If you're interested in finding some science experiments for kids you can do at home, then you've come to the right place! Conducting science experiments is a great way to have fun, as well as learn, with your kids. There's no better way for a child to learn than by seeing and doing things in the real world. That's why these 8 fun science experiments for kids you can do at home are the perfect weekend activity!
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1. Elephant Toothpaste
Source: preschoolpowolpackets.blogspot.com
This idea is one of the science experiments for kids that would work great in a discussion about reactions. No worries, the foam created in his experiment is safe to touch! It is simply water, oxygen gas, and soap, so let your child touch the foam to feel texture. What this experiment shows is that hydrogen peroxide naturally breaks down into water and oxygen. It is stored in opaque containers to help slow down this process but the enzyme catalase speeds up the reaction. Dish soap catches the oxygen and makes bigger bubbles and the food coloring makes it look cool. The foam and bottle feel warm because the reaction is exothermic--it releases energy as heat!
Instructions:
The Elephant Toothpaste experiment is a great way to introduce kids to the concept of reactions and exothermic energy. It is simple to do, and all you need is hydrogen peroxide, dish soap, food coloring, and a bottle. When the ingredients are combined, they produce a foam that is safe to touch and feel.
The reaction occurs when the hydrogen peroxide breaks down into water and oxygen, with the help of the enzyme catalase. The oxygen is then caught by the dish soap, creating larger bubbles, and the food coloring adds a fun visual element. The foam and bottle will feel warm due to the exothermic reaction, which is the release of energy as heat.
This experiment is an exciting way to engage children in science and help them understand reactions and the transfer of energy. It is also a great opportunity to explore the concept of opacity, as hydrogen peroxide is usually stored in opaque containers to slow down the reaction process.
1. Set a Soda Pop Bottle in the Middle of a Pan to Catch the Toothpaste
Kids love to do science experiments at home, and a soda pop bottle in the middle of a pan is a fun and easy one! This experiment is great for children of all ages, and is a great way to teach kids about the principles of air pressure.
To begin, you will need a soda pop bottle, a pan, and a small amount of water. Fill the pan with water, and place the soda pop bottle in the middle of the pan. The bottle should be able to float in the water.
Next, have your child put their hand over the top of the bottle. As they do this, they will feel the pressure of the air inside the bottle pushing against their hand. Explain to them that the air pressure inside the bottle is stronger than the air pressure outside the bottle, which is why the bottle is able to stay afloat.
Now, have your child remove their hand from the bottle. As they do this, the air pressure inside the bottle will decrease, and the bottle will sink to the bottom of the pan. Explain to them that this is because the air pressure outside the bottle is now stronger than the air pressure inside the bottle.
Frequently asked questions
2. Mix 1/2 Cup 6% Hydrogen Peroxide, 4-5 Drops Food Coloring, and a Squirt of Dish Soap into Your Soda Pop Bottle
3. In a Separate Container, Mix 2 Tbsp Warm Water & 1 Tsp Yeast and Swirl Together for a Minute
Once your yeast and warm water have been combined, you'll notice a bit of action happening in your container—tiny bubbles forming as the yeast comes to life! This is a great opportunity to explain to the kids that yeast is actually a living organism, and when it's activated by the warm water, it starts to eat up the sugars and expel carbon dioxide—hence the bubbles. It's not only fascinating to watch, but it's also the perfect segue into a mini science lesson on microbiology and chemical reactions. Encourage the little scientists to take notes or draw what they observe.
4. Pour the Yeast Mixture into the Soda Pop Bottle... and Be Amazed!
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2. Ivory Soap Explosion
Source: momto2poshlildivas.com
This is probably one of the simplest and easiest experiments to perform at home. All you need is a bar of Ivory soap and a microwave! After you and your children watch the reaction of the ivory soap when heated, explore the end result through smell, touch & play! The explanation behind this experiment is that the air bubbles in Ivory soap bars contain water. The expanding effect is caused when the water is heated by the microwave. The water vaporizes, forming bubbles, and the heat causes trapped air to expand. Likewise, the heat causes the soap itself to soften and become pliable.
Instructions:
1. Cut a Bar of Ivory Soap into 4 Pieces
2. Put a Piece of Soap into Microwave and Heat on Medium or High for 1-2 Minutes
3. Watch What Happens!
3. Dissolving Egg Shell
Source: momto2poshlildivas.com
This experiment is simple, but involves a lot of observation and patience from your kids. However, the results are really exciting to see and the finale can be lots of messy fun! All you need is 1 white and 1 brown egg, clear cups, water, and vinegar. After only a few hours, you should be able to see that the vinegar eating away at the shell of the brown egg. Leave the eggs in their cups for 7 days and observe them each day. By the 7th day, the eggs that were in the vinegar should be rubbery and shell-less! If you want, allow your child to experiment with the new rubbery egg by trying to bounce it... be warned, it will get messy.
