50 Science Experiments for Kids

There are many different science experiments for kids that can easily be conducted at home. Whether they’re outdoor or indoor activities, experiments are a fun way to teach your child about scientific concepts and practice different skills.

What Are Science Experiments

Science experiments allow us to make observations and test hypotheses to understand and explore how the world works. Testing new ideas and collecting data from different experiments help us make more informed decisions about the world.

Types of Science Experiments

Lab Experiments

This kind of science experiment is conducted in a lab setting, and scientists analyze the results. Scientists create an environment that they can control to test hypotheses.

Exploratory Science Experiments

Exploratory science experiments allow for testing new ideas or theories to get an idea of how something might work.

Practical Scientific Experiments

This kind of scientific experiment entails manipulating variables to observe what changes occur. This science experiment is thought to be the most effective way for students to better understand scientific concepts and processes.

Fieldwork Science Experiments

Fieldwork science experiments take place outside of a classroom or laboratory. Unlike lab experiments, these are conducted in natural conditions. Scientists will conduct data as they track animals, plants, and other organisms over time.

Benefits of Science Experiments for Kids

Participating in science experiments allows kids to develop scientific terminologies and vocabulary. Kids learn the language to discuss scientific topics in the future, including science-related news.
Kids can learn about different concepts, such as friction, gravity, and inertia through carrying out hands-on activities.
By participating in science experiments, kids can develop critical thinking skills, including skills in problem-solving, communication skills, and more.

50 Science Experiments For Kids

1. Homemade Slime

Overview

Homemade Slime is one of the science experiments for kids in which a simple recipe can teach children about how different molecules react with one another. This can be made right in your kitchen and is easy to do.

What You Need

Water
Two bowls
Food coloring
White school glue
Borax

Steps

Mix 1/4 cup of water and 1/4 of Elmer’s washable liquid school glue in a bowl.
If you want your slime to be colorful, you can add a few cups of food coloring to the bowl and mix it into the water and liquid school glue.
Mix 1/2 tablespoon cup of water and 1/2 tablespoon of borax, then stir until the borax is dissolved.
Once you are done with the borax solution, you can add the borax solution to the glue mixture, then mix the two.

What’s Happening

When you make slime, the different protein molecules of the white glue and the borate ions of borax will cross-link with each other.

2. Rainbow Celery

Overview

By conducting this science experiment, your child can learn about capillary action. Capillary action takes place when a liquid moves up something solid, such as a tube, or up another material that has a lot of small holes. In the case of this experiment, it will be celery.

What You Need

Glasses of water
Celery
Food coloring

Steps

Find a sunny spot in your home, and then fill the glasses halfway up with water.
Take the food coloring and drop a few drops of each color into each of the glasses. Make sure each cup is a different color.
Put your cut stalks of celery into each of the glasses of water and then let the celery sit for a few hours.

What’s Happening

After a few hours, you will see that the leaves of the celery are changing in color. During the experiment, three different forces are working together.

These forces are adhesion, cohesion, and surface tension. Small vessels in the celery stalks carry the water to the celery’s leaves, which is the same way that blood travels through the body.

3. Shiny Pennies

Overview

In this experiment, kids compare the cleaning capability of soap and vinegar by cleaning the exterior of dirty pennies.

What You Need

2 paper cups
Paper towels
Dish soap
Vinegar
Dirty pennies

Steps

Put each penny into a paper cup. One cup should have enough vinegar to completely cover the dirty penny. The other cups should have enough dish soap so that the dirty penny is completely covered.
Wait 10 minutes or so. After, remove the pennies from their cups and rub them with a paper towel.

What’s Happening

Over time, periods are known to dull as the copper on the exterior reacts with oxygen. When copper and oxygen come together, copper oxides form, which makes the penny dull and dark.

While dish soap is very useful and cleans several things, it isn’t able to dissolve copper oxides.

4. Invisible Ink

Overview

Invisible Ink is one of the science experiments for kids that helps children learn about oxidation.

What You Need

A cotton swab
A lamp or a light bulb
A bowl or a cup
A piece of white paper
Lemon juice

Steps

Squeeze the lemon juice into a cup or a bowl, and then mix in several drops of water.
Dip the cotton sap into the mixture, then write a secret message onto the piece of white paper. Wait for the paper to dry and for the juice to become invisible.
Hold the paper close to the lamp or a light bulb to read the secret messages.

What’s Happening

Lemon juice contains carbon compounds that when at room temperature are colorless. The compounds are broken down due to the heat, which leads to the release of carbon.

The carbon oxidizes once it is in contact with the air. It then turns brown, which allows for the messages to become visible.

