Easy Science Experiments for Kids That Will Blow Their Minds

Science can seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be! With a few simple materials from around the house, you can set up fun, engaging science experiments that will amaze kids and get them excited about science.

Why Science Experiments Are Important for Kids

Science experiments help kids develop curiosity, critical thinking skills, and an understanding of the scientific method. They also teach kids:

Observation Skills

Kids learn to notice details and changes during experiments. This helps them make predictions and form conclusions.

Cause and Effect

Experiments demonstrate the relationship between different variables, teaching kids how changing one thing affects another.

Trial and Error

Experiments require trial and error, which teaches perseverance and problem-solving.

Teamwork

Working together on experiments teaches cooperation, communication, and dividing responsibilities.

The best part is that kids often don’t even realize they’re learning. They’re having so much fun they forget it’s educational!

Easy Science Experiments to Try at Home

You don’t need an advanced degree or expensive equipment to introduce kids to science. Some of the most exciting science experiments use everyday items.

1. Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano 🥼

This classic science experiment shows kids how chemical reactions cause explosions.

Supplies Needed:

• Baking soda
• Vinegar
• Empty soda bottle or bowl
• Food coloring (optional)

Instructions:

1. Add 1-2 tablespoons of baking soda to the soda bottle or bowl.
2. Add a few drops of food coloring to the container if desired.
3. Slowly pour vinegar into the container, allowing it to bubble up and overflow.

The vinegar reacts with the baking soda, creating carbon dioxide gas bubbles that “erupt” out of the container. This teaches kids how gas and pressure build up underground to form real volcanic eruptions.

2. Walking Water Science Trick 💧

Kids are always amazed to see water seemingly move against gravity in this experiment.

Supplies Needed:

• Jar or glass
• Paper towel
• Water
• Food coloring (optional)

Instructions:

1. Add water to the jar, about 1 inch from the top. Add food coloring if desired.
2. Roll up a paper towel and place one end in the water, with the rest hanging over the rim.
3. Watch as the paper towel absorbs water and “transports” it from the glass into the air.

This demonstrates capillary action and surface tension in action. The paper fibers absorb water molecules, pulling them up the towel against gravity.

3. Magic Milk Science Experiment 🥛

Milk seems to disappear before kids’ eyes in this colorful experiment.

Supplies Needed:

• Shallow dish/plate
• Milk
• Q-tips
• Dish soap
• Food coloring

Instructions:

1. Fill the plate with a thin layer of milk.
2. Add a few drops of different food colorings in different areas of the milk.
3. Dip a Q-tip in dish soap and gently touch it to the center of the milk.

The food coloring will rush away from the soap. This is because the soap breaks down the milk’s fat molecules that hold the color in place. Truly astonishing!

4. Mentos Fountain Soda Experiment 🥤

A soda geyser erupts in this fun, dramatic experiment.

Supplies Needed:

• 2-liter bottle of diet soda
• Mentos mints

Instructions:

1. Set the bottle of soda upright outside (it will make a mess).
2. Remove the soda cap and drop in 3-4 Mentos mints quickly.
3. Step back and watch the soda shoot into the air!

When the Mentos are added, the candy disrupts the soda’s carbonation and causes rapid growth of gas bubbles, creating a foamy explosion. Exciting! 💥

5. Make a Lava Lamp 🕯

Kids can create their own colorful lava lamp with easy household items.

Supplies Needed:

• Tall clear glass or jar
• Vegetable oil
• Alka-Seltzer tablet
• Water
• Food coloring

Instructions:

1. Fill the glass 3/4 full with vegetable oil.
2. Add enough water to fill the glass almost to the top.
3. Drop 5-6 drops food coloring into the glass.
4. Break an Alka-Seltzer tablet in half and drop it into the oil/water mixture.
5. Watch as bubbles float up through the colored water.

The Alka-Seltzer reacts with the water to form bubbles that rise up slowly through the oil, looking like real lava.

6. Rainbow Skittle Experiment 🍬

This simple experiment produces a colorful work of art.

Supplies Needed:

• Skittles or other small candies/gummies
• Plate
• Water

Instructions:

1. Arrange Skittles upright in a circle on a plate.
2. Slowly pour water onto the plate. It will “rain” down on the candy, dissolving colors off them.