Instructions:
1. Set up 4 Clear Cups
2. Put 1 Egg into Each Cup
3. Add Vinegar to 1 of Each Cup Containing a White & Brown Egg
4. Add Water to the Other 2 Cups Making Sure Eggs Are Covered by Liquid
5. Observe… and at the End of 7 Days, if You Want a Messy Fun Finale, Let Your Kids Try to Bounce the Shell-less Eggs!
4. Balloon Filling
Source: momto2poshlildivas.com
With this experiment, your children will learn another reaction process that will cause a balloon to inflate. Mixing baking soda and vinegar starts an acid-base reaction that creates carbon dioxide. Gasses need room to spread, so the carbon dioxide fills the bottle and then moves into the balloon, inflating it! Carbon Dioxide gas will inflate the balloons but they do not "fly" like helium inflated balloons as it is not the same kind of gas. Thus, this is meant to be an experiment, and not a fun way for you to blow up balloons for your next party.
Instructions:
This experiment is a great way to teach children about acid-base reactions, gas expansion, and the difference between helium and carbon dioxide gas. It can be done with items that can be found in the kitchen, such as baking soda, vinegar, and a balloon.
To do the experiment, you will need to mix baking soda and vinegar in a bottle. The reaction between the two creates carbon dioxide gas, which then fills the bottle and moves into the balloon, inflating it. The carbon dioxide gas will inflate the balloon, but it will not make it “fly” like a helium-inflated balloon.
This experiment is an excellent way to introduce kids to the scientific method and to help them understand the basics of chemical reactions. It can also help them understand the difference between the two types of gas and why one type of gas can make a balloon fly while the other does not.
It is important to note that this experiment should be done as an experiment and not as a way to blow up balloons for a party. It is also important to ensure that the mixture of baking soda and vinegar is done in a safe environment and that the balloon is not overinflated.
1. Using a Funnel, Pour Vinegar into Your Bottle. You Only Need to Fill about 1/3 of the Bottle
Once you've added the vinegar, gently swirl the bottle to ensure the inner sides are coated. This creates a larger surface area for the reaction later on. Remember, children should always be supervised during this step, especially when dealing with liquids like vinegar. To add a bit of colorful fun, consider adding a few drops of food coloring to the vinegar. This won’t affect the experiment’s outcome, but it will make the final reaction more visually exciting for the young scientists taking part!
2. Using Another Funnel, Pour Baking Soda into Your Balloon. Fill the Balloon about Halfway
3. Cover the Top of the Bottle with You Balloon. Make Sure You Don't Let the Baking Soda Spill into the Bottle Prematurely
4. When Ready, Lift Your Balloon and Let the Baking Soda Fall into the Vinegar
5. Watch as the Mixture Fizzes, Bubbles and Expands Your Balloon!
5. Rainbow Carnations
Source: jadaroo.blogspot.com
This is a fun and colorful way to teach your kids about plant biology. All you need to perform this experiment are white carnations, glass jars, food coloring, and water. Simply add food coloring to each jar and top with water. Then, place one carnation in each jar and let the food coloring do its thing! After 24 hours you should have white carnations that are tinted to the color of the jar that it was sitting in. Coloring the water with food coloring does not harm the plant in any way, but it allows you and your kids to see the movement of water through the stems of the carnation to its top.
This experiment is not only a great way to teach kids about plant biology, but it also introduces them to the concept of capillary action. The food coloring travels up the stem of the carnation through tiny tubes called xylem, which helps transport water and nutrients throughout the plant. This process can also be seen in other plants, such as trees and flowers. Additionally, this experiment can be extended by using different colors and mixing them to create new shades. It's a simple and fun way to engage kids in science and spark their curiosity about the world around them.
6. Diet Coke & Mentos
I'm sure most of you have heard about the reaction that happens when Diet Coke and Mentos are combined, but it is too fun an experiment to not have on this list. This activity is probably best done outside in the middle of an abandoned field, or better yet, on a huge lawn. Open the bottle of Diet Coke and position it on the ground so that it will not tip over. Unwrap the whole roll of Mentos and drop all of the Mentos into the bottle of soda at the same time. Then quickly run away and observe! Each Mentos candy has thousands of tiny pits all over the surface. These tiny pits are perfect places for carbon dioxide bubbles to form. When all this gas is released, it literally pushes all of the liquid up and out of the bottle in an incredible soda blast!
7. Dancing Oobleck
Source: housingaforest.com
Oobleck is simply a mixture of cornstarch and water. When moved fast it acts like a solid and when allowed to relax it acts like a liquid. You will need a subwoofer, a thin metal cookie sheet, a MP3 of an audio test tone and food coloring. Place the cookie sheet onto the speaker of the sub, and pour in the Oobleck. You can download different test tones and play to see what works best for you. Turn up the sub and watch the Oobleck dance! To make it even more fun for your kids, have them add food coloring while the Oobleck dances. You will all love how the colors dance together!
8. Walking Water
Source: bncsmithson.blogspot.com
This is another experiment that requires a little bit of patience but being able to see water walk is definitely worth the wait! What you need to pull this off is two cups, one full of water, one completely empty, and a paper towel. Make sure to color your water in order to make it a little easier to see. The cup that starts out with the water should be practically empty by the end of the experiment and the cup that was empty in the beginning should be holding all the water. It will take about 2 hours in total and teaches your kids both absorption and gravity.
Just because you're older doesn't mean you've run out of things to learn! Performing scientific experiments with your kids can be a great rainy day or weekend activity for all of you! Allow your children to make observations by sight, smell, or touch. If they ask what would happen if you did something else in the experiment, let them try it out to answer their own curiosity! As long as it's safe of course! Have you and your kids conducted science experiments for fun at home?