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Science Lesson Plans, Activities and Experiments

Pique interest and help your students enjoy learning about the "how" and "why". You will find earth, life, and physical science lessons and activities.

Your ideas and activities can help other teachers. Send us your science lesson plan or activity today. Don't forget to include additional resources or documents you find helpful, or a photo!

Science Lesson Plans and Activities

Don't forget to check out the Thematic Units Page. You will find a few Science related units.

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Freedom Homeschooling

Free science unit studies and lesson plans.

by Freedom Homeschooling | Jun 9, 2024 | Free Unit Studies , Science & Nature

Science is a fun subject to teach, but coming up with ideas for lessons can be challenging. You don’t need to spend your time scouring the internet looking for science materials. We’ve found many sources of free science unit studies, lesson plans, and experiments. These free resources are perfect for piecing together your own science curriculum based on your children’s interests. They can also be used to supplement any science curriculum.

Free Science Unit Studies, Lesson Plans, and Experiments

Agriculture in the Classroom – Lesson plans covering agriculture, science, social studies, and nutrition. (K to 12th)

American Geosciences Institute – Resources, activities, and more for teaching earth science. (K to 5th)

Better Lesson – Comprehensive lesson plans, experiments, and labs. (K to 12th)

The Biology Corner – Lesson plans, worksheets, and tutorials for students and teachers. (6th to 12th)

Core Knowledge Foundation – Downloadable lessons with teacher guides. (K to 5th)

Discover the Forrest – A collection of outdoor science activities. (K to 12th)

Discover Your Changing World with NOAA – A downloadable book of climate science activities and experiments. (5th to 8th)

Easy Teacher Worksheets – An extensive collection of worksheets covering all branches of science. (K to 12th)

Ecosystem for Kid – Printable worksheets and online activities for earth, physical, life, and environmental science. (1st to 6th)

Education World – A large selection of science lesson plans and activities. (K to 12th)

Funology – A collection of simple science experiments. (K to 6th)

Go Science Girls – 100 science experiments covering a wide range of topics. (K to 12th)

The Good and The Beautiful Marine Biology – A 13-lesson downloadable marine biology unit study. (K to 8th)

GreatSchools.org – Printable worksheets and activities covering a wide variety of topics. (K to 5th)

The Homeschool Daily – Unit studies, printables, experiments, and STEM labs. (K to 8th)

Homeschool Helper Online – Science unit studies covering a variety of topics. (K to 8th)

Homeschool Lesson Plans – Science lesson plans with videos and hands-on activities. (2nd to 9th)

The Homeschool Scientist – Printable lesson plans covering a variety of topics. (K to 8th)

How to Smile – Guides for nearly 3,500 science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) activities. (K to 12th)

Instructables – Project-based STEM lessons. (1st to 8th)

Inquiry in Action – Inquiry-based lesson plans covering science and chemistry in everyday life. (K to 5th)

Jonathan Bird’s Blue World – Lesson plans and study guides to accompany their ocean science webisodes. (6th to 8th) 

Kristin Moon Science – Science lessons, experiments, videos, and teaching ideas. (K to 12th)

Little Bins for Little Hands – Science experiments and STEM activities covering a wide range of topics. (K to 6th)

Meet Penny – A large collection of science experiments. (K to 8th)

Minerals Education Coalition – Lessons plans, activities, presentations, handouts, and more that teach about minerals and mining. (K to 12th)

Nature Works – 16 free episodes about natural science with lesson plans. (3rd to 6th)

Netflix’s Brain Child – Lesson plans and student handouts to use with Netflix’s science program. (3rd to 8th)

NGSS Biology – Biology lesson plans, activities, experiments, worksheets, tests, and more. (6th to 12th)

PBS Learning Media – Lesson plans, videos, and interactive tools for teaching science. (K to 12th)

Polar Bears International – Downloadable units and lesson plans about polar bears. (4th to 12th)

Rain Bird’s Explorations into Water – Downloadable unit study about water, with an emphasis on conservation. (3rd to 6th)

Rain Bird’s Rain Forrest Teaching Curriculum – Ebook of hands-on activities that teach about the rain forest. (K to 12th)

Research Parent – Science activities, experiments, and printables. (K to 12th)

Sanford PROMISE – Science lesson plans, printable resources, slide shows, and videos. (K to 12th)

Scholastic Study Jams – Video and slideshow presentation-based science lessons. (3rd to 6th)

