Good science experiments for kids do not need a kit, a lab or a science degree. Most of the ones below use a glass, a paper towel and something from the pantry. The authors of STEPS to STEM, a curriculum for elementary and middle school teachers, argue for putting everyday materials into children's hands instead of reading from a textbook or watching a demonstration1.
We picked 20 easy science experiments from that book and from tier-one science sources, then sorted them by time and cleanup. Choose from the table, then read the notes for the ones that need more setup.
The table: 20 easy science experiments to do at home
| # | Experiment | Time | Mess | The science in one sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Comb lifts a paper hoop | 5 min | Low | A comb rubbed through hair gets charged and pulls the paper1. |
| 2 | Two balloons that push apart | 5 min | Low | Same charges repel1. |
| 3 | Blow under a folded paper strip | 5 min | Low | Fast air presses less, so the still air on top pushes the paper down1. |
| 4 | Broken line behind a water bottle | 5 min | Low | Light bends passing from water to air (refraction)1. |
| 5 | The coin that appears | 5 min | Low | Refraction again: water lifts the coin's image into view1. |
| 6 | Bend a stream of water | 5 min | Medium | A charged comb attracts a thin stream of water1. |
| 7 | The paper towel that climbs | 10 min | Low | Water sticks to itself and to the fibers, so it climbs3. |
| 8 | Lift an ice cube with a string | 10 min | Low | Salt makes ice melt at a lower temperature1. |
| 9 | Dancing raisins | 10 min | Medium | Gas bubbles cling to raisins, float them up, then pop4. |
| 10 | Marble line | 10 min | Low | As many marbles roll out as roll in1. |
| 11 | Balloon drum on a cardboard tube | 10 min | Low | Sound is vibration of the skin and the air in the tube1. |
| 12 | Rubber-band gears on two spools | 15 min | Low | The small spool spins faster: speed traded for force1. |
| 13 | Chalk fizz in vinegar | 15 min | Medium | Acid meets calcium carbonate and makes carbon dioxide1. |
| 14 | Soap suds test | 15 min | Medium | Epsom salts make water hard, so soap makes fewer suds1. |
| 15 | Comeback can | 20 min | Low | Rolling energy winds a rubber band that rolls the can back1. |
| 16 | Color race on a paper towel | 30 min | Medium | Colors in a mix travel up paper at different speeds1. |
| 17 | Ice cube level test | 1 hour | Low | Floating ice melts with no noticeable change in water level1. |
| 18 | Prune in a glass | Overnight | Low | Water moves into dried fruit and it swells1. |
| 19 | Colored celery | Overnight to a few days | Medium | Water climbs narrow tubes in the stalk, against gravity13. |
| 20 | Salt crystals in a glass | Several days | Low | Evaporating water leaves salt crystals; table salt makes cubes1. |
Quick ones: fun science experiments in 10 minutes or less
Start with static electricity. Have your child comb dry hair briskly, then hold the comb near a hoop taped from a paper strip about 25 cm long1. The hoop moves toward the comb. Then rub two balloons with the same wool cloth and bring them together: they push apart1. The book's lesson:
Charged objects do not always attract other things.1
For the air trick, fold down the short ends of a paper strip about 8 by 15 cm so it stands like a little table, then blow underneath. Most kids expect it to lift. The middle is pushed down instead1.
For light, put a coin in a shallow pan, step back until the rim hides it, and have someone pour in water. The coin seems to rise back into view, because light bends when it crosses from water into air at a slant1.
A charged balloon always pulls things toward it.
Two balloons with the same charge push each other away1.
A melting ice cube makes the water level rise.
In the book's test, the level shows no noticeable change1.
Homemade science experiments that work while you sleep
Drop a dried prune into water before bed and it swells by morning, because water moves into the dried fruit1. Have an adult slice the base off a limp celery stalk, then stand it in colored water: the stalk firms up and the leaves take on the dye1. The USGS notes the color climb can take a few days3.