The candy coatings will dissolve and run together, blending all the colors and making a rainbow!

7. Oil and Water Density Experiment 💧

Kids learn about polarity and density with this oil and water experiment.

Supplies Needed:

• Honey or corn syrup
• Water
• Food coloring
• Clear glass jar
• Vegetable oil

Instructions:

1. Fill the jar 1/3 with honey or corn syrup. Add a drop of food coloring.
2. Fill the next 1/3 with water and add a different food coloring.
3. Finally, pour vegetable oil on top to fill the jar.

The liquids will settle into layers based on their different densities. The oil floats because it is less dense than water. Kids can see how liquids separate!

8. Magic Frozen Bubbles 🥶

Get ready for amazed reactions when kids make frozen bubbles they can hold!

Supplies Needed:

• Glycerin (buy at pharmacy)
• Dish soap
• Water
• Bubble wand
• Spoon
• Freezing temperatures outside!

Instructions:

1. Mix together 1/2 cup glycerin, 1/2 cup water, and a few drops of dish soap
2. Go outside where it’s below freezing. Dip the wand in the bubble solution.
3. Blow bubbles and watch them freeze mid-air and fall as bubblesicles!

The glycerin prevents the bubbles from popping instantly so they can freeze completely before hitting the ground. So cool!

9. Dancing Raisins Science Experiment 🍇

Kids are always surprised to see raisins bounce up and down in bubbly soda.

Supplies Needed:

• Clear soda (like ginger ale or lemon-lime soda)
• Raisins
• Glass

Instructions:

1. Fill the glass 3/4 full with the clear soda.
2. Drop a few raisins into the glass and watch them sink and rise repeatedly.

The CO2 gas bubbles in the soda stick to the rough surface of the raisins, lifting them up. Then the raisins sink again when the bubbles pop at the surface. Like a raisin dance party!

10. Colorful Carnation Experiment 🌷

This experiment creates a gorgeous rainbow carnation to brighten any room.

Supplies Needed:

• White carnations
• Glass jars or vases
• Water
• Food coloring

Instructions:

1. Fill the vases with water and add a different food coloring to each – red, blue, green, etc.
2. Cut the stems of each carnation at an angle and put a different one in each colored vase.

Over the next day or two, the flowers will absorb the colored water and the petals will turn vibrant shades! Kids learn how plants transport water through their capillaries.

11. Balloon-Powered Car 🚗

Kids will love building their own air-powered car using a balloon.

Supplies Needed:

• Plastic bottle caps
• Balloon
• Straws
• Tape
• Lightweight cardboard

Instructions:

1. Poke a hole in 2 caps and 2 straws and thread a cap through each straw. Tape the caps to the ends of the straws as wheels.
2. Blow up a balloon and pinch the end to keep the air in. Stretch the balloon opening over the straw to attach it.
3. Tape the straw axle to the cardboard square to create the car chassis.
4. Let go of the balloon end and watch the air push the car forward as it deflates!

This teaches kids how air moves objects, which is the same concept as rocket and jet propulsion!

12. Make a Cloud in a Jar 💨

Kids learn how clouds form with this mini weather experiment.

Supplies Needed:

• Glass jar with lid
• Hot water
• Metal bowl with ice
• Hairspray or spray bottle

Instructions:

1. Fill the glass jar 3/4 full with hot water. Quickly screw on the lid.
2. Place the metal bowl filled with ice on top of the jar lid.
3. Run the jar under cold water while the ice cools the steam inside, condensing it.
4. Spray a little hairspray or water vapor inside and watch a tiny cloud form!

The cold bowl chilled the warm air into water vapor, mimicking real cloud formation. Cool!

13. Borax Crystal Snowflakes ❄️

Grow gorgeous crystalline snowflakes with this experiment.

Supplies Needed:

• Borax powder
• Boiling water
• Pipe cleaners
• Jar
• Pencil

Instructions:

1. Shape pipe cleaners into starburst shapes and twist the ends around a pencil to secure.
2. Boil water and stir in borax powder until no more dissolves. Let it cool.
3. Hang pipe cleaner shapes on a pencil over the borax solution.
4. Check back daily to see stunning crystals forming on the pipe cleaners!

