fun biology assignments

10 Great Biology Activities and Lessons

• Cell Biology
• Weather & Climate

K-8 Activities and Lessons

4. owl pellet dissection, 5. photosynthesis, 8-12 activities and lessons, 1. mendelian genetics, 2. extracting dna, 3. the ecology of your skin, 4. the heart, 5. cellular respiration.

• B.A., Biology, Emory University
• A.S., Nursing, Chattahoochee Technical College

Biology activities and lessons allow students to investigate and learn about biology through hands-on experience. Below is a list of 10 great biology activities and lessons for K-12 teachers and students.

The Cell as a System : This activity enables students to explore the components of a cell and how they work together as a system.

Objectives: Students will identify major cell components; know structures and functions of components; understand how the parts of a cell interact together.

Resources: Cell Anatomy - Discover the differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

Cell Organelles - Learn about the types of organelles and their function within cells.

15 Differences Between Animal and Plant Cells - Identify 15 ways in which animal cells and plant cells differ from one another.

Mitosis and Cell Division : This lesson introduces students to the process of cell mitosis.

Objectives: Students will understand the processes of cell reproduction and chromosome replication.

Resources: Mitosis - This stage-by-stage guide to mitosis describes the major events that occur in each mitotic stage.

Mitosis Glossary - This glossary lists commonly used mitosis terms.

Mitosis Quiz - This quiz is designed to test your knowledge of the mitotic process.

Meiosis and Gamete Production : This activity helps students explore meiosis and sex cell production.

Objectives: Students will describe the steps in meiosis and understand the difference between mitosis and meiosis.

Resources: Stages of Meiosis - This illustrated guide describes each stage of meiosis.

7 Differences Between Mitosis and Meiosis - Discover 7 differences between the division processes of mitosis and meiosis.

Dissecting Owl Pellets: This activity allows students to explore owl eating habits and digestion through dissecting owl pellets.

Objectives: Students learn how to examine, gather, and interpret data through owl pellet dissections.

Resources: Online Dissections - These virtual dissection resources allow you to experience actual dissections without all of the mess.

Photosynthesis and How Plants Make Food : This lesson explores photosynthesis and how plants use light to make food.

Objectives: Students will discover how plants make food, transport water, and the importance of plants to the environment.

Resources: The Magic of Photosynthesis - Discover how plants turn sunlight into energy.

Plant Chloroplasts - Find out how chloroplasts make photosynthesis possible.

Photosynthesis Quiz - Test your knowledge of photosynthesis by taking this quiz.

Using Drosophila to Teach Genetics : This activity is designed to help students apply basic genetics concepts to a living organism.

Objective: Students learn how to use the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster , to apply knowledge of heredity and Mendelian genetics.

Resources: Mendelian Genetics - Explore how traits are passed from parents to offspring.

Genetic Dominance Patterns - Examine the differences among complete dominance, incomplete dominance, and co-dominance relationships.

Polygenic Inheritance - Discover the types of traits that are determined by multiple genes.

Extracting DNA : This activity is designed to help students learn about the structure and function of DNA through DNA extraction.

Objectives: Students understand relationships between DNA , chromosomes , and genes . They understand how to extract DNA from living sources.

Resources: DNA From a Banana - Try this simple experiment that demonstrates how to extract DNA from a banana.

Make a DNA Model Using Candy - Discover a sweet and fun way to make a DNA model using candy.

Bacteria That Live on the Skin : In this activity, students discover the diverse organisms that live on the human body.

Objectives: Students examine the relationship between humans and skin bacteria.

Resources: Bacteria That Live on Your Skin - Discover 5 types of bacteria that live on your skin.

Microbe Ecosystems of the Body - The human microbiome includes bacteria, viruses, fungi, and even mites.

A Guide to Different Types of Pathogens - Learn about six types of pathogens that can make you sick.