5. Dancing Raisins

Overview

In this experiment, kids produce chemical reactions just by using what can be found around the house.

What You Need

Clear soda
A handful of raisins
A clear glass of water

Steps

Fill one glass with plain water and fill another glass with clear soda.
Place the raisins into both glasses and then watch what happens to the raisins in both of the glasses.

What’s Happening

In the glass with clear soda, the raisins will dance. This is because of the gas bubbles that carry the raisins upwards. These are carbon dioxide bubbles that pop once they reach the surface of the soda. Once the bubbles pop, the raisins will sink as the raisins lose buoyancy.

6. Orange Fizz

Overview

Orange Fizz is one of the science experiments for kids that teaches children about acids and bases.

What You Need

An Orange
A half teaspoon of baking soda

Steps

Separate the orange into slices.
Dip one slice into baking soda.
Take a bit of the orange slice.

What’s Happening

Because of the citric acid in the orange and the base of the baking soda mixing together, carbon dioxide bubbles are able to form.

7. Sponge Absorption Experiment

Overview

During this experiment, kids can learn what happens when water is squeezed onto a sponge.

What You Need

Sponges
A pan
A measuring cup
An extra bowl

Steps

Set each of the sponges on the tray.
Using the measuring cup, add some water to the sponge. You can use different size measuring cups as well.
Once the sponge becomes full of water, squeeze out the water. You can continue filling the sponges with the water.

What’s Happening

You’ll notice the water being absorbed by the sponges, because of the bubble-like spaces in the sponge.

These spaces are able to hold the water and the material of the sponge locks it in. This is similar to wetlands as they absorb water. Soils can have lots of space for water to fill and can trap water like sponges can.

8. Mini Volcanos

Overview

Mini Volcanos is one of the science experiments for kids in which children will learn how to replicate a real volcano eruption by using baking soda and vinegar.

What You Need

Water
A plastic cup
Food coloring
1 tablespoon of dish soap
1 cup of vinegar
3 to 4 tablespoons of baking soda.

Steps

Fill up the plastic cup with water so it’s 2/3 full.
Add the baking soda, a bit of food coloring, and dish soap and stir the ingredients.
Pour the vinegar into the cup and stop once it starts to foam. You can keep doing this with other colors.

What’s Happening

When the vinegar, an acid, and the baking soda, a base, react with one another, carbon dioxide forms. The bubbles that erupt during the experiments are filled with carbon dioxide.

9. Make A Magnifying Glass

Overview

In this experiment, kids will learn how to make a magnifying glass.

What You Need

2-liter bottle
Scissors
Water
Dropper
Small text/print

Steps

Cut a lens-shaped piece out of the 2-liter bottle’s neck.
Find some small print you can read.
Add drops of water to the center of the plastic lens from the 2-liter bottle.
Look at the small print through the water.

What’s Happening

When light travels to your eye, it can be altered if it has to travel through some kind of transparent material, such as glass or water. Items can be made to look bigger due to the plastic lens curbing to make a dome, and this leads to the light rays bending inward. Any liquid that is clear can act like a lens.

10. Metal Spoon

Overview

Metal Spoon is one of the science experiments for kids that teaches children about reflection and can easily be done right at home.

What You Need

You will need a kitchen spoon.

Steps

Hold up the spoon and look at your reflection. You’ll find that when you look at it, your reflection is upside down.

What’s Happening

Due to the roundness of the spoon, your reflection is turned upside down. The roundness of the spoon bounces your reflection back to you at many different angles.

11. Alka Seltzer Experiment

Overview

In this experiment, kids learn about different densities.

What You Need

Alka seltzer tablets
Water
Cooking oil
A jar or bottle that has a lid
Food coloring

Steps

Fill your bottle or jar with the oil so that it is about 2/3 full.
Fill the rest of the bottle or jar with water so that it is almost full.
Add food coloring so that it’s possible to see the oil and water as they’ll be separated.
Add a small piece of the tablet.

What’s Happening

The oil and water separate due to different densities. Since water is heavier than oil, the oil rises to the top of the bottle or jar.

Carbon dioxide also forms as the water and seltzer tablets combine to create a chemical reaction. This reaction leads to bubbles, and it carries colored water to the top of the oil. Eventually, these bubbles pop again and the water then falls back to the bottom.

12. Melting Snowballs

Overview

In this experiment, kids can learn about acids and bases.

What You Need

You will need water, baking soda, and vinegar.

Steps

Form snowballs by adding water to the baking soda. For each snowball, you will need 1/3 cup.
Place them in the freezer for about 15 minutes.
Pour drops of vinegar on the snowball. You’ll see that the snowballs sizzle and melt.

