaching science concepts. Add fun themes and colors for the holidays and seasons!

Additionally, fostering a sense of wonder and excitement about the natural world will lay a strong foundation for their future scientific learning. Remember that patience, repetition, and a nurturing environment are key to helping preschoolers develop a lifelong love for science.

Helpful Resources

Check out the links below to prepare yourself, your family, or your classroom for these easy preschool science experiments and activities. The key to success is in the preparation!

• Preschool Science Center Ideas
• Sensory Science Activities
• Fine Motor Activities
• Preschool Math Activities
• STEAM Books with Activities for Kids
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Printable Preschool Pack

Get ready to explore this year with our growing Preschool STEM Bundle ! Or grab the individual packs.

What’s Included:

There are 12 fun preschool themes to get you started. This is an ” I can explore” series! You’ll find both seasonal and non-seasonal themes appropriate to preschool learning throughout the year.

Each unit contains approximately 15 activities, with instructions and templates  as needed. Hands-on activities are provided to keep it fun and exciting. This includes sensory bins, experiments, games, and more! Easy supplies keep it low-cost, and book suggestions add learning time.

22 Comments

Hi, this sounds like a neat activity for young toddlers to explore for texture. Could u please share the ingredients. My profession is in childcare. The children would like this activity I believe. Again, please share your slime recipe. Thank you!! LaTonia Jackson Armstrong

Hi! You simply need to click through the liquid starch slime link or get your recipe here box. However, I would suggest one of our taste safe slime recipes for toddlers as regular slime contains borax, sodium borate, or boric acid. These slimes should not be tasted!

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It’ fun for kids to experiment and science activities of any kind are a great way to encourage kids to explore. I will encourage my son about this hope so he will enjoy it. Thanks for the sharing such a interesting article.

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20 Simple Science Experiments for Kids

January 4, 2020 By Emma Vanstone 1 Comment

These simple science experiments are perfect for a rainy day or when you need a quick and easy activity idea to keep the kids busy for an hour or so. They don’t need much prep or thought beforehand and are easy to set up and explain.

Don’t forget I also have a couple of science books available too! I’d love you to take a look.

Simple Science Experiments for Kids

Magic milk experiment.

Try a fun magic milk experiment . Younger children will love watching the colours shoot across the surface of the milk, while older children can use the experience to learn about emulsions.

Easy Rain Gauge

Monitor rainfall with an easy rain gauge . All you need for this one is an empty plastic bottle, scissors and somewhere outside to leave it.

Make a Naked Egg

This one requires some forward planning, but did you know you can remove the shell from an egg with vinegar ? Simply leave an egg soaking in vinegar for about 48 hours, and you should be able to rinse off the shell. Once you have a shell-less egg, see if you can bounce the egg without it breaking.

Find out how many of your own feet tall you are . Try this for all the members of your family and see if you can spot a pattern.

How do Polar Animals Stay Warm in Winter?

Discover how animals stay warm in cold climates using just cold water, a glove and some lard.

How Fast is your Reaction Time?

Test your reaction time using just a ruler. Test your friends and family and record their results, too. Try to think of ways to improve your reaction time.

Human Body Drawing – simple science experiments

Ask a friend to draw around you on a giant sheet of paper. How many body parts can you add to the drawing?

Snow Volcano!

If you want to make a volcano but don’t want the mess, a snow volcano is a simple alternative. Build a volcano shape around a plastic water bottle using snow. Add your explosive ingredients, and then tidy away the snow afterwards.

How do germs spread?

Find out about Florence Nightingale and how to keep hands clean with this super simple activity using hand soap and glitter.

Ice Excavations

Ice excavations can keep children busy for hours as they try to rescue a toy. Experiment with salt and warm water to see which helps the ice to melt the fastest.

Shadow Drawing

Try drawing 3D shadow shapes outdoors on a sunny day. You should find the shadow changes as the day progresses and the sun moves. Try drawing a shadow of the same shape every 2 hours during the day. What happens?

Build a Raft

Build a raft using different materials and test it to see how well it floats. How much weight can you add before your raft sinks?

Make Fossils

Make your own fossils using clay and small toy figures and learn about Charles Darwin at the same time.

Colour Mixing Slushy Drinks

Test your colour-mixing skills by making slushy drinks with coloured ice. Different colour smoothies work really well for this one.

Candy Towers

Build towers with blocks or sweets to learn about stable structures . This is also a fun activity for learning about earthquakes !

Density Jar – Simple Science Experiments

This very easy density jar is great for introducing the concept of density as well as sinking and floating.

What Reacts with Baking Soda?

Try some super simple chemistry by testing different substances to see which react with baking soda.

