science experiments for preschoolers school

40 Fun & Easy Preschool Science Experiments

Welcome to our collection of fun and easy science experiments, especially handpicked for our tiniest tinkerers and budding scientists. These experiments provide a safe and engaging environment for children to observe, question, and discover.

Activities on this list aren’t about complex theories or lengthy explanations; they’re about the joy of discovery, the magic of “why,” and the thrill of the “aha!” moment.

In the age of preschool kids, curiosity knows no bounds. Every raindrop is a mystery, every shadow a playful game, and every bubble a burst of joy. At this tender age, the line between magic and science is delightfully blurred, making it the perfect time to embark on whimsical experiments that tickle the imagination while fostering a foundational love for the wonders of the world.

Guided by experienced educators, each experiment is thoughtfully crafted to ensure age-appropriate materials, simple instructions, and plenty of opportunities for hands-on exploration.

1. Floating Dry Erase Rainbow and Shapes Experiment  

The Floating Dry Erase Rainbow and Shapes Experiment is a captivating preschool science activity that engages young minds while introducing fundamental concepts of buoyancy and color mixing.

Learn more: Team Cartwright

2. The Oil and Water Experiment- Density Science

By combining oil and water in a clear container, students observe the distinct separation between the two substances due to their different densities.

Learn more: Play Trains

3. Make Ice Grow

This experiment sparks curiosity and wonder and teaches children about the states of matter and the scientific principle of freezing.

Learn more: Teach Preschool Org

4. Ice Cream in a Bag

The “Ice Cream in a Bag” experiment is a delightful preschool science activity combining hands-on fun and a tasty treat.

Learn more: Ice Cream in a Bag

5. Magic Milk

The “Magic Milk” experiment with fizzing milk is a captivating preschool science activity that combines chemistry and visual spectacle.

Learn more: Magic Milk

6. Walking on Raw Eggs

By placing raw eggs in a row on the ground and carefully stepping on them, students discover that the eggs can withstand their weight without breaking.

This experiment not only sparks excitement and awe but also encourages children to question and investigate the strength and structure of objects.

Learn more: Housing a Forest

7. Unicorn Fizz 

The “Unicorn Fizz” experiment is a delightful preschool science activity that brings together a sense of wonder and the magic of unicorns.

Learn more: Unicorn Fizz 

8. Unpoppable Bubbles

This hands-on and interactive activity encourages exploration, experimentation, and a sense of achievement when bubbles refuse to burst, making it a must-try for young scientists ready to challenge the laws of bubble physics.

Learn more: Unpoppable Balloons

9. Melting Ice

It’s a simple yet engaging activity that lays the foundation for understanding the principles of thermodynamics and encourages scientific inquiry, making it an ideal experiment for young learners eager to explore the wonders of science.

Learn more: Melting Ice

10. Exploring How Water Travels Through Leaves

The “Exploring How Water Travels Through Leaves” experiment is an exciting preschool science activity that allows children to discover the wonders of plant biology.

Learn more: Buggy and Buddy

11. Pepper and Soap

By sprinkling pepper onto a bowl of water and then gently touching the surface with a soapy finger, students witness the mesmerizing movement of pepper particles as they scatter away from the soap.

Learn more: Pepper and Soap

12. Rain Cloud in a Jar

This hands-on activity encourages observation, critical thinking, and a deeper understanding of weather phenomena, making it an exciting and educational experience for young learners eager to explore the science behind rain.

13. Making Color Disappear

The “Making Color Disappear” experiment is a captivating preschool science activity that introduces children to the magical world of color mixing.

Learn more: Making Color Disappear

14. Elephant Toothpaste

This hands-on and engaging activity fosters scientific inquiry, observation, and a sense of wonder, making it a must-try for young scientists eager to explore the fascinating world of chemistry.

Learn more: Elephant Toothpaste

15. Play Dough Volcano

This is a sensory and interactive activity that encourages exploration, observation, and scientific inquiry, making it a must-try for young scientists eager to unleash their inner volcanologists and have a blast while learning about the wonders of the natural world.

Learn more: Play Dough Volcano

16. Skittles Rainbow

By arranging a circle of colorful Skittles candies on a plate and adding a small amount of warm water, students can observe as the colors dissolve and blend together, creating a beautiful rainbow pattern.

Learn more: Skittles Rainbow

17. Rainbow Tower

By layering different liquids of varying densities, such as water, oil, and colored syrup, students can create a stunning rainbow tower in a clear container.

18. Balloon-Powered Car

By constructing a simple car out of everyday materials and attaching a balloon as the power source, students can witness the car zooming forward as the air escapes from the balloon.

19. Wind-Powered Car

By constructing a simple car using lightweight materials and attaching a small sail, students can observe how the wind propels the car forward.

20. Travelling Waters

The “Travelling Waters” experiment is a captivating preschool science activity that explores the concept of water absorption and movement.

21. Leak-proof Bag

Get ready to discover the wonders of a leak-proof bag experiment! This engaging pre-school science activity is a must-try for young explorers

Learn more: Leak-proof Bag

22. Magnetic Discovery Bottles

By filling transparent bottles with a combination of water, glitter, and an array of magnetic objects, children can witness the mesmerizing dance of magnetic forces.

Learn more: Magnetic Discovery Bottles

23. Water Xylophone

As they experiment with water levels and observe the corresponding changes in pitch, they’ll develop a deeper understanding of sound and vibrations.

24. Balloon Rocket Science

This hands-on activity not only sparks excitement but also introduces basic physics concepts in a playful and interactive manner.

25. LEGO Ice Excavation

Get ready to embark on a cool and captivating journey with LEGO ice excavation! This thrilling preschool science experiment is a must-try for young adventurers.

Learn more: LEGO Ice Excavation

26. Edible Butterfly Life Cycle

As they assemble and devour their edible creations, children will gain a deeper understanding of the miraculous transformation that butterflies undergo.

Learn more: Little Bins Little Hands

27. Penny Boat

As they experiment with different shapes and sizes, they’ll learn about buoyancy, weight distribution, and the principles of floating.

28. Salt Painting

Get ready to unleash your creativity with salt painting! This exciting pre-school art activity is a must-try for young artists. By using a mixture of salt, watercolors, and paper, children can create stunning and textured paintings.

Learn more: Salt Painting

29. String Telephone

This hands-on activity not only sparks imagination but also introduces the concept of sound transmission and vibrations.

Learn more: String Telephone

30. DIY Straw Rockets

Get ready for an exciting DIY adventure with straw rockets! This thrilling preschool science experiment is a must-try for young rocket scientists.

Learn more: DIY Straw Rocket

31. Dancing Corn

Through this simple yet enchanting experience, children will grasp the concept of air pressure and buoyancy in a fun-filled manner.

32. Egg Drop Challenge

The Egg Drop Challenge not only sparks enthusiasm for science but also nurtures teamwork and perseverance in little ones.

Learn more: Egg Drop Challenge

33. Rubber Egg (Egg in Vinegar)

Welcome to the fascinating world of the “Rubber Egg” experiment, where curious young minds will witness the extraordinary transformation of a regular egg into a bouncy, rubbery wonder!

34. LEGO Zipline

By constructing a simple zipline using LEGO bricks and a string, children get hands-on experience with the principles of gravity, motion, and engineering.

Learn more: LEGO Zipline

35. Blow Cup Challenge

The Blow Cup Challenge is a delightful and captivating preschool science experiment that will leave young learners amazed and eager to explore.

By blowing air into the cup, they witness the fantastic force of air pressure propelling the rocket upwards.

Learn more: Erintegration

36. How Strong Is the Spaghetti?

Through hands-on experimentation, they discover the principles of balance, stability, and load-bearing capacities.

This experiment not only encourages creativity and problem-solving but also introduces early engineering concepts in an engaging and approachable manner.

Learn more: Frugalfun4boys

37. Simple Static Electricity Experiment

The Simple Static Electricity Experiment offers an electrifying experience for preschoolers that sparks curiosity and wonder.

In this captivating activity, children explore the fascinating world of static electricity by rubbing balloons against different materials and observing the surprising effects.

38. Sedimentary Rocks Model

The Sedimentary Rocks Model offers an immersive and educational preschool science experiment that takes young learners on a fascinating geological adventure. In this hands-on activity, children get to create their own sedimentary rock models.

Learn more: Preschool Powol Pockets

39. Layers of the Earth

Through hands-on exploration, children will create a simplified Earth model using different materials to represent its layers: the crust, mantle, and core.

By understanding the composition of our planet, they’ll gain insight into the forces that shape the Earth’s surface and its interior.

Learn more: Red Ted Art

40. LEGO Pendulum Painting

By experimenting with different string lengths, weights, and paint colors, they discover how the motion of the pendulum influences the patterns it creates.

Learn more: LEGO Pendulum

Similar Posts:

• Top 100 Fine Motor Skills Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers
• 68 Best Chemistry Experiments: Learn About Chemical Reactions
• 37 Water Science Experiments: Fun & Easy

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72 Easy Science Experiments Using Materials You Already Have On Hand

Because science doesn’t have to be complicated.

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

Easy Chemistry Science Experiments

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

1. Taste the Rainbow

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

Learn more: Skittles Diffusion

2. Crystallize sweet treats

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

Learn more: Candy Crystals

3. Make a volcano erupt

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

Learn more: Best Volcano Experiments

4. Make elephant toothpaste

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

5. Blow the biggest bubbles you can

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

Learn more: Giant Soap Bubbles

6. Demonstrate the “magic” leakproof bag

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

Learn more: Leakproof Bag

7. Use apple slices to learn about oxidation

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

Learn more: Apple Oxidation

8. Float a marker man

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

Learn more: Floating Marker Man

9. Discover density with hot and cold water

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

Learn more: Layered Water

10. Layer more liquids

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

Learn more: Layered Liquids

11. Grow a carbon sugar snake

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

Learn more: Carbon Sugar Snake

12. Mix up some slime

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

13. Make homemade bouncy balls

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

Learn more: Make Your Own Bouncy Balls

14. Create eggshell chalk

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

Learn more: Eggshell Chalk

15. Make naked eggs

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

Learn more: Naked Egg Experiment

16. Turn milk into plastic

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

17. Test pH using cabbage

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

Learn more: Cabbage pH

18. Clean some old coins

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

Learn more: Cleaning Coins

19. Pull an egg into a bottle

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

Learn more: Egg in a Bottle

20. Blow up a balloon (without blowing)

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

21 Assemble a DIY lava lamp

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

22. Explore how sugary drinks affect teeth

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

Learn more: Sugar and Teeth Experiment

23. Mummify a hot dog

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

24. Extinguish flames with carbon dioxide

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

25. Send secret messages with invisible ink

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

Learn more: Invisible Ink

26. Create dancing popcorn

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

27. Shoot a soda geyser sky-high

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

Learn more: Soda Explosion

28. Send a teabag flying

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

Learn more: Flying Tea Bags

29. Create magic milk

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

Learn more: Magic Milk Experiment

30. Watch the water rise

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

Learn more: Rising Water

31. Learn about capillary action

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

Learn more: Capillary Action

32. Give a balloon a beard

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

Learn more: Static Electricity

33. Find your way with a DIY compass

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

Learn more: DIY Compass

34. Crush a can using air pressure

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

35. Tell time using the sun

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

Learn more: Make Your Own Sundial

36. Launch a balloon rocket

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

37. Make sparks with steel wool

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

Learn more: Steel Wool Electricity

38. Levitate a Ping-Pong ball

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

39. Whip up a tornado in a bottle

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

Learn more: Tornado in a Bottle

40. Monitor air pressure with a DIY barometer

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

Learn more: DIY Barometer

41. Peer through an ice magnifying glass

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

Learn more: Ice Magnifying Glass

42. String up some sticky ice

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

Learn more: Sticky Ice

43. “Flip” a drawing with water

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

Learn more: Light Refraction With Water

44. Color some flowers

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

45. Use glitter to fight germs

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

Learn more: Glitter Germs

46. Re-create the water cycle in a bag

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

Learn more: Water Cycle

47. Learn about plant transpiration

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

Learn more: Plant Transpiration

48. Clean up an oil spill

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

Learn more: Oil Spill

49. Construct a pair of model lungs

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

Learn more: Model Lungs

50. Experiment with limestone rocks

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

Learn more: Limestone Experiments

51. Turn a bottle into a rain gauge

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

Learn more: DIY Rain Gauge

52. Build up towel mountains

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

Learn more: Towel Mountains

53. Take a play dough core sample

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

Learn more: Play Dough Core Sampling

54. Project the stars on your ceiling

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

Learn more: DIY Star Projector

55. Make it rain

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

Learn more: Shaving Cream Rain

56. Blow up your fingerprint

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

57. Snack on a DNA model

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

Learn more: Edible DNA Model

58. Dissect a flower

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

59. Craft smartphone speakers

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

Learn more: Smartphone Speakers

60. Race a balloon-powered car

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

Learn more: Balloon-Powered Car

61. Build a Ferris wheel

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

Learn more: Craft Stick Ferris Wheel

62. Design a phone stand

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

63. Conduct an egg drop

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

Learn more: Egg Drop Challenge Ideas

64. Engineer a drinking-straw roller coaster

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

Learn more: Straw Roller Coaster

65. Build a solar oven

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

Learn more: Solar Oven

66. Build a Da Vinci bridge

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

Learn more: Da Vinci Bridge

67. Step through an index card

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

68. Stand on a pile of paper cups

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

Learn more: Paper Cup Stack

69. Test out parachutes

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

Learn more: Parachute Drop

70. Recycle newspapers into an engineering challenge

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

Learn more: Newspaper STEM Challenge

71. Use rubber bands to sound out acoustics

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

Learn more: Rubber Band Guitar

72. Assemble a better umbrella

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

Learn more: Umbrella STEM Challenge

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50 Fun Kids Science Experiments

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

Top 10 Science Experiments

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

Baking Soda Balloon Experiment

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

Rainbow In A Jar

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

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

Seed Germination Experiment

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

Egg Vinegar Experiment

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

Dancing Corn

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

Grow Crystals

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

Lava Lamp Experiment

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

Skittles Experiment

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

Lemon Volcano

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

Bonus! Popsicle Stick Catapult

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

Grab the handy Top 10 Science Experiments list here!

Free Science Ideas Guide

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

Get Started With A Science Fair Project

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

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

Easy Science Experiments For Kids

Science Experiments By Topic

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

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

Science Experiments By Season

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

Science Experiments by Age Group

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

• Science for Toddlers
• Science for Preschoolers
• Science for Kindergarten
• Elementary Science by Season
• Science for 1st Grade
• Science for 2nd Grade
• Science for 3rd Grade
• Science for 4th Grade
• Science for 6th Grade
• Science for Middle School

How To Teach Science

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What is the Scientific Method for Kids?

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

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

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

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

Engineering and STEM Projects For Kids

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

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

Printable Science Projects For Kids

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

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

Subscribe to receive a free 5-Day STEM Challenge Guide

~ projects to try now ~.

Science Activities for Preschoolers

Did you know that preschool is the perfect time to start doing science experiments? Preschoolers have so much curiosity at this age, making it the perfect time to get hands on with our learning and discovery. Here we are sharing science activities that we have done ourselves with young kids with incredible results. They are not just about learning scientific concepts, they are designed to spark curiosity, creativity, and a love for learning in young minds. At this age our number one goal is to foster a thrill for discovery! Remember, the key is to have fun and explore science in a playful, engaging way with your young learners. So let’s explore some science ideas for preschool.

