Are you looking for some simple, yet fun science activities to do at home with your kids? These are the best science experiments you and your kids will both love.
Experiments are a fun way for kids to learn about science, and if you’re like me you want to fuel a love of learning. With that said, when you look up science experiments many come with a long list of supplies or seem way too complex to set up.
Having a science loving girl myself, I am giving you the best science activities that are both simple and fun.
You are going to learn all about science experiments from making ice cream and a bouncing egg to magic milk and more!
After learning about these science activities you are going to be so ready to impress your kids.
This post is all about the best science activities that are child and parent-approved.
Best Science Activities
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure for more information.
1. Ice Cream in a Bag
If your kids like ice cream as much as mine, they are going to LOVE this science experiment. It is so much fun watching the milk turn into ice cream and then getting to eat and enjoy it when you are finished. Not to mention, it is super simple and does not take very long to do.
Supplies
1 Ziploc sandwich bag
1 gallon freezer bag or large container with a lid
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tbsp sugar
vanilla or cocoa powder for flavor
1/4 cup salt
Ice
Instructions
1. Add the heavy whipping cream, milk, sugar, and vanilla to the Ziploc sandwich bag and seal the bag up.
2. In the large container or gallon bag fill it halfway with ice and then add the 1/4 cup of salt to it. Place the Ziploc sandwich bag inside the container/gallon bag and fill it the rest of the way with ice. Now seal it up or put the lid on.
3. Shake the bag or container for 5 minutes. If you decide to use a gallon bag instead of a container you may want to wear gloves or oven mitts because your hands will get very cold.
4. After you have finish shaking, you can remove the sandwich bag. Rinse the outside of the bag under cold water to get the salt off. Trust me you do not want the salt getting into your ice cream!
5. Now you can scoop out the ice cream, add some sprinkles, and enjoy!
Science Behind It
When the salt is added to the ice it lowers the freezing point of the ice. In order for the ice to melt, heat needs to be absorbed from its surroundings (milk/ cream mixture). This causes the milk and cream mixture to freeze.
This is why in the winter time salt is added to the roads. The salt will melt the ice even when the air temperature is below freezing.
2. Sand or Play-doh Volcanos
You can never go wrong with vinegar and baking soda! They are supplies you most likely already have in your house and it is so satisfying watching the reaction.
Supplies
baking soda
vinegar
play-doh or sand
food coloring
small disposable cup or flask
Instructions
1. Form a volcano around a small disposable cup or flasks like these ones using either sand or play-doh. Make sure the cup or beaker opening does not get covered up or filled with sand/play-doh.
2. Now fill the bottom of the cup with baking soda and add your food coloring of choice to it.
3. Slowly add vinegar and watch your volcano erupt.
Don’t be surprised if your kids want to do it over and over again until you’ve completely run out of baking soda and vinegar.
Science Behind It
In this volcano science activity there is an acid base reaction taking place. The vinegar (acetic acid) is the acid and the baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is the base.
The reaction between these two mixing produces carbonic acid. Because carbonic acid is very unstable, it then breaks down into carbon dioxide and water, which is the fizzing seen with the volcano.
3. Bouncing Egg
The bouncing egg experiment is a fun one that you’ll have to watch over the course of a couple days. While the egg will not be anything like a bouncy ball, it will look much different than when you first put it in and will have a rubbery feel to it.
It will also bounce back up if you drop it from a couple inches off the ground. However, they do still break like normal eggs so I highly recommend doing more than one and laying some parchment paper down before the kids play with them (something I wish I would’ve done).
If you decide to use food coloring I would at least do one egg without because you will be able to see the yolk rolling around inside the egg which is much harder to see on the colored eggs. It’ll also be cool to compare it to a regular egg to see how much it has changed.
Before doing the experiment make some predictions. What will the egg look and feel like? Will it bounce? If so, how high? What will happen if you shine a light through the egg?
When it’s time to pull the eggs out get out a regular egg for comparison and test your predictions on your new rubber eggs.