Science Bob – Instructions, some including videos, for a variety of science experiments. (K to 12th)

Science Buddies – Lesson plans and science project guides. (K to 12th)

Science Kids – Science lesson plans, experiments, activities, and more. (K to 12th)

Science Matters – Downloadable units covering earth, life, and physical science. (4th to 6th)

Science Mom QuaranTIME – Video-based science and math lessons with printable notes. (3rd to 6th)

Science Sparks – Science experiments, projects, worksheets, and more. (K to 6th)

SERC K12 Science – Hundreds of hands-on activities and labs that include student handouts. (K to 12)

Think Earth – Downloadable units that cover environmental education. (K to 5th)

Try Engineering – A database of lesson plans that teach engineering concepts. (K to 12th)

UCAR Center for Science Education – A collection of activities and curriculum units that teach earth science. (K to 12)

Woo! Jr. Kids Activities – Science worksheets, lessons, and experiments. (K to 6th)

You Be the Chemist – Activity guides for hands-on science experiences. (K to 8th)

Additional Free Science Resources

Science and Nature Study Curriculum – Free curriculum for all grades

Homeschool Science with YouTube – Learn about science with these YouTube channels.

Virtual Science Labs and Dissections – No lab equipment is needed with these free virtual science labs, dissections, and simulations.

Science Websites for Homeschoolers – Learn more about science with these informative websites.

Virtual Field Trips – Explore the world, including many science topics, through virtual field trips.

Note: This post was originally published on April 20, 2020 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

At the Freedom Homeschooling Blog, you'll find homeschool resources and information, tips for homeschooling on a budget, encouragement, and more! Please follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Threads, and X.

• Free Printable Planners
• 20 Ways to Save on Field Trips
• How to Save Money on Homeschooling
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• Where to Buy Used Curriculum
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Inquiry in Action

• Kindergarten
• Second Grade
• Fifth Grade
• Fifth Grade Remote Lessons

K-5 science lessons about science in everyday life

Kindergarten Lessons

Investigate clouds, rain, evaporation, snow, wind, and why coats keep us warm in cold weather.

Second Grade  Lessons

Investigate properties of materials, why certain properties work for particular uses, and how heating and cooling affect matter.

Fifth Grade Lessons

Explore dissolving, density, chemical reactions, and the characteristics of solids, liquids, and gases.

Welcome to Inquiry in Action!

New features include:

• New Fifth Grade Remote Learning Assignments
• Alignment to NGSS Standards
• 5-E lesson plan format
• Animations to explain science concepts to students

And it’s all still FREE!

About Inquiry in Action

Inquiry in Action is a FREE teacher resource of fully-developed lesson plans in physical science for grades K-5.   All Inquiry in Action Lessons:

• Are aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for “Weather and Climate” (Kindergarten) and for “Structure and Properties of Matter” (2nd and 5th).
• Are based on phenomena students observe and explore through hands-on investigations.
• Are presented in a 5-E format (Engage, Explore, Explain, Evaluate, and Extend) and include student activity sheets for 2nd and 5th grades.
• Have been reviewed for safety with notes added where necessary.
• Include embedded animations to help explain science concepts to students.

Permission is granted in advance to photocopy lessons and activity sheets and to use animations and videos in the classroom, or for non-commercial teacher professional development workshops. No material from acs.org/inquiryinaction may be copied or incorporated into print or web-based media for commercial purposes without the written consent of the Education Division of the American Chemical Society (ACS) or other copyright holders as indicated.

Copyright 2020 American Chemical Society

For questions, comments, or more information, contact  K8Science@acs.org .

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Lesson Plans

“STEM Library Lab is an invaluable resource filled with so many inspiring lesson plans that really help me find labs and activities to engage my students in STEM learning!  Having links to the supplies within the lessons really makes borrowing even easier, and helps me ensure that I am using manipulatives and demonstrations to the max!” Samantha Kreuscher, Lycee Francais

Our database of Next Generation and Lousiana Student Standards for Science (LSSS) aligned lesson plans is correlated with equipment you can borrow directly from Library Lab.

Explore the Tides

Overview: Have you ever built a sandcastle on a beach only to find it washed away a few hours later? Every 6 to 12 hours or so, the water along most coasts rises and falls in...

Build an Electromagnet

Overview: Student teams investigate the properties of electromagnets. They create their own small electromagnets and experiment with ways to change their strength to pick up...