Top 5 Reasons to Wash Your Hands - Washing and drying your hands properly is a simple and effective way to prevent the spread of disease.

Heart to Heart : This lesson helps students explore heart function, structure, and blood pumping activity.

Objectives: Students explore the anatomy of the heart and blood circulation .

Resources: Heart Anatomy - This guide provides and overview of the function and anatomy of the heart.

Circulatory System - Learn about the pulmonary and systemic paths of blood circulation.

ATP Please! : This lesson helps students explore the role of mitochondria in ATP production during aerobic cellular respiration.

Objectives: Students will be able to identify the steps of ATP production and the function of cell mitochondria.

Cellular Respiration - Discover how cells harvest the energy from the foods we eat.

Glycolysis - This is the first step of cellular respiration where glucose is split into two molecules for the production of ATP.

Citric Acid Cycle - Also known as the Krebs Cycle, this is the second step of cellular respiration.

Electron Transport Chain - The majority of ATP production occurs in this final stage of cellular respiration.

Mitochondria - These cell organelles are the sites of aerobic cellular respiration.

Biology Experiments

For information on science experiments and lab resources, see:

• Biology Science Project Ideas - Discover great ideas for biology related science projects.
• Biology Lab Safety Rules - Follow these tips to learn how to stay safe in biology lab.
• Basic Tips to Ace Your Biology Class
• Biology Science Fair Project Ideas
• Biology Lab Safety Rules
• What Is AP Biology?
• 10 Facts About Cells
• What Is Cell Biology?
• Top Biology Programs in U.S. Universities
• Biology Homework Help
• How To Make a DNA Model Using Candy
• Biology Prefixes and Suffixes: epi-
• What Is Bioprinting?
• Biology: The Study of Life
• Biology Prefixes and Suffixes: "Cyto-" and "-Cyte"
• Laws of Thermodynamics as Related to Biology
• Biology Prefixes and Suffixes: -ectomy, -ostomy
• Biology Prefixes and Suffixes: dactyl-, -dactyl

20 Fun Biology Experiments for Elementary School Students

Are you seeking engaging, interactive biology experiments to captivate elementary school students? This blog post will explore 20 exciting biology experiments that will spark curiosity and promote hands-on learning. Let's dive in!

Are you seeking engaging, interactive biology experiments to captivate elementary school students? Look no further! This blog post will explore 20 exciting biology experiments that will spark curiosity and promote hands-on learning. Let's dive in!

Exploring Plant Life

1. growing seeds in different conditions.

By conducting this simple experiment, teach your students about the role of sunlight, water, and soil in plant growth. Have your students plant seeds in various conditions, such as different amounts of sunlight or soil types. Observe and compare the growth of the plants over time.

2. Leaf Chromatography

Introduce the concept of chromatography by examining the different pigments in leaves. Have your students collect leaves from different plants and use filter paper and rubbing alcohol to separate the pigments. This experiment will allow them to explore the diversity of natural colors.

3. DIY Terrariums

Bring the water cycle and ecosystems to life with this hands-on experiment. Guide your students in creating miniature terrariums using glass jars, soil, rocks, and small plants. Discuss how the plants release moisture through transpiration, which condenses on the jar walls and falls back as precipitation.

4. Parts of a Flower Dissection

Engage your students in plant anatomy with this dissection activity. Provide flowers for each student or group and guide them through identifying the different parts of a flower, such as petals, sepals, stamens, and pistils. This experiment will deepen their understanding of how flowers function and reproduce.

5. Photosynthesis in Action

Unleash the power of sunlight with this photosynthesis experiment. Ask your students to collect leaves and cover a portion of each leaf with aluminum foil. After a few days, remove the foil and observe the color change in the uncovered area, indicating chlorophyll production through photosynthesis.

Investigating the World of Microorganisms

6. yogurt bacteria culture.

Introduce your students to beneficial bacteria by guiding them in culturing yogurt at home. Discuss the role of bacteria in our digestive system and how they help break down food. This experiment will provide a hands-on experience in understanding the importance of these microorganisms.

