Easy Science Experiments for World Book Day

As World Book Day is just around the corner, I thought I'd pull together some of my favourite book themed science experiments. Here at Science Sparks, we love using a book to help bring a science activity to life, and if I'm ever short of inspiration, reading a great kids' book always helps me come up with something new. I hope you like our World Book Day activity ideas.

World Book Day Activities for Preschool Children

The Gruffalo

My Gruffalo's child shadow puppets are super easy to make and great fun to make shadows with. Try holding the shadow puppets and torch in different positions to investigate how the shape of the shadow changes.

Gruffalo Shadow Puppets made with black cardboard and a craft stick

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Make a model of a butterfly life cycle with my free template for The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Pasta or sweets/candy work well for this activity.

The Little Mermaid

Discover how different materials have different properties and why while you help Ariel sort her cave of treasures.

Stickman

Discover the best materials for making a Stickman, or try to find the perfect Stickman shaped stick!

The Lorax

Our Lorax or Cat in the Hat themed sensory trays are bright and colourful enough to keep little ones busy for a while. Use magnets and tweezers for a bit of variation.

Nursery Rhymes

Stop Incy Wincy Spider falling down the water spout by finding a way to stick her to the top or build Incy Wincy an umbrella.

Aliens LOVE Underpants

Make a washing line of pants for Aliens LOVE Underpants, and test how waterproof they are! Or, try catapulting pants!

Fine Motor Skills

My Roald Dahl themed fine motor skill activities are great fun and can be used over and over again. My favourite is Mr Twit's wormy spaghetti!

collage image of science activities based in books for preschoolers. Includes Gruffalo, Aliens Love Underpants and The Little Mermaid. Easy world book day science experiments for preschoolers

World Book Day Activities for 5-10 year olds

Roald Dahl Science Experiments

First up for 5-10 year olds has to be our Roald Dahl science experiments. For Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the good old skittles investigation is always impressive, or make gummy sweets bigger by leaving them in water for a couple of hours. We always enjoy making a house from sweets, too.

George's Marvellous Medicine

Make fun, fizzy potions like George and his Marvellous Medicine.

Enormous Crocodile

Learn about camouflage ( The Enormous Crocodile ) with this gorgeous camoflage art activity from Fireflies and Mudpies.

James and the Giant Peach

Make a homemade worm hotel for James and the Giant Peach, or investigate to find out how many helium balloons it takes to lift a peach.

The Twits

Discover why fruit rots for The Twits.

Matilda

Stack books on an eggshell bridge for Matilda.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Try mirror writing for Alice in Wonderland or reverse the direction of arrows using a glass of water!

Alice in wonderland science activity using arrows and backwards signs

Fairy Tale Science Experiments

These Fairy Tale themed experiment printables include making a raft for the Billy Goats Gruff, growing a bean for Jack and more!

Build and test houses for The Three Little Pigs to find which is the strongest.

Create a Whisper-Ma-Phone for the Lorax to learn about sound waves. Investigate to see if the phone works around corners or if a longer string makes it better or worse.

Leave messages for Hansel and Gretel using invisible ink.

Build a bed for the Princess and the Pea. This is a great little engineering STEM challenge, beautifully themed around the story.

Princess and the pea science experiment - image of a wooden bed and mattress build from sponges and other materials. Great World Book Day Science Experiment

Build Cinderella a new carriage! We made a balloon-powered car with a balloon pumpkin.

Make a zip line for Jack or grow him a new beanstalk.

Finally, try one of my Fairy Tale Science activity ideas. You can make a zip wire for Jack, a pulley for Rapunzel, a candy house for Hansel and Gretel, a gingerbread house for The Gingerbread Man and more.