Tree Growth Study

Overview: How can the age of a tree be determined? Is there a way to tell a good year of growth versus a bad year? Trees contain some of nature’s most accurate records of...

Investigating Shadows

Overview: In this activity, students will explore what affects the size of a shadow and compare the shadows of various opaque, transparent, and translucent objects. Part I....

The Dirty Water Project

Overview: In this hands-on activity, students investigate different methods—aeration and filtering—for removing pollutants from water. Working in teams, they design,...

Drops on a Penny Experiment

Overview: Have you ever noticed on a rainy day how water forms droplets on a window? Why doesn’t it spread out evenly over the whole surface? It has to do with...

Modeling Gravity

Overview: Why can we feel gravity pull us down towards the Earth, but not sideways towards other big objects like buildings? Why do the planets in our solar system orbit the...

Floodplain Modeling

Overview: Students explore the impact of changing river volumes and different floodplain terrain in experimental trials with table top-sized riverbed models. The models are...

Build a Waterwheel from Recycled Materials

Overview: Students observe a model waterwheel to investigate the transformations of energy involved in turning the blades of a hydro-turbine. They work as engineers to create...

Entanglement Challenge

Demonstrate the challenges for marine animals who get entangled in common debris with this 10 –15 minute activity about marine conservation. Pair this activity with a...

Animal Yoga

Stretch your way into different animal movements and poses to learn how they move, get food, and protect themselves. This 5-10 minute full-body activity for young learners...

Weaving the Web of Life

Overview: In this hands-on activity, students construct a food web with yarn to learn how food chains are interconnected. Objectives: 1. construct a food chain and explain...

Battle of the Beaks: Adaptations and Niches

Overview: In this simulation game, students learn about adaptive advantage, based on beak function, by simulating birds competing for various foods. Birds equipped with...

Modeling the Seasons

This hands-on activity demonstrates and explains how seasons is caused by the tilt of Earth on its axis as it orbits around the sun. Students model the seasons with their...

Ring and Discs Demonstration

Ready, Set, Go! A ring and disc of equal mass and diameter speed down an inclined plane. Which one wins? Not an easy prediction to make, but the victor will be clear. Results...

Fire Syringe Demonstration

This is one of the most impressive demonstrations of the heat produced when a gas is rapidly compressed and is the principle behind how a diesel engine functions. How does it...

Repairing Broken Bones: Biomedical Engineering Design Challenge

This STEM activity incorporates the engineering design process into a life or biomedical science activity. It can be used during an anatomy unit or in a health...

Modeling Moon Phases

This lesson on the phases of the moon features just one of several hands-on activities you can do with our adaptable Moon Model Kit. In this activity students will: 1. use...

Color-Changing Celery Experiment

This exciting experiment illustrates transpiration, the process of plants absorbing water through their roots. The water travels up tubes in the stems called xylem to all...

10 Activities To Try With the Magnetic Water Molecules Kit

Try out 10 exciting activities related to the properties of matter using our Magnetic Water Molecules Kit! The following topics are covered: Polarity Hydrogen...

What's Your Blood Type?

Overview Realistically simulate blood typing without the hazards of real blood. Using actual blood typing procedures, students classify four unknown samples of the simulated...

Understanding Natural Selection Through Models

Overview With this worksheet, students will explore one of the five mechanisms of evolution: natural selection. Students will analyze and interpret 3 models of natural...

HIV/AIDS Test Simulation Lab

Explore the immunological principle that antibodies bind to specific antigens. Your class will learn how ELISA – Enzyme Linked Immunoassay – is a fundamental...

Egg in a Bottle

Overview: In this classic demonstration, students will use differences in air pressure to force an egg into a bottle. This demonstration only takes 10 minutes and leaves your...

Magnetic Meiosis Model Demonstration

Teach the mechanisms of meiosis (and make it memorable!) with this simple and informative magnetic demonstration. Instead of struggling to tell which chromosome is which from...

Modeling the Effects of an Introduced Species

Overview Using a set of Food Web cards, each depicting an organism, students work in groups to model a food web for one of four ecosystems. Students are then given an...

Natural Selection: Antibiotic Resistance and Engineering the Fastest Fish

Overview Immerse your students in this engaging 3-part laboratory activity on evolution by natural selection! Your students will practice important science skills while...

Estimating Populations

Background The size of an animal population becomes newsworthy when it becomes very large (too many rats in one place) or very small (on the verge of extinction). How do...

