Science doesn’t have to be intimidating all the time. You can make it fun and educational. When your kids get bored, doing some science experiments would create more fun. This is not some robust college experiments. Materials needed for any science experiment for kids at home are majorly household items. But your kids are going to learn a lot and have a lot of fun.

The current situation in the world today has kept kids home for months. This is stressful for them as it is for adults. These science activities can wave off the boredom and make the home lively.

Simple Science Experiments for Kids

1.     Elephant Toothpaste

This science experiment creates foamy fun for kids. Although the result resembles toothpaste squeezed out of its tube, it should get to the mouth. Let’s go over the materials needed and procedure to follow.

Materials

• Food coloring
• A clean plastic soda bottle
• Half cup of 20- volume hydrogen peroxide liquid
• One tablespoon of dry yeast
• Three tablespoons of warm water
• Liquid dishwashing soap

Procedure

1. Wear safety goggles and gloves to protect the eyes and skin. Hydrogen peroxide can irritate the skin, so you have to be careful. 20-volume hydrogen peroxide is a 6% solution and available in stores or salons. Experiment on a tray or easy-to-clean surface because it’s can be messy.
2. Put about eight drops of food coloring into the soda bottle. Any color you choose is just perfect.
3. Then, add a tablespoon of liquid dishwashing soap into the bottle. Shake the bottle a little to mix the content.
4. Next, mix the yeast and warm water in a small cup for 30 seconds.
5. Finally, pour the yeast mixture into the bottle. And watch the foaminess. It is fascinating.

The yeast worked as a helper to remove oxygen from hydrogen peroxide, thereby creating lots of bubbles. Try to feel the bottle; you’ll notice that it’s warm. You have created an exothermic reaction. So, elephant toothpaste experiment doesn’t just produce foam but heat also.

 

 

2.     Inverted balloon in a bottle

This experiment gets a whole balloon into a narrow-necked bottle. Here is another science experiment for kids at home to keep them geared up and excited. All materials needed are right there in the house.

Materials

• A narrow-necked glass bottle.
• One tablespoon of water
• Balloon

Procedure

1. Use a funnel to pour a tablespoon of water into the bottle. You can allow your kids to do this task.
2. Then, place the bottle in a microwave for a minute just long enough for the little water to boil. Or, place a pot of water on the stove and put the bottle inside until the water in it boils.
3. Use oven mitts to carry the glass bottle because it will be hot. And don’t let the kids touch.
4. Then, stretch the mouth of the balloon over the bottle opening. Sit back and watch.
5. You’ll see the steam in the bottle condense to water. Then, the balloon will start moving gradually into the bottle. When the whole balloon is the bottle, it will start expanding. That’s the fun part. It may sound unbelievable, but you should try it.

When the water in the bottle starts condensing, it creates pressure inside the bottle that is lower than the pressure outside. This makes air rush into the bottle, thereby pulling the balloon with it. The more the air, the more the balloon expands.

 

3.     Hot Ice

How do you produce something that looks like ice but feels warm? This science experiment for kids at home will give you answers. It is mind-blowing.

Materials

• Four cups of white vinegar
• Four tablespoons of baking soda

Procedures

1. Pour vinegar into a pot and slowly add your baking soda. The mixture will erupt, so you must do it slowly. This mixture is called sodium acetate solution.
2. Then, stir slowly until the soda is well-dissolved. Now, your kids will expect that you freeze the mixture to make the ice, but that’s not the next step.
3. Boil the solution on medium heat for about an hour. You are doing so to reduce it to about 75%.
4. After boiling, place the solution in the fridge to cool for 30-45 minutes.
5. You’ll see some dried solution forming at the edge of the pot. Scrap them aside for later use.
6. Well, the solution won’t freeze as expected. It will still be in liquid form. Carry it out of the fridge to the workspace gently. Any little bump will make the solution begin to crystalize. So, handle with care.
7. Then, put the powdered sodium acetate into the center of a dish.
8. Start pouring the solution on the powder slowly and watch crystals form instantly. It will look like “growing ice.” Ask the kids to touch it, and they will be surprised that the ice was hot and hard. You can add food coloring to the crystals to create ice of a different color, which means more fun.

The liquid solution in the fridge is below the usual melting point. It can change to solid with the slightest bump. The molecules in the solution are surrounded by water molecules that bump into each other and stick together for a while. If there are fewer water molecules and more solute, they stick together for a longer period. That is why we had to boil most of the water molecules out. This is what led to the crystallization process.

 

4.     Ferromagnetic Fluid

 

This is a super easy science experiment for kids at home. There are many ways to make a ferromagnetic fluid. But, you will still need black iron oxide powder in any method you choose. We will discuss two methods of making ferromagnetic fluid. Your kids will love this one too.

Materials

• Black iron oxide powder
• Water
• Small glass jar
• Neodymium magnets

Method 1: Protect your work surface and wear gloves to avoid staining your hands. Then, pour one-half scoop of black iron oxide powder into a 175ml glass container. Next, fill the container to the brim with water. You don’t need to worry about dry clumps of powder. They will be saturated with water later. Spilling the powder is not fun at all. So, we recommend that you seal it tightly with caulk. Then, your kids can now play with the fluid. Just bring a magnet close to the container. You’ll see the magnetic field become visible. Drag magnet around and watch the effects.

Method 2: Another approach is to use oil and plastic dishes. This method is also easy and fun. Pour some black iron oxide on your dish. Then, Add mineral oil and stir until it is thoroughly combined. Now, place your magnet under the dish and watch the fluid take the shape of the magnet. You can move the magnet around to see the effect.

 

5.     Rainbow in a glass

Gather your little scientists around because this is another fascinating experiment. You’ll see different color layers in one glass. Allow the kids put the skittles in the cups. But don’t let them handle the cups when they have hot water in them. For this science experiment, we need the following;

Materials

• Skittles
• Water
• Five separate cups
• One tablespoon
• One clear glass
• A dropper

Procedure

1. Put the different colors of skittles in the separate cups. Follow this amount: two red, four orange, six yellow, eight green, and ten purple skittles.
2. Place a mug of water in your microwave for 90 seconds. The water should be hot and not boiling ad carry it out carefully because the mug will be hot.
3. Then, add two tablespoons of hot water on the skittles in each cup.
4. Stir all the contents well and leave it to cool. But, remix every ten minutes so that the skittles can dissolve properly.
5. When the mixture is now at room temperature, use a dropper to add the colored water from all five cups to glass. Transfer the colors in this order purple, green, yellow, and red. This task has to be done slowly, so the layers don’t mix. Then, you have your rainbow in a glass.

Skittles contain mostly sugar. The sugar dissolves when you add hot water, and the coloring on the skittles colors the water. The sugar level in the cups is different because we have added different quantities of sugar but the same quantity of water. So, we place water with the highest number of skittles, which is the purple water, first because it is denser. And the red water comes last because it has little sugar and will float.

Follow the procedures to do a science experiment for kids at home. You’ll agree that they are educating and exciting. Kids love to try new things, but make sure you take safety precautions. Don’t let them handle hot contents and chemicals. Although most of the materials used in the experiments above are harmless, you still have to watch them closely.

Be a fun dad. Make elephant toothpaste, inverted balloons in glass, hot ice, ferromagnetic fluid, and rainbow in a glass. Make science fun for your kids.

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