Looking for science fair project ideas your child can finish without you doing it for them? The science fair project ideas below are sorted by grade, from kindergarten to 5th grade, and each one is already turned into a testable question. Pick one, change one thing, measure what happens, and you have a real experiment.
Grade labels follow each grade's science standards: New Jersey's published standards for K to 2456 and the standard links printed in the curriculum book STEPS to STEM for grades 3 to 52. Your state may differ, so treat the grade as a starting point.
Science fair project ideas by grade
Kindergarten science fair projects
Kindergarten standards ask children to compare: different strengths of pushes and pulls, and the effect of sunlight on Earth's surface4. So keep it to two or three choices and a result you can see.
| Idea | Testable question | Change | Measure | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car ramp | Which ramp makes the toy car roll farther, 1 book tall or 3 books tall? | Ramp height | Hand spans rolled | K-PS2-14 |
| Sun or shade | Where does an ice cube melt first, sun or shade? | Place | Which melts first | K-PS3-14 |
| Ice cube shade | Which cover keeps an ice cube frozen longest in the sun: paper, foil or cloth? | Cover | Minutes until melted | K-PS3-24 |
| Seed needs | Do bean seeds sprout with water and without water? | Water or none | Seeds sprouted after 7 days | K-LS1-14 |
Grades 1 and 2: science fair ideas that sort materials
First grade adds sound and light: vibrating materials make sound, and different materials change a beam of light5. Second grade asks kids to test materials and find the one best suited for a job, and to check whether plants need sunlight and water6.
| Idea | Testable question | Change | Measure | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Box drums | Which drum skin makes the loudest sound: paper, plastic wrap or a balloon? | Skin material | Loudness, rated 1 to 3 | 1-PS4-15 |
| Light blockers | Which materials let a flashlight beam through: clear plastic, wax paper or cardboard? | Material | All, some or no light | 1-PS4-35 |
| Towel test | Which paper towel brand soaks up the most water? | Brand | Spoonfuls soaked up | 2-PS1-26 |
| Plants in the dark | Does a bean plant grow taller in a sunny window or in a closet? | Light | Height in cm after 2 weeks | 2-LS2-16 |
Science fair projects for third graders
Third grade standards ask for evidence about forces and motion, and for patterns that predict future motion2. They also ask kids to put weather data in tables and graphs2. That makes for good science fair experiments for 3rd graders: a tape measure and a timer are enough.
| Idea | Testable question | Change | Measure | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ramp pattern | How does ramp height change how far a toy car rolls? | Height: 1, 2, 3, 4 books | Distance in inches | 3-PS2-22 |
| Pendulum count | Does a longer string change how many swings a pendulum makes in 15 seconds? | String length | Swings counted | 3-PS2-22 |
| Paper clip plane | Does a paper clip on the nose change how far a paper plane flies? | Clips: 0, 1, 2 | Distance in feet | 3-PS2-12 |
| Weather log | Which days this month were windiest, and did rain follow? | Nothing: a log | Rain and wind for 3 weeks | 3-ESS2-12 |
Science fair experiments for 4th graders
Fourth grade covers energy carried by sound, light, heat and electric currents, and how water and wind wear away land2.
| Idea | Testable question | Change | Measure | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun cups | Which color cup warms water most in an hour of sunlight? | Cup color | Temperature change | 4-PS3-22 |
| Erosion tray | Which cover slows water washing soil away: bare soil, grass clippings or leaves? | Ground cover | Spoonfuls of soil washed out | 4-ESS2-12 |
| Bounce height | How does drop height change how high a ball bounces? | Drop height | Bounce height in cm | Energy (our pick) |
Science fair projects for 5th graders
Fifth grade standards ask kids to measure and graph weight before and after a change, to test whether mixing makes a new substance, and to argue that gravity pulls objects down2.