Preschool Science Experiments

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Exploring science with preschoolers can be exciting, but it can also come with some challenges. Today we wanted to share some of our favorite science projects that are both educational and fun that you can try with your little ones. We want to make it easy for you, so make sure you click through to each activity to learn all of our pro tips and information to answer all of those questions your kids are going to ask.

Although we have focused on proving preschool science activities, many of these are actually STEM activities that incorporate not only science, but also some technology, engineering and math. 

No matter which activities you do, remember the most important rule, have fun!

Tips for Doing Preschool Science Experiments

Doing science activities with preschoolers can be a lot of fun, but you also need to always ensure safety first. But guess what? Even that part can be fun! I highly recommend buying children’s lab coats and lab safety glasses (in fun colors!) , for your preschoolers. It not only will help protect your kids, but it taps into children’s imaginations and helps them embrace the idea of being little scientists.

When doing any of these activities, proper adult supervision is required at all times, and ensure you adapt the activities as required to meet children where they are at maturity and ability wise. We want science to be fun and safe!

Another tip, always assume things are going to get messy! Cover areas and work in spaces when you can let kids explore freely without worrying about the mess. For some of these experiments, you can even head outside!

Whether you are at home and doing some homeschool science or looking for some classroom experiments, there are lots of fun science activities you can do with your kids!

Preschool Science and STEM

Magic color changing playdough.

Sure, anyone can make playdough, but why not make magic playdough that changes color? Kids can experiment by exposing the playdough to different colors in this heat reactive experiment. My kids especially loved chilling different shaped items and making patterns in the playdough, then warming it up to see them disappear.

We also have recipes for Magic Moon Dough or Magic Oobleck , if you prefer a different sensory science experiment.

A classic activity to keep the kids entertained and busy having fun and learning. Oobleck is a non-Newtonian Fluid, which means it becomes solid under pressure, then liquifies once the pressure is removed. Kids love playing with Oobleck and learn cool lessons in states of matter. We have lots of different recipes for making Oobleck . This is a great outdoor activity!

Hatching Dino Eggs

This baking soda and vinegar experiment idea came about because I needed to find ways to help my dinosaur obsessed preschooler build their fine motor skills. Chemistry may seem like an advanced topic, but in this Hatching Dino Eggs Science Activity we make it easy and fun! Kids love using syringes and pipettes to make their dino eggs fizz and “hatch” revealing a little dinosaur hidden inside.

Bouncy Egg Experiment

This fun science experiment involves soaking a raw egg in vinegar to dissolve its shell, leaving a bouncy, rubbery egg. It’s a fascinating way to teach children about osmosis and the properties of eggshells. Plus, kids have fun testing their Bouncy Eggs to see how much they can bounce… or break!

Making Water Rise

This experiment was one of the first activities that I did with my kids when they were just tiny where I saw their eyes light up with so much curiosity! In this project, kids learn about creating a vacuum in a simple setup involving a jar, water, and a candle. This How Does Water Rise activity demonstrates basic principles of physics in an easily understandable way. For really little ones, I do this as a demonstration and they watch as I do the experiment, but they can still get involved by using the thermometer to take readings.

Keep It Dry Experiment

This is a really quick and easy experiment that little kids love. Watch their surprise as you immerse a glass in water with paper towel inside… and it stays dry! Then let them do the Keep it Dry experiment themselves.

Frozen Bubbles

If you live in a colder climate, try freezing bubbles outside. It’s a fun way to explore the science of freezing and weather conditions. We share the secret to the perfect frozen bubbles , so you can have success with your little ones.

Not cold enough for frozen bubbles? You can still do some Bubble Science .

Bottle Crush

A fun and visually impressive way to understand heat transfer, using a plastic bottle, hot water, and cold conditions (or ice). My little ones love doing Bottle Crush as a magic trick that always wows!

Balloon Races – Physics Fun

You might think preschoolers are too young to learn about physics, but they aren’t too little! They will have a blast with Balloon Races which are a very fun, fast paced way to learn about basic physics principles. It will also help kids with lots of energy, burn off some steam while learning.

Glitter Dance – Surface Tension Experiment

Using just a plate, water, glitter (or pepper), and dish soap, this Glitter Dance experiment is a straightforward demonstration of how soap affects water’s surface tension.

Oil and Water Experiment

This easy science project is a fantastic way to explore the properties of oil and water , along with color theory. Kids can observe how oil and water do not mix and explore the mixing of colors.

Ice Fishing Experiment

This is a fantastic STEM game and experiment for preschoolers that uses salt, water, and homemade ice fish to explore the science of how salt affects ice melt. It’s a playful and educational activity that combines science with a fishing game .

Growing Crystals

Growing crystals can be a magical experience for young minds. It is honestly one of my favorite science activities, because the results are so beautiful! This Egg Geode Crystal Growing activity involves simple ingredients and offers a hands-on approach to learning about crystallization and geology.

If you are looking for crystal growing using other ingredients, we explore lots of different options in our Crystal Gnome project or try growing tasty sugar crystals .

This experiment is not only a visual treat but also a great way to learn about chemical reactions and density. Preschoolers will be mesmerized watching the bubbles dance and play in a homemade lava lamp, which can be made in lots of different ways using household items. We share 5 of our favorite Lava Lamp Activities , including glow in the dark versions.

In this captivating Magic Milk science experiment , preschoolers create an explosion of color as they use soap to disrupt the milk’s surface tension. It’s a fantastic way to teach about chemical reactions and surface tension in a mesmerizing way. Play with the fat content of your milk to create new reactions.

Elephant Toothpaste

A classic experiment where a chemical reaction creates a foamy gusher volcano like reaction, is Elephant Toothpaste . This can be easily done at home with common ingredients and is always a hit with kids.

Make sure you head to your local science center when they are doing demonstration days. They often do massive elephant toothpaste experiments with strong chemicals that erupt many feet into the air!

Walking Rainbow Experiment

We totally messed up this experiment the first time we did it, but once we figured it out, the kids were fascinated and loved checking on the progress over a few days. The Walking Rainbow experiment is a beautiful demonstration of capillary action and color mixing, requiring just jars, paper towels, water, and food coloring… just make sure you read my notes to ensure you don’t make the same mistakes I did!

Rainbow Rain

Keep those rainbows going with this pretty Rainbow Rain science activity that replicates rain clouds. A simple and beautiful experiment involving water, shaving cream, and food coloring, perfect for a rainy day activity.

Skittles Experiment

A super easy and colorful experiment using Skittles and water, the Skittles Experiment is always a hit. My kids especially enjoyed creating different designs and patterns. We even made a Starry Night inspired one. This experiment is not only beautiful, but it smells good too!

Does it Float?

In this fun activity, young children can explore the science concepts of buoyancy and density, by testing whether items sink or float. We loved using this project to introduce the scientific method to our little ones. You can also do this experiment with water balloons or for a really quick and easy science experiments, do it with floating soda pop cans .

Making Milk Plastic

This surprisingly simple experiment involves making bioplastics out of milk to create cute little figures and toys. It’s a wonderful way to introduce the concept of polymers and plastics. Plus, they get to keep a neat keepsake of their scientific creation.

These science activities are perfect for sparking a love of learning and discovery in preschoolers. Each experiment is designed to be simple, engaging, and educational, making science fun and accessible for young learners. Use this list as inspiration for your next session of exploration, discovery and science! Most of all… have fun!

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18 Easy Science Experiments Perfect for Preschoolers

September 9, 2021

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Science projects are the perfect messy fun! Packed with messy appeal for young kids, but also packed full of the learning opportunities that appeal to parents! Get started with these easy science experiments that are perfect for preschoolers and toddlers .

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These easy science experiments are perfect for preschool aged children. Many of them would be great for older children too, so they could be enjoyed together as a family activity.

You May Also Enjoy 10 Fun Ideas for Entertaining Preschoolers at Home

Easy Science Experiments for Preschoolers

#1. ice and salt experiment.

Image: Learning & Exploring Through Play

I think I enjoyed this fascinating salt and ice experiment just as much as Little N (toddler)! As you observe the salt melting craters into the ice, that’s where the colouring seeps through and creates beautiful coloured tunnels.

You May Also Enjoy 28 Rainbow Inspired Activities for Kids

#2. Colour Mixing on Coffee Filters

Image: Messy Little Monster

Using primary colours (red, yellow and blue) and coffee filters, why not explore the different secondary colours you can create? Kids can see for themselves all the different shades of colours that can be made by mixing 2 (or more) colours together.

It is fascinating to watch as the paint spreads and is absorbed by the the coffee filters. Messy Little Monster uses jumbo eye droppers to make this simple colour mixing activity that works on fine motor skills.

#3. Make Glow in the Dark Bubbles

Make your very own glow in the dark bubbles for hours of outdoor fun!

You May Also Enjoy 7 Simple Sensory Box Ideas

#4. Pop, Rock Balloons

Image: A Little Pinch of Perfect

This is a great idea from A Little Pinch of Perfect for pop rock balloons .

As the Pop Rocks and the soda make little bubbles, when they pop, the air inside the bubbles fills the balloon right in front of your very eyes!

#5. Create Fizzy Lemonade

Image: Learn with Play at Home

What a fun idea! Why not let your preschool create their very own edible science experiment? This fizzing lemonade experiment from Learn With Play at Home is the perfect little experiment before meal time.

#6. Simple Colour Mixing Science

Image: My Mundane and Miraculous Life

Simple? Fun? Educational? – Check!

Sometimes the most simple set-ups are enjoyed the most. Most preschoolers LOVE water play, and this easy colour mixing science experiment  from My Mundane and Miraculous Life is sure to be popular. Simply add some food colouring and away they go, creating lots of different colours!

#7. Little Scientist Space

Image: Epic Childhood

Perhaps you want to create a space that offers lots of experimenting and imaginative play? Epic Childhood has some great ideas for little scientists in this post , where they share their set-up.

You May Also Enjoy 5 Fun Science Experiments for Kids

#8. Colourful Milk Experiment

Image: Crafts by Amanda

This colourful milk experiment from Crafts by Amanda is fascinating, and all it requires is milk, food colouring and dish soap. There is a great video to go along with it too, as well as explanations around the science behind the fun!

#9. Walking Water

Image: Parenting Chaos

This colour-mixing activity is pretty awesome! A beautiful rainbow experiment, creating colours through walking water  from Parenting Chaos. Using some simple tools your little ones will look on in amazement as new colours are created before their very eyes!

You May Also Enjoy 27 Innovative Water Play Ideas for Kids

#10. Water Bottle Fountain

Add a twist to your water play and create your very own fountain! This water bottle fountain experiment from Learn with Play at Home allows children to see that air takes up room and is always present even though we can’t see it.

#11. Oil and Water Discover Bottles

Image: Play Trains

Children of this age love transferring, filling and emptying containers. By adding a couple of simple ingredients you can extend their play by allowing them to explore changes that take place when you combine oil and water . Get the instructions over at Play Trains.

You May Also Enjoy 5 Fun Halloween Science Experiments

#12. Rainbow Eruptions

Image: Learn Play Imagine

How beautiful do these rainbow eruptions   from Learn Play Imagine look? Using 2 simple ingredients you too could be enjoying rainbow eruptions with your little ones!

#13. Fireworks in a Jar

Image: I Can Teach My Child

Is your little one fascinated with colours and fireworks? Then this fireworks in a jar project from I Can Teach My Child is for you! The great thing about this experiment is you will most likely have all the ingredients you need at home already.

#14. Colouring Flowers/Vegetables

• Colouring Wild Carrot – Fireflies and Mudpies
• Colouring Roses – Hello, Wonderful
• How Does a Plant Drink? – SFI (Science Foundation Ireland)
• Dye one flower two colours! – Homegrown Friends

#15. Soap Clouds

Image: Our Best Bites

Soap clouds , like these ones from Our Best Bites, smell divine! They are also great for sensory play and your children can stand and watch the ‘cloud’ forming too. Get the details at Our Best Bites.

#16. Rainbow Paper

Image: The Science Kiddo

Look how effective this rainbow paper is – and it only takes 5 minutes to create! The project and instructions can be found at The Science Kiddo .

#17. Sink or Float

Image: The Joys of Boys

This couldn’t be easier – a container of water and a hunt around the home for items, is all that’s needed.

Enjoy this Sink or Float experiment from The Joys of Boys and take it in turns to predict if you think an item will sink or float. A great way to teach mathematical concepts too!

#18. Cress Heads

You May Also Enjoy: Tips for Making Gardening Fun for Kids

Stop by  Learning and Exploring Through Play for lots more ideas for activities for little learners.

About the Author: admin

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Science Experiments for Preschoolers

February 25, 2020 By Emma Vanstone 7 Comments

This collection of science experiments for preschoolers contains many of my all time favourite science activities. When I started this website I had three preschool age children and we all have happy memories of baking soda and vinegar potions , endless volcanoes, sinking and floating in the garden, bug hunts and lots of other fun preschool science activities .

I have definitely found over the years that even very young children can enjoy science at home . Most science activities are very hands on and can easily be turned into a learning through play experience which makes them perfect for preschoolers!

It’s never too early to introduce children to science, just make sure everything is age appropriate and safe for the child.

Messy Science Station

My little girl was mesmerised by our messy science station and spent a good hour mixing and experimenting with different combinations of the ingredients.

Fizzy rocks

Fizzy rocks take a bit of preparation, but are totally worth it for the giggles when the rocks start to fizz and melt. You can even hide little bugs or toy figures inside. I once hid these in different places for the kids to find and drew them a treasure map!

Ice Cream Soup

Explore melting with some ice cream soup . Don’t forget to eat it afterwards! This is a brilliant way to introduce kids to changes of state and the effect of temperature on frozen things.

Giant Bubbles

Learn how to make giant bubbles . This is a fantastic preschool activity as children can they can look for rainbows in bubbles and create their own magic bubble solution.

Another fun bubble science idea is to set up a bubble making station with pipecleaners and strawsfor children to make their own bubble wands.

Erupting Volcano Science Experiments for Preschoolers

Make an erupting volcano with snow, sand or even papier mache. One of the best things about baking soda volcanos is that they can be erupted over and over again!

Colourful Shadow Puppets

These colourful shadow puppets are very easy to make and look amazing!

Fruity Boats

Fruity boats are a great creative science activity and a lovely twist on a traditional sink/float experiment. Children can make little sails, blow the boats with straws and even add toy figures to make the boats sink.

Boats made from recycled materials are also great to test in the same way.

Make Slime or Oobleck

Slime and oobleck are both lovely sensory materials. All our slimes are borax free and feel amazing!

Oobleck is fascinating to kids and adults. Squish it in your hand and it feels solid, release the pressure and the solid ball starts to flow! AMAZING! For preschoolers I usually add a sieve and some plastic toys to a tray of oobleck and let them explore. Oobleck is also great frozen. I freeze it into shapes using ice cube moulds and let it defrost a little before the children play.

Ice Science Experiments for Preschoolers

Painting on ice is a lovely creative science activity for younger children. This is great fun on a sunny day as the ice feels lovely to paint on as it starts to melt.