13. Salt Painting

Overview

In this experiment, kids will be able to make their own artwork by painting with salt.

What You Need

Craft glue
Salt
Water
White card-stock
A star template
Pippete
Food coloring

Steps

Use your star template to trace a template onto the cardstock.
Trace the outline with glue.
Add a good amount of salt to the glue, and then pour the excess salt off the cardstock carefully.
Wait for the glue and salt to dry.
To make your watercolor paint, mix a few tablespoons of water and food coloring.
Use your pipette to drip the watercolor mixture onto the salt, and watch the salt soak up one droplet of color at a time.

What’s Happening

The water is absorbed by salt slowly and the color moves throughout the pattern.

14. Disappearing Reflection

Overview

During this science experience, you’ll figure out a way to make your reflection vanish.

What You Need

Aluminum foil
A pair of scissors

Steps

Take a piece of aluminum and notice that you can see your reflection when you look at it.
Crumble the aluminum foil and then flatten it back out. Be careful when you flatten it so that you don’t rip the foil.
Once the aluminum foil is flattened, try to look at your reflection.

What’s Happening

You can see your reflection in aluminum foil when it is smooth. The light that reflects off of it in straight lines allows you to see the reflection. When the foil is crumbled, the wrinkled surface makes your reflection disappear.

15. Homemade Play Dough

Overview

Playdough is fun to play with and you can make it is easy to make.

What You Need

Food coloring
2 cups of all-purpose flour
2 cups of warm water
1 tablespoon of cream of tartar
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 cup of kosher salt

Steps

In a large bowl, mix together flour, vegetable oil, cream of tartar, and kosher salt.
Boil water in a saucepan and then let it cool down until it reaches a warm temperature. Then add the water warm water to the mixture.
To make different colored play dough, separate the dough into equal parts and then roll each one into a ball.
Add the food coloring to each ball.
Store the mixture in an airtight container at room temperature.

What’s Happening

When water is added to flour, proteins found in the flour clump together and holds the water. The salt in the playdough also helps the protein stay stuck together.

16. Magic Milk

Overview

Magic Milk is one of the science experiments for kids which teaches children about molecules through a colorful activity.

What You Need

Full-fat milk
A shallow dish
Food coloring
Dawn dish soap
Cotton swabs
A bowl

Steps

Begin to pour your milk into a shallow dish and make sure to cover the bottom.
Fill the top of the milk with food coloring, and you can use as many colors as you choose.
In a separate bowl, pour a small amount of dish soap, and then coat the tip of a cotton swab with the dish soap. With the cotton swap now coated in dish soap, gently tough the milk’s surface.

What’s Happening

When dish soap is added to milk, the soap molecules try to attach to fat molecules in the milk. The soap changes the surface tension of the milk. The food coloring allows you to see this happen as the food coloring is bumped around creating bursts of color.

17. DIY Compass

Overview

In this experiment, kids can learn how magnetism worlds and how it can affect everyday objects.

What You Need

Sewing needle
Magnets
Cork
A medium to large-sized bowl
Water
Pliers

Steps

Magnetize the needle by taking the magnet and stroking it down the length of the needle. You may need to do this 50 times or so if you have a strong magnet. If you have a weaker magnet, it may require extra strikes to become magnetized. Keep note of which end you are magnetizing.
Magnetize the other end of the needle by repeating the same process that is above.
Cut the cork so that it is 1 to 2 centimeters thick.
Using your pliers, push the needle through the middle of the cork.
Fill a bowl with a few inches of water.
Test the compass by placing it in the water to find out how it moves. If done correctly, it should always point north.

What’s Happening

When rubbing the magnet against the needle, the needle became magnetized and it can react with the Earth’s magnetic field. By putting the needle and cork into the water, the magnetized needle is able to react to the Earth’s magnetic field, leading to it aligning with the North and South.

18. Steel Wool and Vinegar Reaction

Overview

Steel Wool and Vinegar is one of the science experiments for kids that teaches about chemical reactions and rusting.

What You Need

You will need steel wool, two beakers, vinegar, a thermometer, and something that covers the beaker, such as a lid or a piece of paper.

Steps

Place the steel wool in one of the beakers.
Pour vinegar onto the stool wool, and let the stool wool soak for about 60 seconds. Take the wool out once 60 seconds have passed and shake off any of the excess vinegar.
Wrap the steel wool around the base of the thermometer and place the steel wool and thermometer into the other beaker.
Cover the beaker by using a lid or a piece of paper. Make sure that you are still able to read the temperature on the thermometer.
Take note of the initial temperature and then watch what happens to the temperature over the course of five minutes.