7. Pond Water Microscope Investigation

Take your students on a microscopic adventure by exploring microorganisms in pond water. Provide microscopes and guide them in collecting water samples from a nearby pond or stream. Observe and discuss the diverse microorganisms, such as amoebas, paramecia, and algae.

8. Bread Mold Growth

Uncover the fascinating world of fungi by investigating bread mold growth. Ask your students to place slices of bread in different environments, such as a sealed bag, a moist container, or exposed to sunlight. Monitor and record mold growth over time, discussing the conditions that promote fungal growth.

9. Ant Farm Exploration

Invite your students to observe ant behavior and learn about insects by setting up a simple ant farm. Provide an ant farm kit or guide them in creating one using a transparent container, sand, and ants. Observe how ants build tunnels, communicate, and work together as a colony.

10. Bacterial Handprint Experiment

Highlight the importance of handwashing with this eye-opening experiment. Ask your students to press their hands onto agar plates or petri dishes before and after washing their hands thoroughly. Incubate the plates and observe the bacterial growth, emphasizing the need for proper hand hygiene.

Animal Kingdom Adventures

11. butterfly life cycle observation.

Embark on a captivating journey through the life cycle of butterflies. Provide caterpillars or chrysalises for your students to raise and observe. Document the stages of metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly, and discuss the importance of butterflies in pollination.

12. Owl Pellet Dissection

Unravel the secrets of food chains and predator-prey relationships with an owl pellet dissection. Provide owl pellets for your students to dissect and identify the bones of prey animals. This experiment will deepen their understanding of the interactions within an ecosystem.

13. Eggshell Toothpaste Experiment

Small Bites Pediatric Dentistry

Investigate the impact of different substances on tooth enamel using eggshells. Guide your students in soaking eggshells in various liquids like vinegar, soda, or fruit juice. Observe and discuss the effects of these substances on the eggshells, relating them to dental health.

14. Fish Tank Ecosystem

Create a mini aquarium in your classroom to study the interactions between fish and their environment. Discuss the concept of ecosystems, including the nitrogen cycle and food webs. Your students will be able to observe aquatic life and understand the delicate balance within an ecosystem.

15. Camouflage in Nature

Unleash your students' creativity while exploring the concept of camouflage. Provide paper animals and guide them in designing patterns that blend with different environments. Test their designs by placing the paper animals in corresponding backgrounds and discussing how camouflage aids in survival.

Human Body Exploration

16. diy lung model.

Bring the respiratory system to life with a DIY lung model. Using balloons, plastic bottles, and straws, guide your students in creating a model demonstrating how air moves in and out of our lungs during breathing. This experiment will enhance their understanding of our amazing respiratory system.

17. Taste Bud Mapping

Delve into the sense of taste with a simple taste bud mapping experiment. Provide taste test samples, such as sweet, salty, sour, and bitter substances, and guide your students in mapping the different taste sensations on their tongues. Discuss the role of taste buds in detecting flavors.

18. Skeletal System with Q-tips

Build a model of the human skeleton using Q-tips to understand bone structure. Guide your students in arranging Q-tips to represent bones and discuss the different types of bones in our bodies. This hands-on activity will reinforce their knowledge of the skeletal system.

19. DIY Digestive System

Create a hands-on model of the digestive system to illustrate the journey of food through our bodies. Using household materials like plastic bags, crackers, and water, guide your students in simulating the process of digestion from the mouth to the intestines. This experiment will make learning about digestion fun and memorable.

20. Heart Rate Investigation

Measure and compare heart rates under different conditions to introduce your students to the cardiovascular system. Ask them to take their pulse before and after various activities, such as exercise or relaxation. Discuss how the heart responds to changes in activity level, emphasizing the importance of cardiovascular health.