Make Red Cabbage Indicator

Making your own indicator is easier than you think. All you need is red cabbage, water and some substances to test.

More simple science experiments for kids

Give a balloon a beard with Go Science Girls!

Learn how to levitate a ping pong ball with Buggy and Buddy!

Mummify a hot dog with Science Buddies.

If you liked these experiments, you’ll love the rest of our huge collection of science experiments for kids !

Last Updated on January 5, 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

June 28, 2021 at 10:25 am

These are some really interesting experiments for kids to learn about new things. It can spark their enthusiasm towards various STEM fields. Thanks for sharing!

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Summer holiday science: turn your home into a lab with these three easy experiments

Associate Professor in Biology, University of Limerick

Disclosure statement

Audrey O'Grady receives funding from Science Foundation Ireland. She is affiliated with Department of Biological Sciences, University of Limerick.

University of Limerick provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK.

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Many people think science is difficult and needs special equipment, but that’s not true.

Science can be explored at home using everyday materials. Everyone, especially children, naturally ask questions about the world around them, and science offers a structured way to find answers.

Misconceptions about the difficulty of science often stem from a lack of exposure to its fun and engaging side. Science can be as simple as observing nature, mixing ingredients or exploring the properties of objects. It’s not just for experts in white coats, but for everyone.

Don’t take my word for it. Below are three experiments that can be done at home with children who are primary school age and older.

Extract DNA from bananas

DNA is all the genetic information inside cells. Every living thing has DNA, including bananas.

Did you know you can extract DNA from banana cells?

What you need: ¼ ripe banana, Ziploc bag, salt, water, washing-up liquid, rubbing alcohol (from a pharmacy), coffee filter paper, stirrer.

What you do:

Place a pinch of salt into about 20ml of water in a cup.

Add the salty water to the Ziploc bag with a quarter of a banana and mash the banana up with the salty water inside the bag, using your hands. Mashing the banana separates out the banana cells. The salty water helps clump the DNA together.

Once the banana is mashed up well, pour the banana and salty water into a coffee filter (you can lay the filter in the cup you used to make the salty water). Filtering removes the big clumps of banana cells.

Once a few ml have filtered out, add a drop of washing-up liquid and swirl gently. Washing-up liquid breaks down the fats in the cell membranes which makes the DNA separate from the other parts of the cell.

Slowly add some rubbing alcohol (about 10ml) to the filtered solution. DNA is insoluble in alcohol, therefore the DNA will clump together away from the alcohol and float, making it easy to see.

DNA will start to precipitate out looking slightly cloudy and stringy. What you’re seeing is thousands of DNA strands – the strands are too small to be seen even with a normal microscope. Scientists use powerful equipment to see individual strands.

Learn how plants ‘drink’ water

What you need: celery stalks (with their leaves), glass or clear cup, water, food dye, camera.

• Fill the glass ¾ full with water and add 10 drops of food dye.
• Place a celery stalk into the glass of coloured water. Take a photograph of the celery.
• For two to three days, photograph the celery at the same time every day. Make sure you take a photograph at the very start of the experiment.

What happens and why?

All plants, such as celery, have vertical tubes that act like a transport system. These narrow tubes draw up water using a phenomenon known as capillarity.

Imagine you have a thin straw and you dip it into a glass of water. Have you ever noticed how the water climbs up the straw a little bit, even though you didn’t suck on it? This is because of capillarity.

In plants, capillarity helps move water from the roots to the leaves. Plants have tiny tubes inside them, like thin straws, called capillaries. The water sticks to the sides of these tubes and climbs up. In your experiment, you will see the food dye in the water make its way to the leaves.

Build a balloon-powered racecar

What you need: tape, scissors, two skewers, cardboard, four bottle caps, one straw, one balloon.

• Cut the cardboard to about 10cm long and 5cm wide. This will form the base of your car.
• Make holes in the centre of four bottle caps. These are your wheels.
• To make the axles insert the wooden skewers through the holes in the cap. You will need to cut the skewers to fit the width of the cardboard base, but leave room for the wheels.
• Secure the wheels to the skewers with tape.
• Attach the axles to the underside of the car base with tape, ensuring the wheels can spin freely.
• Insert a straw into the opening of a balloon and secure it with tape, ensuring there are no air leaks.
• Attach the other end of the straw to the top of the car base, positioning it so the balloon can inflate and deflate towards the back of the car. Secure the straw with tape.
• Inflate the balloon through the straw, pinch the straw to hold the air, place the car on a flat surface, then release the straw.

The inflated balloon stores potential energy when blown up. When the air is released, Newton’s third law of motion kicks into gear: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

As the air rushes out of the balloon (action), it pushes the car in the opposite direction (reaction). The escaping air propels the car forward, making it move across the surface.

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