What’s Happening

The temperature will gradually rise, and the beaker will become a bit foggy. When the steel wool gets soaked in vinegar, the iron in the steel wool will begin to rust as the protective coating is removed.

Rusting is a chemical reaction that occurs between oxygen and iron. This is known as oxidation.

19. Eggs and Salt Water

Overview

In this experiment, kids will learn what happens when an egg is placed in salt water. They’ll find out whether it sinks or floats while learning about saltwater density.

What You Need

Warm water
Spoon
Salt
2 tall glasses
Two eggs

Steps

Fill one of the glasses 2/3 full with water and make a hypothesis about what may happen when you drop the egg.
Drop the egg into that first glass and take note of what happens.
Fill the second glass 2/3 full with water, and stir in 3 tablespoons of salt. Make sure you mix it well so that the salt dissolves.

What’s Happening

In the glass with just water, the egg will sink whereas in the second glass of salt water, the egg will float. Adding salt to water makes the water more dense, as it adds more weight to water when the salt dissolves.

20. Tectonic Plates Experiment

Overview

In this experiment, kids can learn about the tectonic plates in a way that is fun and yummy.

What You Need

Paper plates
Frosting
Sandwich Cookies
Utinsels

Steps

Spread frosting across a paper plate. This frosting represents the earth’s mantle.
Separate your sandwich cookies and remove the filling. Add each cookie half into the frosting. These represent the Earth’s tectonic plates.
With your hands or a utensil, move the plates around. You can smash the cookies into smaller pieces, push them closer together, put cookies on top of one another, etc.

What’s Happening

When the cookies are pushed together, one is forced to move on top of another cookie. This demonstrates how mountains form.

When you smash one of the cookies, this is reflective of how earthquakes can happen. In addition, when the cookies move away from one another, it is called continental drift.

Tectonic plates are a part of the earth’s surface and are the cause of earthquakes, volcanoes, and other natural disasters.

21. Walking on Eggs

Overview

Walking on Eggs is one of the science experiments for kids that teaches children they can walk on eggs and not have the eggs break.

What You Need

You will need 6 dozen eggs that are in its carton, and a drop cloth or newspaper.

Steps

In case the experiment doesn’t work as expected, place a drop cloth on the floor.
Place the open egg cartons next to one another and then gently step onto the eggs. Make sure to keep your feet flat as you carefully walk across the eggs.

What’s Happening

You will notice that you are able to walk on the eggs as your foot is big enough that your weight is evenly spread across the eggs.

22. Color Changing Slime

Overview

In this experiment, kids can learn how they can change the color of slime.

What You Need

1/2 cup of white washable PVA school glue
1/2 cup of water
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1 tablespoon of saline solution
1 tablespoon of photochromic pigment powder

Steps

In a bowl, mix 1/2 cup of glue and 1/2 cup of water.
Once the glue and water are completely mixed, stir in 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda.
Once those three things are completely mixed, mix in 1 tablespoon of the pigment powder. Make sure to measure and mix carefully.
Mix in 1 tablespoon of saline solution and stir until you see that the slime is forming and pulling away from the bowl.
Knead the slime. As you knead the slime, you will see the consistency start to change.
Go outside to see the slime change colors.

What’s Happening

The ultraviolet rays from the sun change the color of the slime.

23. DIY Spectroscope

Overview

In this activity, kids can make their own spectroscope, an instrument that measures the spectrum of light of objects.

What You Need

Toilet paper tube
Black tape
Pencil
Scissors
DVD or CD
X-acto knife
Black paper

Steps

Line the inside of the toilet paper tube with tape.
Cut two circles out of the black paper. The circles should be the same size and should be the size as the ends of the toilet paper tube.
In one of the circles, cut out a tiny slit.
In the other circle, cut out a small window.
Cut a section out of the DVD, then carefully peel it into two pieces. Attach the clear piece to the circle with the small window using tape.
Attach the two circles to the end of the toilet paper tube.
Find a light source and look
Turn it until you see a rainbow.

What’s Happening

Spectroscopes are used to study different properties of light, and it does this by breaking down the light into different wavelengths. These wavelengths are called a spectrum. Scientists are then able to analyze the composition of a substance by looking at the colors that are a part of its spectrum.

24. Exploding Soap

Overview

Exploding Soap is one of the simpler science experiments for kids that you can easily do right at home.

What You Need

You will need ivory soap and a microwave.

Steps

Put the bar of soap in a bowl. The bowl should be microwave safe.
Put the soap in the microwave, and then heat it up on high for two minutes.

What’s Happening

Ivory soap contains air bubbles and when heated up in the microwave, those air bubbles expand.

25. Static Electricity Hair

Overview

In this science experiment, kids will learn about static electricity.