Ice excavations are always a big hit in our house too. I usually put them out with little pots of warm and cold water and pipettes so the kids can drop water over the ice to melt it.

Sensory bottles

We have a simple magnet sensory bottle , that is great fun and love this i-spy bottle from The Imagination Tree.

No Time for Flash Cards has some gorgeous colour mixing sensory bottles you might like too!

Magnet Science Experiments for Preschoolers

This paper plate magnet maze is one of our favourite preschool science activities. These can be themed in lots of different ways so perfect for any topic or time of year.

We also LOVE this magnet hair activity from Laughing Kids Learn .

Fairy Tale Science Experiments

This collection of Fairy Tale science experiments is one of our favourites. Grow a bean for Jack, make a zip wire for Rapunzel and lots more fun preschool science experiments .

Dr Seuss Science Activities

This collection of Dr Seuss science activities is perfect for preschoolers!

Science Kit for Preschoolers

You don’t actually need much specialised equipment for preschool science experiments and investigations, but if you did want to invest in a few items these are the ones we would recommend and have all been used in our house for years!

Magnet Wands – these can be used for magnet mazes, general testing to see if things are magnetic and magnet sensory bottles.

Pipettes – pipettes are great for ice excavations!

Tweezers – we use these for fine motor control activities, sorting and lots more.

My little boy also loves his tape measure !

All these activities use non toxic materials but please do supervise small children at all times. They wouldn’t be very nice to eat or drink.

If you’re looking for ideas for even younger children try this collection of non messy toddler science experiments .

This post contains affiliate links

This post was updated Feb 2020

Last Updated on April 9, 2021 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

August 17, 2014 at 8:07 am

lovely ideas, your blog rocks! xx

August 18, 2014 at 7:02 am

Thank you 🙂

August 25, 2014 at 5:58 pm

Oh my gosh, that top photo is just the sweetest! 😀 I bet she had a ball conducting lots of experiments with you! Love the look of the colourful milk! 🙂 xx

August 25, 2014 at 6:25 pm

Looks liek she was realy enjoying herself. This is the thing with a number of kids, you forgot what you did with who! lol Mich x

August 25, 2014 at 8:14 pm

My 6 year old would love doing this.Where would I buy a pipette from?

August 25, 2014 at 9:21 pm

Milk pictures – why hadn’t my science teacher husband shown us that one! A new one for Erin to try.

August 26, 2014 at 3:24 pm

I am SO bookmarking this to do with the boys on a rainy day.

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Preschool Inspirations

Preschool Activities and Learning

30+ Simple and Fun Preschool Science Activities

July 13, 2020 by Lauren Vaughan Leave a Comment

These preschool science activities are sure to be a big hit with little learners and perfect for encouraging budding scientists. Preschoolers are curious and inquisitive little learners which means they are always game for a great science experiment!

Science is a magical thing. It is best enjoyed when it is child-led and hands-on, which is pretty essential when working with preschoolers! Preschoolers love to be involved, even in the simplest ways. Incorporating science activities from a young age helps children learn that failure is part of the process and it’s perfectly ok. When you do get it right, especially after many tries, it is all the more incredible! We sure hope these preschool science activities help your preschoolers learn to love science and all the magic that lies within.

Preschool Science Activities

Simple science preschool activities.

These simple science activities include common household items and easy preparation so that you can get to experimenting that much faster!

Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano Eruption by Preschool Inspirations – This super simple but oh so amazing science experiment for kids is easy to prep and has a real wow factor for your preschoolers!

Vinegar and Baking Soda Science by Preschool Inspirations – Do you know there are SO many ways you can use baking soda and vinegar for really engaging science experiments? Everything from exploding bags to rockets and even blowing up balloons! It can get messy but it’s a kid favorite.

Ice Cube Melt Science Experiment by Preschool Inspirations – This child-led science experiment is perfect for an easy prep activity that is full of wonder and scientific predictions. Will each ice cube melt at the same rate? Only one way to find out!

Magic Pepper and Soap Science by Fun Learning For Kids – Using only ingredients found in your kitchen, this magical science activity will have your preschooler wanting to do it over and over again! This is also the perfect experiment for discussing the importance of clean hands and how soap works.

Oil and Water Science Experiment by Play to Learn Preschool – This simple sink or float experiment will raise all sorts of questions about the world we live in. What sinks? What floats? And most importantly…why do some things float and some things sink? Get those little brains questioning with this activity!

Dirty Pennies Science Experiment by Play to Learn Preschool – Preschoolers love to help! With this fun experiment, they get to help solve the problem of dirty pennies while secretly learning a little bit about chemistry. They will be mesmerized that they made these dirty old pennies look shiny and new again!

Floating Egg Science Experiment by Fantastic Fun and Learning – With a little salt and a couple of eggs, your preschoolers will love this lesson on density and buoyancy. It’s an easy and “egg-cellent” way to get your preschooler interested in science.

Colors & Rainbows Science Preschool Activities

Learning your colors has never been so fun! These colorful science activities will help your preschooler learn every shade of the rainbow…and then some!

Super Fun Rainbow Science by Preschool Inspirations – This mega list of rainbow science activities will make your little one a self-proclaimed rainbow expert! From rainbow discovery bottles to rainbow slime and everything in between, these activities are super science fun.

Fizzing Rainbow Activity by Teaching Mama – This fizzy science project ties in a lovely children’s book with an important message about love and acceptance. Read the book together and make your very own colorful fizzing rainbow!

Color Mixing Activity by Teaching Mama – Mixing colors is a blast… especially when you get to use shaving cream and colored water! This activity is so mesmerizing and simply magical to preschoolers. Who knew science could be this fun?

Rainbow Walking Water by Fun Learning For Kids – The colors of the rainbow defy gravity in this exciting experiment! Using simple materials, this magical activity is perfect for learning colors and how mixing two colors results in a new hue.

Freezable Color Goop by BabbleDabbleDo – This strange and slimy goop turned frozen is the coolest STEM experience ever! You can do anything with it (art, mix colors, mix with water, watch it melt, etc…) and the texture is unlike anything you have felt before. This activity is a big hit with kids of all ages!

Jello and Vinegar Science Experiment by Fun-A-Day – Easy and colorful, this science experiment is perfect for learning the colors of the rainbow or mixing colors! Plus, it’s far less messy than traditional food coloring so it’s a win-win!

Seasonal Science Preschool Activities

These seasonal science activities are perfect for celebrating the unique characteristics of each season, with a science lens!

Preschool Science Activities for Fall 

Fall Science Activities by Preschool Inspirations – This super list of fall science fun is full of pumpkins, apples, and leaf wonder! Explore acorns and pumpkin volcanos and get hands-on with preschool fall favorites.

Magic Pumpkin Science by Playdough to Plato – With just a few pieces of candy and some warm water, your preschoolers will be mesmerized as they watch the colored candies melt into the shape of a pumpkin!

The Texture of Fall by Teach Preschool – Leaf rubbing is so cool and highlights the beauty and characteristics of leaves. Using aluminum foil and your hands, children will love rubbing the leaves to show the veins and shape of their fall leaf.

Dancing Frankenworms by Playdough to Plato – This clever experiment is fun for the eyes…and the tummy! Watch these ordinary gummy worms dance mysteriously using just a few household ingredients.

Fall Flower Water Science by Teach Preschool – Using just water and flowers, explore the beauty of fall colors and the magic of exploration! Quick and simple to set up, it’s perfect hands-on science fun.

Preschool Science Activities for Winter

Colored Candy Canes Science Experiment by Preschool Inspirations – The perfect science activity for using up those holiday candy canes and the best part is, there is zero prep!

Candy Heart Fizzing Science Experiment by Preschool Inspirations – Candy experiments are always a big hit with preschoolers and this one is no different. Use some colorful conversation hearts and watch those colors fizz right into the bubble magic!

Blizzard Lava Lamp by Fun Learning For Kids – Bring a snowy blizzard indoors with this amazing experiment! Your preschoolers will be absolutely mesmerized by this activity because it really does look just like snow trapped in a bottle. Enjoy this science fun on a cold winter day!

Growing a Crystal Tree by Playdough to Plato – A truly unique science experiment that will have the kids talking about it for a long time. Growing crystals on a cardboard tree requires one special ingredient but it is truly worth the effort. The results speak for themselves!

Snowman in a Bag by Teach Preschool –  If you live in an area where it snows, this science activity is so fun! Your preschoolers will explore the science behind how snow melts and get to experience their snowman from ice to water!

Preschool Science Activities for Spring

Pine Cone Bird Feeders by Preschool Inspirations – After a long winter, this science activity is perfect for getting out and exploring nature. Your preschoolers will love welcoming the birds with a yummy treat!

Little Sprout House by Playdough to Plato – This little sprout house is perfect for budding gardeners and plant enthusiasts. Help your preschoolers visualize how plants grow from seeds and what that process looks like with this easy planting activity.

Whirly Twirly Flying Birds by Left Brain Craft Brain – Utilizing some engineering trial and error, your preschoolers will love making a bird that can take flight! They will be begging you to do it over and over again, so make sure you have plenty of balloons available.

Sink and Float Peeps by Playdough to Plato – These adorable marshmallow birds are a sign of spring but little did you know… they are perfect for science learning! Do peeps sink or do they float? Can they sink AND float? Find out with this 2 ingredient experiment!

Jelly Bean Science Experiment by Fantastic Fun and Learning – Perfect for springtime, this jellybean experiment will have your preschoolers making predictions and carefully observing their jellybeans in various liquids. What liquids will your preschooler test? How will the jellybeans react?

Explore the Science Behind Clouds by Teach Preschool – Make your own little rainclouds using cotton balls and a little food coloring. A perfect introduction to a weather or rain theme!

Preschool Science Activities for Summer

Patriotic Ice Activity by Teaching Mama – How does salt interact with frozen water? It makes it melt, of course! This science activity is great fun for preschoolers while teaching them how salt and ice interact with each other. Plus, it is the perfect cool-down summer experiment!

Frozen Ocean Animal Rescue by Fun Learning For Kids – What’s better than an ice-cold experiment on a hot summer day? This frozen activity is perfect for engaging little minds, challenging them to discover new methods, and squeal with pride when they learn the trick to rescuing the animals quickly.

Will it Melt? Candy Science by Playdough to Plato – You might opt to stay inside on a hot, steamy day but why not get outside for the perfect sunny science experiment! This fun activity relies on the heat of the sun and sweet treats you might already have lying around.

Ice Castles by Fun-A-Day – Using simple materials like an ice cube tray and droppers, create a towering ice structure…and then watch it melt! Adding some extra sparkly items to the ice cubes makes this science activity even more interesting!

Bubble Tower Science Experiment by Fantastic Fun and Learning – Time to get outside and get creative! Using simple materials like bubbles and a variety of different shaped containers, it’s time to see who can make the largest bubble tower.

We hope you and your preschoolers enjoy all these fun preschool science activities!

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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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21 Easy Science Activities for Preschoolers

Introduce science concepts to your preschool classroom with these activities and experiments.

• brightwheel
• Child development

Preschoolers may not fully understand science concepts yet, but doing science experiments is an excellent way to lay a foundation for future learning and exploration. Experimentation helps young children build a good relationship with science by making concepts fun and hands-on. 

In this article, we’ve featured simple experiments to teach preschoolers basic science concepts. But before getting into our list, let's discuss why science activities are important and what concepts children need to learn at this stage.

What are important science concepts for a preschooler to learn?

There are seven basic preschool science concepts. They include:

• Observing: This is the first concept children learn from science experiments. For example, when you present them with an object, they are able to use their senses to describe its color, size, shape, and texture. 
• Comparing: Once your preschoolers learn to observe items, you can introduce several items for them to compare. For example, which apple is bigger? Are the colors different? 
• Classifying: After observing and comparing, preschoolers can progress to grouping items. They can arrange things according to shape, size, texture, or color.  
• Measuring:  This is a more advanced skill, where preschoolers can practice measuring items for comparison instead of simply comparing the objects through observation. For example, they can use a weighing scale or tape measure to determine which banana is bigger. 
• Communicating:  After doing experiments, preschoolers have to learn how to report their results. This can be done through documentation, drawing, or verbal description. 
• Inferring:  Children can learn this skill through simple experiments in the classroom. For example, if your class has a thriving plant that you water consistently, the children might notice it has withered after school has been closed for an extended period of time. The children might come to the conclusion that the plant needs water. 
• Predicting:  This skill is gained by making guesses based on prior observations. Preschoolers will start by predicting easy concepts, like what melts or what floats, and advance as they learn more.

Importance of science experiments in early childhood

When children conduct experiments, they learn to observe, predict, and question the world around them, laying the foundation for analytical thinking. These hands-on activities also provide invaluable opportunities for children to experience the thrill of discovery firsthand, encouraging them to be active participants in their own learning process. Here we discuss more benefits of introducing science in preschool:

Fuels curiosity 

As an early childhood teacher, you are most likely bombarded every few minutes with questions about why things happen. Science allows children to investigate and learn more about the world around them. Encouraging children to engage in exploratory activities can help feed curiosity and even reduce the occurrences of challenging behavior. For example, a paint-mixing activity can help neutralize high energy and avoid distracting behavior.

Enhances the curriculum 

Science doesn't have to stand on its own—other parts of the preschool curriculum can be tied to science concepts. For example, during a temperature measuring experiment, children can practice number recognition. You can also extend the lesson by discussing arctic animals or the culture of people who live in cold climates. You could even incorporate an art class by deciding to draw arctic animals. 

Boosts literacy development 

Group science experiments can boost children’s communication skills. One way this is done is by discussing predictions or observations. Children must also use their critical thinking skills to predict what to expect from the experiments and express their thoughts about the experiment.

Builds a foundation for learning 

Science experiments foster a positive attitude toward science at an early age. The skills children learn at this stage can help them think critically, improve their problem-solving skills, and understand their world better. Concepts such as animals, plants, weather, and environment can impact a child's perspective of the world around them.

Keep families informed about what their child is learning in your classroom. With brightwheel's daily report feature , you can record photos and activities and share them with families. You can also create custom newsletters for longer updates showing your classroom highlights!

Science activities for preschoolers

Each of the activities listed below is designed to be fun, engaging, and packed with learning opportunities that introduce basic scientific concepts in a way that’s accessible and exciting for young learners.

1. Grow a rainbow

The concept behind this experiment is capillary action , which is the spontaneous flow of liquid into a porous material. However, preschoolers don't need to remember that to enjoy the action. Prepare to see their faces light up as the rainbow travels up the paper towel to make a complete rainbow. It's also a good opportunity for children to learn more about colors.

2. Sink or float 

In this experiment, children are challenged to predict what will sink and what will float . They can then do the experiment with different objects and record their findings. Remember to ask them to note which predictions they got right.

Additionally, when preschoolers use science-related terms, it expands their vocabulary. For example, science introduces them to words like species , lifecycle , habitat , and microscope .

3. Color-changing milk

This experiment is an introduction to the concept of surface tension, and requires only a few simple materials to get started. There are so many color changes during this experiment, so it's an excellent way to introduce preschoolers to observation and communicating their findings. After the experiment, ask the children when the color changes happened and why they occurred.

4. Water absorption

Understanding how different items absorb water is an important concept for children to understand in real life. This experiment will help preschoolers determine what to use when drying a spill and help them understand why they can use a napkin to wipe up a drop of water, but they need a towel to dry themselves after bathing.