Butterfly Wings: Using Nature to Learn About Flight

Background Have you ever seen butterflies fluttering around outside, gliding through the air and landing on flowers? While they are delicate and fragile, butterflies are...

Osmosis and Diffusion Lab

This lab allows you to learn about two forms of passive transport: diffusion and osmosis. You will compare and contrast similarities and differences in the processes of...

Seed Identification Activity

This laboratory activity will familiarize students with basic plant anatomy and the basic characteristics and functions of plant seeds. Students will practice using...

Genetics: The Science of Heredity — Modeling DNA Structure and the Process of Replication

This lesson is the first unit of a 5 part module entitled “Genetics: The Science of Heredity” developed by ETA Cuisenaire. Modeling DNA structure and the process...

Crime Scene Investigation Lab

Innovating Science’s crime scene investigation lab is used to study forensic techniques and features an activity to solve the crime of the missing frogs from the...

Measuring Precipitation of Hurricanes

This lesson deepens students’ understanding of how and why we measure precipitation across the globe through the study of rainfall patterns caused by hurricanes. Students...

Prey vs. Predator

The action in this fast-paced activity may become intense as student “predators” attempt to capture their “prey.” What happens when different organisms, living in the...

What Is in the Food You Eat?

In this activity, students test representative food samples for the presence of certain types of matter (nutrients). This investigation allows students to discover some of...

The Science of Spherification

Forget drinking your juice. Instead, try snacking on it! Use the steps and recipes in this food science project to transform drinks into semi-solid balls that pop in your...

Turn Milk Into Plastic

“Plastic made from milk” —that certainly sounds like something made-up. If you agree, you may be surprised to learn that in the early 20th century, milk was...

Proper Hand Washing Can Stop the Spread of Disease

People used to believe that disease was caused by miasma, a poisonous vapor which carried particles of rotting materials that caused illness. People knew that eating spoiled...

How Germs Spread

People used to think that angry gods caused disease, or that a poisonous vapor that came from rotting food or bad air caused illness. It took thousands of years for people to...

7 Van De Graaff Generator Activities

A set of activities to show how the generator works and the principles behind it.

Calorimetry Lab

How does the energy content in lipids and carbohydrates differ? Energy content is the amount of heat produced by the burning of a small sample of a substance and heating...

Owl Pellet Surprise

This fun, hands-on introductory dissection is a great springboard for teaching the techniques of using a science notebook while having students engage in the...

Stream Table Investigation

Overview: Students learn about water erosion through an experimental process in which small-scale buildings are placed along a simulated riverbank to experience a range of...

Boiling by Pressure Drop

The goal of this experiment is to demonstrate that boiling is not just a function of temperature, as most people believe. Rather, it is a function of both temperature and...

How to Make Water Cycle in a Bag

https://www.mobileedproductions.com/blog/how-to-make-a-water-cycle-in-a-bag

How do Antibiotics Affect Bacteria When They are Put Together

Plan and carry out investigations: collaboratively, in a safe and ethical manner including personal impacts such as health safety, to produce data to serve as the basis...

Building a Generator

Students work individually or in pairs to follow a set of instructions and construct a mini generator which powers a Christmas light. Best done as a take-home assignment.

Conservation of Momentum with Vernier

Teacher leads a demonstration with vernier carts of different/equal mass, equipped with bumpers and magnets to demonstrate a variety of scenarios in which as both carts...

3rd Law with Vernier

After learning about the 1st law of motion, students partake in a teacher-led series of questions about 2 carts, and which cart will experience a greater force. The teacher...

Gravitational Acceleration

In 2-3 person groups, students take the mass of assorted objects, then hang them from a spring scale to find their gravitational force. Using the F=ma equation, they rewrite...

Electricity and Magnetism Stations

Egg drop lab.

Students work in teams to design a container for an egg using provided materials. Students drop their containers, then analyze factors which can minimize force on the...

How Does Volvo Keep Drivers Safe?

Students watch a series of short videos explaining how cars are designed with crumple zones, airbags, and automatic braking to prevent passenger damage in a collision....