As the borax solution evaporates, it deposits crystals on the pipe cleaners in beautiful snowflake shapes.

14. Chromatography Butterflies 🦋

Kids go wild for the colorful “wings” they create in this experiment.

Supplies Needed:

• Coffee filters
• Markers
• Pipette or eyedropper
• Water
• Clothespins

Instructions:

1. Have kids color designs on coffee filters with washable markers.
2. Use a pipette or eyedropper to place a drop of water near the center of the filter.
3. Clip the coffee filter with a clothespin and watch as the water moves, separating the marker colors.

The water’s polarity attracts different color pigments at different rates, making the colors run in tie-dye patterns. Awesome!

15. Make Elephant Toothpaste 🦷

Kids go nuts over this foamy chemical reaction!

Supplies Needed:

• Hydrogen peroxide (3%)
• Water
• Dish soap
• Dry yeast
• Plastic bottle
• Funnel

Instructions:

1. Mix a bottle of hydrogen peroxide with a squirt of dish soap and a bit of water.
2. Add dry yeast and swirl. Pour this mixture into the plastic bottle.
3. Watch as a huge foamy explosion squirts out the top!

The yeast acts as a catalyst, causing the hydrogen peroxide to rapidly decompose into oxygen, making tons of foamy bubbles.

16. Marshmallow Constellations 🌟

Kids create stellar constellations while learning astronomy.

Supplies Needed:

• Toothpicks
• Mini marshmallows
• Black construction paper

Instructions:

1. Have kids map out star constellations on black paper with toothpicks.
2. Place mini marshmallows on the toothpick star points to represent each star.
3. Kids can connect the marshmallows with more toothpicks to outline the constellation figures.

This hands-on approach helps teach constellation shapes, names, mythology, and stellar arrangements in the night sky. Out of this world!

17. Magic Cabbage Chemistry 🥬

A red cabbage transforms into a magical color indicator with this experiment.

Supplies Needed:

• Red cabbage
• Jar
• Water
• Apple cider vinegar
• Baking soda
• Lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Chop red cabbage into small pieces and boil in a jar of water.
2. Let the purple cabbage water cool. Pour some into a few cups.
3. Test different household chemicals by adding a spoonful to each cup—the more acidic it is, the more red the water will turn. The more basic, the bluer/purple.

Kids learn how acids and bases cause color-changing chemical reactions. Like magic!

18. Rubber Egg Science 🍳

This crazy experiment seems to turn a hardboiled egg rubbery.

Supplies Needed:

• Hardboiled eggs
• Glass jar with lid
• White vinegar

Instructions:

1. Carefully place eggs in a glass jar and cover completely with white vinegar.
2. Screw on the lid and let the eggs soak 48 hours.
3. Remove an egg and kids can squeeze and bounce it like a rubber ball!

The acetic acid from the vinegar reacts with the eggshell’s calcium carbonate, breaking it down so just the membrane remains intact. Wild!

19. Layered Liquid Rainbow 🌈

Kids fill a jar with colorful layers of liquid in this simple demonstration.

Supplies Needed:

• Tall glass jar
• Vegetable oil
• Honey
• Dish soap
• Food coloring
• Water

Instructions:

1. Have kids add different liquids to the jar in this order: honey, dish soap, oil.
2. Now shake in some water and food coloring. The liquids won’t mix!
3. Let it settle for a beautiful rainbow effect.

The liquids separate into layers based on their densities. A cool way to see density differences!

20. Magic Flashlight Message 💡

Write secret messages that only show up under a flashlight beam!

Supplies Needed:

• Baking soda
• Water
• Small bowl
• Cotton swab
• Dark paper
• Flashlight

Instructions:

1. Mix a baking soda solution by stirring spoonfuls into a bit of water.
2. Dip a cotton swab in the solution and let kids write messages on black paper. Let dry.
3. Messages are invisible in normal light—but shine a flashlight on the paper and they appear brightly!

The baking soda coating reacts to the UV light by glowing. Your little chemists will love it!

Ignite Kids’ Passion for Science

The amazing thing about science is that you can find educational (and fun!) experiments using common household items. Kitchen cupboards are full of possibilities.