5. What melts in the sun?

This is a good way to pass the time on a hot, sunny day and teach your preschoolers about melting points . Pick a mixture of items that can melt and items that don't melt and add them to a muffin tin. You could choose items such as a cube of cheese, ice, a rock, butter, or a coin. Before starting the experiment, ask the children to predict which items they think will melt and record their answers.

Place the tray in the direct sun and wait at least 15 minutes to see what happens to the items and then revisit their predictions to see which ones they got right. Later, ask them to name other items they think would melt.

6. Bubble towers

This bubble blowing activity will probably be one of your children’s favorite experiments. Add water and a few drops of dish soap to a plastic cup and have children blow out through plastic straws to make bubbles. The bubbles will grow and expand and spill over the edges of the cup. See who can create the biggest bubble tower!

7. Hands-on air pressure

Introduce your preschool class to the concept of air pressure with an experiment that gives a visual demonstration of moving an object with just air. Add two kitchen sponges to a plastic bag and place a plastic straw between the two sponges so one end is outside the bag and one is inside the bag. Seal the bag with tape. Blow into the straw to inflate the bag. Place a pom pom or cotton ball on a flat surface in front of the end of the straw and press hard on the sponges and watch the pom pom roll away.

8. Static comb

This easy experiment teaches the basics of static electricity , the friction force caused by the imbalance of positive and negative charges on a surface. The charges build up on the surface until they’re discharged. 

For this activity, take some colored paper and cut it up into small pieces. Scatter the pieces on a table. Grab a plastic comb and hold it over the pieces of paper and see what happens. Next, run the comb against your hair and hold it over the pieces of paper again. The comb will now attract the pieces of paper and they will get attached to the comb.

9. Magic dancing rice

This experiment shows the reactions of acids and bases. You’ll need vinegar, baking soda, a clean container, a spoon, rice, and water. 

Pour a cup of water into the container, then add a teaspoon of baking soda and stir. Sprinkle some rice in the mixture and observe what happens (the rice sinks because it's denser than water). Then add a teaspoon of vinegar to the water. You’ll observe that the vinegar reacts with the baking soda to form carbon dioxide bubbles.  

After a few minutes, the rice rises to the surface of the glass. Once the rice reaches the surface level, the gas is released, and the rice falls to the bottom of the glass, and the process continues to repeat.

10. Strong shapes

This science activity is similar to the game Jenga, and it’s a good way to introduce preschoolers to the concept of weight distribution . The idea is to make bases of different shapes—square, triangle, and cylinder—out of sheets of paper to see how much weight each base can support. Once the bases are ready, you can start stacking items such as books, one by one, on each base to see how it supports the items.

11. Glowing water experiment

This experiment introduces children to electromagnetic waves . For this experiment, you’ll need regular tap water, tonic water, a dark room, a black light, four glasses, fluorescent paint, and a highlighter pen. Fill glass one with regular tap water, glass two with tonic water, glass three with normal water and highlighter ink, and glass four with normal water and fluorescent paint. Put the four glasses in a dark room, place the back light 12 inches away from the glasses, and watch which glasses glow.

You’ll see that glass one doesn’t glow under black light. However, glass two glows brightly because the quinine in tonic water makes invisible ultraviolet rays visible. Glass three glows because highlighter ink contains phosphors, which react to the black light, causing the water to glow. Because fluorescent paint also contains phosphors, glass four will also glow under black light.

12. Egg and toothpaste experiment 

Convincing children to brush their teeth can be a challenge. This experiment presents an opportunity to show preschoolers how toothpaste protects teeth from discoloration.

For this experiment, you’ll need a dark soda like Coca-Cola, toothpaste, black coffee, four glasses, and four raw eggs. Pour black coffee into two glasses and pour the soda into the remaining two glasses. Coat two of the eggs with toothpaste. Place one plain egg in a glass of soda and one with toothpaste into the other glass of soda. Then place one plain egg in a glass of coffee and a coated egg in the other glass of coffee. Allow the setup to rest for at least 24 hours for desired results. 

You should find that the plain egg in the soda glass stains, while the one coated in toothpaste doesn’t. Similarly, the toothpaste-coated egg in coffee doesn’t stain, but the plain egg in the coffee does.  

This happens because when the plain eggs are placed in the liquids, the acidic contents react with the calcium carbonate to form stains. However, when the eggs are covered with toothpaste, the fluoride creates a protective layer around the eggs to prevent the acidic reaction from happening.

13. Ocean in a bottle

This simple experiment introduces children to the concept that water and oil don’t mix. For this experiment , you’ll need a funnel, blue food coloring, cooking oil, water, and a large, clear plastic bottle.  Fill the bottle with water and add several drops of food coloring. Ask your preschoolers to shake the bottle to disperse the food coloring and observe what happens.

14. Leak-proof bag

This experiment is fascinating, even for some adults. Did you know that you can push pencils through a bag full of water without the water spilling out? Well, it’s possible because the bag is made of a long flexible chain of molecules (polymers), so when the pencils enter the bag, molecules form a seal around them. You’ll need sharpened pencils and a gallon-size storage bag for the experiment. Fill the bag halfway with water and poke a pencil straight into one side and through to the other side. Allow the preschoolers to try this with as many pencils as they can.

15. Rain cloud in a jar

This experiment allows preschoolers to understand the idea behind water saturation as well as  explore clouds and rain in an engaging way. It shows children the process through which clouds get thick before the rain falls. 

For this experiment, you’ll need a large jar, pipettes, gel food coloring, and shaving cream. Mix the food coloring with water in a small cup. Fill ¾ of the large jar with water and spray some shaving cream on top to represent a cloud. Ask the children to use the pipettes to squirt the colored water on top of the cream. Soon the colored water will seep down through the cream (cloud) into the water, just like rain!

16. How to keep a tissue dry in water

This activity is a good way to explain how air pressure works. For this experiment, you’ll need a container, cup, water, and tissue. Instruct the children to push the tissue inside the cup and then fill the container with water. Have the children push the cup down into the water while keeping it straight. 

When done properly, no water touches the tissue. This is because the air pushes the water away from the cup. Lastly, instruct the children to place the cup inside the water again, tilting it this time. This lets air escape from the cup, allowing the water to wet the tissue.

17. Disappearing eggshell

This disappearing egg experiment is a good introduction to how different chemical agents react. In this case, the eggshells dissolve because they contain calcium carbonate. The latter dissolves in the vinegar to produce carbon dioxide gas and calcium ions. 

For the experiment, you’ll need a fresh egg, white vinegar, and a 16-ounce mason jar with a lid and ring. Place your egg in the mason jar and fill the jar halfway with vinegar. It’s important not to completely fill the jar, because the build-up of carbon dioxide could cause the jar to burst.  Cover the jar loosely to allow the gas to escape, and let it sit for at least 48 hours.

18. Floating egg

This experiment is a good way to explore the concept of density. You’ll need tap water, table salt, sugar, saline water, four raw eggs, four glass jars, and a tablespoon. Fill four glasses halfway: Fill glass one with water, glass two with salt water, glass three with sugar water, and glass four with saline water. Place an egg in each glass and observe. 

You’ll find that the egg in glass one sinks because the egg is denser than tap water. However, the egg in glass two floats because the salt increases the water’s density. Similarly, the egg in glass three floats. The egg in glass four sinks.

19. Dissolve objects

This experiment will help your preschoolers understand items that dissolve in water . When choosing substances for the experiment, be sure to include substances that won’t dissolve. Sugar, cornmeal, flour, oatmeal, orzo noodles, and colored sprinkles are good substances to consider. Encourage the children to predict which substances will dissolve before starting the experiment and compare the predictions with the results after completing it.

20. Thunderstorm formation

This is an interesting introduction to the concept of convection . Convection is the science behind why thunderstorms are more common during the afternoon when the sun heats up moist air near the land that rises into cold air.

For this experiment, you’ll need water, two cups, a container, and two colors of washable paint or food coloring. You can use red with warm water and blue with cold water.  In one cup, mix cold water and the blue coloring; in the other cup, mix red coloring and warm water. Then pour the cups of colored water at opposite ends of the container of room temperature water. Observe how the red coloring floats while the blue coloring sinks. 

This happens because warm water has a lower density than room-temperature water, while cold water has a higher density than room-temperature water. Eventually, the cold water becomes warm and starts to rise. Conversely, the warm water cools and starts to sink. This process is called convection.

21. Shadow play

This simple activity explores the science of shadows and can be linked to the concept of solar eclipses . O n a sunny day, take the children outside with a variety of objects of different shapes and sizes (e.g., toys, balls, blocks). Discuss how every object casts a shadow when it blocks the light from the sun, similar to how the moon blocks the sun during a solar eclipse.

Encourage the children to experiment with casting shadows in different ways, using their bodies or the objects provided. They can see how the size and position of the object can change the shadow. Link this back to the solar eclipse by explaining how the moon is like the objects the children are using, and it casts a shadow on Earth during an eclipse.

It's time to get to the lab

Encouraging children to participate in science activities sets a strong foundation for an interest in the subject. Integrating science experiments in early education equips children with the skills necessary to navigate and understand the complexities of the world, fostering a sense of wonder and inquiry that will serve them throughout their educational journeys and beyond.

Brightwheel is the complete solution for early education providers, enabling you to streamline your center’s operations and build a stand-out reputation. Brightwheel connects the most critical aspects of running your center—including sign in and out, parent communications, tuition billing, and licensing and compliance—in one easy-to-use tool, along with providing best-in-class customer support and coaching. Brightwheel is trusted by thousands of early education centers and millions of parents. Learn more at   mybrightwheel.com.

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A template for creating a school year calendar for families.

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Cool Science Experiments Headquarters

Making Science Fun, Easy to Teach and Exciting to Learn!

Science Experiments

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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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.

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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 .

More Hands on Kids Activities to Try

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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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15 Fun Science Experiments for Preschoolers That Will Blow Their Minds

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Why I Love Fun Science Experiments For Preschoolers

How i chose these fun science experiments for preschoolers, 15 of my favorite fun science experiments for preschoolers, 1. design your own planet, 2. build a bridge, 3. national geographic stunning chemistry set, 4. gravity experiment with a tube, 5. dissolving peeps, 6. diy lava lamp, 7. einstein box science experiment kit, 8. frozen flowers, 9. salt painting, 10. water refraction experiment, 11. snaen science kit, 12. electric eels, 13. straw rockets, 14. fireworks in a jar, 15. leak-proof science experiment, submit a comment cancel reply.

Every evening, my little one’s eyes light up with curiosity as he watches the world whirl around him.

One evening, as we were stargazing, I saw a budding scientist in my son. I wanted to nurture that spark, ensuring that science became a thrilling adventure for him, not just another dreary subject.

Realizing that fun was the key to his engagement, I scoured for the most delightful science activities for preschoolers .

Through these experiments, I’ve found the perfect blend of fun and learning to foster his innate passion. Dive in with us and ignite the scientific flames in your little one!

In the world of preschoolers, everything is a wonder waiting to be explored. Fun science experiments aren’t just playful activities, but stepping stones to a lifelong passion for learning.

When parents engage with their children in these delightful experiments, they’re laying the foundation for critical thinking, observation, and an inquisitive spirit.

By supporting fun science explorations, parents are telling their little ones: “I value your curiosity, and together, we’ll discover the wonders of the world.”

In my quest to find the ultimate fun science experiments for my little scientist, I delved deep into top activity sites.

My criteria were clear

• Activities should captivate for at least 20 minutes
• Brim with fun
• Inspire those little feet to dance with excitement!

But the real litmus test? Watching my son’s reactions.

Only those activities that got his seal of approval – a giggle, a curious glance, or an eager “Again, Mom!” – made the cut.

Join me as I share these handpicked gems, tried and tested to ensure maximum fun and learning for your preschooler!

Dive into the world of discovery with my top 15 handpicked fun science experiments, designed to captivate, educate, and energize your curious preschooler. Let’s spark some scientific wonder together!

Ignite your child’s imagination and scientific curiosity with the “Design Your Own Planet” activity.

This playful yet educational journey lets preschoolers create a world of their own while understanding basic planetary concepts, which makes it a great nature science project for preschoolers to learn how the Earth and solar system work.

With simple materials and an ocean of creativity, your little one can craft, learn, and dream big about the vast universe.

• Materials Needed : Craft supplies (colored paper, markers, glitter) and a large round balloon.
• Duration : About 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Ideal Age : 4-6 years old.
• Science Discipline : Astronomy.
• Science Skills Focus : This activity cultivates an understanding of planetary characteristics, fostering observational skills and imaginative thinking.

Unveil the little architect in your preschooler with the ‘Build a Bridge’ experiment!

This easy science experiment for pre-k encourages creativity and introduces them to the magic of engineering. They’ll construct, adapt, and perhaps even marvel at their own handiwork. It’s a beautiful blend of art, science, and imaginative play that will keep their tiny fingers and growing minds busy.

• Materials Needed : Craft sticks, playdough, small toys (like cars or animals).
• Duration : 20-30 minutes.
• Ideal Age : 3-5 years old.
• Science Discipline : Engineering and Physics.
• Science Skills Focus : This activity sharpens problem-solving skills, promotes understanding of structural integrity, and introduces weight distribution concepts.

The NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Stunning Chemistry Set is a treasure trove for little budding scientists. With engaging experiments and safe, top-quality materials, this kit promises hours of educational fun.

Crafted meticulously by the experts at NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, it ensures your child delves into the magical world of chemistry, all while fostering a deeper understanding of the world around them.

• Materials Included : Comprehensive set of chemicals, tools, and experiment guides.
• Activity Duration : Varied, with many experiments lasting 20-30 minutes.
• Ideal Age : Suitable for kids aged 8 and above.
• Science Discipline : Chemistry.
• Science Skills Focus : Encourages analytical thinking, observation, and hypothesis testing, developing a robust foundation for future scientific endeavors.

There’s a magical allure in watching things travel, tumble, and turn. Our gravity experiment with a tube offers preschoolers an enchanting way to understand this invisible force.

Using just a simple tube, children will be mesmerized as they discover the power and predictability of gravity, observing objects as they journey downward. This hands-on activity doesn’t just teach; it mesmerizes, making science feel like play.

• Materials Needed : A long tube (like a wrapping paper tube) and small objects to drop.
• Duration : About 15-20 minutes.
• Science Discipline : Physics (Gravity).
• Science Skills Focus : Fosters observation skills, prediction abilities, and understanding of cause and effect through hands-on exploration.

Easter treats and science unite in this delightful experiment with Dissolving Peeps! Watch as these sugary delights transform before your preschooler’s very eyes. It’s a magical blend of observation and wonder, all wrapped up in a simple and engaging activity.

Who knew that those little marshmallow birds could serve as more than just a tasty treat? As they dissolve and change, your child will be brimming with questions, making this a perfect springtime exploration.

• Materials Needed: Peeps (marshmallow chicks), jars, and various liquids (water, vinegar, etc.)
• Duration : About 20-30 minutes
• Ideal Age : 3-5 years
• Science Discipline : Chemistry
• Science Skills Focus : This activity sharpens observation skills, nurtures curiosity, and introduces the concept of solubility in a fun and relatable manner.

Who knew science could be so mesmerizing? Introduce your preschooler to the magical world of density and reactions with our DIY Lava Lamp experiment, which has become one of my son’s favorite preschool water experiments .

