Science opens a number of fun learning opportunities for your kid. At their age, your little ones will often curiously tinker around new objects just to see how they work—just like what a scientist does. After all, they learn best with hands-on experience.
What better way to discover what science has to offer than by conducting experiments? In this blog, we’ll give you a list of exciting science projects for kids that you can try at home.
Invisible Ink
If your kids love to play as agents or spies, then they’d surely enjoy this cool science experiment! In this project, they can write their own secret codes on a piece of paper and watch their drawings disappear in broad daylight.
All you need are the following materials:
- Lemon
- Water
- Cotton swab
- Paper
Instructions:
- Squeeze the lemon and place its juice in a bowl.
- Add a spoon of water and mix.
- Ask your kid to dip a cotton swab into the lemon juice mixture.
- Then, ask them to draw using the cotton swab on a piece of paper. They can draw whatever they like—a shape, a message, or their favorite cartoon character.
- Once they’re done, let the paper dry for a few minutes.
- When the paper is dry, their drawing will disappear as if it’s never there.
- Place your paper near a heat source—a lit flame, light bulb, or sunlight—and let the message appear like magic!
Water Music Experiment
Believe it or not, there is also science in music! Let your kid play with different sounds using this exciting water music experiment. Pour in different amounts of water to create high and low sounds. The more water you put, the lower the sound it produces, and vice versa.
For this experiment, you’ll need:
- Water
- Glasses
- Spoon
Instructions:
- Grab a few glasses from your kitchen. The glasses should be roughly the same size.
- Fill each glass with different amounts of water. You can measure them with a measuring cup or you can simply eyeball how much to put.
- Give your kid a spoon.
- Show them a tap on the glass and ask them to do it, too.
- Let them play around with their newfound instruments!
Plastic Spoon Catapult
Get your little one’s hands busy with this plastic spoon catapult experiment. This simple project introduces them to the workings of a lever, including the physics behind it. To make it a fun game, you can add a stack of cups and let them take it down with their catapults.
To create the catapult, you’ll need these materials:
- Plastic spoon
- Tube (hard cardboard tube, mailing tube, or a rolled newspaper)
- Rubber bands
- Small toy (can be a tiny Lego, figurine, pom pom, or an Angry Bird)
- Craft tape
Instructions:
- Tie the end of the spoon to the middle of the tube using rubber bands. It should resemble a cross-like shape.
- Once the spoon is in place, secure the plastic spoon catapult on the table or counter with your craft tape.
- To shoot, firmly hold the tube with one hand.
- Then, place a small toy on the spoon.
- After that, pull the spoon back by holding its tip with your thumb.
- Aim the spoon towards your target and fire away!
Homemade Slime
Make playtime more exciting by making your own slime at home! After all, who doesn’t love slime? What’s more, slime makes a great sensory play activity as it lets your kid feel the gooey texture repeatedly.
Making a kid-friendly slime at home is simple. You just need the following materials to get started:
- 1 bottle school glue
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 tablespoon contact lens solution
- Decoration: glitter, food coloring, etc. (optional)
- Warm water (optional)
Instructions:
- Pour your school glue into a bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mix the lens solution and baking soda. You can also add a few drops of food coloring or glitter to make it more visually appealing.
- Then, combine the baking soda solution with the glue using a spoon or your hands. It will be sticky at first, but keep kneading to make it less sticky.
- Adjust the texture to your liking. Sprinkle a pinch of baking soda for a firmer texture or a cup of warm water for a gooier consistency.
- Once done, play around and enjoy!
Lava Lamp Experiment
This simple lava lamp experiment makes another exciting science project for your kids! Let your kids watch in wonder as they create a colorful mix of liquids in a jar. With this experiment, they can exercise their fine motor skills and discover what happens when they mix two substances.
To make your own lava lamp at home, you’ll need:
- Container (mason jar, plastic cup, or water bottle)
- Food coloring
- Water
- Oil (baby oil or cooking oil)
- Alka Seltzer/calcium carbonate tablets
Instructions:
- Gather your materials on a table.
- Fill 2/3 of your container with oil.
- Pour water on the remaining portion.
- Add a few drops of food coloring and see what happens. At this point, you can stir them or let them settle.
- For the final trick, add one Alka Seltzer tablet and watch the magic unfold! Once the reaction slows down, you can add another tablet.
Cleaning Pennies
Got a few dirty pennies to spare? Save them for a science experiment instead! This activity will teach your kid the science of cleaning objects around the house as they turn old coins into shining, shimmering ones.
- Dirty pennies
- Glass jar
- Salt
- Vinegar
- Paper towel
Instructions:
- Fill the jar halfway with vinegar.
- Add a teaspoon of salt and mix until it dissolves.
- Drop your dirty coins in the vinegar-salt mixture.
- Wait for a few minutes before taking the coins out.
- Place the pennies on a paper towel.
- Rinse the pennies with water and allow them to dry.
- When you’re done, your old pennies will look good as new!
Explore the Wonders of Science Today
When it comes to nurturing a love of science and STEAM in your children, it’s best to start them young. Fortunately, you can introduce them to the wonderful world of science with these simple preschool science experiments.
Looking for more fun activities for your kids at home? Head over to the Rayito de Sol blog to learn more.