The key is picking projects that grab kids’ attention with dramatic visual effects. Anything where they can directly participate by doing an action, instead of only observing, will engage them more.

Hands-on learning also helps kids retain science concepts better. They’ll remember the principles behind what they personally experience.

Science opens up incredible possibilities to understand the world and how it works. By making it fun from a young age, you set kids up to embrace science rather than fear it.

Before you know it, you’ll have a budding Einstein on your hands ready to change the world!

Tips for Successful Science Experiments

To get the most out of DIY science with kids, keep these tips in mind:

Stay Safe

• Supervise young children at all times during experiments.
• Wear goggles and other protective gear when needed.
• Only work with child-safe household chemicals. Avoid experiments using fire or high heat.

Explain the Science

• Discuss what the experiment demonstrates before beginning. Kids will learn more if they know what to observe.
• Afterward, relate it back to the scientific concept and explain what happened.

Encourage Prediction

• Before starting an experiment, have kids predict what they think will happen. This gets them engaged in the scientific process.
• Were their predictions correct? If not, discuss why the actual result was different.

Make Observations

• Teach kids to notice details during the experiment. What changes do they see happening?
• Write down observations and take photos at different points in the process.

Vary the Variables

• Try changing one variable at a time to see how that affects the results. Does the order matter?
• For example, use different soda brands in the Mentos fountain. Or change the temperature of the water in the cloud jar experiment.

Repeat Experiments

• Reproduce experiments more than once to test if the results are consistent.
• Repetition allows kids to gain a deeper understanding of the science concept.

Have Fun!

• Learning is most effective when it’s fun! Encourage lots of curiosity, creativity, and excitement.
• Let kids pick experiments that interest them. The passion they develop will stick with them.

Science Experiment Ideas for Kids of All Ages

Here are more amazing science experiments to try with kids of all ages:

Preschoolers

• Mixing colors – Combine paints or food coloring to observe color blending.
• Melting ice – See how quickly ice melts in water, salt water, sun exposure, etc.
• Mix it up – Stir various solids like sand, glitter, or soil into water to make “potions.”

Elementary School

• Film canister rockets – Use coin reactions in film canisters to launch them into the air.
• Lava lamp – Make a simple lava lamp with oil, Alka Seltzer and water.
• Slime – Mix glue, borax solution, and food coloring to create colorful DIY slime.

Middle School

• Mousetrap car – Build a mini car powered by the energy of a wound-up mousetrap.
• Electromagnet – Construct an electromagnet by running current through a nail wrapped with copper wire. Test its strength.
• Crystal formations – Grow various crystal shapes with borax, Epsom salt, or sugar solutions.

High School

• Water rocket – Make a 2-liter bottle rocket fly using water and air pressure.
• Sticky soda – Compare how far dropped Mentos will travel through various soda brands.
• Phone microscope – Use a drop of water and the camera lens to turn a phone into a microscope and observe microscopic life.

The key is finding science experiments that align with kids’ developing abilities at each age. But you can always simplify classic experiments for younger kids or ramp up complexity for advanced students.

The most meaningful learning happens when experiments capture kids’ curiosity. Nurture that innate sense of wonder, and the science will come alive!

Frequently Asked Questions About Science Experiments for Kids

Are science experiments safe for young children?

With proper supervision, most basic science experiments are safe for kids as young as toddlers. Avoid any experiments using chemicals, heat, or other hazards inappropriate for young children.

Where can I buy supplies for science experiments cheaply?

Many everyday household items easily substitute for science supplies, like using soda bottles rather than beakers. Discount and dollar stores are also great places to find supplies inexpensively.

How do I explain advanced science concepts simply?

Use clear, everyday language rather than jargon. Relate scientific principles to things familiar to kids, giving examples they understand. Visual aids and demonstrations help make abstract ideas tangible.

How can I keep science experiments engaging?

Let kids get hands-on by actively participating during the steps. Exciting reactions, colors, or surprises also keep them interested. Tie experiments into their personal interests when possible.

What do kids learn from science experiments?

Science experiments teach kids a wide range of skills – observation, critical thinking, inquiry, problem solving, and insight into the natural world. But the experiments also encourage curiosity, confidence, and a lifelong interest in science!

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