This hands-on activity combines simple household ingredients to create a symphony of bubbling beauty. Not only does it captivate young minds, but it also lays the foundation for understanding liquid interactions.

• Materials Needed : Water, vegetable oil, food coloring, and effervescent tablets.
• Duration : About 20-30 minutes.
• Ideal Age : 3-6 years.
• Science Skills Focus : Observing reactions, understanding liquid density, and predicting outcomes in a captivating, hands-on manner.

Ignite your little one’s scientific curiosity with the Einstein Box Science Experiment Kit. Thoughtfully curated to cater to inquisitive preschoolers, this kit seamlessly merges fun with foundational learning.

Each activity is an invitation to wonder, experiment, and learn, all while having a blast! Every parent looking to kindle a love for science in their child will find this kit an indispensable treasure.

• Materials Included : Comprehensive set including beakers, color tablets, pipettes, and more.
• Activity Duration : Approximately 15-30 minutes per experiment.
• Ideal Age : Tailored for children aged 4 to 6 years.
• Science Discipline : Touches on basic chemistry and physics principles.
• Science Skills : Encourages observation, hypothesis formulation, experimentation, and deduction, fostering a solid foundational scientific understanding.

Dive into a chilly sensory adventure with the Frozen Flower Activity! Allow your little ones to marvel at nature’s beauty, encased in icy wonder as a great pre-k winter science experiment .

This experiment uniquely marries art and science, allowing preschoolers to explore, learn, and develop an appreciation for nature while understanding the basic properties of water and ice.

Not only is it visually delightful, but it also serves as a tactile treat, making science both tangible and mesmerizing.

• Materials Needed : Fresh flowers, water, freezer-safe containers, and colored water (optional).
• Duration : 12-14 hours (including freezing time).
• Science Discipline : Physics and Natural Science.
• Science Skills Focus : This activity sharpens observation skills, understanding phase changes, and fostering an appreciation for nature’s wonders.

Every brush stroke brings a world of wonder with the enchanting Salt Painting Activity. Perfect for those springtime afternoons, watch as your preschooler’s imagination dances with the mesmerizing interplay of salt, water, and colors. A delightful blend of artistry and scientific exploration, this activity encourages tiny hands to observe, predict, and revel in the sheer magic of crystallization!

• Materials Needed : White glue, table salt, watercolor paints, and thick paper.
• Duration : About 30 minutes.
• Science Skills Focus : Encourages observation and understanding of absorption and crystallization in a visually engaging manner.

Introduce your little one to the mesmerizing world of light with the Water Refraction Experiment! Using just a glass of water and some printed letters, watch as letters magically reverse before your eyes.

Not only is it a visual treat, but it opens a delightful conversation about how light bends and interacts with different mediums. It’s the perfect blend of wonder and discovery, making science come alive in the simplest of ways.

• Materials Needed : Glass of water, printed letters or images.
• Duration : Approximately 10 minutes.
• Science Discipline : Physics (Optics).
• Science Skills Focus : Cultivates observation and critical thinking skills, while introducing kids to the fundamentals of how light behaves and refracts.

The SNAEN Science Kit is a treasure trove for budding scientists, beautifully combining hands-on learning with sheer fun.

Designed with preschoolers in mind, this kit makes complex scientific concepts accessible and thrilling for young minds.

Each activity encourages exploration, fostering a deep love for science and igniting an insatiable curiosity.

• Materials Included : Vibrant colored crystals, magnifying tools, and more!
• Activity Duration : Roughly 20-30 minutes per experiment.
• Ideal Age Range : Best suited for children aged 4-6.
• Science Discipline : Primarily focuses on chemistry and earth science.
• Science Skills : Enhances observation, prediction, and hands-on exploration, empowering kids to grasp foundational science principles actively.

Engage your little one’s senses with Electric Eels! This charming experiment is an immersive journey into the magical world of color and energy.

Watch as simple ingredients come together to create mesmerizing eel-like patterns, teaching your preschooler about reactions while promising a burst of fun.

• Materials Needed : Food coloring, oil, water, and a clear glass.
• Duration : Around 15-20 minutes.
• Ideal Age : Preschoolers aged 3-5.
• Science Skills Focus : This experiment nurtures observation skills, introduces the concept of liquid densities, and fosters an understanding of color mixing.

Propel your child’s curiosity to new heights with the Straw Rockets activity. In this hands-on experiment, little learners will marvel at the wonders of aerodynamics and force.

By crafting their own rockets and watching them zoom through the air with a simple blow, they’ll not only gain foundational scientific understanding but also revel in the sheer joy of creation and discovery.

Cooler weather is a great time to do this fall science experiment for preschoolers , because the temperature will be lower and your little one will love running around!

Prepare for a session of giggles, astonishments, and a whole lot of “Let’s do it again, Mom!”

• Materials Needed : Colorful paper, straws, tape, and scissors.
• Duration : Approximately 20 minutes.
• Ideal Age : 3-6 years old.
• Science Discipline : Physics.
• Science Skills Focus : Introduces kids to the basic concepts of force, aerodynamics, and cause-and-effect through hands-on exploration and playful learning.

Introduce your preschooler to a dazzling display reminiscent of the Fourth of July right within the confines of your home!

The “Fireworks in a Jar” activity creates an enchanting show of colors that whirl and twirl, captivating little eyes and minds. While it feels like pure magic, it’s also a fantastic gateway to introduce basic scientific concepts in a vibrant, hands-on way.

• Materials Needed : Clear jar, warm water, food coloring, and vegetable oil.
• Duration : About 10 minutes.
• Ideal Age : 3-5 years.
• Science Skills Focus : This activity fosters observation, prediction, and understanding of liquid density in a visually engaging manner.

Dive into this mesmerizing science experiment that combines the charm of everyday materials with the magic of polymer science. It’s simple, engaging, and offers a hands-on way for your little ones to understand the wonders of the molecules around them. With just a zip-lock bag, some water, and pencils, you can turn your kitchen into a mini science lab!

• Materials Needed : Zip-lock bag, sharp pencils, water.
• Duration : About 10-15 minutes.
• Ideal Age : Preschoolers (3-5 years old).
• Science Discipline : Polymer science.
• Science Skills Focus : This activity emphasizes observation, prediction, and understanding the behavior of polymers in a hands-on and engaging way.

Nurturing a child’s curiosity is a beautiful journey. By diving into these fun science experiments, we’re not just playing, but lighting the path of discovery. Be sure to check out my entire list of great STEAM science activities for kids with my easy-to-use filtered system to help you find the perfect activities!

Let’s cherish these moments, watching our little scientists blossom with wonder and knowledge.

Happy experimenting to all the inquisitive minds out there!

Hi there, I’m Ayasha

I’m a mom of an energetic son and the creator of Wonder Noggin. I write about educational parenting tips, simple parenting ideas, and many activities to help parents nurture young minds.

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62 Preschool Science Activities: Experiments, Challenges, And Crafts

November 9, 2023 //  by  Alison Vrana

As your kids approach school age, it becomes increasingly important to develop their knowledge of colors, numbers, shapes, and the alphabet. While you’re engaging them with these vital concepts, it’s also important to satisfy their need to think, create, and wonder. With these awesome science experiments, you’ll spark their curiosity about the world around them as you fill their lessons with fun-filled activities to introduce them to captivating scientific concepts.

We’ve gathered up 62 of the best science projects that are perfect for your inquisitive preschoolers and their developing minds.

1. Design Your Own Planet

Let your kiddos’ imaginations run wild as you have them create their very own planets! Allow them to use balloons, tape, glue, and construction paper to mold their worlds before inviting them to adorn their crafts with weird and wonderful colors that are indigenous to their planet. 

Learn More: Education

2. Build a Bridge

Introduce your preschoolers to the basics of engineering with this building challenge. Task them with creating bridges out of simple materials like toothpicks and marshmallows. You’ll encourage them to connect their materials together to see who can build the strongest bridge.

Learn More: Learn with Play at Home

3. Design a Catapult

Develop your little ones’ critical thinking skills with this super cool craft. Invite them to design and create catapults using popsicle sticks, rubber bands, and bottle lids before you have them test their structures by prompting them to see how far they can hurl some pom poms.

Learn More: Coffee Cups and Crayons

4. Turn Salt Into Drinking Water

Turn your class into pioneers of science with this hands-on experiment. Assist them in experimenting with different methods as they try to turn saltwater into fresh drinking water. They’ll learn basic principles that real scientists use every day, all while having a ball of a time doing it.

5. Design a Weather Calendar

Involve your children in tracking weather patterns with this collaborative classroom weather calendar. Start each morning off by inviting them to track weather conditions like rain, sun, or wind or invite them to predict what weather they think awaits them in the coming days.

Learn More: Simply Today Life

6. Make a Wind Sock

Here’s another exciting weather activity, but this one is all about wind! Engage your learners in whipping up this whimsical wind sock craft that you’ll then use to teach them about weather concepts like wind direction and wind speed.

Learn More: Stir the Wonder

7. Dissolving Peeps

Your kids are sure to love this adorable candy experiment, that’s perfect for Easter time! Using Peeps, you’ll task them with testing the acidity of different liquids like vinegar and baking soda. Allow them to place their Peeps in small containers filled with each liquid before you have them record the speed at which each piece of candy dissolves.

Learn More: Pre-K Printable Fun

8. Dissolving Jelly Beans

No Peeps on hand? No worries, here’s an alternative activity where your tots will use jelly beans. Simply have them place their beans in liquids such as soda, water, and milk before you have them observe the speed of each reaction as they watch their candies disappear.

9. Frozen Flowers

Teach your class all about freezing points with this vibrant experiment. Start by sending them out into your schoolyard to pick out a bunch of flowers. Then, invite them back inside and have them place their flowers in water before freezing. The result? A beautiful and icy flower bouquet.

Learn More: Mombrite

10. Salt Painting

Treat your little artists to a texturally rich activity by having them design salt paintings. Prompt them to map out their designs using glue before inviting them to add in a tactile effect by sprinkling salt over their patterns. Once dried, allow them to use watercolor paint to fill their artwork with color as you watch their creations come to life!

Learn More: The Best Ideas for Kids

11. Water Refraction Experiment

Dazzle your kiddos with a little bit of scientific magic! In this easy experiment, you’ll begin by mapping out colorful strips on paper before placing it behind a glass jar. Then, encourage your class to fill each glass with different amounts of water as you invite them to observe the shape-shifting magic that occurs when the water reaches each color.

Learn More: What Do We Do All Day

12. Magic Moon Dough

Wow your learners with this magic moon dough that changes color when you touch it! Assist them in mixing together potato starch, flour, coconut oil, and thermochromic pigment. Once combined, you’ll spread the dough out on a flat surface before you invite them to touch it and observe how the color changes according to the warmth of their hands.

Learn More: STEAM Powered Family

13. Electric Eels

Here’s an electrifying experiment for your science aficionados. Begin by having them place gummy worms in a small glass before allowing them to soak their worms in vinegar and baking soda to spark a fizzy reaction that culminates in a glass full of “electric eels”.

Learn More: Bitz n Giggles

14. Sunscreen Paintings

Teach your littles the importance of using sunscreen with this engaging experiment. Task them with painting doodles onto black construction paper using sunscreen. Then, let them place their designs outside or in the sunlight for several hours before inviting them to observe how the sun lightens the rest of their paper leaving behind their darkened drawings.

Learn More: Team Cartwright

15. Magic Mud

This science project is sure to become a class favorite as you have your kids create Magic Mud! Task them with mixing together simple ingredients to create this glow-in-the-dark gloop and then invite them to play around with their ooze as they notice how it morphs into a solid while moving but reverts to a liquid while stable.

Learn More: YouTube

16. Straw Rockets

Using these printable templates, you’ll liven up your children’s day with this exciting activity. Simply have them cut and paste together these rocket crafts before challenging them to blow air through the straws to see who can fly their rocket the furthest.

Learn More: Artsy Fartsy Mama

17. Fireworks in a Jar

Fascinate your young minds with this colorful project. Involve them in filling a jar with water and oil before allowing them to drop in different hues of food coloring. They’ll marvel at this dazzling reaction as they watch their colors slowly separate and swirl into the water.

Learn More: I Can Teach My Child

18. Magnetic Slime

Here’s an interactive activity that’s fantastic for introducing your class to the science behind magnetism. Encourage them to create a simple mixture using liquid starch, iron oxide powder, and glue; and then allow them to hover magnets over their slime to explore how they can manipulate it using magnetism!

Learn More: Frugal Fun 4 Boys and Girls

19. Color Changing Water

This color-mixing project is perfectly tailored to your preschoolers’ growing curiosity, and it also doubles as an interactive sensory bin! Arm them with kitchen items like eye droppers, measuring spoons, and measuring cups before allowing them to use their tools to drop food coloring and glitter into the water to transform it into a colorful whirlpool.

Learn More: My Bored Toddler

20. Dancing Acorns

This fizzy experiment is sure to keep your little scientists entertained for hours. Simply place sinkable plastic items like beads or jewels in water and then task your kiddos with dropping in some Alka-Seltzer tablets. As the tablets start to dissolve they’ll notice how the chemical reaction causes their little trinkets to dance around the water.

Learn More: Teaching Ideas

21. Frozen Bubbles

Take science to the outdoors with this icy activity that’s perfect for a cold Winter’s day. Invite your tots to blow bubbles in the snow using bubble solution and straws. As each bubble is blown, prompt them to observe the speedy reaction as the icy air causes their bubble structures to crystallize.

Learn More: Fireflies and Mudpies

22. Ocean Life Experiment

Help your preschoolers visualize density with this simple ocean activity . Task them with filling an empty jar with sand, oil, and water before having them drop in some food coloring to turn their liquid into a beachy blue. They’ll notice how each substance either sinks or floats to the bottom because of the varying densities.

Learn More: Natural Beach Living

23. Wax Paper Experiment

Combine art and science in this creative project as you have your kiddos create wax paper art. Begin by having them crumple up wax paper then assist them in using an iron to transfer glossy paper into the folds. Afterward, encourage them to use watercolors and a spray bottle to adorn their canvases with color to reveal the hidden patterns.

Learn More: Housing a Forest

24. Making Borax Crystals

In this scientific project, your preschoolers will create homemade crystals. Start by combining Borax and warm water before inviting them to place colorful pipe cleaners or string in the solution. Over a few days, they’ll notice how their materials start to sparkle with an array of homemade crystals.

Learn More: The Craft Train

25. Skittles Experiment

Teach your kids about complex concepts like stratification with this edible science experiment. Task them with spreading out some colorful Skittles on a plate and then prompt them to cover their candies in warm water. They’ll notice how the color starts to seep out of the Skittles creating a sweet and intricate design.

Learn More: The Soccer Mom Blog

26. Sprouting Sweet Potato

Have your class observe scientific changes over time as you invite them to grow their own potatoes! Invite them to place toothpicks in sweet potato halves before placing them on top of containers filled with water. Throughout each day, you’ll encourage them to observe and jot down the changes they see as their sweet potato begins to sprout roots.

Learn More: Pre-K Pages

27. Dancing Corn Experiment

Here’s another fizzy experiment that you can involve your learners in. Simply have them fill a jar with corn and then allow them to pour in baking soda and vinegar to spark an instant chemical reaction, causing the corn to zoom around the jar.

