Written by Kristin Savage
You don’t need fancy equipment to actively engage in science. You can create a volcano with simple everyday materials that you can find in your home!
Keep reading to find out 8 fun science experiments you can do today!
It is a good idea to familiarize kids with science from an early age. Fun science experiments are best suited for this task, as they are visual, interesting, and often lead to unexpected results. Science projects and related activities help children see a practical application of concepts they learned in school. It’s a real opportunity for children to witness the laws of physics at work, understand the essence of natural phenomena, and learn about various chemical processes.
We've collected a number of fun scientific experiments that kids and parents can do at home, in the comfort of their own backyard, or use to make any camping or field trip more exciting. We have selected simple, spectacular, exciting experiments for children that do not require any special training or sophisticated equipment. If you want to delve in, just keep on reading!
1) Teabag Rocket
You will need:
● tea bag
● lighter
● tray
● garbage container
Carefully cut the tea bag on one side, pouring the tea out. Straighten the bag, form it into the shape of a cylinder, and place it on the tray. Set fire to the bag from above and wait for it to take off. Due to the bag’s small mass, a stream of warm air will launch it into flight.
We should add a disclaimer that all experiments that contain a fire or flammable substances should be conducted outdoors or in well-ventilated rooms. Before you perform an experiment, make sure that your surroundings are free from easily flammable objects and always keep a fire extinguisher on hand. Also, make sure to always teach fire safety before starting such a project.
2) Frosted Bubbles
You will need:
● soap solution to blow bubbles with
● frosty weather
Dilute some soap in water, then bring the liquid outside and blow bubbles with it. If the temperature is freezing, you will immediately notice that small crystals appear at different points on the bubble’s surface, and will grow rapidly, finally merging. If the weather is not cold enough for bubbles to freeze on their own, you can kick-start this process with a snowflake: as soon as you blow the soap bubble out, drop a snowflake on it, and you will see how it immediately makes the bubble freeze. This is a good way to study the process of crystallization.
3) Mock Volcano
You will need:
● Play-doh
● cardboard
● baking soda
● red paint
● water
● dishwashing liquid
● vinegar
● plate or tray
Make a cone out of cardboard, cut the top off, and insert an empty container into it. Then, cover the outside of cardboard with play-doh so that it looks like a mountain; put the structure on a plate or tray to minimize the mess. Pour baking soda and red paint into the container inside the volcano. Add water as well as a drop of dishwashing liquid. Stir, then add a little vinegar and enjoy the eruption! When baking soda and vinegar come into contact, a rapid reaction begins, releasing water, salt, and carbon dioxide, driving gas bubbles upwards to push the contents of the volcano out.
4) Paper Lid
You will need:
● empty glass
● water
● paper
Pour some water into a glass, cut out a square of paper and place it over the top of the glass, and gently flip the glass over while holding the paper down. Let go of the paper and see how the paper will stick to the glass as if it were magnetized, so no water will spill out! When we cover a glass of water with a piece of paper, turning it over, water presses on the sheet on one side while air does so from the other side. Considering that air pressure is greater than the water pressure in the glass, the sheet of paper does not fall.
5) Self-Inflating Balloon
You will need:
● uninflated balloon
● empty bottle (1 or 1.5 liters)
● spoon
● plastic funnel
● vinegar
● baking soda
Fill a bottle with vinegar about a third of the way full. Then, pour 2-3 tsp of baking soda into the balloon through the funnel. Next, put the balloon on the bottle’s neck and watch it inflate! If you want to keep the balloon by your ceiling, rub its top against any synthetic material, then place it in contact with the ceiling. As a result of mixing baking soda and vinegar, carbon dioxide is released, which fills the balloon, lifting it up. Because of static electricity, the balloon will stay on the ceiling without any adhesive for about 5 hours. You can conduct this experiment in preparation for a kid’s birthday.
6) Soft Egg
You will need:
● 1 chicken egg
● 1 glass jar
● vinegar
Put an uncooked egg in a glass filled with vinegar and let it sit for a few hours. The first result of the experiment can be seen in 5-6 hours, and the egg will become completely soft in 7-10 days. When the egg is submerged in vinegar, it undergoes a chemical change. Eggshells are made up of calcium carbonate, while vinegar is an acid that dissolves this substance. The chemical process of the interaction between eggs and vinegar is called decalcification and takes place in two stages: first, the shell becomes soft, and second, it disappears completely.
7) Layered Liquid
You will need:
● juice
● vegetable oil
● alcohol
● tall glass container (transparent vase can be used)
Pour juice into your container so that if forms a layer at the bottom. Then, carefully add vegetable oil along the side of the container, followed by alcohol poured just as carefully. The liquids will be distributed in layers on top of each other without mixing. These fluids all have different densities: a less dense substance will be distributed in a layer above a more dense substance. You can tint the liquids before starting this project for better visual representation.
8) Tornado in a Jar
Doesn’t that sound exciting?
You will need:
● water
● tall transparent glass jar with a lid
● dishwashing liquid
● food dye
● glitter
Fill the jar 3/4 full of water, then add a few drops of dishwashing liquid. After a few seconds, add the dye and glitter – this will help you see a tornado better. Close the jar with the lid, spin it in a spiral, and admire the cool effect. When you rotate the jar in circular motions, you create a vortex of water that looks like a mini-tornado. Water quickly revolves around the center of the vortex due to something called centrifugal force. Centrifugal force is the force within a guiding object or liquid, such as water, relative to the center of its circular path. Whirlwinds are found in nature, but they are scary and dangerous. This project allows kids to safely learn about centrifugal force and view the effect it creates.
Additionally, we should note that all projects using water and other liquids, especially corrosive ones, should be conducted outdoors, in case of spillage and splatters. It is a good idea to perform science projects outside – it allows us to better view the effect, keep a safe distance as the experiment unfolds, and ensures easier cleanup!
When children are young, their projects are fun and entertaining, but as their education progresses, enjoyable scholarly activities become scarce. This website here can give a helping hand to students who struggle with essay assignments – they offer free samples you can study and use as inspiration for your work. Take advantage of their services to get a few ideas and a fresh perspective on your topic.
Children perceive entertaining activities and experiments as something interesting, attention-grabbing, and even borderline magical. So, an interesting science project can serve as great “camouflage” for otherwise boring science facts, as well as a fun visual representation of different scientific processes. You don't need any special, hard to acquire equipment or expensive materials to blow your kid's minds away with the simple and easy-to-perform experiments we prepared for you in this article. So, put on your lab coats and get cracking!
Author Bio: Kristin Savage
Having worked as a writer and proofreader her entire life, Kristin is well-equipped to elaborate on any topics her readers want to learn more about. She uses her experience to compose engaging and helpful articles that cater to the desires and needs of her peers. Extensive background in research and editing provides Kristin with appropriate skills to keep her articles easy to read and follow. When work is done, Kristin likes playing guitar and crafting.
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