What You Need

You will need a piece of cloth and an inflated balloon.

Steps

With a cloth, rub the surface of the balloon for 40 seconds.
Hold the balloon a short distance away from your head. You will see that your hair starts to stand up.

What’s Happening

When you rub the balloon with the cloth, the balloon becomes negatively charged as the balloon gains electrons. When the balloon touches your hair, it is positively charged.

26. Baking Soda and Vinegar Balloon Experiment

Overview

In this experiment, kids will learn what happens when you combine baking soda and vinegar to blow up a balloon.

What You Need

Baking soda
Vinegar
Empty water bottles
Balloons
Measuring spoons
Funnel

Steps

Blow up the balloon so that it is stretched out a bit.
Use the funnel and a measuring spoon to add two teaspoons of baking soda to the balloon.
Fill the empty water bottle halfway with vinegar, and then attach the balloon to the container. Make sure you have a good seal.
Lift the balloon so that the baking soda is forced into the container and then watch the balloon blow up.

What’s Happening

The balloon blows up due to a chemical reaction between the vinegar and the baking soda.

27. Mentos and Coke

Overview

Mentos and Coke is one of the science experiments for kids that teaches what happens when Coke reacts with Mentos.

What You Need

1 sleeve of Mentos Chewy Mint candy
1 sleeve of Mentos Fruity candy
2 bottles of soda
Party cups

Steps

Set up a camera so that you can rewatch the experiment and better see what occurred.
Pour equal amounts of coke into both of the cups.
Remove the different types of mentos from the sleeve and place the mentos into different cups. You want to keep the mint mentos separated from the fruit mentos by placing them into different cups.
Drop the mentos into their cups at the same time, making sure that you are still keeping the mint mentos separated from the fruit mentos.
Watch and see which variety of mentos creates the most foam.

What’s Happening

When Coke and Mentos come together, it causes the beverage to explode out of the container. The candies produce more and more carbon dioxide bubbles and the bubbles react with the carbon dioxide to eventually lead to an explosion.

28. Pop Rocks Science Experiment

Overview

In this experiment, kids will learn about viscosity.

What You Need

Pop rocks (you can use different packs so that you have a variety of colors.)
Water
Oil
Corn syrup
Baking soda dough
Vinegar
Three glasses

Steps

Mix the baking soda with a small of water to get baking soda dough. Make sure to avoid using too much water.
In each glass, put in water, oil, and corn syrup. Make sure that each glass has a different liquid.
Add the same amount of pop rocks to each glass and listen to what happens.

What’s Happening

When pop rocks dissolve, they release a pressurized gas called carbon dioxide. This gas makes the popping noise you hear.

The thicker the liquid, the greater the viscosity, meaning that the pop rocks will pop the least. The less viscosity a liquid has, the better the results will be due to higher water content.

You’ll notice that the pop rocks in the oil and corn syrup popped less than the pop rocks in the water.

29. Floating Eggs

Overview

In this science experiment, your child will learn one of the differences between salt water and fresh water.

What You Need

You will need salt, water, two tall drinking glasses, and two eggs.

Steps

Fill both glasses with water, but in one of the glasses, add eight tablespoons of salt and then mix it.
Place an egg in both of the glasses.

What’s Happening

Once both of the eggs are in the glasses, you will see that one egg sinks while the other egg floats. This is because of salt, which changes the density of the water in that particular glass.

30. Solid Liquid Gas Experiment

Overview

In this experiment, kids will learn about the different states of matter, which include liquids, gases, and solids.

What You Need

Water
Ice cubes
A large bowl
Tongs (optional)

Steps

Fill a bowl of ice. Since ice is frozen water it is in a solid state.
Give the ice some time to melt. Take note of the state of the ice once it’s all melted.
Boil the water and take note of what is happening as it is boiling.

What’s Happening

Ice is solid-frozen water, and once the ice is fully melted, it will be a liquid. By leaving the ice out to melt, it changes state. The steam that comes from the water boiling is a gas, which is in a different state.

31. Changing the Color of Flowers

Overview

Changing the Color of Flowers is one of the science experiments for kids that teaches how to change the color of white flowers by using food coloring.

What You Need

White flowers
Food coloring
Glasses
Water

Steps

Fill each of the glasses halfway with water.
In each of the glasses, squirt several drops of food coloring. Use different colors for different colored flowers.
Trim the stems of the white flowers at an angle and place each flower into each glass.
You will then start to see each of the flowers start to change colors.

What’s Happening

When the food coloring travels through the flower stems and into the leaves, this is called capillary action. This is the ability of a liquid to flow through narrow spaces. By using food coloring, we can see capillary action happen.