Learn More: Little Bins for Little Hands

28. Cranberry Slime

Why make regular slime, when you can treat your kids to cranberry slime? In this fall-themed project , you’ll task them with mixing together cranberries, xanthan gum, and other simple ingredients to make their slime. Once complete, they’ll have an edible ooze that they can stretch and squish in any way they like.

Learn More: STEAMsational

29. Yeast Science Experiment

Have your young minds whip up these easy concoctions that make for a mesmerizing experiment. Allow them to test the reactivity of yeast by having them mix yeast into 3 types of sugar. Afterward, they’ll pour their mixtures into squeezy bottles and place a balloon over the opening to observe how the chemical reaction causes the balloons to inflate.

Learn More: Lemon Lime Adventure

30. Tin Foil Boat Challenge

Challenge your little brainiacs to work out the connection between density and floating with this creative experiment. Invite them to put together tin foil boats before you have them test their structures on water to see whether their designs float or sink.

Learn More: JDaniel4’s Mom

31. STEM Snowman

Here’s a simple experiment to test your students’ awareness of balance. Task them with creating snowmen out of paper towel rolls. Then, have them cut it into three pieces before encouraging them to balance their pieces on top of one another to make their snowman stand.

Learn More: How Wee Learn

32. Turn Milk Into Plastic!

This crazy experiment will leave your kiddos in shock as they make plastic out of milk! Invite them to mix milk, vinegar, and food coloring together before straining their mixture and leaving it to solidify. You can then engage them in using cookie cutters to create a variety of shapes with their DIY plastic.

33. Earthworm Coding

Computer coding is fast becoming an invaluable skill in our ever-changing world. In this activity, you’ll introduce your tots to the basics of coding using adorable earthworms. Challenge them to replicate the sequences on these color-coding worksheets by having them thread colorful beads onto pipe cleaners.

Learn More: Sixth Bloom

34. Eyedropper Dot Counting

Develop your children’s counting skills in a hands-on way with this easy STEM activity. Start by drawing different-sized circles on wax paper or a laminated sheet. Then, task your learners with using eye droppers to place drops of water in the circles to see how many drops it takes to fill each one.

Learn More: Teach Beside Me

35. Geoboard Design

Dive into the world of shapes with this Geoboard activity! Start by handing out some Geoboards to your class before inviting them to fill their boards with shapes, patterns, and images by having them pull and stretch rubber bands around each raised point.

Learn More: The STEM Laboratory

36. Pool Noodle Engineering Wall

This STEM activity provides a wonderful way for you to teach your preschoolers about cause and effect. Using pool noodles, twine, and anything else you want to include you’ll engage your little geniuses in creating this wall of fun. Encourage them to create intricate pulley systems or thrilling ball reaction systems as you introduce them to the basics of engineering.

Learn More: Left Brain Craft Brain

37. Make a Bouncy Ball

Your little ones will love these homemade bouncy balls that they can make all by themselves! Assist them in mixing together borax, water, glue, and cornstarch before prompting them to add in food coloring of their choice. Once their ingredients are combined, allow them to place their mixture into molds before leaving to dry to create this interactive toy.

38. Ice Excavations

Turn your classroom into a bustling excavation site with this hands-on experience. Start by freezing small toys or objects in containers to create icy fossils. Then, provide your learners with plenty of tools to allow for exploration as you encourage them to talk about their thought process of safely removing their newfound treasures.

Learn More: Lemon Lime Adventures

39. Erupting Snowballs

Trigger your kids’ senses with this interactive experiment. Engage them in crafting these pre-made frozen snowballs before having them pour vinegar over their balls to initiate a chemical reaction that will cause their snowballs to erupt.

Learn More: Learn, Play, Imagine

40. Ice Cream in a Bag

This edible science project is sure to be a big hit with your class. Have them place their tasty ingredients in a plastic bag before prompting them to add in ice and salt. Then, encourage them to shake their bags around as they watch their liquid ingredients transform into solid ice cream right before their eyes.

Learn More: Steamsational

41.  Glowing Ice Cubes

Lay a strong foundation for your future scientists with this dazzling activity. Invite them to whip up two batches of ice cubes by having them put tonic water in one batch and normal water in the other. Once completely frozen, allow them to observe the difference that the tonic water makes by shining a black light on their ice cubes.

Learn More: Go Science Girls

42. Grow Your Own Rainbow

This simple and easy experiment only requires a few tools, but makes for a load of fun! Engage your kiddos in coloring the edges of a paper towel before allowing them to insert each side into two glasses of water. They’ll soon see how the water travels through the paper towel to reveal a beautiful rainbow.

43. Make Your Own Tornado

In this mesmerizing experiment, your students will create tornadoes right in your classroom! Encourage them to combine a few ingredients like dish soap and water in a jar before prompting them to give their jars a good swirl – watching as their colorful tornado starts to take form.

Learn More: Growing A Jeweled Rose

44. Magnetic Exploration

Here’s another magnetic science activity that’s sure to get your young minds thinking. Simply invite them to conduct an experiment where they’ll find out whether different objects are magnetic or not. Split them into small groups, challenge them to make predictions, and then have them use magnets to test each item.

Learn More: PreKinders

45. Bubble Pop Or Not?

Pique your littles’ interest in science with these magical bubbles. Using a special solution of sugar, dish soap, and water you’ll entertain them with these super strong bubbles that are virtually unpoppable!

Learn More: Team Cartright

46. Cloud Scout

In this engaging activity, your class will explore the skies as you teach them about different clouds. Simply have them put together this adorable Cloud Spotter tool before you prompt them to raise it to the skies and identify various cloud types.

Learn More: Red Ted Art 

47. Make Your Own Spectroscope

Treat your young minds to a new science tool by having them create spectroscopes. Challenge them to put their instrument together by having them use recycled materials. You’ll then invite them to gaze through their contraption as you introduce them to the science behind light and prisms.

Learn More: Buggy and Buddy

48. Explore Your Food

Dive into this food adventure as you invite your little learners to learn more about the foods we eat. Challenge them to sort and classify seeds that can be found in different fruits and vegetables. While they’re busy, you can even engage them in a discussion about which seeds are safe to eat and which seeds are not.

Learn More: Preschool Toolkit

49. Instant Ice

Your kiddos will learn about the movement of energy between solids, liquids, and gasses in this magical experiment. Task them with combining baking soda and vinegar to create sodium acetate, also known as hot ice. Afterward, have them pour this solution on a flat surface to leave behind a solid trail of instant ice!

Learn More: Frugal Fun 4 Boys

50. Parachute Experiments

In this interactive project, you’ll challenge your little brainiacs to create DIY parachutes. Invite them to piece together their craft using plastic garbage bags, string, and plastic cups. Then, encourage them to test their designs in different wind conditions while also amping up the challenge by adding on differing weights

Learn More: Deceptively Educational

51. Model of the Heart

This captivating craft is great for engaging your kids in a human body unit. Using simple materials, they’ll create a makeshift heart before you task them with physically pumping their contraption to observe how the heart works to pump blood throughout our bodies.

52. Static Butterflies

While your preschoolers may not understand all the details behind static electricity, this creative project provides a fantastic way to introduce them to the basics. Using construction paper, task them with gluing a butterfly body onto cardboard before adding on some tissue paper wings. Afterward, allow them to rub a balloon on various materials to see if they’ve generated enough electricity to move their butterfly’s wings. 

Learn More: I Heart Crafty Things

53. Pumpkin Exploration

Lead your pupils into a scientific exploration of a pumpkin, perfect for a Halloween-themed science lesson. Engage them in analyzing different parts of these iconic and spooky decorations, from seeds to fibrous strands and flesh.

Learn More: Early Learning Ideas

54. Make Rain in a Jar

In this captivating activity, you’ll entertain your children with science as you have them create rain in a jar. Simply prompt them to fill their jars with water before covering it with a layer of shaving cream to create clouds. Then, invite them to drop blue food coloring over the shaving cream and watch as the color seeps through the clouds and into the water.

Learn More: Mrs. Jones’ Creation Station

55. Leaf Breathing

Did your kiddos know that leaves can breathe? In this activity, you’ll introduce them to the science behind photosynthesis by first having them place leaves in water. They’ll soon begin to notice little air bubbles forming, sparking a discussion on how plants are able to turn carbon dioxide into oxygen.

Learn More: KC Adventures

56. Water Candle Experiment 

Walk your preschoolers through the scientific method with this hands-on experiment. Invite them to place a lit candle on a layer of colored water. Then, allow them to provide you with hypotheses of what they think will happen when you place a jar over the candle.

57. Sink or Float in Your Cork Boat

Treat your students to this hands-on experience as you task them with building unsinkable boats! Challenge them to use cork and other materials to build their boats before you invite them to set sail as they test their designs out on the water.

Learn More: 2 Paws Designs

58. Pencil Bag Magic

Entertain your class with this captivating optical illusion! Start by having them fill zipper bags with water before sealing. Then, arm them with sharpened pencils and invite them to quickly poke them through their bags. It’s a great way to engage them in some scientific magic as you prompt a discussion of how the pencils and plastic work together to stop any leaks.

Learn More: Hello Wonderful

59. Melt Your Colors

Here’s another activity that’s perfect for a states of matter lesson. Allow your kids to place old crayon chunks onto a piece of cardboard before having them place their designs in the sun. As the sun starts to heat up the crayons they’ll eventually start to melt – turning solid to liquid and also creating great examples of thermal artwork.

60. Seasons Themed Sensory Bottles

This creative project makes a great craft to end off lessons on seasons and weather. Invite your children to put together their very own sensory bottles by first prompting them to pick a theme. They’ll then fill their bottles with food coloring and little decorations to mimic the characteristics of their chosen season or weather pattern.

Learn More: Tea in the Wild

61. Make Your Own Dinosaur Fossils

Inspire the future archeologists in your class with this fossil-making activity. Task them with pressing small dinosaur toys into salt dough before gently lifting up to reveal their impressions. You’ll then place their fossil discs in the oven to set their dino prints in stone.

Learn More: Make Life Lovely

62. Magic Milk Experiment

Art and science combine in this whimsical activity! Start by filling a bowl with milk before encouraging your preschoolers to drop in some food coloring. Then, allow them to use cotton buds to swirl the colors around to create a colorful tapestry of fluid patterns.

Helping Your Baby Reach Greater Wonders

7 Engaging Science Experiments for Curious Preschoolers

• Preschool science experiments help young kids learn patience, perseverance, and critical thinking skills. 
• Science experiments teach kids different scientific concepts while promoting scientific literacy.
• Children are naturally curious, so introducing them to science experiments at a young age is a fantastic idea. 

My kids love science experiments, and they helped get us through those long at-home days during the pandemic. Science activities for preschoolers are a great way to teach kids about the world around them and allow them to think outside the box.

Engaging in fun preschool science experiments is a great way to introduce kids to science concepts like chemical reactions and scientific principles. 

Plus, science experiments encourage kids to look at the world differently and are a creative way to spark curiosity. 

Science experiments for preschoolers don’t have to be complicated, and you’ll usually have all the supplies already. But don’t let your kids have all the fun; I promise you’ll enjoy these preschool science activities, too!

Experiment 1: Rainbow Walking Water  

I took advantage of one of my favorite science activities when my kids had the day off from school. Rainbow Walking Water is a fun experiment that helps teach preschoolers about primary and secondary colors.

This experiment is also a great way to introduce the idea of capillary action, which is how water can move up against the force of gravity through a tube or something porous (like the paper towel). This is the same way that water moves up through a plants roots.

Materials Needed:

• Food coloring (red, blue, and yellow)
• Clear plastic cups
• Paper towels 

Steps for Rainbow Walking Water:

• Line seven cups in a row, filling every other cup with about ¾ cup of water. (The plastic cups I had were taller, so I added extra water.)
• Next, add five drops of red food coloring to the first and last cup. Stir the water and food coloring to mix it up.
• Then, add five drops of yellow food coloring to the third cup. 
• Lastly, add five drops of blue food coloring to the fifth cup. 
• Fold a half sheet of a paper towel in half lengthwise and then again.
• Finally, place half of a paper towel in one cup, allowing the other half to lie in the next cup. You’ll continue draping the paper towels over each cup until the seventh cup. 

This experiment requires some patience on the child’s side because it takes time for the color to creep up the paper towel and into the empty cup. My daughter went off and played and would return to check on it. 

However, your kids will enjoy watching the colorful surprise as each color goes from one cup to the next via the paper towels. You can also let your kids write down what they observed in the science experiment, including what happens when the primary colors mix. 

• It’s best to use select-a-size paper towels or cut regular-sized ones in half. 
• While waiting for the experiment to complete, your child can practice mixing colors with the food coloring and water in separate cups. 

Experiment 2: Volcano Eruption

This classic science activity uses baking soda and vinegar to create a mini volcano. Since baking soda and vinegar aren’t harsh chemicals, you don’t have to worry about your little ones’ hands getting wet.

The volcano eruption is an excellent preschool science experiment introducing the concept of chemical reactions. You can explain to your kids that a chemical reaction occurs when baking soda and vinegar create the gas carbon dioxide. 

What I loved about this experiment was that my 7-year-old son wanted to design his own volcano when we were finished. It’s amazing how science can spark such creativity. 

We also did this experiment more than once since each of my kids wanted a turn. 

• Baking Soda
• Jar or bottle 

You can also add food coloring and dish soap for a more “explosive” reaction. 

Steps for Volcano Eruption:

• Put ½ cup baking soda in the bottle 
• Pour a cup of vinegar in (The more vinegar, the bigger the eruption)
• Enjoy the eruption! 
• Perform the experiment on a plate, a plastic bin, or a sink for easy cleanup. 

Experiment 3: Magnetic Exploration

Using different objects, kids can learn about which items are magnetic and record their observations. Kids can learn about the basic understanding of magnetism and the development of categorization skills. 

Magnetic Exploration is a great science activity for kids at home because you can have them search around to find magnetic objects to test. 

In addition to magnetic items, find non-magnetic things like crayons or pencils so your child can see the difference when testing. 

• Various magnets (bar, ring, horseshoe, etc.)
• Non-magnetic items (crayons, pencils, markers)
• Keep an eye on little ones to ensure they don’t put anything in their mouth. 

Experiment 4: Sink or Float

Sink or float is a fun science experiment introducing young children to buoyancy and density. While preschoolers might not know the big words, they’ll soon learn what makes something float or sink. 

Sink or Float is an easy science experiment, using only a sink or large tub and items around the house . You can have your kids guess what they think will sink or float, which helps introduce hypothesis testing and validation.

While water experiments can get messy, they are also more fun for young kids. My boys thoroughly enjoyed running around the house to find objects to test. 

• A large basin of water (sink or tub)
• Various items to test (cork, plastic toys, metal objects, popsicle sticks, etc.)
• Don’t fill your sink or tub to the top. This will help prevent making a mess. 

Experiment 5: Make a Solar Oven 

You can wow kids with this easy experiment! Learning how to make a solar oven is easier than you think, and it’s also one of my son’s favorite science experiments. 

There are several ways to create a solar oven, but the steps here are for a more straightforward one with preschoolers in mind. 

Solar ovens work best on a hot day, so this is one of the best easy preschool science experiments for a summer day. Our chocolate melted fast, so don’t leave it outside too long! My boys thoroughly enjoyed eating the end product. 

