20 October

TOP 22 Fascinating Science Experiments for Kids: Simple and Interesting Experiments at Home

Children don’t usually want to study, they prefer playing. This is especially true for after-school activities. That's why extracurricular activities for youngsters should be game-based as much as possible. For this reason, participating in science experiments for kids is an excellent solution. As a part of such activities, children not only gain helpful knowledge but also useful life skills and lasting memories. And, of course, kids have a lot of fun.

Have you found an interesting experiment but don't know how to organise it? Just leave this task to NewtonShowCamp science camp specialists. We offer loads of scientific activities for children aged from 3 years old. Moreover, kind educators, experienced mentors, and instructors with a highly professional attitude will carefully look after your kids. Also, we regularly add new experiments to our list of science projects for kids. So we recommend that you regularly check available programmes at www.newtonshowcamp.com so that you don't miss the activities your child will love.

Exciting Yet Simple Science Experiments for Kids to Do at Home

Below, you'll find engaging scientific activities that you can perform with your children at home easily. The experiments we offer don't require specific knowledge, skills or tools. You can have a good time with your children just by using ordinary household items for the recommended activities.

Make It Louder Without Audio Gear

This easy experiment for kids allows your child to feel like a magician as they turn up the volume of their smartphones using almost nothing. We guarantee that after participating in this scientific activity, kids will be able to quickly make a homemade boombox and amaze their friends and family. You just need the following supplies to create the home-made audio system:

A toilet roll and a pencil
Scissors and a craft knife
Duct tape together with 2 plastic or paper cups

Draw and cut out a suitable slot in the middle of a kitchen roll inner and insert your child's gadget there. Cut an opening in the side of each cup. Slide the kitchen roll inner with the smartphone into the cup holes. Secure the whole construction with duct tape. Play your kid's favourite song on the phone and enjoy the great sound!

Get a Taste of the Rainbow

We recommend this cool science experiment for kids who love art because it's full of spectacular colours. And it’s also great for kids with a sweet tooth! First, get a plate, a bag of multicoloured candies like Skittles, and warm water. After this, you should perform the following steps:

Arrange the candies on the outer plate edge. You should get a multicoloured circle.
Pour warm water into the middle of the plate. The sweets should be half-submerged.
Watch as the candies begin to melt, and the colours start blending, heading towards the plate's centre.

As a result, you'll get an unforgettable rainbow picture full on your plate. Try to gently stir the resulting mixture to create original multicolour patterns.

Flying Tea Bags

Do your children dream of piloting a plane or even a spaceship? If so, this thrilling science experiment is exactly what they need. To carry out the experiment, you just need the following items:

Metal or solid stone surface
A small bowl or a cup
Lighter or matches
Empty tea bags (take regular tea bags, cut one end off, and pour the tea into a cup or a bowl)

Place the bags upright on the surface. Light one of the bags from the top and stand back. Watch it rise in a mind-blowing trajectory. Do the same with all the tea bags.

Make the Raisins Dance

This experiment for kids is incredibly entertaining, through which your children will discover the secrets of the chemical reaction between vinegar and baking soda. The experiment suits youngsters of preschool ages. You need the following items to organise the activity:

A transparent glass half-filled with water
About 1 tbsp of baking soda
A spoon
Half a glass of vinegar
Several raisins torn or cut in half

Drop the raisins into the glass containing the water. Pour some vinegar into the glass until it’s about three-quarters full. Watch the bubbles forming in the glass stick to the raisins and lift them to the surface of the water. As the bubbles burst, the sinking raisins are picked up by the newly formed bubbles and ‘dance’ in the glass. Your kids are bound to enjoy this highly visual experiment!

Get Rid of Germs Using Dish Soap

Frequently, kids can't understand why they should always wash their hands with soap. That's because they can’t see the germs on their hands. However, this science experiment for kids may improve their hygiene. You just need the following things:

Water and glitter (you may also use cocoa powder or pepper instead of glitter)
A bottle of dish soap
A shallow plate

Pour water onto the plate. Generously dust glitter ("germs") over the surface. Place a drop of dish soap on your finger and touch the water surface with it. Watch the "bacteria" run away after contact with the soap. Explain to your kids that real-life microorganisms fade away like glitter does when in contact with soap.