32. Mystery Smell Game

Overview

In this experiment, kids can learn that using their sense of smell is important to the scientific method.

What You Need

A blindfold
Several small and lidded containers that you can’t see through
Smelly items around the house – The smelly items can be an orange peel, vanilla, vinegar, a cotton ball soaked in perfume, chopped onion, or any other smelly items you have on hand.

Steps

Have someone help you by putting each of the smelly items into its own container.
Write a number on each of the containers.
Put on the blindfold and smell each object. It’s best to have a second person to help with this part.
Write down what you think is in each container, so that you can see if your guesses are correct.

What’s Happening

Since you are using your sense of smell, try to see how many smells you can guess correctly.

33. Jumping Pepper

Overview

Jumping Pepper is one of the science experiments for kids that teaches children about static electricity.

What You Need

A hair comb
Pepper
Salt
A plate

Steps

Place a tablespoon of pepper on a plate.
Run the comb through your hair.
Hold the comb over the place to watch the pepper jump.

What’s Happening

When you brush your hair with the plastic comb, a negative charge is built. Since the pepper has a positive charge, you see the pepper jump.

34. Screaming Balloon

Overview

In this experiment, kids will learn about centripetal force, which is a force that causes a moving object in a circular path.

What You Need

A balloon
Hex nut

Steps

Stretch out the balloon and drop the hex nut.
Inflate the balloon.
Seal the balloon by tying it off.
Grab the balloon like you would grab a bowling ball and begin to spin it.

What’s Happening

Because of the roundness of the balloon, the hex nut moves in a circular path. This is due to centripetal force. You also hear a screaming sound because of the sides of the hex nut vibrating along the inside walls of the balloon.

35. Light Refraction

Overview

Light Refraction is one of the science experiments for kids in which they will learn that refractions are when light bends, which happens when light travels from one medium to another. For example, light travels from air to water.

What You Need

Water
A piece of paper
A marker
A glass

Steps

Grab a piece of paper and draw two large arrows. One arrow should be near the top, and the second one should be near the bottom. The arrows should point in the same direction.
Fill a glass with water and then slowly lower the piece of paper behind the glass of water.

What’s Happening

In this experiment, the light bends as it travels through the glass cup and into the water, then the light bends again as it travels into the air from the glass. Light travels fastest when it travels through the air, and light travels the slowest through the water.

36. Oil Spill Experiment

Overview

In this experiment, kids can learn about oil spills.

What You Need

2 tin pans
Water
Cotton balls
Vegetable oil
Spoon
Paper towels
Dawn dish soap
Medicine dropper

Steps

Fill the tin pan half full of water, then pour oil into the water.
Use the different materials you have to try to clean up the oil. Try cleaning it up by using cotton balls, paper towels, a spoon, and a medicine dropper.
Now, try to clean up the oil using the Dawn dish soap.

What’s Happening

An oil spill can be harmful to the environment as it’s a form of pollution that’s often found in the marine ecosystem. They’re often caused by accidents or human carelessness or error. In the experiment, you can learn how it’s difficult to clean up an oil spill.

37. Fireworks with Water

Overview

In this experiment, kids can make fireworks using water.

What You Need

A fork
Food coloring
Oil
A tall water glass
A Short water glass

Steps

Fill the tall glass with water almost all the way. Put two tablespoons of oil into the small glass and add two drops of food coloring.
Mix it around with the fork so that the food coloring is broken up into small specks.
Pour the oil and food coloring mixture into the water.

What’s Happening

While coloring dissolves in water, it doesn’t dissolve in oil, which causes the food coloring to go in different directions.

38. The Water Cycle

Overview

In this science experiment, kids will learn about the water cycle as it demonstrates how the sun can transform water into different states.

What You Need

Water
A Ziploc bag
A permanent marker
A cup
Blue food coloring
Clear tape

Steps

On the upper half of the Ziploc bag, use a permanent marker to draw the sky.
Fill a cup with water, then add a few drops of blue food coloring so that it is easier to see the water. Make sure to mix the water and food coloring.
Pour the water into the Ziploc bag, and make sure to zip the bag so the water doesn’t escape.
Take the bag and hang it up on the window so that the bag gets a lot of sunshine.
Check the bag in a couple of hours, and then check again the next day. Over time, you will see drops of water sticking to the sides of the bag.

What’s Happening

When the bag is left in the sun, the sun heats up the water, turning it into a gaseous state. This process is called evaporation, and it also takes place in the atmosphere.

Since the water is evaporating within the bag, it has nowhere to go therefore it sticks to the sides, eventually turning into liquid again. This is called condensation.