• Pizza box or shoe box
• Aluminum foil 
• Chocolate pieces 
• Black construction paper 
• Glue stick or tape
• Plastic wrap 
• Skewer or ruler 

Steps to Make a Solar Oven:

• I used a shoe box and cut the sides of the top off to make it easier to assemble. 
• Next, attach aluminum foil to the inside of the flap on top with tape or glue. 
• I laid the black construction paper on the bottom of the box and added the chocolate pieces. (Of course, my kids asked if they could eat them once they melted.)
• Tape or glue the plastic wrap in the opening above your black construction paper. 
• Prop the aluminum foil piece up with your skewer or ruler. 
• Set outside directly in the sun (preferably on a hot day) and watch your chocolate melt! 
• This solar oven works best on a hot day; otherwise, you’ll likely be waiting a while for things to melt. 
• While your kids wait for the chocolate to melt, discuss how the sun is a heat source and why it won’t work as well on a cloudy day. 

Experiment 6: Easy Bubble Solution

While you can buy bubbles at the store, creating bubble solutions is a simple, fun science project for preschoolers. Also, your little ones will think it’s super cool to make bubbles at home. Remember, science activities for preschoolers don’t have to be challenging to be fun.

This simple science experiment will show preschoolers what happens when corn syrup and soap mix with the water. Have your little ones predict what will happen before you add each.

• 6 cups room temperature water
• ½ cup light corn syrup 
• 1 cup liquid dish soap 
• Empty container with a lid 
• Measuring cups 
• Pipe cleaners to create bubble wands 

Steps to Make Bubbles:

• Mix the corn syrup and water in your container and let your child stir thoroughly. 
• Add the dish soap and stir gently, not allowing suds to form.
• Let the mixture sit uncovered for several hours or overnight before using.
• Twist the pipe cleaners into bubble wand shapes.
• Pour the completed solution into small cups and let your kids dip their wands to begin blowing bubbles. 
• Mix the bubbles outside to prevent spilling inside.
• Don’t use hot water.

Experiment 7: Make Sound Waves 

If you’re looking for a fun activity for your kids that doesn’t require lots of materials, you’ll appreciate the sound waves experiment. 

What I love about this experiment is it takes a tricky scientific concept (sound waves) and turns it into a basic idea to teach children how they work.  

• 4 or 5 glasses 
• Fill your glasses with different amounts of water.
• Have your child tap each glass to hear the low and high pitches. 

Benefits of Science Experiments for Preschoolers

The best science projects for kids are a fun way to explore science at home or in the classroom. Even older kids will enjoy the creativity and hands-on learning experience science experiments bring. 

The National Science Teaching Association 1 1. Early Childhood Science Education. National Science Teaching Association . 2014. https://www.nsta.org/nstas-official-positions/early-childhood-science-education states that from an early age, children have the ability to observe, explore, and discover the world around them.  

Promotes Cognitive Development

Fun science activities are a great way to encourage cognitive development , including working on problem-solving skills enhancement.

In addition, science projects introduce children to the scientific method in a more straightforward form. A 2006 study 2 2. Koerber, S., Sodian, B., Thoermer, C., & Nett, U.. Scientific Reasoning in Young Children: Preschoolers’ Ability to Evaluate Covariation Evidence. Swiss Journal of Psychology . 2006;64(3), 141–152. https://doi.org/10.1024/1421-0185.64.3.141 by Koerber et al. published in the European Journal of Psychology found that preschool-aged children could demonstrate a basic understanding of the hypothesis-evidence relationship. 

Encourages Social and Emotional Growth

When engaging in a preschool science activity with others, kids learn cooperation and teamwork while building patience and perseverance. Children learn quickly that only some experiments go correctly the first time.

Develops Physical Skills

Working on a fun science activity encourages kids to utilize fine motor skills through hands-on activities while working on coordination and control improvement. In addition, outdoor activities for preschoolers help develop gross motor skills necessary to increase their physical skills. 

How can engaging in preschool science experiments help in developing a growth mindset?

Preschool science activities allow children to take risks while understanding their reasoning may not always be accurate. 

While preschoolers are still learning, engaging in science experiments at an early age helps set the foundation for testing, hypothesizing, and figuring things out. 

How does a hands-on science experiment contribute to the language development of preschool children?

Even simple science experiments help preschoolers learn about asking why, what, when, and how and open-ended questions.

According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children 3 3. Méndez, L. I., Lee, T. D., Hegde, A. V., McMillan, V. J., Dixon, J. B., Goodell, S. L., & Stage, V. C.. Let’s Talk: Linking Science and Language Learning in the Preschool Classroom. National Association for the Education of Young Children . 2023. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/summer2023/linking-science-and-language , science talk is a flexible instructional approach that promotes conversations about science while allowing children multimodal engagement to learn science and language content and skills.

• Early Childhood Science Education. National Science Teaching Association . (2014, January). https://www.nsta.org/nstas-official-positions/early-childhood-science-education
• Koerber, S., Sodian, B., Thoermer, C., & Nett, U. (2006). Scientific Reasoning in Young Children: Preschoolers’ Ability to Evaluate Covariation Evidence. Swiss Journal of Psychology , 64 (3), 141–152. https://doi.org/10.1024/1421-0185.64.3.141
• Méndez, L. I., Lee, T. D., Hegde, A. V., McMillan, V. J., Dixon, J. B., Goodell, S. L., & Stage, V. C. (2023). Let’s Talk: Linking Science and Language Learning in the Preschool Classroom. National Association for the Education of Young Children . https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/summer2023/linking-science-and-language

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7 Easy Science Experiments for Preschoolers

ALI Staff | Published  February 28, 2024

Welcome to a world where curiosity meets discovery, and little hands engage in the joy of learning through play .

Science, with its mysteries and marvels, is not just for school-aged students.

Even the youngest learners can embark on a journey of exploration, making sense of the world around them through simple yet profound experiments.

This blog offers educators and caregivers a collection of simple, engaging science experiments tailored for young learners.

Each activity is designed to spark curiosity, enhance developmental skills, and introduce basic scientific concepts in a fun, accessible manner.

From observing plant growth to understanding the principles of physics with ramps, these experiments are perfect for fostering a love of learning and exploration in preschoolers.

Why Play-Based Science Activities Are Important for Preschoolers

Introducing preschoolers to science through play ignites early interest in the world and lays the groundwork for future learning in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) while supporting key developmental areas.

The Role of Play in Learning

Young students learn best through play, from understanding basic science concepts to enhancing problem-solving skills, fostering creativity, and building foundational literacy and numeracy skills.

This hands-on approach also nurtures their social and emotional development, teaching them the value of teamwork, empathy, and effective communication.

Incorporating play into science learning supports cognitive development and sparks creativity, making complex ideas more accessible and engaging for young learners.

Development of Key Skills

Science activities are instrumental in developing a wide range of skills in preschoolers. They not only lay the groundwork for scientific thinking but also enhance problem-solving abilities and fine motor skills.

Through hands-on experiments, learners discover cause and effect, learn to make predictions, and develop the dexterity needed to manipulate tools and materials.

Engaging in science activities also boost l anguage development and literacy as children learn to describe their observations and experiments.

Fostering Confidence and Curiosity

Curiosity drives learning, and science experiments are a perfect channel for preschoolers to express and expand their curiosity.

As they ask questions, test out their ideas, and see the results of their actions, young learners build confidence in their ability to learn and understand new concepts.

This self-assuredness is crucial for their future educational journey.

Promoting Cooperative Learning

Science experiments teach preschoolers valuable lessons in teamwork and respect for others' ideas, crucial for their social and emotional development .

Preschoolers learn to share resources, listen to different viewpoints, and appreciate the value of working together towards a common goal.

These social skills are as important as academic ones for learning and development of young minds.

Promoting Communication

Effective communication is another significant benefit of play-based science activities.

As preschoolers describe their observations, articulate their hypotheses, and discuss their findings, they develop both their language skills and their ability to communicate complex ideas.

This not only aids in their academic growth but also in their social interactions.

Preparing for Success: Conducting Science Experiments with Preschoolers

Creating a positive and productive environment for science experiments will set the stage for meaningful learning experiences.

Here are some tips to ensure success.

Creating a Conducive Learning Environment

A well-prepared environment is key to engaging preschoolers in science activities. This means setting up a space that is safe, inviting, and equipped with the right materials.

Ensure that the area is free of hazards and that all materials are non-toxic and age-appropriate to foster a setting where learners feel free to explore.

Choosing the Right Experiments

Selecting experiments that are suited to the developmental stages of preschoolers is crucial. Look for activities that are simple enough to follow but also open-ended to encourage exploration and inquiry.

The goal is to spark interest and curiosity, not to overwhelm with concepts that are too complex.

Materials and Safety

Organize all materials in advance and ensure they are readily accessible to the children. Clear instructions and close supervision are essential to keep the activities safe and focused.

Always have a plan for clean-up and dealing with spills or accidents to maintain a safe learning environment.

Encouraging Participation and Engagement Through Differentiation

Every preschooler should feel included and capable of participating. Open-ended experiments and activities are particularly beneficial, offering flexibility that accommodates learners with diverse needs and learning styles.  These adaptable approaches ensure that all students can engage at their level, promoting inclusivity and a sense of achievement.

Strategies such as small group work or pairing learners with different strengths further ensure active involvement.

Encourage questions and exploration, guiding learners gently back to the task if they become distracted, and fostering an environment where every child feels valued and supported in their curiosity.

Maximizing the Learning Experience

To deepen the impact of science experiments, consider these strategies for enhancing learning even further.

Ask Open-Ended Questions

Pose open-ended questions to stimulate thinking and discussion.

Questions such as "What do you think will happen if...?" , "What did you see?" or "Why do you think that happened?" encourage learners to think critically about their observations and articulate their understanding of the experiment.

Help Students Document Their Observations

Encourage preschoolers to talk about what they see, hear, and feel during experiments.

This can be through drawing, using simple charts, or even taking photographs.

Documenting their observations helps solidify their learning and provides a reference point for further discussion and understanding.

Connect Science with Everyday Life

Relate the concepts learned in experiments to everyday life for the students.

This relevance helps preschoolers see the value and application of science in their daily lives, enhancing their engagement and retention of the concepts explored.

By incorporating these elements into your planning and execution of science experiments for preschoolers, you create a rich, engaging, and educational experience that not only teaches them about the world around them but also builds essential skills for future learning.

Our Favorite Easy-to-Implement Science Experiments for Preschoolers

Here's our selection of engaging experiments, each crafted to ignite curiosity and encourage exploration in young learners.

These hands-on activities are designed to make learning both fun and educational, seamlessly blending play with scientific discovery.

Let's explore these exciting experiments that promise to captivate and educate preschoolers.

1. Solubility Challenge

Dive into the "Mixing Magic" experiment, where preschoolers become scientists exploring the mix-and-match world of liquids.

This hands-on activity sheds light on the intriguing behaviors of different liquids when combined, offering a playful introduction to the concept of solubility.

Materials Needed:

• Cups for various liquids
• Ice tray, lids, or small plates
• A variety of liquids: skimmed milk, cola, water, orange juice, vinegar, lemon juice

Instructions:

• Arrange each liquid in separate cups for easy access.
• Encourage children to observe and describe the color and smell of each liquid, noting unique properties.
• Experiment by mixing liquids together, observing which combinations mix well.
• Facilitate a discussion on the children's observations, guiding them to understand the properties that influence liquid mixing.

Learning Outcomes:

• Enhances sensory observation skills, focusing on visual and olfactory properties.
• Introduces the scientific concept of solubility in an accessible manner.
• Develops fine motor skills through careful measuring and pouring.
• Promotes critical thinking and communication as children discuss their observations and conclusions.

2. Oil and Water: Do They Mix?

This experiment reveals the fascinating separation between oil and water.

Through simple mixing and observation, preschoolers learn about density and the unique characteristic of immiscibility in a fun, visual way.

• Small transparent jars with lids
• Water at room temperature
• Half-fill each jar with room-temperature water.
• Add a splash of oil to each jar, then tightly secure the lids.
• Gently shake the jars and watch as the oil separates and floats above the water.
• Engage the children in a discussion about their observations, exploring the reasons behind the separation.
• Introduces preschoolers to density in an understandable format.
• Helps sharpen observation skills.
• Enhances verbal skills as children articulate their observations and engage in group discussions.

3. Sink or Float Experiment

A classic experiment that captivates young minds, the Sink or Float activity is perfect for introducing preschoolers to concepts of buoyancy and density.

It's an interactive way to develop critical thinking as children predict and observe the behavior of various objects in water.

• A clear container filled with water
• A variety of objects of different weights and materials (e.g., plastic spoon, metal key, wooden block, rubber ball)
• Before starting, ask the children to predict whether each object will sink or float when placed in the water.
• Have them sort the objects into two groups based on their predictions.
• One by one, place the objects in the water and observe what happens.
• Ask students to sort the objects again based on their observations.
• Discuss the results. Were the predictions accurate? Why did some objects sink while others floated?
• Children will learn about buoyancy and density
• Preschoolers will enhance their observational and reasoning skills.
• This experiment also encourages discussion about the properties of materials, fostering language development and scientific thinking.

4. Blubbery Invention: How Do Animals Stay Warm?

Discover how seals stay warm in icy waters with the "Blubber Experiment."

This activity demonstrates the insulating power of blubber, allowing children to feel firsthand how fat acts as a natural barrier against the cold.

• Ice water in a large container
• Two plastic bags (one should fit inside the other comfortably)
• Margarine or shortening to act as blubber
• Disposable gloves (optional)
• Plates for observing margarine
• Begin by inviting the children to briefly place their hands in the ice water to experience the cold, mimicking the chilly environment seals thrive in. For younger children, describe the sensation vividly if they're hesitant to try.
• For children, especially those ages 3-4, who might be reluctant to directly touch the cold water or the margarine, suggest wearing a disposable glove first. This can make the experience more comfortable, ensuring everyone can participate.
• Show the children the "blubber glove" — one plastic bag filled with margarine, sealed, and then placed inside another bag. Let them explore its texture and guess what's inside. Use this moment to introduce the concept of blubber as an insulator.
• Encourage the children to dip their blubber-gloved hand into the ice water. Have them compare how the water feels through the glove versus the initial sensation with bare hands. Use storytelling to make this more engaging for younger children, perhaps by pretending their hand is a seal diving into the ocean.
• Place a small amount of margarine on plates for observation. Discuss its color and texture, and relate it to the substance inside the blubber glove. This visual and tactile comparison helps solidify the understanding of blubber's properties.
• Children grasp the concept of insulation and how it helps marine animals, like seals, maintain warmth in cold waters.
• The experiment fosters sensory exploration, enhancing observational skills through direct comparison of sensations.

5. Bees at Work

This exciting experiment immerses preschoolers in the fascinating process of pollination .

By using pom-poms as bees, children simulate the vital role these insects play in transferring pollen between flowers.

This hands-on activity not only educates about the importance of bees in nature but also sharpens observational and interpretive skills through a fun and interactive approach.