Rock Candy Creation

This is one of the best science experiments for kids, as it's both yummy and nice to watch. The list of the necessary "equipment" includes the following:

1 cup of water
Several glasses and a large saucepan
3 cups of sugar
Sticks for candies and clothespins
Candy flavouring and food colouring (the two last ingredients are optional)

Mix some sugar, together with water, in a saucepan and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Next, keep gradually adding more sugar until it no longer dissolves. The water should become slightly cloudy. Add food colouring and candy flavouring if you want. Pour the suspension into the glasses.

Next, dip the sticks into clean water then coat them with sugar, leaving the top quarter of the stick sugar-free Wait until they are dry. Attach the clothespins to the sticks and submerge the sugared ends of the sticks into the glasses. Every day more crystals will form on the sticks. Although your children will surely be dying to try those sweets as soon as possible, they’ll need to wait several days until they have full-fledged candies. This builds willpower and patience.

Changing Plants' Colours

Do your children keep ‘forgetting to water the plants in their rooms? If so, they should definitely participate in this science project for kids. It will help them to understand why it's so essential to water plants. Moreover, youngsters will understand how plants use water. To prepare for the experiment, you need 3-6 white flowers. We advise you to choose thick-stemmed ones. Furthermore, you'll need 4 glasses, food colouring, and water.

Your child needs to go through the following steps during the experiment:

Fill the glasses with water
Add 30 drops of food colouring into each glass and stir the mixture
Cut the flowers so that they will fit in a glass
Place the flowers into the glasses
Wait for some time then enjoy watching the plants change colour

This experiment looks like a real magi so your kids will undoubtedly be thrilled with it.

Volcanic Eruption in a Soda Bottle

This simple science experiment for kids suits young adventurers! Through this exciting activity, children will dive deep into the world of the Earth's bowels with its boiling magma and smoke clouds, as they learn the principles of volcano eruptions. You have to prepare the following supplies:

100 ml of cold water and food colouring
10 ml of dish soap
400 ml of white vinegar
Baking soda solution
Empty 2-litre soda bottle

To make a baking soda solution, pour half a cup of water into a cup half filled with baking soda and carefully mix the suspension. After everything is ready, you should perform the following:

Pour water into the empty soda bottle. Add the vinegar, dish soap, 2 drops of food colouring, and mix carefully.
Quickly pour the baking soda solution into the 2-litre bottle. Step back from the bottle.
Watch a dramatic foam eruption.

You may add brown food colouring to get a natural volcano magma colour or a bright-tinted colourant to see a vibrantly coloured spew. Whatever shade you choose, the result will definitely blow your mind.

Make a Leak-Proof Bag

This experiment for kids is an outstanding idea if your children are interested in magic tricks. You have to prepare sharp pencils, water, and plastic zip-lock bags to organise the scientific activity. Next, follow these steps:

Fill a plastic bag with water and zip it up.
Hold the bag over the sink or bathtub (you’ll understand why a little later.
Ask your child to pierce the plastic bag with pencils. The pencils should go through both sides of the plastic bag.
Check if water leakages appear. They won't if everything is done correctly.

And now hold plastic bags over a bathtub or sink. Often, kids will try to pull the pencils out of the bags after they see no leakages. In this case, water starts leaking out.

Pin a Beard on a Balloon Face

We recommend this easy experiment for kids from 1-2 years old. While the activity is incredibly simple, it's still exciting and amusing enough to gain your children's attention. First, prepare the following research "tools and ingredients":

Balloons and felt-tip pens
Dry woollen cloth together with a plate
Salt and ground pepper

As a part of the experiment, you should go through the following steps:

Blow up the balloon. Usually, kids will really enjoy this part!
Draw eyes, a nose, a mouth, and everything you want to create a full-fledged face. We don't recommend using sharp felt-tip pens as they may pop the balloon.
Sprinkle salt on the plate. Add some pepper.
Rub the balloon with a woollen cloth in the chin area.
Bring the balloon close to the plate with salt and pepper. The mixture on the plate will start to stick to the balloon.