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50 Easy Science Activities For Preschoolers

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

Science for Preschoolers Engages the Senses

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

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

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

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

Awesome Science Activities for Preschoolers

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

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

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

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

ALKA SELTZER CHEMICAL REACTIONS

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

BAKING SODA AND VINEGAR EXPERIMENTS

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

BALLOON RACE CARS

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

BALLOON ROCKETS

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

BURSTING BAGS

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

BUTTER IN A JAR

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

BUTTERFLY LIFE CYCLE

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

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

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

BUILDING BRIDGES

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

BUILDING TOWERS

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

CANDY SCIENCE

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

CELERY AND FOOD COLORING

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

CHICK PEA FOAM

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

COLOR MIXING

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

CRYSTAL GROWING

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

DENSITY {LIQUIDS}

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

DINOSAUR FOSSILS

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

DISCOVERY BOTTLES

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

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

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

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

GROW A RAINBOW

A fun and colorful experiment that uses a paper towel, markers and water to demonstrate the process of capillary action.

FIZZING LEMONADE

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

ICE CREAM IN A BAG

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

ICE MELT SCIENCE

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

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

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

LETTUCE GROWING ACTIVITY

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

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

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

MIRRORS AND REFLECTIONS

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

BOUNCY EGG EXPERIMENT

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

OOBLECK {NON-NEWTONIAN FLUIDS}

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

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

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

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

RAMPS AND FRICTION

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

ROCK CANDY (SUGAR CRYSTALS)

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

FOUR SEASONS

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

SEED GERMINATION

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

THE 5 SENSES

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

SHADOW SCIENCE

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

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

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

WATER EXPERIMENTS

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

WATER XYLOPHONE

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

WEATHER SCIENCE

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

TORNADO BOTTLE

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

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

How to Teach Science to Preschoolers

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

Make sure to check out…

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

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

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

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

Helpful Resources

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

• Preschool Science Center Ideas
• Sensory Science Activities
• Fine Motor Activities
• Preschool Math Activities
• STEAM Books with Activities for Kids
• Make a homemade science kit that’s inexpensive!

Science Activities By Age Group

• Science for Toddlers
• 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

Printable Preschool Pack

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

What’s Included:

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

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

22 Comments

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

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

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

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45 Easy and Fun Science Activities for Preschool

Introduce curious little minds to a world of discovery.

Every day is a new opportunity for toddlers to ask “Why?” over and over. Tap into that curiosity with these fun and engaging science activities for preschoolers. These simple experiments incorporate many preschool favorites like playing with bubbles or water, making arts and crafts, and, of course, making a mess!

To make things even easier, we’ve rated every one of these preschool science activities for preschoolers based on difficulty and materials.

Difficulty:

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

Water Preschool Science Experiments

Stem challenges for preschoolers.

• Seasonal Preschool Science Activities

More Science Activities for Preschoolers

These water activities for preschoolers help teach little learners a variety of science concepts. (These can get a little messy, so you might want to try them outside.) Find even more water science activities here.

Make music with xylophone bottles

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

The classic experiment using varying levels of water in glasses or bottles is even more fun when you add some food coloring. Experiment with different water depths and mallet styles to make all kinds of beautiful music!

Learn more: Xylophone Bottle at Mama Papa Bubba

Surround kids with an oversized bubble

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium ADVERTISEMENT

Kids (and let’s face it, adults too) will definitely get a kick out of this fun science experiment. While you’ll only need a kiddie pool, some dish soap, and a Hula-Hoop to make this a reality, the payoff will be big.

Learn more: Giant Bubbles at Make and Takes

Watch rice dance in water

There are lots of cool baking-soda-and-vinegar experiments out there ( ever made your own volcano ?), but this one is always a favorite with little ones. The acid-base reaction causes the rice to dance and jump around in the water for an effect that is just so cool!

Learn more: Dancing Rice at Green Kid Crafts

Reveal colors with chemical reactions

Preschool science experiments often include a combination of baking soda and vinegar like this one. Fill muffin tins with a drop of food coloring, then top it with baking soda. Finally, let kids squirt in vinegar to reveal fabulous foamy hues! (Be sure to wear eye protection for this one.)

Learn more: Fizzy Fun at Busy Toddler

See what sinks and what floats

This preschool science activity helps kids learn to construct a hypothesis, conduct a simple experiment, and then sort their findings by property.

Learn more: Sink or Float at Fun With Mama

Learn what dissolves in water

Engage in more water play by having kids predict which items will dissolve in water and which ones won’t. Have kids keep track of the results so they can see if they have anything in common.

Learn more: What Dissolves in Water? at Hands On as We Grow

Watch hot water rise and cold water sink

This early exploration into the concept of density is always impressive to see in action. Have kids discover how hot water rises and cold water sinks. Explain that the same applies to air, and see if kids can think of a way to observe that in action too.

