If you have been searching for simple science experiments for kids, then you have come to the right place!
When we first started exploring the world of science with our kids, I won’t lie, it was overwhelming. The tools, the rules…the mess. It took me a while as a parent to stop focusing on the end result of the experiments that I was doing with my children and to start focusing on the wonder. Once I stepped back, stop controlling, and let the wonder work it’s magic that’s when the fun and learning began.
Children learn about life through hands-on exploration and trial and error. Through asking questions, seeking answers, and feeding their curiosity through play. This is what makes science such a vital subject for children to learn.
Embracing wonder. That’s what it is all about.
How to Teach Science to Young Kids
1. Give Children Time and Space to Explore
Children learn through trial and error. They need time to test out theories, try new things and think outside the box. Before jumping in to provide your child with answers to questions they are struggling to figure out, try prompting your child with questions that will lead and giving your child the time and space to sort it out.
2. Embrace Your Child’s Questions
We have all been there, at the end of our rope as our child asks “why” for the billionth time of the day. It’s exhausting and adorable all at once. The next time your child presents you with a why turn the question back on them. Instead of providing your child the answers or responding with an “I’m not sure”, encourage your child to share their perspective and observations.
3. Find the Answers Together
“What do you think?” can be an extremely powerful phrase for a little mind. Watch your child lead the way as you explore together.
4. Accept that it Will Get Messy
Whether you are building a volcano together or exploring insects in the mud, children are likely to get messy when they explore their environments.
5. Make Mistakes Together
Mistakes lead to all sorts of possibilities and provide endless opportunities to further explore. Take advantage of mistakes as a chance to investigate deeper together.
Science Experiments for Kids
Printable Butterfly Life Cycle Playdough Mats
Sharing is caring! 12344 shares Share Tweet Pin Are you ready to have some fun while learning about butterflies? If so, you’re in for a treat! Our printable butterfly life cycle playdough mats are a playful way to teach your little ones all about the fascinating metamorphosis that these fluttery creatures go through. With these
DIY Earth Day Seed Bombs for Kids
Ready to get your hands dirty and do some gardening with your kids? Then look no further than the magical world these DIY Earth Day Seed Bombs for Kids! These little balls of wonder are like mini-planting machines, perfect for unleashing a wave of color and life into any outdoor space. Plus, they’re a total
Roar into Playtime with These Dinosaur Playdough Mats
Are your little ones obsessed with dinosaurs? Do they love getting their hands dirty with playdough? Well, we have the perfect activity for them! Introducing our brand new Dinosaur Playdough Mats – the ultimate way for kids to bring prehistoric creatures to life while strengthening their fine motor skills and sparking their imaginations. So, let’s
Printable Butterfly Life Cycle Posters
Butterflies are one of the most magical creatures in nature, and teaching young learners about their life cycle is an exciting way to spark their curiosity and imagination. What better way to do so than with some super cute, printable butterfly life cycle posters? These posters not only make learning about butterflies fun, but they
Easter Egg-speriment: Sink or Float Science Project for Kids
Sink or float science experiments are always a favorite amongst kids – and with good reason! They are simple, fun, and provide a hands-on way for kids to explore scientific concepts like buoyancy. And what better way to try out this classic experiment than with plastic Easter eggs? The Easter Egg Sink or Float Science
Sensory Science: DIY Butterfly Life Cycle Sensory Bin for Kids
Get ready to embark on a journey through the fascinating world of butterflies! If you’re looking for a hands-on science activity that engages all the senses and helps kids learn about the butterfly life cycle, then this DIY Butterfly Life Cycle Sensory Bin is for you! Butterfly Life Cycle Science for Kids Butterflies are a
Crawling Colors! A FUN Science Experiment in Color Mixing
Basic color theory for Kids with this amazingly fun color mixing science experiment – Crawling Colors!
