These simple science experiments are perfect for a rainy day or when you just need a quick and easy activity idea to keep the kids busy for an hour or so. They don’t need much prep or thought beforehand and are easy to set up and explain.
Simple Science Experiments
Try a fun magic milk experiment. Younger children will love watching the colours shoot across the surface of the milk while older children can use the experience to learn about emulsions.
Monitor rain fall with an easy rain gauge.
This one requires a bit of forward planning, but did you know you can remove the shell from an egg with vinegar? Simple leave an egg soaking in vinegar for about 48 hours and you should be able to rinse off the shell. Once you have a shell-less egg, see if you can bounce the egg without it breaking.
Find out how many of your own feet tall you are. Try this for all the members of your family and see if you can spot a pattern.
This easy investigation to discover how animals stay warm in cold climates needs just cold water, a glove and some lard.
Test your reaction time using just a ruler. Can you test your friends and record their results too? How do you think could you improve your reaction time?
How about trying some ice painting? Ice provides a lovely slippy surface, and wipes clean!
Ask a friend to draw around you on a giant sheet of paper. How many body parts can you add to the drawing?
If you want to make a volcano, but don’t want the mess a snow volcano is a super simple alternative. Build a volcano shape around a plastic water bottle using snow, add your explosive ingredients and then tidy away the snow afterwards.
Find out about Florence Nightingale and how to keep hands clean with this super simple activity using hand soap and glitter.
Ice excavations can keep children busy for hours as they try to rescue a toy. Experiment with salt and warm water to see which help the ice to melt the fastest.
Try drawing 3D shadow shapes outdoors on a sunny day. You should find the shadow changes as the the day progresses and the sun moves. Try drawing a shadow of the same shape every 2 hours during the day. What happens?
Build a raft using different materials and test to see how well it floats. How much weight can you add before your raft sinks
Use a mirror to help you draw symmetrical monsters to learn about symmetry.
Make your own fossils using clay and small toy figures and learn about Charles Darwin at the same time.
Test your colour mixing skills by making slushy drinks with coloured ice. Different colour smoothies would work really well.
Build towers with blocks or sweets to learn about stable structures.
This very easy density jar is great for introducing the concept of density as well as sinking and floating.
Try some super simple chemistry by testing different substances to see which react with baking soda.
Making your own indicator is easier than you think. All you need is a red cabbage, water and some substances to test.
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