Learn more: Water Density Experiment at Mombrite

Grow a paper towel rainbow

“Capillary action” might be a real mouthful for preschool science students, but they don’t need to remember the term to be impressed by this experiment! All you need are markers, a paper towel, and two glasses of water.

Learn more: Capillary Action Experiment at Mombrite

Make shaving cream rain clouds

This is a classic science activity every kid should try at least once. It helps them understand how clouds become so saturated with water that they must release it in the form of rain.

Learn more: Shaving Cream Rain Clouds at One Little Project

Blow bubble towers

There are lots of fun science activities you can do with bubbles to explore concepts like surface tension. Or you can just have a blast seeing who can make the tallest tower with bubbles and straws.

Learn more: Bubble Towers at Happy Hooligans

STEM challenges give students a chance to try solving problems on their own. Give them some basic supplies and instructions, then let them experiment until they find a solution to the challenge.

Rescue toys from hot lava

While you might not want pre-K kids climbing all over the classroom furniture to play “The Floor Is Lava,” they can do the same thing with their toys in this cute STEM challenge.

Learn more: Floor Is Lava at Forward With Fun

Build a catapult

Challenge students to build a catapult using just three items: Popsicle sticks, elastics, and a plastic spoon. You’ll definitely want to have an extra set of adult hands available as this can prove challenging for pre-K kids. Finally, bring plenty of marshmallows or pom-poms to launch.

Learn more: Make a Catapult at Education.com

Discover strength in shapes

Learn shapes while also practicing some basic science. Fold paper into various shapes to form columns and ask kids to predict which will be able to support the most books.

Learn more: Strength in Shapes at All for the Boys

Build an aluminum foil boat

Teach kids about buoyancy and physics while having fun in the process. First, give your students some tinfoil and challenge them to build a sturdy boat. Then, challenge them to fill the boat with as many pennies as they can without it sinking.

Learn more: Foil Boat Challenge at Little Bins for Little Hands

Waterproof a boot

Ask kids to select various materials and tape them over the free boot printable found at the link. Then, test their hypotheses to see which ones work best.

Learn more: Waterproof a Book at Science Sparks

Reach for the sky

Round up all your building blocks and try this whole-class project. What will students need to do to be able to construct a tower that reaches all the way to the ceiling?

Learn more: Tower Engineering Challenge at Mama Smiles

Link up the longest paper chain

This incredibly easy preschool STEM activity really gets kids thinking. The challenge? Create the longest possible paper chain using a single piece of paper. So simple and so effective.

Learn more: Paper Chain Challenge at Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls

Build an apple toothpick tower

Put a healthy spin on a classic STEM challenge by substituting apple pieces for marshmallows. Kids will have a tasty snack when they’re done!

Learn more: Apple Toothpick Tower at N. Family Club

Stack up plastic cups

Kids absolutely love stacking cups ! Turn the play into a STEM challenge by adding index cards into the mix. Kids can experiment to see if they can build taller towers with or without the cards.

Learn more: Solo Cup Engineering Challenge at The Salty Mamas

Craft a nest

Take a nature walk and pick up items like sticks, leaves, and more. Then, build your own bird nests to protect little eggs and hatchlings.

Learn more: Build a Nest at Pink Stripey Socks

Seasonal Science Activities and Experiments for Preschoolers

Whether you’re looking for Halloween science activities , winter science experiments , or Easter egg activities , find them all and more here!

Make pretend snow

No snow where you live? Make some yourself! Find easy recipes for “snow” using baking soda, shaving cream, cornstarch, and other household items. Experiment to find the one that works best.

Learn more: Make Pretend Snow at Elf on the Shelf

Explore how mittens keep you warm

Ask little ones if mittens are warm, and they’ll likely answer yes. But when they measure the temperature inside an empty mitten, they’ll be surprised by what they find. Learn about body heat and insulation with this easy experiment.

Learn more: Mitten Body Heat Experiment at Classroom Magic

Measure the water content of snow

Two inches of snow is not the same as two inches of rain. This easy winter science experiment measures the amount of water actually found in an inch of snow.

Learn more: How Much Water Is in Snow? at KC Edventures With Kids

Create salt crystal hearts

Difficulty: Medium / Materials: Basic

Make these pretty red crystalized hearts as Valentine’s Day decorations, or anytime you want to show someone some love!