Partnering with a Lessonpal Tutor

You may also consider partnering with a Lessonpal Biology tutor who can provide additional guidance tailored to your student's learning needs.

Remember, education is all about exploration and discovery! Encourage your students to embrace curiosity and dive into these exciting biology experiments. So why not take advantage of the expertise of a Lessonpal Biology tutor to make the learning experience even more enriching and enjoyable? These 20 fun biology experiments will engage your elementary school students and foster a deeper understanding of various biological concepts. To further enhance their learning experience, I recommend exploring additional resources for teachers and students, such as online articles, books, or educational websites dedicated to biology experiments.

Additional Resources:

In addition to these 20 fun biology experiments, plenty of other resources are available to enhance your students' learning experience further. Here are a few suggestions:

• Online Articles: Explore websites like National Geographic Kids, Science Buddies, and Education.com for many articles and resources on biology experiments for elementary school students. These platforms often provide step-by-step instructions, explanations of scientific concepts, and additional experiment ideas.
• Books: Visit your local library or bookstore for biology experiment books for elementary school students. Look for titles like "The Everything Kids' Science Experiments Book" by Tom Robinson or "Janice VanCleave's Biology For Every Kid: 101 Easy Experiments That Really Work" by Janice VanCleave. These books offer a variety of engaging experiments with detailed explanations and background information.
• Educational Websites : Check out Mystery Science, Khan Academy, and STEM Learning websites for interactive biology activities and lessons. These platforms provide video tutorials, quizzes, and hands-on activities that can supplement your classroom experiments.
• Science Kits: Consider investing in biology experiment kits for elementary school students. Companies like Thames & Kosmos and Steve Spangler Science offer kits with all the materials and instructions needed to conduct various experiments. These kits often include detailed explanations of the scientific principles behind each experiment.

Remember, the key to successful learning is providing various resources and opportunities for exploration. By incorporating these additional resources into your lesson plans, you can create a well-rounded and enriching biology curriculum for your elementary school students. Go ahead and inspire your students to embrace curiosity, dive into these exciting biology experiments, and explore the vast world of science!

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Top 30 Biology Experiments for High-School

The field of biology offers a wide range of fascinating experiments that can deepen our understanding of the living world around us. From studying the behavior of cells to investigating the intricacies of ecosystems, biologists use a variety of methods to uncover the secrets of life.

We’ve compiled a captivating list of 30 biology experiments that are both educational and fun and also suitable for a wide range of ages.

These hands-on educational activities will not only deepen your appreciation for the intricacies of life but also fuel your curiosity and passion for scientific exploration.

So, roll up your sleeves, gather your lab equipment, and prepare to embark on an exciting adventure through the fascinating world of biology-based science experiments!

1. Grow a Butterfly

Students can gain knowledge about the various phases of development, from the egg to the larva to the pupa to the adult butterfly, by studying and taking care of a butterfly during its whole life cycle. This offers students a special chance to learn about the insect life cycle and the metamorphosis process.

Learn more: Elemental Science

2. Dissecting a Flower

Dissecting a flower can aid students in honing their analytical and observational skills. This may also aid in their comprehension of how a flower’s various components interact to facilitate reproduction, which is the flower’s main objective.

Learn More: How to Dissect a Flower

3. Extracting a DNA

The extraction of DNA is an excellent experiment for high school students to gain a better understanding of the principles of molecular biology and genetics. This experiment  helps students to understand the importance of DNA in research and its applications in various fields, such as medicine, biotechnology, and forensics.

Learn more: Extracting DNA

4. Looking at Fingerprints

Exploring fingerprints can be a fun and intriguing experiment. This experiment encourages students to develop their problem-solving skills and attention to detail, as they must carefully analyze and compare the various fingerprint patterns.

Fingerprint analysis is a fascinating and engaging experiment that can spark an interest in forensic science and provide students with a hands-on learning experience.