Salt crystals need an adult for the hot water. The book dissolves table salt in boiled water, covers the glass and checks after a few days: the crystals are cubes1.
Color race on a paper towel
- Red, yellow, blue and green food coloring
- A paper towel or coffee filter strip, about 2 by 20 cm
- A tall glass with 1 cm of water
- A pencil, tape and a tray (dye stains)
- Mix 2 drops of each color. Ask: what color will four colors make?
- Put one small drop of the mix about 2 cm from the bottom of the strip.
- Tape the strip to a pencil across the glass so only the tip touches the water, dot above the water line.
- Wait 20 minutes. Which color climbed highest? Which lagged behind?
Kitchen chemistry, kept short
Drop a piece of chalk into vinegar and it bubbles and falls apart: vinegar is an acid, chalk contains calcium carbonate, and the reaction gives off carbon dioxide1. Eggshell is calcium carbonate too, so a raw egg in vinegar loses much of its shell, then swells in fresh water overnight1. Wash hands after handling raw egg.
For dancing raisins, use a tall clear glass of clear soda. The raisins sink, then carbon dioxide bubbles grab the wrinkly skin and float them up; at the top the bubbles pop and they sink again4. The baking soda volcano and more fizz tests have their own guides, linked below.
Safety rules for household science experiments
- Paper towels, coffee filters, tall clear glasses
- Food coloring, table salt, Epsom salts, white vinegar
- A comb, balloons stored up high, a wool sweater
- Spools, rubber bands, a cardboard tube, tape
- Goggles, listed by DK as basic experiment equipment2
- A notebook for predictions
How to turn science activities at home into real experiments
A trick shows something; an experiment tests an idea. The difference is a prediction said out loud first. DK's 1000 Words STEM, a picture vocabulary book for the first school years, labels the parts of an experiment: question, prediction, method, results, conclusion2. Use those words. Its parent note says talking about words exposes children to more of them as part of the conversation2.
What you think will happen, said before the test2.
Say it: “Pull together or push apart?”Soaks up liquid, like a paper towel2.
Say it: “Which of these is absorbent?”Light bending as it passes from water to air1.
Say it: “Where did the coin go?”What you decide you learned2.
Say it: “So what did we find out?”The best experiment is the one where your child's prediction turns out wrong.
What to expect by age
Can: Predict, watch closely and describe what changed12.
Try: Rows 1 to 11. Draw the result instead of writing it.
Can: Change one thing at a time, count or measure, and give a reason1.
Try: The soap suds test with four cups, or a crystal diary over several days.
Frequently asked questions
What are some cool science experiments to do at home?
The ones with a surprise: two charged balloons that push apart, a paper strip that sinks when you blow under it, and a coin that appears in water1. Dancing raisins are another favorite4.
What are simple science experiments for a 5 year old?
Short, low-mess ones: the comb and paper hoop, the climbing paper towel and the overnight prune13. Stay close with balloons, since CPSC advises supervision under age 86.
How do I set up an easy science lab at home?
One shelf is enough: paper towels, glasses, food coloring, salt, vinegar, a comb, spools, rubber bands, goggles and a notebook. DK's experiment page lists goggles, a ruler and scales as equipment2.
Are science experiments at home safe for kids?
The ones here use food and paper, with adults on hot water and cutting. Never mix cleaning products: bleach with ammonia or vinegar releases toxic gases5.
Keep exploring
- Baking soda volcano experiment The classic fizzing volcano, step by step.
- Kitchen chemistry experiments for kids More fizz, color and crystal tests from the pantry.
- Air is not nothing More surprises like the paper strip trick.
If you want a new experiment every month
Everything above runs on household items. If you would rather have the materials and a fresh build arrive each month, the Club sends one sealed box at a time.
ClubA sealed box for every monthMonthly at $39, or $29 a box on the 12-month plan. Siblings pay less.from $29GoP Toys sells the Club mentioned above. None of the sources cited tested our products.