Science Experiments for Key Stage 1

These science experiments Key Stage 1 are great for school or home and perfect to sit alongside science in the classroom for Key Stage 1 in the UK or for children aged between around 4 and 7 who love science!

I’ve also got a FREE printable experiment sheet you can print out to use with the investigations. Huge thanks to Mrs Mactivity for creating it.

If a science challenge is more your thing, we’ve got some easy STEM challenges using newspaper to try. You might also like our Science Fun at Home ideas created in association with the Primary Science Teaching Trust.

Plants and Animals

Flower and Plant Investigation Ideas

Grow a sunflower and measure how tall it grows. Position two sunflowers so one is in the shade and one in the sunshine and compare the differences as they grow.

Our cress caterpillar is a great longer term investigation which covers the conditions plants need to grow and what happens if they don’t receive enough sunlight.

Grow a bean in a jar to learn about germination.

Find out why plants need water.

Dissecting a flower is a great way to introduce the different parts of a flower and their function to children. Another way to do this is to set up a flower sensory tray.

Wildlife Watch has some great plant and animal spotter sheets which could be useful for this topic too.

Animals Including Humans

Humans

Identify Body Parts

Teach children to identify and name body parts by drawing around themselves on a large sheet of paper, or with chalk outside and draw and label as much as they can.

Senses

Add the 5 senses ( smell with nose, taste with tongue, touch with fingers, hear with ears and see with eyes ) to the body diagram.

Taste science investigations

Eat a coloured sweet and look at the tiny bumps ( tastebuds ) on the tongue!

Image taken from Gross Science

Try to eat something while holding your nose. You should find you can’t taste as well without your sense of smell to help. When people have a cold they often lose their sense of taste as they have a blocked up nose.

Smell Science Investigations

Chose several smelly foods and place a small amount in a paper cup. Cover the cup with foil and ask a friend to lift the foil up a tiny bit and guess the food from the smell. Garlic, lemon, orange and other herbs work well for this.

Importance of exercise and a healthy diet

Nutrition activities for Key Stage 1

Create a healthy lunchbox containing fruit and vegetables, a source of protein, fibre and a source of energy.

Sort real foods into the following groups, a fun way to do this is to draw circles in chalk outside for each group.

Fruit and Vegetables

Protein – nuts, meat and dairy

Fats – butter and vegetable oil

Fibre – bread, rice

Energy – pasta

Importance of Hygiene

The good old glitter and hand cream activity is great for showing small children why they should wash their hands, but remember to use bio glitter.

The Human Skeleton

Find out why we have bones by making easy models of the spine, finding out the names of human bones and even making a bendy bone!

Human teeth

Learn about the importance of keeping teeth clean with eggs!

Add play dough plaque to a jaw model and clean it off.

Create play dough mouth models showing the different types of teeth. Incisors, canines and molars.

Materials

Try some toy sorting, thinking about the properties of the different materials they are made from.

I’ve also got a huge collection of ideas for learning about materials including making a superhero cape, making a superhero float and even a magnet maze.

If you’ve got children who like to build, try one of our ideas for learning about materials with a building topic!

Another idea is to make a raincoat for a doll or an umbrella for Incy Wincy.

Try some sinking and floating!

Consider changes of state by melting chocolate and letting it set again.

Seasonal Change

Model the changing seasons with LEGO or try one of our weather science experiments.

Electricity

Learn about electricity with play dough circuits. These are great fun and very easy once you have the right equipment.

Forces and Motion

Learn about forces by making a friction ramp and testing how long cars take to travel down it.

Lollystick catapults are easy to make and also a great way to demonstrate forces.

Shadows

Make a shadow frame or shadow puppets using cardboard and contact paper or try to make a human sundial.

If you’ve got any other science experiments for Key Stage 1 we might like do let me know and if you try any I’d love you to share and tag me on social media ( @sciencesparks )

More Science for Kids

Try my HUGE collection of Early Years science experiments and investigations. There are ideas for Pirates, Under the Sea, People Who Help Us and Nursery Rhyme themes.

I also have a couple of science books you might like too! This IS Rocket Science contains SEVENTY fun space themed experiments for kids and Snackable Science 60 fun edible experiments and tests!