Learn more: Directions to Examine a Fingerprint

5. Cultivate Bacteria on Home Made Agar

This experiment provides a hands-on learning experience for students to understand the principles of microbiology and the techniques used in bacterial culture.

This experiment can also help students to understand the importance of bacteria in our daily lives, their role in human health, and their applications in various fields, such as biotechnology and environmental science.  

Learn more: Grow bacteria on Homemade Agar Plates

6. Make a Bioluminescent Lamp

This experiment provides an excellent opportunity for high school students to learn about bioluminescence and the principles of genetic engineering.

Creating a bioluminescent lamp is a fun and engaging way to explore the intersection of biology, chemistry, and physics, making it a perfect experiment for students interested in science and technology.

Learn more: Make Glowing Water

7. Make Plants Move with Light

This experiment can help students understand the role of light in plant growth and photosynthesis and the importance of light as an environmental factor for plant survival. 

Learn more: Experiments with Phototropism

8. Test the Five-Second Rule

The “5-second rule” experiment is a simple and fun way to investigate the validity of the popular belief that it is safe to eat food that has been dropped on the ground for less than 5 seconds.

The experiment is an engaging and informative way to explore the science behind a common belief and promote critical thinking and scientific inquiry among students.

Learn more: Five Second Rule

9. Examine How Antibiotics Affect Bacteria

This experiment is an excellent opportunity for high school students to develop their laboratory skills, such as aseptic technique and bacterial culture, and understand the principles of antibiotic resistance and its implications for human health.

Examining how antibiotics affect bacteria is a fascinating and educational experiment that promotes scientific inquiry and critical thinking among students.

Learn more: Learn About Bacteria

10. Look for Cell Mitosis in an Onion

This experiment is an excellent opportunity for high school students to develop their microscopy skills and understand the biological basis of growth and development in plants. This experiment is a fun and informative way to explore the world of cells and their role in the growth and development of living organisms.

Learn more: Onion Root Mitosis

11. Test the Effects of Disinfectants

Testing the effects of disinfectants is an important process in determining their efficacy in killing or reducing the number of microorganisms on a surface or object. Disinfectants can be hazardous if not used correctly, and testing their effects can help students understand how to use them safely.

Students can learn about proper handling techniques and how to interpret safety labels and warning signs.

Learn more: Antiseptic and Disinfectants

12. Microwave Seed Gardening

Microwave seed gardening is a quick and efficient method of germinating seeds, microwave seed gardening can be a useful method for starting seeds, but it should be used with care and in conjunction with other germination methods to ensure the best possible results. 

Learn more: Microwave plant

13. Water Bottle Bacteria Swab

This experiment can be a fun and informative way to learn about the importance of keeping water bottles clean and free from harmful bacteria. It can also be used to compare the cleanliness of different types of water bottles, such as metal, plastic, or glass.

Learn more: Swabbing Water Bottles

14. Frog Dissection

Frog dissection can be a valuable tool for teaching anatomy and physiology to high school students, as it provides a comprehensive examination of the internal organs and systems of the frog.

Dissection can be a valuable and engaging experiment for high school students interested in biology and life science.

Learn more: Frog Dissection

15. Witness the Carbon Cycle in Action

By witnessing the carbon cycle in action, learners can gain a better understanding of the interconnectedness of different parts of the Earth’s system and the impact that human activities can have on these processes.

Learn more: Carbon Cycle Lab

16. Investigate the Efficacy of Types of Fertilizer

Investigating the efficacy of different types of fertilizer can be an interesting and informative way to learn about plant growth and nutrition. Investigating the efficacy of different types of fertilizer is a practical and engaging way to learn about plant nutrition and the role of fertilizers in agriculture.

Learn more: Best Fertilizer

17. Explore the Impact of Genetic Modification on Seeds

Exploring the impact of genetic modification on seeds is a fascinating and relevant topic that can spark meaningful discussions and encourage learners to think critically about the role of science and technology in society.