• Cupcake liners
• Cocoa powder
• Ready-cut flower pictures
• A large pom-pom for each child (to represent the bee)
• Arrange the flower print-outs on a table, placing cupcake liners at the center of each to serve as the flowers' centers.
• Show the children the cocoa powder and cornstarch, encouraging them to explore these powders' look, smell, and feel.
• Discuss any prior experiences they might have had with similar substances.
• Fill some cupcake liners with two teaspoons of cornstarch and the rest with two teaspoons of cocoa powder, illustrating different types of pollen.
• Give each child a large pom-pom, explaining that it represents a bee going on a flower-visiting journey to collect pollen.
• Have the children decide which flower their bee will visit first based on the "pollen's" appeal.
• Assist the children as they dip their pom-pom bees into the "pollen," then move from one flower to another, noting how the powders adhere to the pom-pom.
• After the bees have visited several flowers, observe the mixed powders in the cupcake liners to see the effects of the bees' pollination work.
• Discuss the observed mixing process and examine the amount of "pollen" collected on each bee by gently shaking the pom-pom over a plate.
• Wrap up by discussing the critical role bees play in nature, highlighting how their pollination activities lead to the growth of new plants and seed production.
• Children gain an introductory understanding of pollination and the indispensable role of bees in ecosystems.
• Enhances observational skills as children see firsthand how "pollen" sticks to their bee and mixes in the flowers.
• Promotes critical thinking and encourages children to interpret their observations, deepening their understanding of natural processes.

6. Exploring Surface Tension with Magic Milk

Dive into the mesmerizing world of colorful moving ponds! This experiment combines the wonders of chemistry and art, allowing children to observe the interaction between oil, milk, and food coloring.

It's a fantastic way to explore solubility, surface tension, and create beautiful, dynamic art.

• Soup plates
• Transparent jars
• Cooking oil
• Food coloring (various colors)
• Dishwashing liquid
• Fill a soup plate with milk to cover the bottom, setting the stage for your art canvas.
• Carefully add a teaspoonful of oil to the center of the milk, forming one large droplet, and observe the interaction. Discuss why the oil doesn't mix with the milk, introducing the concept of solubility.
• Next, add three large drops of food coloring to the milk's surface. Watch how the colors behave on the milk, sparking a conversation about water-soluble substances.
• Experiment with drawing on the milk's surface using the oil droplet and a colored droplet. Notice the differences in how they interact with the milk. Attempt to write the first letter of your name with the colored droplets, just like creating art on water.
• Add more food coloring until the milk's surface becomes vibrant. Explore what happens when you introduce a drop of colored water inside the oil droplet, observing how the color remains encapsulated.
• Use toothpicks to gently make shapes and patterns in the colored milk, observing the movement of oil and colors.
• For the grand finale, dip a toothpick into dishwashing liquid and then touch it to the milk's surface. Repeat in various places and watch as the colors move and ripple, creating a dynamic art show. Discuss the effect of dishwashing liquid on water's surface tension and how it causes the colors to spread and move.
• Children will learn about the principles of solubility and surface tension, understanding why some substances mix while others don't.
• The experiment encourages precise measuring and fine motor skills as children manipulate droplets of oil and food coloring.
• Discussing the interactions between the liquids enhances critical thinking and communication skills as children articulate their observations and hypotheses.

7. Dissolving Mysteries: Where Did the Salt Go?

Dive into the "Salt Water Mystery" experiment , where young scientists explore the whether salt disappears in water.

This simple yet intriguing activity demonstrates solubility and challenges the notion of disappearance, proving that just because something becomes invisible doesn't mean it's gone.

• Warm waterSalt
• Clear jar or cup
• Tape or Poster putty
• Start by examining the salt and water separately, encouraging observations about their appearance, texture, and smell. Discuss and identify each substance.
• Fill the clear jar with warm water, measuring about three finger-widths high. Use tape or poster putty to mark the water level on the jar.
• Stir in one spoonful of salt, ensuring it's thoroughly mixed. Slowly count to ten together, observing any changes.
• Discuss observations: Did the water's appearance change after adding the salt? What happens when you mix the salt in water?
• Encourage guesses about where the salt went after it "disappeared."
• Add four more spoonfuls of salt, mixing thoroughly again. Spend more time observing the mixture this time to see the effects of adding more salt.
• Explain that the salt hasn't disappeared; it has dissolved, making it invisible to the eye. Check the water level against the initial mark to see if it has changed, indicating that the salt is still present.
• Discuss how students can check that the salt is still in the water by tasting it (although they will not do that at this time).
• Conclude by discussing the results of the experiment. Confirm there was no thief, just the salt dissolving in water, becoming part of the liquid.

Extension Tips:

• Experiment with other soluble substances to see if they behave like salt.
• Experiment with other substances that do not dissolve and discuss the differences.
• Try the experiment with different water temperatures to observe how temperature affects solubility.
• Children practice precise measuring and observation skills.
• The experiment introduces the concept of solubility, showing that substances can dissolve in water without disappearing.
• Encourages critical thinking and hypothesis testing as children ponder the mystery of the "disappearing" salt.

Encouraging Curiosity and Discovery

As we wrap up our exploration of play-based science activities for preschoolers, it's clear that the journey of discovery is as boundless as the curiosity of the young minds we aim to inspire.

These activities are not just lessons; they are invitations to engage with the world in a way that is meaningful, joyful, and deeply educational.

By integrating these simple experiments into the learning journey of preschoolers, we do more than teach them facts; we ignite a spark of wonder that has the potential to grow into a lifelong love for science.

tag below --> TRY SOME MESSY & SENSORY PLAY ACTIVITIES

Easy-to-implement, hands-on fun!

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

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How Kids Should Spend the School Day, According to Experts

How long is a typical school day? How much time should kids spend attending school, doing homework, playing, and sleeping? Here’s what the experts recommend.

Attending Class

Doing homework, socializing with others, being with parents or caregivers, eating meals, being physically active, enjoying nature and the outdoors, using electronics, how to fit it all in.

Today's kids are busier than ever, dividing their time between school, activities , tutoring, and family time. When they're not busy with scheduled activities, kids must make time for homework, sleep , and personal care. And considering how long a typical school day is, it can be difficult to fit everything in.

Is there a way to balance it all and still provide some structure? Sure, making room for the priorities takes a little planning. Of course, flexibility is also important when it comes to time management. See how your child's schedule compares to others regarding key daily activities.

Parents / Sahara Borja

It may seem like your children spend all of their time at school. But while the average school day is just over six and a half hours long, there's a wide variance between the shortest and longest school days, contingent on individual state and district regulations.

The number of school days in a school year varies much less. According to the Pew Research Center, school days in different states range from 160 days in Colorado to 180 days in Hawaii.

This means kids are not in school for about 185 days or more a year, including weekends and breaks. On those days, kids can enjoy nature, spend time with family and friends, and exercise.

How Long Is a Typical School Day?

While state requirements for the amount of time school must be in session vary considerably from state to state, the typical school day for most kids in the United States is between six and seven hours. Depending on their age and where they live, students spend anywhere between three to seven hours a day in school, not counting transportation time or extracurricular activities.

How much time should kids spend on homework each day? A general rule among teachers is 10 minutes per grade level: 30 minutes per day for a third grader, 50 minutes for a fifth grader, and so on.

The time needed for homework really depends on the school's homework policy, the teacher's philosophy, and the type of coursework your child is taking. High school students taking AP courses might spend more time on homework than students in general education courses.

To keep your student on task during the school year, try establishing a schedule or block of time when homework will be completed.

Experts agree that school-age children need to have friends. Friends help children build social skills such as listening, sharing, and problem-solving. Through relationships with other children, children also learn how to handle their emotions.

Research doesn't dictate how much time children need to socialize with friends. What matters most is the quality of the friendships and whether or not the child is generally happy with their social time. Children or teens may have just a few friends or several friends.

Don't stress about spending quality time with your kids. Research from a large-scale longitudinal study on the effects of time with parents compared to child and teen outcomes had some surprising results.

The biggest takeaway is that time spent with a stressed-out and moody parent can decrease positive outcomes, while more time does not show a strong benefit. For this reason, it's important to be mindful of your family's moods.

It's also important not to put too much pressure on yourself when spending time as a family.

The amount of time a child needs to sleep varies according to their age. But every child, no matter their age, needs adequate sleep. Not getting enough sleep has been linked to falling asleep during school or missing school altogether.

What's more, kids who don't get enough sleep struggle to wake up in the mornings and have trouble learning or doing schoolwork. If you are concerned that your child is not getting enough sleep, learn what symptoms to watch for and what steps you can take to improve their sleep habits.

Most experts recommend 20 to 30 minutes to eat a meal and 10 to 15 minutes to eat a small snack. Keep in mind that even children's bodies need 20 minutes after eating before they begin to register feeling full.

Emphasize the importance of family meals to ensure your children have plenty of time to finish their food without feeling rushed and get adequate nutrition. This time gives your kids the nutrition they need and valuable time together as a family.

Moreover, regular family meals promote healthy eating and protect against childhood obesity. Ensure you select healthy options for your family and that electronics are turned off and away from the table.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children should engage in 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day. Regular physical activity promotes health and fitness, lowers body fat, and strengthens bones.

Physical activity—which should consist of aerobic, muscle-strengthening, and bone-strengthening activities—also positively impacts a child's brain health. Studies have shown that exercise improves cognition and memory, enhances academic performance, and reduces symptoms of depression.

Kids exercising daily also sets them up for good health in adulthood. It reduces the likelihood that they will experience heart disease, obesity, and Type 2 diabetes . Plus, being physically active is a great stress reducer.

Many children spend much more time indoors than they did in previous generations. Various studies have linked this increase in indoor time to obesity and other health issues.

How much time outdoors should you aim for? The U.S. National Wildlife Federation suggests at least one hour a day. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) also recommends 60 minutes of unstructured, free play (indoors or out) every day.

Getting your children outdoors can help them get in their physical activity and nature time. If you're short on ideas, try hiking on a local nature trail, taking a family bike ride, or tending a small container garden.

Overall, recommendations indicate that electronic media use for entertainment should be limited to about one hour on school days and that screens should be turned off 30-60 minutes before bedtime. Parents should ensure that this entertainment is high-quality and create screen-free zones (like the family dinner table) so children and teens learn to function without their devices.

It can be a challenge to meet all of these recommendations. One way to manage is to combine one or more activities to finish more quickly.

For instance, time outdoors in nature, away from electronic devices, can be combined with exercise and even time with same-age friends. Meanwhile, the time a child or teen needs to be engaged with a parent can be met by eating dinner together.

Establishing a daily plan or school year routine is the key to fitting in everything a child needs. Pre-planning or scheduling can also reduce parent stress, keeping the time you spend with your child positive.

As you plan your child's typical school day, try not to be too rigid. With the exception of sleep, you can be flexible about how your kids spend their time and tailor your routines to meet their specific needs.

The key is getting appropriate rest, attending school, and doing their homework. Socializing, time with family, physical activity, electronic use, and family meal times can be adapted as the days unfold.

In the U.S., 180 days of school is most common, but length of school day varies by state. Pew Research Center . 2023.

Childhood friendships and psychological difficulties in young adulthood: an 18-year follow-up study .  European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry . 2015.

Amount of time to eat lunch is associated with children's selection and consumption of school meal entrée, fruits, vegetables, and milk .  Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics . 2016.

Youth Physical Activity Guidelines Toolkit. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . 2017.

  The power of outdoor play and play in natural environments .  Childhood Education . 2016.

Connecting Kids and Nature. U.S. National Wildlife Federation . n.d.

Promoting Physical Activity. American Academy of Pediatrics . 2022.

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My wife isn't 'just' a stepmom to my son. He sees her as his other mom.

• My wife has been in my son's life since he was 6 years old.
• She has taken on a parental role, stepping in whenever I need extra help.
• Even though she's his stepmom, my son considers her his other mom.

After Vice President Kamala Harris announced she was running for president, one criticism lobbed against her was that she is not a parent because she has never given birth to children. But she is the stepmother to her husband Doug Emhoff's two children.

Like Harris, my wife is a stepmother to my son.

I am no longer in a relationship with his father and have been in a new relationship for four years. My wife came into my son's life when he was 6 years old and quickly stepped into a parental role. It was a role she enthusiastically took on.

Although she didn't give birth to my son, my wife is absolutely his second mother.

My son and wife's relationship started friendly

My wife didn't immediately take an authoritative role or force him to treat her like a parent. At first, she was more like a grown-up friend — someone he knew he needed to respect, but someone who would take him on drives to get ice cream or let him pretend to drive her car while I was inside the grocery store.

Related stories

I was worried about parenting with another person all the time. As the primary parent, I wasn't used to dividing parenting duties . My wife was aware of that and always deferred to me as the primary parent.

But the bond between my son and my wife was instant. He had never met someone I was dating before, but he liked her immediately.

My wife has taken on more responsibility as a stepmom

Over the last four years, she's taken on more parental responsibility but never tried to act like she was more of a parent than myself or my son's father. She is a bonus mom, someone there to kiss him goodnight , help him with his homework, and love him unconditionally.

During the pandemic, my wife volunteered to take the lead in helping my son with virtual school so I could focus on work. She created a schedule for him, made him lunch, and ensured he kept up with assignments. When the playgrounds opened, she would take him to play, armed with a backpack full of whatever was needed.

I have gone on several overnight trips , leaving the two of them alone together. My son doesn't even call or text me when I'm gone because he's having so much fun hanging out with my wife. I never have to worry about him; I know my wife will make sure he takes a bath and goes to bed on time.

There are days when I will ask her to tag in and do the bedtime routine because I'm working or want a break, and she does it without question. My son knows that if he needs something, he doesn't have to come to me all the time.

Seeing my wife willingly step into a parental role with my son has strengthened our relationship. I knew I loved her almost immediately after we met, but seeing how my son responded to her made me more secure in my decision.

Sometimes, she still refers to him as mine, and I always remind her that she's his mom, too. We do everything as a team: school meetings, performances, birthday parties . Everyone knows us as his two moms, and there's no one else I could imagine doing this with.

My son now sees my wife as the missing piece to our family puzzle. He proudly claims her as his other mom.

"You're my mom too," my son will say when my wife calls herself his stepmom. He made that decision. My wife never wanted to force a close relationship on him, but he pushed for it.

Media has warped the perception of stepmoms

Popular media depictions of stepmoms are largely negative. The common trope is that they're evil.

For example, you have characters like Meredith Blake in the Lindsay Lohan version of "The Parent Trap," the Baroness von Schraeder in " The Sound of Music ," and, of course, the prototype: Cinderella's Evil Stepmother.

These women are always seen as temptresses who come in and seduce the father into marrying them before revealing they intend to get rid of his daughter so that she will be the only woman in his life.

Maybe there are stepmoms out there who fit this description, but by and large, stepmoms are there to be whoever their step kids want them to be.

I know that's exactly the role my wife plays, and my son and I are all the more lucky for it.

Watch: Why one mother fled Texas to keep her child safe

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Tensions are on a knife edge after israel carried out a strike on the hezbollah leader allegedly behind an attack in the golan heights..

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Over the past few days, the simmering feud between Israel and the Lebanese militia Hezbollah, has reached a critical moment.

Ben Hubbard, the Istanbul bureau chief for The New York Times, explains why the latest tit-for-tat attacks are different and why getting them to stop could be so tough.

On today’s episode

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Israel says it killed a Hezbollah commander , Fuad Shukr, in an airstrike near Beirut.

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