5 Easy Science Experiments You Can Try at Home with Kids
Educational and Fun Activities
Written by Emily Carter
17 February 2025
🕓 12 min
Science can be a fascinating and fun experience for kids, especially when they get to see it in action through hands-on experiments. The best part? You don’t need a fancy lab or expensive equipment—just a few household items and a curious mind. These simple yet engaging experiments will not only entertain your kids but also introduce them to basic scientific concepts. Here are five easy science experiments to try at home.
1. Magic Milk Experiment
This colorful experiment demonstrates the chemistry of soap and surface tension. All you need is milk, food coloring, and dish soap.
Start by pouring milk into a shallow dish and adding a few drops of different food coloring. Then, dip a cotton swab in dish soap and touch the surface of the milk. Watch as the colors swirl and mix in fascinating patterns!
This happens because the soap molecules disrupt the surface tension of the milk, pushing the food coloring outward in vibrant patterns. Kids can experiment with different types of milk (whole, skim, almond) to see how the reaction changes. To extend this experiment, try using different temperatures of milk or alternative liquids to observe how the reaction varies. You can also let kids predict the outcome before adding the soap, helping them develop their hypothesis and reasoning skills.
For additional learning, discuss how surface tension works in nature, such as how water striders walk on water or how raindrops form on surfaces. You can also test different types of soap to see if they create the same reaction
2. Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano
A classic experiment that never fails to impress, this one teaches kids about chemical reactions.
Simply build a small volcano using a mound of playdough or a plastic cup. Add a few tablespoons of baking soda inside, then pour vinegar over it and watch it erupt like a real volcano! Adding a few drops of food coloring can make the "lava" look even cooler. This experiment demonstrates an acid-base reaction, producing carbon dioxide gas, which creates the bubbling eruption. Try varying the amounts of baking soda and vinegar to see how the reaction changes.
For extra fun, experiment with adding dish soap to create an even foamier reaction. You can also create a mini science journal for kids to record their observations and tweak variables to see different results. To extend the learning experience, discuss real-life volcanoes and how they erupt. You can show videos of volcanic eruptions and compare them to the chemical reaction happening in the experiment. Additionally, try using different acids like lemon juice to see if the eruption differs.
3. Walking Water Experiment
This simple experiment explores capillary action and color mixing using just water, paper towels, and food coloring.
Place three cups in a row and fill the outer two with water dyed different colors (red and blue, for example). Leave the middle cup empty. Then, take two paper towel strips and place one end in each colored cup and the other end in the empty cup. Over time, watch as the colors "walk" through the paper towels and mix in the middle.
This experiment demonstrates how water moves through absorbent materials due to capillary action. Kids will be amazed to see the water travel and create new colors as it blends. Extend this experiment by using different materials like napkins, coffee filters, or cloth to see which absorbs water the best. You can also try using different distances between the cups and record how long it takes for the water to move.
For more engagement, discuss how plants use capillary action to transport water from roots to leaves. You can also use this concept to create colorful rainbow flowers by placing white flowers in colored water and watching them change colors over time.
4. Balloon-Powered Car
This fun physics experiment helps kids learn about propulsion and Newton’s Third Law of Motion.
Attach a balloon to a straw and tape the straw onto a lightweight toy car or a homemade cardboard base. Inflate the balloon, hold the end shut, then release it and watch the car zoom forward!
The escaping air propels the car in the opposite direction, demonstrating action and reaction forces. Experiment with different car designs, straw placements, and balloon sizes to see which setup works best. For added learning, ask kids to predict which changes will make the car go farther or faster. You can also challenge them to design different types of balloon-powered vehicles, like boats or planes, to see how propulsion works in different scenarios.
To extend this experiment, explain how jet engines and rockets work using similar principles. You can also introduce a race challenge, timing how far different car designs travel, and even modifying them for improved aerodynamics.
5. Homemade Lava Lamp
Create a mesmerizing lava lamp effect using oil, water, food coloring, and effervescent tablets.
Fill a clear bottle halfway with water, then add vegetable oil until nearly full. Drop in a few drops of food coloring, then add a piece of an effervescent tablet (like Alka-Seltzer). Watch as colorful bubbles rise and fall just like a real lava lamp!
This experiment demonstrates density differences between oil and water, as well as how gas bubbles form and rise. The oil floats on water because it is less dense, while the carbon dioxide gas from the tablet pushes colored water droplets upward.
For more fun, try using different amounts of tablets, experimenting with various oil types, or adding glitter for an extra sparkle effect. Kids can also predict what will happen if they shake the bottle first or use different liquids instead of water.
To take it further, explain how real lava lamps work using heat instead of effervescence. You can also explore the concept of liquid density by layering different liquids, such as honey, syrup, and rubbing alcohol, to see how they separate.
Conclusion
Science experiments don’t have to be complicated to be exciting! These simple, hands-on activities introduce important scientific concepts while keeping kids engaged and curious. Whether it’s exploring chemical reactions, capillary action, or physics, these experiments provide a great way for families to learn together while having fun.
Encouraging kids to ask questions and test different variations of these experiments helps build their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Plus, it fosters a love for learning and discovery that can last a lifetime.
Looking for more hands-on science ideas? Stay updated with the latest fun experiments and educational activities at www.scienceofsound.co.uk