39. Mixing Colors

Overview

Mixing Colors is one of the science experiments for kids in which they will learn how they can create a chemical reaction while exploring color mixing. Kids will also be able to create artwork.

What You Need

White vinegar
Baking soda
A Baking sheet
Ice cube trays
Eye droppers
Food coloring or liquid watercolor

Steps

Fill the tray with a decent amount of baking soda so that the tray is covered.
Fill each ice cube tray with vinegar, and then add the food coloring to the vinegar.
Use an eyedropper to add a few drops of the colored food coloring onto the tray of baking soda.

What’s Happening

When you mix vinegar and baking soda, it produces bubbles of carbon dioxide and this is what you see on the tray.

40. Freezing Salt Water

Overview

In this experiment, kids will learn whether or not water will always freeze.

What You Need

2 bowls
Water
Salt
Spoon

Steps

Label one of the bowls as “bowl 1” and label the other “bowl 2.”
Put 4 cups of water into each bowl.
In bowl 2, add 2 tablespoons of salt. Add the salt a little bit at a time, and stir as you add.
Put both bowls into the freezer and then check the bowls in an hour. Recheck the bowls once 24 hours have passed.

What’s Happening

The freezing point of freshwater is 32 degrees Fahrenheit, but if salt is present, the freezing point is lower. When salt is in the water, it makes it more difficult for the hydrogen and oxygen to bind together and form ice.

It can also take longer for saltwater to freeze since salt gets in the way of the molecules.

41. Floating Paperclip

Overview

Floating Paperclip is one of the science experiments for kids that will teach if a paperclip float on the water.

What You Need

Paperclips
Scissors
A paper towel
A bowl of water
Dish soap

Steps

Fill the bowl with water.
Drop the paper cup into the water. Note whether or not the paperclip sinks or floats.
Try to gently place the paperclip on top of the water. Note whether or not the paper cup sinks for floats.
Cut a square out of the paper towel and place it into the water.
Place the paperclip on top of the paper towel.
Once you have some floating paper clips, add a drop of dish soap and see what happens to the paper clips.

What’s Happening

Paper clips can float in the water due to the surface tension, which is when water molecules stick to each other. When you add soap to the water, the surface tension is broken, so the water molecules pull away from one another and the paperclip sinks.

42. Gummy Bear Osmosis Experiment

Overview

In this experiment, kids can learn about osmosis by using gummy bears.

What You Need

4 cups of sugar
Salt
A ruler or measuring scale
Water
Baking soda
Vinegar
Gummy bears

Steps

Measure and pour the same amount of water into three of the cups. In the fourth cup, pour the same amount of vinegar.
Add sugar to one of the cups, and then add baking soda to a different one. In the third cup, add salt.
Weigh each of the gummy bears and record each of the measurements.
Add a gummy bear to each cup and set the four cups aside to observe what happens. You can check after 6 hours, 12 hours, and 24 hours.
After 48 hours or so, you can remove each gummy bear from the liquid and weigh each gummy bear to see which gummy bear grew the most.

What’s Happening

When the gummy bear is put in the water, the water moves into the bear by the process of osmosis. Osmosis is when water moves from a greater concentration of water to a lower concentration of water. During the experiment, all of the gummy bears should have expanded.

You also find out that gummy bears don’t dissolve in water as they are made of gelatin. Gummy bears have a semi-permeable membrane, which allows non-charged particles like water in, but keep larger particles, like sugar out.

43. Black Pepper Experiment

Overview

In this science experiment, kids will learn about surface tension, which is a foundational scientific principle.

What You Need

Black pepper
A bowl or a plate
Water
Liquid soap

Steps

Fill the plate or the bowl with a thin layer of water.
Sprinkle the pepper onto the water, and try to cover most of the water’s surface.
Dip your finger into the liquid soap, and then touch the pepper.

What’s Happening

You will see that the soap will break the surface tension of the water. Water has high surface tension, which means that molecules pull to one another and stick together very strongly.

The soap breaks the surface tension as the molecules close to your finger are pulled away to further molecules.

44. Sink or Float

Overview

Sink or Float is one of the science experiments for kids that gives them a foundational understanding of density.

What You Need

Two glasses of water
A piece of paper
A pen
Any small items you have around the house.

Steps

Fill two large and clear containers with water.
Write down the list of objects you are testing on a sheet of paper and predict whether that item will sink or float.
Gather small items around the house and then place those in the water to test the hypotheses.

What’s Happening

If the item sinks, it is because the object is more dense than the water. If the object has a lesser density than the water, it will float.

45. Mixing Oil and Water

Overview

In this experiment, kids will learn what happens when water and oil mix.