Learn more: Salt Crystal Hearts at Red Ted Art

Grow grass in an eggshell

Difficulty: Medium / Materials: Medium

What’s more fun than a preschool science experiment that doubles as a craft? You’ll need eggs, soil, grass seeds, water, and a permanent marker to bring this project to life. Kids will especially love personalizing their eggshell.

Learn more: Egg Grass Heads at Mother Natured

Decompose a jack-o’-lantern

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium

When Halloween is over, plop your jack-o’-lantern pumpkin in the garden and observe it each day. Kids learn how organic matter breaks down over time.

Learn more: Pumpkin Decomposition at Gift of Curiosity

Send a ghost flying with magnets

Use magnets along with a few other supplies to make a tissue ghost seem to float in midair! It’s the perfect spooky Halloween science activity for preschoolers.

Learn more: Flying Ghosts at STEAM Powered Family

Conduct experiments on marshmallow Peeps

Pick up a package of marshmallow Peeps (they’re available during many seasons of the year now), and try turning them into little boats. Experiment with different sail sizes and types, and figure out how to make the candy boats go faster.

Learn more: Marshmallow Peep Boat Challenge at Lemon Lime Adventures

Launch plastic egg rockets

Put on some safety goggles and get ready for lift-off! This simple experiment uses Alka-Seltzer tablets to turn eggs into rockets.

Learn more: Easter Egg Rockets at The STEM Laboratory

Dissolve colorful turkey “feathers”

Baking soda and vinegar experiments are always popular, and this one is so cute for the Thanksgiving season. Build your own little turkey with baking soda feathers, then watch them foam up and dissolve when you add some vinegar.

Learn more: Turkey Feather Science at 123 Homeschool 4 Me

These science activities and experiments give preschoolers a chance to explore all sorts of science concepts, from plants and animals to germs and gravity and beyond.

Slice apples to learn about oxidation

Here’s another classic preschool science activity: using apple slices to learn about oxidation (and how to prevent it). When you’re done, you’ve got a tasty snack to eat too.

Learn more: Apple Oxidation at Teaching With Jennifer Findley

Show why sunscreen is important

First, have your students make four construction-paper people, each with varying conditions. Wrap one in plastic wrap, cover another in sunscreen, put a hat on one and a set of sunglasses on another. Ask kids to hypothesize what will happen when they’re left out in the sun, then see if they’re right!

Learn more: Sunscreen Experiment at 123 Homeschool 4 Me

Engage in some shadow science

Learn about animals and shadow science with these adorable and easy puppets. Use them to act out some scenarios involving these creatures in their natural habitats.

Learn more: Shadow Science at Little Bins for Little Hands

Mix up some “magic” milk

A drop or two of dish soap will make food coloring dance and swirl across the surface of a shallow bowl of milk. Preschool science experiments often seem like magic, but this one is all about surface tension and chemical reactions.

Learn more: Magic Milk at Laughing Kids Learn

See how easily germs spread

We love a preschool science experiment that reminds little ones of the importance of good handwashing. Help them see why it’s so important with this simple experiment that uses glitter to stand in for germs .

Experiment with wax paper

This wax paper experiment is interesting from both a science and art perspective. Ask kids to think about why wax paper behaves differently than other paper they use for art projects.

Learn more: Wax Paper Resist at Housing a Forest

Predict and observe what will melt in the sun

You’ll need a hot sunny day for this preschool science experiment. Help students choose a variety of items to place into a muffin tin and have them predict which ones will melt. Set the tin out in the sun for an hour or two, then bring it in and record your results.

Learn more: Melting Science at Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls

Drop balls to introduce gravity

Gravity can be a complicated subject, but all pre-K kids need to understand the basics. Drop balls of all sizes to discover that they all fall in the exact same way.

Learn more: Gravity Experiment at Inspiration Laboratories

Head to the playground to explore gravity and friction

What goes up must come down! A playground slide is the perfect place to help kids understand gravity. This is a good chance to learn about friction too.

Learn more: Playground Science at Buggy and Buddy

Test objects with magnets

Magnets are undeniably a source of fascination for kids. At this stage, you can worry less about explaining how magnets work and instead just let kids explore which items are attracted to magnets and which aren’t. Sort the items into categories, then see if the items have anything in common.

Learn more: Magnets at PreKinders

See sound waves in action

This series of simple experiments lets kids see sound waves at work. Start by making waves with a Slinky , then move on to tuning forks and bouncing confetti.