As a result, you'll get a face with an almost real beard. Ask kids to make a bunch of bearded people to encourage them to master the technique.

Water Cycle in a Bag

This activity is definitely a cool science experiment for kids who might be wondering how the clouds form in the sky and why it rains after several hot days. Initially, you’ll need to prepare the following things:

A clear plastic bag and packing tape
Water and food colouring
A hairdryer or sunny window

Pour some water into the plastic bag until it is just under half full. Seal the bag opening with packing tape. Put the package in a sunny window. If it's cloudy, heat the bag with a hairdryer, but don't hold the hairdryer too close to the bag.

After a few minutes, you'll see drops on the inside of the bag. Explain to your child that those drops are like rain in real life. Clouds form when water vapour (steam) is created by water becoming a gas at high temperatures. Raindrops, just like the drops in the bag, appear when the steam condenses (becomes a liquid) as it cools. That's why it usually rains when it cools down after several hot days.

How to Make a Compass

This is one of the best science experiments for kids who are excited about the prospect of sailing the boundless seas or exploring the dense jungles. After participating in this activity, your children will surely find North wherever they are. To make a compass, you need the following supplies:

Magnets (the stronger they are, the better the compass will be)
Water and a bowl of a medium to large size
A sewing needle (choose a large one so that your kid can easily hold it in their little hands)
Cork (a wax paper circle or a leaf is still good) and pliers

Remember! Don't do this experiment with kids who put things in their mouths. That's because sharp needles may injure them, and swallowing magnets is incredibly dangerous. After the supplies are ready, you may start the activity. Proceed with the following:

Magnetise one needle's end. Children should stoke the magnet down the length of the needle about 50 times. Remember which side of the magnet you used.
Magnetise the other end of the needle. Here, youngsters have to do the same but with the non-magnetized end using the magnet’s other pole.
Cut the cork so it's nearly 1-2 cm thick.
Stick the needle through the cork. Children are advised to hold the needle with pliers to avoid injury.
Pour water into a bowl. Put the cork with the needle on the water surface.
Test your compass.

You can make a second compass and put it into the same bowl to see what will happen. Also, try to bring the magnets close to the water. Finally, try to spin the compass.

Squash Soda Can Without Touching It

This science experiment is for children who enjoy crushing everything around them. Ask your kid if they’d like to squash a can without using force. But first, prepare the following "tools":

Several opened and empty aluminium cans (at least 4)
A gas or electric stove
A frying pan and 2 bowls
Tongs, water, and ice

Next, you should go through the following stages:

Put a little water into 2 of the empty soda cans. The water should just cover the bottom. Otherwise, you'll waste a lot of time waiting until the water boils.
Place the 2 cans on the frying pan. Heat them until the water boils.
Put some ice and water into the bowls.
Grab the tongs and use them to transfer one of the cans from the pan to one of the bowls. Make sure you turn the can upside down as you place it into the iced water. Your child will be very impressed when the can squashes instantly!

Additionally, take another can with tongs. Put it right-side-up into another bowl with iced water. You’ll see that nothing happens. Your kid will probably be desperate to know what the secret is.
The secret lies in the inner pressure. In the first case, the entrance to the can hole is blocked by the water so, when the cold water quickly cools the air inside the can, the pressure becomes much lower than the pressure outside the can. This higher external pressure causes the can to collapse. In the second instance, the entrance to the can hole remains open so the pressure inside the can equalises with the external pressure so the can is not affected.

Building the Da Vinci Bridge

This ingenious science experiment for kids suits young engineers. Are your children passionate about Lego or creating things with their own hands? If so, you've found the right activity for them. You will need the following "equipment":

11 ordinary pencils
A rubber band set
A heavy item (e.g., a small box full of stones, a dumbbell of about 2 kg, etc.)