Learn more: Genetically Modified (GM) Crops

18. Yeast Experiment

Another easy to perform experiment for high school students is the yeast. This experiment is simple since all that is required is the removal of four different food samples onto separate plates and a thorough examination of the mold that develops on each sample over time.

Learn more: Grow Yeast Experiment

19. Taste Perception 

The human tongue has specialized taste receptors that respond to five primary tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami (savory). Taste perception plays an important role in determining food preferences and dietary habits, as well as influencing the overall eating experience.

Learn more: Taste perception

20. Pea Plant Genetics

A classic pea plant genetics experiment involves cross breeding pea plants with different traits, such as flower color, seed shape, or pod shape.

This experiment can be conducted in a controlled environment, such as a greenhouse, by manually transferring pollen from one plant to another.

Learn more: Gregor Mendel Pea Experiment

21. Comparing Animal and Plant Cells

Comparing animal and plant cells is an important exercise in biology education. Both animal and plant cells are eukaryotic cells, meaning they contain a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles.

This exercise can help students understand the structure and function of cells, as well as appreciate the diversity of life on Earth.

Learn more: Comparing Plant Cell and Animal Cell

22.  Testing Bacteria 

Bacteria are easily accessible and can be grown in a laboratory or even at home with simple equipment and materials. This makes it a practical and cost-effective experiment for schools with limited resources.

Learn more: How to grow Bacteria and more

23. The Effect of Light on Growth

Light is a fundamental environmental factor that plays a crucial role in the growth and development of plants. By conducting this experiment, students can gain a deeper understanding of how light affects plant growth and why it is important.

Learn more: The effect of light in Plant Growth

24. Planaria Regeneration

Planaria regeneration allows students to design their own experiments, as they can choose which body parts to remove and study the effects of different variables, such as temperature, pH, or chemical treatments on the regeneration process.

Planaria are easy to obtain and maintain in a laboratory or classroom setting. They are also affordable, making it an ideal experiment for schools with limited resources.

Learn more: Planaria Experiment

25. Making a Seed Board

Making a seed board can be a fun and engaging activity for students, as they can see the progress of their plants over time and share their results with others. It can also foster a sense of responsibility and ownership in caring for their plants.

26. Design an Owl Pellet

Dissecting an owl pellet provides a hands-on learning experience for students, allowing them to practice skills in scientific observation, data collection, and analysis. Students can also learn about the anatomy of the prey species found in the owl pellet.

27. Grow an Herbal Cutting

Growing an herb cutting provides a hands-on learning experience for students, allowing them to practice skills in plant care, experimental design, and data collection. Students can learn about the different stages of plant growth and the factors that affect it.

28. Eat a Cell Model

Creating an edible cell model connects to various disciplines, such as biology, anatomy, and nutrition. Students can learn about the different organelles that make up a cell and their functions, as well as the nutritional value of the food materials used in the model

29. Make a Habitat Diorama

Making a habitat diorama provides a hands-on learning experience for students, allowing them to practice skills in research, creative design, and presentation. Students can learn about different ecosystems and the organisms that inhabit them.

30. Create a Fall Leaf (or Signs of Spring) Journal

Creating a fall leaf (or signs of spring) journal provides a hands-on learning experience for students, allowing them to practice skills in observation, data collection, and analysis. Students can learn about the changes that occur in nature during the fall or spring season.

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7 Fun Biology Experiments for High School

What better way to learn about life’s mysteries than through exciting and fun biology experiments? High school is the perfect time to delve deeper into the world of biology, and I’ve gathered seven fun and educational experiments that will ignite your students’ curiosity and make biology come alive. So, roll up your sleeves, put on your lab coat, and let’s dive into these fun biology experiments!

1. Barf Bag Lab

Topics: cellular respiration, alcoholic fermentation, cellular energy

Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are difficult concepts for students to grasp because they involve molecular interactions that can’t be seen. Bringing these reactions into an observable format is essential for students to comprehend them. Barf bags do just that.