Eco-Friendly Fun: Celebrate Earth Day with a Baking Soda and Vinegar Science Experiment
Earth Day is a time to celebrate the planet and find ways to protect it. One fun and eco-friendly way to do that is by trying out a baking soda and vinegar science experiment with your kids. This simple experiment is a great way to learn about the Earth and its natural processes. Fizzy Earth
How to Make a Lemon Battery Science Project
Are you curious about electricity? Have you ever wondered how it works or how it powers your toys and gadgets? Well, today we have a fun and exciting experiment that you can try at home – making a lemon battery! Yes, you read that right! You can create your very own battery using a lemon,
Building a Leprechaun Trap STEM Project for Kids
Looking for a fun activity to do with your kids for St. Patrick’s Day? Why not try making a leprechaun trap! You’ll need simple materials like a coffee container, construction paper, and popsicle sticks, and we’ll walk you through step-by-step instructions on how to create a trap that will have leprechauns begging to be caught.
Printable 2 Piece Animal Puzzle for Preschoolers
These fun printable animal pattern matching 2-piece puzzles are sure to be loved by your kids! These simple problem solving puzzles are perfect for toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergartners. With this printable packet, little learners will match pieces of a close up, real life photo of the animal’s skin to a clip art picture of the
Animal Habitat Clip Cards
Looking for a way to teach your preschoolers about animal habitats? These animal habitat clip cards are a great way to help your students explore different animals and their natural habitats. How Do You Explain Habitat to Preschoolers? A habitat is the environment that the animal lives in. Each animal has a specific type of
Printable Zoo STEM Challenge Cards
Looking for a STEM activity that can be done with your kids at home or in the classroom? These printable Zoo STEM Challenge Cards are perfect! Each card features a different zoo-themed challenge, along with space to plan and record your build. What Are STEM Activities? STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Unplugged Coding Zoo Animal Block Code Pathways for Kids
Welcome to the Unplugged Coding Zoo! In this unplugged coding game, kids will mix animal brain breaks with block code concepts to create fun and educational block code pathways for them to act out while executing their code! Zoo Animal Block Code Pathways Printable This unplugged coding activity uses paper squares to represent code blocks.
Printable Dinosaur Playdough Task Cards
Have a little one that loves dinosaurs? These dinosaur playdough task cards support their love of the creatures while also fostering a number of developmental skills. Use them at home as a fun educational opportunity or include them in a science or literacy center in your classroom. Looking for more dinosaur activities for preschoolers? Find
Printable Human Body Playdough Mats
These printable human body playdough mats are a wonderful learning tool in teaching body systems as well as the different organs our bodies have to work properly! Ready to grab yours? Click here for these printable human body playdough mats for kids! Human Body Systems for Kids This science activity is a helpful introduction to
Witches Brew Science Experiment
Explore chemical reactions in this fun Witches Brew Science Experiment! Kids will have a blast creating their own potions while learning how to compare and contrast the reactions of different materials. This witches brew science experiment can easily be a fun stand alone sensory activity that can very easily be adapted into a science experiment.
Investigating Sunflowers Fine Motor Activity
Encourage kids to learn about the parts of a sunflower with this simple and engaging Investigating Sunflowers Fine Motor Tray! Every year without fail we plant a garden that the kids help with from start to finish. This year my rambunctious toddler was all to eager to help. As the garden began to grow we
Hatching Fizzy Dinosaur Eggs
Explore chemical reactions in this Hatching Fizzy Dinosaur Eggs Sensory Science Bin! My kids love everything fizzy! It doesn’t matter how many times we do a fizzy science experiment or make bath bombs, they find it absolutely magical! In the past we have made exploding dinosaur mud which was a lot of fun, but for
Make Your Own Dinosaur Fossil Dig Kit
Do you have a budding paleontologist in your home or classroom? I know my son can name more dinosaurs that I could ever imagine existed. It blows my mind to listen to him talk about all the different species of dinosaurs. He has always been fascinated with everything dinosaur, so as we worked our way
Frozen Ocean Animal Rescue Kids Activity
Cool down from the heat with this fun science sensory bin! Kids will have a blast exploring the different ways to melt ice as they rescue ocean animals in this frozen ocean sensory bin! Frozen Animal Rescue Kids Activity Supplies Needed: Plastic Art Tray or Shallow Bin Water Beads Balloons Small Plastic Ocean Animals Seashells