What You Need

Drinking glass
Vegetable oil
Water
Liquid food coloring

Steps

Ask your child to create a hypothesis about what they think will occur when oil and water mix together.
Pour 1/2 cup of oil into a drinking glass, and then pour the same amount of water into that same glass. Watch the oil and water separate within the glass.
Put a drop of water-based food coloring into the cup and see what happens.

What’s Happening

You will see the oil and water separate. Since oil is lighter, it is less dense than water so the oil rises to the top of the glass.

46. Homemade Lava Lamp

Overview

This activity will teach kids about density as they make a lava lamp with common ingredients you can find around the house.

What You Need

Food coloring
Baking soda
Vegetable oil
A clean plastic bottle or glass jar

Steps

Add a couple of inches of baking soda to the bottle or jar.
Use vegetable oil to fill the rest of the bottle or jar.
In a separate cup, add vinegar and food coloring, and then mix those together. Once they are mixed, pour the vinegar and food coloring into the oil
Use a flashlight and turn off the lights to see your homemade lava lamp in action.

What’s Happening

Since oil is less dense than water, the oil will float to the top of the bottle or jar. Since food coloring has the same density as water, it sinks through the oil and mixes with the water—carbon dioxide, which is a gas, forms as the baking soda dissolves in the vinegar.

47. Paper Cup Tower

Overview

Paper Cup Tower is one of the science experiments for kids which lets them find out that they won’t crush the cup as they stand on them.

What You Need

Cardboard
8 paper cups

Steps

Set the paper cups onto the ground and make sure that the paper cups are spaces evenly.
Once the cups are in place, place a piece of cardboard on the top.
Stand on the cups to see if the cups are then crushed.
You also have the option to make it a tower by placing another layer of cups and then cardboard.

What’s Happening

The paper cups aren’t smashed because the weight is evenly spaced.

48. Corn Syrup Viscosity Experiment

Overview

In this experiment, kids can learn about viscosity. Viscosity is a measure of a fluid’s resistance to flow based on internal friction.

What You Need

Corn syrup
Food coloring
Two glass containers
A dropper
A Cupcake pan

Steps

Fill a large glass container half full with corn syrup and then add a small glass container to the center.
Put a small amount of corn syrup into a cupcake pan. Add a small amount of food coloring to each one. Once you’re done, you should have three separate colors of corn syrup.
Use the dropper to get some of the colored corn syrup and then insert the dropper into the clear corn syrup and add the coloring in different places. You can do this multiple times.
Turn the smaller glass container and make sure to keep the smaller glass jar still. You will see that the colored syrup will begin to spread around.
Switch directions and turn the small glass so that it is in its original spot. The colored dots will return to how they were before.

What’s Happening

Corn syrup and water have different viscosity, so they do not mix in the same way.

49. Elephant Toothpaste

Overview

In this activity, kids will learn about catalysts and exothermic reactions.

What You Need

Liquid dish soap
A small cup
Food coloring
Safety goggles
A 16 oz. plastic soda bottle
3 tablespoons of warm water
1/2 of 20-volume of 6% solution hydrogen peroxide liquid
1 tablespoon of dry yeast

Steps

Before getting started, put on your protective eyewear as you will be working with hydrogen peroxide.
Add 8 drops of food coloring into the bottle.
Add 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap. Make sure to mix the ingredients.
In a separate cup, mix warm water and yeast together for 30 seconds. Once those are mixed, pour the yeast and water mixture into the bottle.

What’s Happening

You will see a bunch of foam form. In the experiment, the yeast acts as a catalyst to remove the oxygen from the hydrogen peroxide. During this process, many bubbles are created. The bottle heats up because of the exothermic reaction taking place.

50. Traveling Rainbows

Overview

Traveling Rainbows is one of the science experiments for kids that teaches them about mixing colors and capillary action.

What You Need

6 jars or glasses
Paper towels
Different colors of food coloring

Steps

On a flat and hard surface, place the 6 in a row.
Fold six sheets of paper lengthwise.
Fill the first glass with a few drops of red food coloring. Next, put a few drops of yellow food coloring in the third glass, and in the fifth, put a few drops of blue food coloring. Leave the other three glasses empty.
Fil the glasses halfway with water.
Place one end of the paper towel into the red glass on the end, then fold it over into the glass next to it. Continue until the last cup has a paper towel in it.
Wait a few minutes and you will see the colored water travel the length of the paper towel.

What’s Happening

The colored water travels up the paper towel because of capillary action. Capillary action is when liquid flows upward through narrow spaces, such as when water climbs from a plant’s roots to the leaves in the tree tops.

In this specific experiment, water travels through the gaps found in the paper towel. Paper towels are made from cellulose, which is fibers found in plants.