Learn more: Sound Experiment at Hands On Teaching Ideas

Make an orange volcano

Making erupting volcanoes is a staple of any childhood! We love this easy volcano experiment using an orange, baking soda, and vinegar.

Learn more: Orange Volcano at The Art Kit Blog

Grow delicious rock candy crystals

Preschoolers love science activities that involve food. While crystal experiments are a hit with kids of any age, this one is perfect for the young crowd. It requires a little patience, but kids get to eat the yummy results!

Learn more: Kool-Aid Rock Candy at Growing a Jeweled Rose

Move pom-poms with air pressure

Understanding the idea that air can have enough force to move objects can be a little challenging, but this simple experiment brings that concept to life. We love that this experiment is affordable since most people (especially teachers) already have these materials on hand.

Learn more: Air Pressure Experiment at Kids Activities Blog

Make a balance scale

This simple balance scale is so easy to make yet provides endless opportunities for weighing all kinds of objects. Have kids assemble a scale from a plastic hanger, a few paper cups, and some string, then let them hypothesize which items will be heavier and which will be lighter.

Learn more: DIY Balance Scales at Go Science Kids

Like these science activities for preschoolers? Don’t miss the 30 Best Educational Toys and Games for Preschool .

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

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

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Using Science Experiments in a Special Education Classroom

Science experiments are a fun, engaging way for students to explore the world around them while also practicing reading, writing, and math skills without realizing it.

Science doesn’t have to be boring, it can be fun! And science doesn’t only have to happen during your science block or in the general education classroom – you can bring the excitement to your special education classroom too!

>> Grab 16 visual science experiments here . <<

Science experiments for special education.

As teachers, we know that students learn best when they are involved in their learning. But when you have multiple students in your classroom with varying grade levels and instructional levels, how do you plan it?

And how do you know which science experiment to do? What supplies do you need? How much do you prep ahead of time? And how do I do this without spending more time and money on the supplies?

All very great questions – let’s get started then!

How to add science experiments to your lesson plans with ease

Step 1 – Look at your curriculum, for all the content areas. What are the standards you’ll be teaching this week, month, marking period or semester? Write those down. You’re basically going to create a graphic organizer for yourself.

There are so many ways for you to connect science into your math and ELA block. For example: if your math lesson is about measurement and it’s autumn, you could add in a pumpkin science experiment for math – whether it’s counting seeds, measuring volume or weight, measuring circumference… it’s all there in that one science experiment integrated into the math lesson!

Step 2 – Once you have step 1 completed, think about the time of year you’ll be teaching that topic or standard. It could be related to the season or a specific topic.

Here is an example:

• Standard: measurement. When: February. Integrations could be: Valentine’s Day… see this lesson here .

Step 3 – Set up the basics of your lesson plan. You know the standards, you know the learning objective, you know what the content is, and you know what you’ll be teaching. Write it all down. Then you can go back in and fill it in with more.

Let me show you my science experiment lesson plans (which are included in this resource ):

Step 4 – Get all of your supplies ready. Most times, you’ll have a lot of the supplies for science experiments already in your classroom… popsicle sticks, markers, straws, Dixie cups. And if you don’t have them, ask your teacher neighbor or teacher down the hall – more than likely, someone in your building has the one supply you don’t and is willing to share.

Step 5 – Teach the lesson!

When you’re thinking about science experiments, there are also some other things to keep in mind.

• Make sure you have graphic organizers that students can use during the experiment. Anchor charts are also a great addition to these lessons.
• Give students an experiment reflection.
• Introduce all of the science experiment materials to your students prior and explain what each item does. This could be a beginning of the year lesson in itself for all of those science lab instruments.

Here’s what teachers are saying about our visual science experiments:

My kids have so much fun doing hands on experiments like these and these made it so easy to plan them and have more fun engaging with them during it! These are perfectly planned and wonderfully easy to use! Your kids will have fun and so will you! Amelia B., Middle School Special Ed Teacher

This is a fantastic resource with lots of options to do with a wide variety of abilities and students. Each week we will do one experiment on “fun friday” since we do not have much time in our days to set specifically to science, my students loved it! Emily G, 4th grade teacher

My students love to do these experiments and I love that they aren’t super expensive, super messy, or super intensive to prep. Very satisfied! Elizabeth H., Elementary Special Ed Teacher

What is your favorite science experiment to do with your students? Share it with us in the comments below!

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:

• STEM for Students with Special Needs: Part 1
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