Measure how high the egg bounces back up. How high can you drop the egg from before it breaks? Can you shine a light through it?
Supplies
egg(s)
vinegar
optional food coloring
jar(s) with lids
Instructions
1. Pull out the amount of eggs you would like to use and place one egg per jar.
2. Fill each jar with vinegar completely covering each egg. You want to make sure you leave room at the top of the jar because of the reaction that will occur.
3. Add your desired food coloring to the jars.
4. Place a lid on the jars and let them sit for 48-72 hours.
5. After the time is up, remove the eggs and carefully rinse them off with cold water.
6. Lay some parchment paper out and enjoy your bouncy eggs!
Science Behind It
Eggshells have a mineral called calcium carbonate. When you submerge the egg in vinegar, you will start to see bubbles all over the eggshell.
This is the reaction between the vinegar and calcium carbonate producing carbon dioxide gas. Over the course of a couple days the vinegar will break down the shell leaving only the semi-permeable membrane.
4. Pepper and Soap
This is such a great visual activity to do with younger kids while teaching the importance of hand washing. Have them imagine the pepper are all the germs on our hands. If they only use water to wash their hands, the germs (pepper) does not go away. When they use soap the germs run away.
Supplies
pepper
water
dish soap
bowl
Instructions
1. Pour some water into a bowl.
2. Sprinkle pepper across the entire bowl (it will sit on top of the water).
3. Cover the tip of your finger with dish soap.
4. Dip your finger into the water and watch the germs (pepper) run away.
.
Science Behind It
Because pepper is less dense than water, it sits on the surface when sprinkled in. When the soap is added to the water, it breaks down the surface tension and the water molecules on top spread out carrying the pepper with them.
5. Magic Milk
Magic milk is so cool because every time you do the experiment, it will be slightly different. My littles could sit there for hours doing this one over and over watching different color combinations mix and swirl about.
Supplies
milk
food coloring
dish soap
plate
Q-tip
Instructions
1. Fill a plate with milk.
2. Add droplets of food coloring throughout the plate.
3. Dip a Q-tip in dish soap.
4. Using the soap end of the Q-tip, dip it into the milk and watch the beautiful color display.
Science Behind It
Milk is composed of mostly water but also contains fat, protein, minerals, and vitamins. Like water, it has surface tension.
Soap is a surfactant with hydrophilic and hydrophobic ends. When it is dipped into the milk, the hydrophilic ends attach to the water molecules while the hydrophobic ends attach to the fats. This causes the milk to separate.
Normally, you wouldn’t be able to see this process occurring but because of the added food coloring you are able to view this movement through a beautiful display of colors swirling and mixing.
6. Oil and Water
Supplies
water
oil
food coloring
small bowl
large jar
fork
Instructions
1. Fill a large jar 3/4 of the way full with water
2. In a small bowl, pour a couple tablespoons of oil.
3. Add some droplets of food coloring to the oil.
3. Mix the food coloring and oil up with a fork.
4. Pour the oil mixture into the water and watch the colors slowly mix as they fall down the jar.
You can also flip this experiment by adding the water to the oil. You can do this by filling a few small bowls with water and food coloring. Then, fill a bowl or plate with oil. Using a pipette transfer droplets of colored water to the oil.
Science Behind It
Water and oil do not mix and because oil is less dense than water it floats on top of it when poured in. The food coloring is heavier than the oil so the droplets fall down into the water giving a beautiful color display.
If you are looking for even more fun science activities be sure to check your library for science experiment books like this one.
This post was all about the best science activities both you and your kids will love.
Other Posts You May Like:
7 Insanely Fun Family Movie Night Ideas Your Kids Will Love
Do you mind if I quote a couple of your posts as long as I provide credit and sources back
to your weblog? My blog site is in the very same niche
as yours and my visitors would genuinely benefit from some of the information you present here.
Please let me know if this alright with you. Appreciate it!
Yes, absolutely!