| Idea | Testable question | Change | Measure | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melting weight | Does a sealed cup of ice weigh the same after it melts? | Before and after | Weight in grams | 5-PS1-22 |
| New substance? | Which mixes make something new: salt and water, or baking soda and vinegar? | Mix | Bubbles, fizz, leftover solid | 5-PS1-42 |
| Paper helicopters | How does wing length change how long a paper helicopter takes to fall? | Wing length | Seconds to land | 5-PS2-12 |
Science fair subjects: ideas sorted by topic
The best science fair projects for this age are often not activities for science fair lists at all. If your child already loves a subject, start there. In a National Research Council workshop summary, studies of informal science learning were described as suggesting that students do best when they see science as personally meaningful and can actively engage in it3.
| Subject | Idea | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Sports | Does a basketball bounce higher on the driveway, grass or carpet? | 2 to 4 |
| Plants and biology | Do seeds sprout faster in a warm room or a cool one? | 2 to 5 |
| Space and gravity | Do a heavy ball and a light ball dropped together land together? | 3 to 5 |
| Kitchen science | Does sugar dissolve faster in warm water or cold? | 3 to 5 |
| Magnets | How many paper sheets can a fridge magnet hold a clip through? | 1 to 3 |
How to pick a doable, testable science project
The STEM Student Research Handbook by Darci Harland, written for high school researchers, gives the cleanest method we have found, and it scales down well1. Its first rule is about the question itself:
Testable questions often begin with How, What, When, Who, or Which.1
- Why do plants grow?
- Why do balls bounce?
- What is the best paper plane?
- Which window helps bean plants grow tallest?
- How does drop height change bounce height?
- Which wing fold flies farthest in 5 throws?
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01Start from curiosity.
Ideas can come from everyday wondering, TV, or family life1.
-
02Brainstorm before judging.
What to study, what to change, what to measure, what you need. List many answers first1.
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03Change only one thing.
Long projects should test one change that is easy to make and measure1.
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04Pick a spread.
Choose levels that are not too close and not only extremes, like ramps 1, 2, 3 and 4 books tall1.
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05Do a practice run.
A practice test fixes the method before real data1.
- One thing changes; everything else stays the same1
- The result is a number or a clear category we can record
- We can repeat each version several times
- It fits the weeks we have before the fair
- No animals, people or germs, unless the fair allows it
What judges look for at a science fair
Elementary fairs write their own rubrics, so ask for yours. For a sense of what judges reward, Harland prints a sample 100-point judge's score sheet1.
The poster's looks earn the fewest points. The sheet asks whether conclusions rest on the data, whether errors are explained, and whether the student answers questions1. That is why a simple, well-measured project beats a flashy demo.
A plain project your child can explain beats a beautiful one they cannot.
A good project proves the hypothesis.
A researcher never says a hypothesis is proven, only supported1. A result that disagrees still counts.
A volcano is an experiment.
It is a demonstration until your child changes one thing and measures the effect, like the amount of baking soda1.
Having data that do not support a hypothesis is just as valuable as a supported hypothesis.1
Practice the judges' questions at home. A workshop summary from the National Research Council describes two on-the-spot questions teachers use: "how do you know?" and "how can you support that idea?"3 Ask them at dinner.
Safety and fair rules
Frequently asked questions
What are some easy science fair projects?
The easiest ones compare two or three choices and measure one thing, like which paper towel soaks up the most water or which ramp sends a car farthest. Repeat each version a few times so one lucky try does not decide the result1.
What are good science project ideas for kindergarten?
Kindergarten standards ask kids to compare pushes and pulls and to observe sunlight's effect4. A sun-or-shade ice cube test or a 1-book versus 3-book ramp is just right.
What science fair experiments work for 3rd graders?
Third grade standards focus on forces, motion patterns and weather data2. A ramp-height test, a pendulum swing count or a paper plane with paper clips on the nose all fit.
Can my child do a project on bacteria or the 5 second rule?
Check your fair's rules first. Microorganisms are a restricted area at many fairs and some do not allow them at all1. A baker's yeast or plant project is a safer swap1.
Keep exploring
- Science fair board layout and the scientific method How to lay out the finished project and walk judges through it.
- Ramps, cars and your child's first fair test A full walkthrough of the ramp idea from Tables 1 and 3.
- "How do you know?" Practice the question judges ask most.
If you want a new project every month
Every idea above works with things already in your house. If you would like a fresh building project arriving each month to test and talk about, there is our Club.
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.