You’d be surprised just how much science you can do around the home. Do you know how to make a rocket from Alka Seltzer, or even extract your own DNA using stuff found in the kitchen cupboard? We’ve built up quite an archive of science fun on Kidadl. So here below is a list of recommended science experiments to try with different age groups. Have fun! Preschool ScienceUnder-fives have an insatiable curiosity about the world. They’re natural scientists. All of the following involve very little equipment and should be safe enough for young hands to get involved. 1. This article aimed at early-years kids has many fun experiments that feature the stuff we all have in our kitchens. These include:Will it sink or will it float?Magic dancing milk (mixing food colouring, milk and washing-up liquid)How do clouds make rain? (see food colouring ‘rain’ drop from a shaving foam ‘cloud’)Make a materials ‘feely’ bookRainbow eruption (foaming reaction of baking soda and vinegar with food colouring)Dancing worms (make jelly worms dance using the baking soda/vinegar combo)Paper cup bubble machine 2. A second article rounds up even more simple experiments you can try with early-years kids. These include:Grow your own rainbow (use kitchen roll and water to make an ink rainbow ‘grow’)Dancing raisins (nothing more complex than raisins in fizzy pop)Skittles artwork (the amazing patterns that occur when you get Skittles wet)Clean a grubby coinMake your own lava lampChange the colour of celeryMake a bouncy eggTest what melts (needs a warm, sunny day)3. Discover how to make a foaming fountain of elephant’s toothpaste. One to really make the kids ‘Ooo’ and ‘Ahhh’. If you’ve got some hydrogen peroxide lying around, then you can make really impressive foaming creations with just a few other common ingredients.4. Try the egg-drop challenge. Can your kids use bubble wrap, card and other materials to stop a dropped egg smashing? Or you could try the parachute method.5. Have a go at rigging this self-inflating balloon, which expands thanks to the carbon dioxide released when vinegar meets baking soda. The article gives tips for older children on how to alter the variables to get different results.6. See if your kids can make a paper clip float. When they can’t show them this simple trick to make it happen. It’s an experiment in surface tension. Experiments For Younger School Children To Do At Home1. We’ve put together a list of slightly more involved experiments that’ll still wow little kids but might be more practical for older children. These include:Make a balloon hovercraftMake paper frogs jump using static electricityThe magical leak-proof bag (how to insert a sharp pencil into a bag of water)Experiments with light refraction2. Here’s a second article with experiments aimed at 5-7 year-olds. Ideas include:Learn how germs spread, using glitterDiscover how to filter dirty water using gravel and sandSee how different types of chocolate melt at different temperatures A DIY slime experimentDye flowers a new colour (similar to the celery experiment in the previous section).3. Our article on eco-friendly activities includes a few experiments:Make an eco-system in a bottleMake your own laundry detergent4. Similarly, we’ve put together an article to help children learn about the different layers of the Earth. It includes:Make a modelling clay EarthMake a papier-mache Earth bowlUse layers of sand to build up an Earth modelUse a hard-boiled egg to explain the Earth’s layersA scientific planter project5. Is yeast really alive? It looks so, well, not alive. These experiments will show how the ingredient is really a living organism.6. Not all stones sink. Pumice, a volcanic stone filled with air spaces, will float on water. This experiment investigates.7. Does Mint Cool Things Down? It feels like it on the tongue, but will mint have any effect on a thermometer?8. Does tea stain your teeth? Using egg shells as substitutes for teeth, these experiments investigate tea and other dark drinks to look at the stainin effects.Science For Teenagers To Do At HomeOur article on science projects for teens contains the following experiments:Make a silver eggMake plastic polymers from milkHow does temperature affect the rate of diffusion?Build an Alka Seltzer rocketLearn to take fingerprintsMeasure how heart rate changes with exerciseExtract your own DNAMake a vegetable pH indicatorMake a fire extinguisherLearn how to bend waterScatter light to replicate the blue skyMake a metal ballScience KitsAll of the experiments listed above are do-able with equipment and ingredients readily found around most homes. To take things to the next level, you could order one of these wonderful science kits, which include chemistry, microscopes, volcano kits, robotics, electronics and botany. Alternatively, take a look at this list of recommended STEM toys, with something for everyone from toddlers to tweens.Other Science Resources7 Science ‘facts’ we all get wrongBrilliant weather-learning activities for all age groups.Are these space museums in your orbit?11 Spectacular science days out in the UK
You’d be surprised just how much science you can do around the home. Do you know how to make a rocket from Alka Seltzer, or even extract your own DNA using stuff found in the kitchen cupboard?