Next, you should construct a bridge like in the picture above. Pencils have to be fixed with rubber bands. After the structure is ready, test the bridge by placing heavy items on it. Try to find the weight limit of the construction. Place more and more weight until the bridge collapses.

Make a Solar Clock

Sundials are thought to have been invented by the ancient Egyptians around 1,500 B.C. So, this is a science project for kids who love history. To organise the experiment, you need the following:

A paper plate (or a paper sheet) and marker
A pencil or pen and a mechanical or digital clock
Sunlight

Choose a sunny day and go outdoors with your kids. Pick an open area without any objects giving shade. Next, perform the following:

Make a small hole in the paper plate's centre. Put a pencil (or a pen) into the hole. You may fix the pencil with adhesive tape.
Place the plate with the pencil in a secure place where pets and birds can't get it.
Using a clock, mark the pencil shade's hour-to-hour positions on the paper plate with a marker.

The activity takes the whole day, but it's worth it for the experiential learning

Turning Milk Into Plastic

This simple science experiment for kids allows them to feel like a wizard. And these young magicians don't even need wands to make the sorcery. Prepare the following things to organise the activity:

A cup of hot milk
A microwave and heat-resistant container or stovetop together with a pan
A measuring cup and a thermos
4 tbsp of white vinegar
A spoon and 6 paper towels
Glitter, food colouring, and markers (optionally)

The experiment requires you to follow these steps:

Heat the milk until it steams. You can do that on a stove or in a microwave.
Add white vinegar to a thermos. Pour the hot milk into this thermos.
Watch white lumps (cottage cheese) appear in the milk.
Carefully blend the suspension for several seconds.
Lay 4 layers of paper towels on a waterproof surface.
Let the milk-vinegar mixture cool a bit. Take out the white lumps from the mixture. You should scoop as many lumps as possible.
Put the lumps on the surface of a paper towel.
Fold the paper towel over the lumps and press down to remove the moisture. The paper towels will quickly absorb it. You may use additional paper towels if necessary.
Crumple the lumps together in a dough ball. You'll get the ‘plastic’ casein.
Add food colouring and glitter, and use markers to paint the craft you made.

This experiment allows your kids to create spectacular toys for themselves.

Levitating Ping-Pong Ball

Your children will surely love this thrilling experiment for kids. That's because they will be able to force an ordinary ping-pong ball to float. To conduct the experiment, you need the following supplies:

A ping pong ball
A flexible drinking straw
A cut-off top of a plastic soda bottle (cut at the curve where the bottleneck be)

The procedure is as follows:

Divide the flexible straw into 2 parts. The first part should be longer than the second part. Bend the straw at a 90-degree angle along the dividing point.
Hold the bent straw in your hand. The short end should point upwards.
Make a small hole in the soda bottle cap. Stick the short straw end into the hole.
Place the ping pong ball above the straw and the funnel of the soda bottle. Blow air through the long end of the straw.
Watch the ball levitating in the air.

The experiment requires time to practise. Initially the ball might pop off the straw but don't worry, because in most cases the ball will fall into the bottle funnel. Thus, you may easily get it from there and start practising again.

Sucking in an Egg Into a Bottle

Have you ever tried to put an over-sized item into a small bottle or jarneck that’s too small for it? If so, that activity probably failed. That's not a problem anymore, though. Or at least, not if you’re using an egg and a glass milk bottle. Prepare for your children to be very intrigued!
To fulfil this easy experiment for kids, you need the following "tools":

Several hard-boiled eggs (peeled)
A milk bottle (or a flask) with a mouth of a smaller size than the eggs
A lighter or matches
Paper strips (narrow enough to easily pass through the milk bottleneck), and a flexible straw

We recommend this experiment to be performed by adults only. The activity includes the following steps:

Light the paper strip and drop it into the empty and dry milk bottle.
Immediately place the egg on the bottleneck top. Be quick or the paper strip will burn up and you'll have to light another strip.
Watch the egg pop inside the bottle through the aperture that’s too small for it.