Ocean Zones Sensory Bottles
Explore the depths of the ocean with these fun Ocean Layers Sensory Bottles. This is a fantastic sensory/science activity that your child is sure to love! How to Make These Ocean Zones Sensory Bottles Supplies Needed: Plastic Bottles (we love these ones) Shades of Blue Card-stock or Construction Paper Glue-stick Scissors Water Blue Food Coloring
Ocean Pollution Clean Up Science Activity
Help kids explore the importance of ocean pollution with this clean up sensory science activity! Ocean Pollution Science Activity for Kids Supplies: Printable Ocean Pollution Science Packet Sensory Table or Large Plastic Bin/Tub Water Plastic Ocean Animals (we used these ones) Seashells Plastic Toy Boat Cocoa Powder Vegetable Oil Plastic Bags Coffee Grounds Sponge Cotton
DIY Heat Sensitive Color Changing Playdough
This color changing playdough recipe is super easy to make and one that your kids will love! With math, science, and sensory all wrapped up into one activity you have to try making this thermochromic playdough at home! Play dough is one of our favorite sensory materials to make at home. It’s quick to make,
A Really Big List of Free Science Websites for Kids
Make the most out of your child’s time online with these Free Science Websites for Kids. This insanely massive list of fun learning science websites includes sites for a wide range of ages, from preschool and up. The majority of these though are best suited for elementary aged students. Each one of the sites listed
Exploring Dental Health with Slime
Every February the American Dental Association (ADA) sponsor’s National Children’s Dental Health Month to raise awareness and education on oral health. Since this month is dental health month, this week we have been exploring taking care of our teeth and dental hygiene for kids with this fun “How to Brush Your Teeth” Slime Activity! This
Fall Nature Hunt
Fall Nature Hunt: What better way to explore the changing environment than a fall nature hunt. Your kids will love investigating the natural world around them in the beautiful autumn air. Grab the free printable and set to exploring nature this fall. Fall is the perfect season for exploring how nature changes. There is a
Exploding Lava Science Bottle
This Exploding Lava Science Bottle is a quick and easy kitchen science experiment that kids will love. If you are looking for a quick boredom buster to do with items you already have around your house then you gotta give this a try! Before doing this science experiment, know that it is messy! The exploding
The Ultimate Treasure Hunt – Geocaching with Kids
Lately, my kids have been very interested in Geocaching. To be honest, when they approached me about this I was extremely skeptical about whether or not this was an appropriate activity that my kids would enjoy. After some research and our first adventure, we are in love! Geocaching with kids is like the ultimate treasure
ABC Excavation Sensory Bin
Lately, Mr. Q has been interested in everything ABC. To help engage him in play we have been trying out a variety of different alphabet games. This Alphabet Excavation Sensory Bin has been one of our favorite ABC kids’ games so far! Making this bin did require some planning. This is not a throw together
Fizzy Fine Motor ABC’s
Lately, it has been hot, hot, hot here. Like step outside and feel like you are melting hot. These Fizzy Fine Motor ABC’s Ice Cubes were a fun way to cool down while working on our letter recognition.
Parts of a Flower Cutting Tray
This week our yard is finally in full bloom. The kids have been absolutely fascinated with the different types flowers- they all look so different! This Parts of a Flower Cutting Tray was a fun scissor activity to work on my kids’ basic scissor skills while getting some hands-on exploration of flowers. Before delving into
Kitchen Science Kit for Kids
Lately, I have gotten a lot of questions about how we store all of our science experiment materials. This Kitchen Science Kit for Kids is our easy solution for keeping everything we might need in one easy to reach place. This kit sits above our kitchen counter and is stored in two main containers –
Sensory Bottle Biomes for Kids
These Sensory Bottle Biomes are a fun, yet simple way for kids to explore what makes up a biome and to compare how various plant and animal life has adapted to fit that biome.
How to Make a Compass
Explore magnetic poles, force, and physics with this simple science experiment for kids that will teach them how to make a compass!
Skittles Science: Exploring Water Stratification
I have to admit, my kids have a bit of a candy addiction. Everyday when I clean I find little pockets of candy hidden throughout the house. In their dressers. Under their pillows. Even in the floor vents…that one was a fun one to clean up. So, despite my attempts to clear this house of
Exploding Pumpkin!