Your kids will undoubtedly want to see that again! That's why we recommend you prepare several eggs for the experiment.

Cleaning Old Coins

Do you have blackened or rusted coins? Get your children to give them new life using the science experiment below. To organise the activity, you should prepare the following "equipment":

¼ cup each of Coke, ketchup, apple juice, water, vinegar, as well as a salt-vinegar solution
Kitchen paper and tweezers
Several old copper coins
A pen and paper strips for labelling

After that, you should go through the following steps for the 1st experimental stage:

Line up the cups containing the ketchup, Coke, etc. Label them using the paper strips.
Put one old coin into each cup. Leave the coins in the liquids for 10 minutes. While you’re waiting, ask your kids which mixture will clean coins best.
Take the coins out of the cups. Wipe them using kitchen paper.

Evaluate the cleaning effectiveness of each liquid. Ketchup, as well as a vinegar-salt mixture, should win if you do everything right. That's because both of them include vinegar and salt. Thus, you'll work only with these 2 liquids for the 2nd experimental stage, which includes the following steps:

Plunge the coins back into the 2 cups containing the ketchup and vinegar-salt solution.
Wait for 10 minutes.
Take the coins out, but don't wipe them. Just leave the coins on the kitchen paper to air dry.

The copper coins should become slightly bluish-green. Have you ever paid attention to the fact that the Statue of Liberty has a similar colour? That’s because it's made of copper too.

Blow Up a Balloon Without Blowing

This is one of the best science experiments for kids, as young scientists can quickly create an impressive number of blown-up balloons with this activity. And that is without any effort. You should prepare the following supplies to organise the activity:

A small plastic bottle and funnel
Balloons and rubber bands
Baking soda together with vinegar

The experimental procedure involves the following steps:

Half-fill the bottle with vinegar.
Put 10 grams of baking soda into the balloon through the funnel.
Stretch the balloon's neck over the top of the bottle, making sure the baking soda stays in the balloon. Fix the balloon in place using rubber bands.
Pour the baking soda from the balloon into the bottle. Enjoy a home-made gas tank.

This activity suits both preschoolers and elementary school pupils but it's still advised to supervise them during the experiment.

Construct a Self-Made Lava Lamp

The lava lamp was invented in the 1960s. And it's still popular, not just among children but also adults. Parents may thus get an amazing item to keep after this cool science experiment for kids. You'll need the following supplies:

Water and Alka-Seltzer
A bottle of vegetable oil
A clear glass/plastic jar or bottle
Food colouring (we recommend you choose bright colours)

The experiment includes the following stages:

Pour water into a jar until it is a quarter filled. Add vegetable oil. Two separate layers should form, with the water at the bottom and the oil on the top.
Add 4-5 drops of food colouring (the more you add the brighter the lamp will be).
Put half an Alka-Seltzer tablet into the jar. Enjoy watching the bubbles rising.

You can "regulate" the intensity of the bubbling by putting more Alka-Seltzer into the jar.

Create a Tornado in a Bottle

This is an incredibly simple but still fascinating science experiment for kids. You only need a glass bottle with a lid, a funnel, water, and 3-4 tbsp of glitter to organise this activity. The experiment has the following stages:

Put glitter into the bottle using the funnel.
Pour water into the bottle until it is ¾ filled.
Put the lid on the bottle. Ensure that it's tight.
Turn the bottle upside down and spin it for up to 15 seconds.
Watch the tornado in the bottle.

Your kids can create a tornado anytime with this bottle!

Science Experiments for Kids With NewtonShowCamp

If you want to organise a mind-blowing event for your children, simply enrol them in our camp. Parents can order a science birthday party, a thematic activity or party, or even a ‘day-off’ programme to allow their kids to get away from school lessons and other daily routines.

During our hands-on scientific events, children will have a wonderful experience, discover new things, and develop a passion for exploration. And because we make science for kids more fun and engaging, your kids will be more willing to study at school. So don't wait, book an event at our camp today!

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