This Exploding Pumpkin Experiment is super neat! Kids will be amazed by this simple science experiment!
Frog Egg Slime! A Slippery Squishy Sensory Bin
Ya’ll are never going to believe what this Frog Egg Sensory Bin is made out of, but it was perfect for setting up some pretend play while learning about the anatomy of Frog Eggs.
Why Do Pine Cones Open and Close?
Why Do Pine Cones Open and Close? This student led science experiment is a fascinating and quick learning activity that the entire family will enjoy!
How to Make a Crystal Geode
Crystal Egg Geodes are a fun yet simple science experiment that engages children in learning the steps of the scientific method. This makes it a fantastic experiment for science fairs, scout groups, or even just a playful weekend at home!
Pudding Cup Anemometer
A Pudding Cup Anemometer is a fun way to recycle your snack packaging, get your kids creating, building, and learning about the weather!
Insect Inspections Sensory Bin
An insect sensory bin is a great way for toddlers and preschoolers to explore and learn about bugs from the comfort of your home.
Bug Bin: A Simple Slimy Sensory Bin
Insect Sensory Bin: A super slimy bin that is fantastic for pretend play and fine motor. This easy distraction will have your child engaged and learning!
How to Grow Your Own Magic Crystal Tree!
Create a magic tree out of salt crystals, cardboard, and a few other household items. Within a day, you’ll have a colorful crystal covered tree that seemed to magically sprout from nothing!
Butterfly Life Cycle Observation Experiment
Through a series of activities, students will study the butterfly life cycle while noting its development from a caterpillar to a butterfly.
Under the Sea! Ocean Animals Sensory Bin
Ocean Animals Science Sensory Bin: Sea shells, fossils, shark teeth, and more! This simple sensory bin is a great way to get children exploring marine life through sight, sound, touch, and even scent!
Bouncy Egg Science Experiment for Kids
Bouncy Egg Experiment: Did you know that you could make an egg bounce? Try the Bouncy Egg science experiment and see how it works!
Exploding Dinosaur Mud!
Exploding Dinosaur Mud: Science Experiments with bi-carb ROAR! These dinosaurs are stuck in the mud! They need a magic potion to set them free from their lava rocks!
Dinosaur Nests! Exploring Science and Nature
Dinosaur Nests: Exploring how Dinosaurs raised and cared for their babies with a fun and messy sensory science activity!
This science activity for kids is a great way to get outdoors and connect with nature while exploring how and why dinosaurs built their nests the way that they did.
Excavating Dinosaurs from Ice!
Excavating Dinosaurs: Melting ice with salt and water. Science, water play, and fine motor development all wrapped up in a fun, icy activity!
Melting Hearts! Dissolving Conversation Hearts Science Experiment
Looking for science ideas for Valentine’s Day? Try your hand with this dissolving conversation hearts science experiment.
Love Potion Number 9: Sensory Science Experiment
Who can’t use a little extra love chemistry in their lives? Especially when you have young kids…you know what I mean, don’t you!? Why not grab some basic ingredients out of your kitchen and set up this fun sensory-play Love Potion #9 Chemistry Experiment to get your kids exploring and thinking about the people in their lives!
Marine Life Sensory Bin- A Bubbly Small World!
Make a marine life sensory bin to play that will have your children exploring sea creatures and scientific reactions!
Rain Cloud in a Jar: A Fun Hands on Learning Experiment!
Rain Cloud in a Jar: make a model of a rain cloud using shaving cream, water, and food coloring! Your kiddos will LOVE this hands on science activity!
Juice Box Planters: Gardening with Kids
I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser. #UltimatePlaydate #CollectiveBias One of our favorite family activities is gardening with Grandma (or in my kids case great-grandma). It is something both kids have an absolute
Cloud in a Cup
Kitchen science is a great way to get kids thinking about how things work. Try this easy science experiment for kids and make your own cloud in a cup
Science for Kids: Best iPad Apps
Electronics intertwined into education has had a profound impact for my family. My daughter definitely has had her fair share of struggles when it comes to learning and I have had my fair share of disagreements about how things should be done. Yet, when it comes to the iPad I fully agree that it has