Not only does the name “Barf Bag Lab” catch their attention, but the reaction itself is just gross enough to be quite memorable. Using yeast to demonstrate alcoholic fermentation, students crush sugary cereal to provide a source of glucose. As the bag expands, it may ultimately “barf” its contents onto the lab table. This lab is a great use of scientific processes because variables can be manipulated by changing the type of cereal used. Grab a free Barf Bag Lab Activity from my online store or see more cellular respiration lab experiments in this post .

2. Osmosis Egg Experiment

Topics: semipermeable cell membranes, osmosis, hypertonic, hypotonic, homeostasis

This classic lab provides another opportunity for students to observe the effects of cellular processes that would otherwise be difficult to see. Unlike the previous lab, however, this one involves a little bit of teacher prep work.

By soaking eggs in vinegar for a few days, the shells become soft and can be washed away with a little water. What remains is a semipermeable cell membrane that is easily observed. By deshelling a few eggs, the cell’s response to a variety of solute concentrations can be illustrated. If you’re interested in incorporating this classic experiment into your course, this egg osmosis lab has been vetted by hundreds of high school Biology teachers.

3. Cell Size Diffusion Lab

Topics: cell size, diffusion, cell membrane, surface area to volume ratio

This is a lab that I use as the first of lesson plan in my cell cycle unit , but it also makes a great diffusion lab. I prefer to do this experiment as a demonstration because it involves bleach and knives, which can be a safety hazard in a high school Biology classroom.

By cutting cubes of fresh beets into different sizes, students can practice calculating surface area and volume, which is a skill that helps them understand the necessity of a cell membrane for the diffusion of substances. Each beet cube is then soaked in bleach and students can observe the percentage of the cube’s volume that is reached by the bleach. The visual component of this lab is a great way for students to comprehend the need for efficient nutrient absorption and the reason for cell division.

4. Extracting DNA from Strawberries

Topics: cell structure, DNA, nucleus, cell membrane, histones

This is another classic lab, but one that just can’t be skipped! With a few household ingredients, students can extract long strings of DNA from the nuclei of strawberry cells and scoop it up with a toothpick or skewer. If you want, the DNA can even be preserved in alcohol as a biology souvenir!

At the beginning of my teaching career, I used the split pea extraction lab from Learn Genetics . It’s still a solid lab, but I’ve come to prefer using strawberries over other DNA sources for two reasons: 1) Strawberries are triploid, so the amount of DNA extracted from them is greater and 2) They are easy to smush. Split pea extraction requires a blender to break the cell walls. Since blenders aren’t readily available for every student, it necessitates a demonstration rather than a lab. Some teachers have found success with wheat germ as a DNA source, as well. You can watch a video demonstration of strawberry DNA extraction on my YouTube channel.

5. Natural Selection Lab

Topics: natural selection, mutation, genetic variation, fitness, antibiotic resistance

It’s tough to find labs for natural selection and evolution because these processes usually have to be simulated rather than observed. One of the most popular natural selection labs is the bird beak activity . Students use a variety of materials to simulate finch beaks and learn how beak adaptations cause different species to show niche separation.

Another one of my favorite evolution simulations is a natural selection lab using various household items to simulate antibiotics and bacteria. Antibiotic resistance is a great topic to incorporate into an evolution unit because it is highly relevant to students. Using a variety of pasta shapes to simulate different bacterial species, students use tools like toothpicks and clothespins to act as antibiotics “killing” the bacterial cells. Mutant bacterial cells aren’t able to be picked up by the tools, allowing these new species to flourish as antibiotic-resistant strains. Looking for more evolution labs? Check out my plant cladogram freebie in this post.

6. Candy Radiometric Dating Lab

Topics: fossils, carbon dating, radiometric dating, isotopes, half-life

Using candy is a go-to in my high school courses because it keeps students interested! There are other supplies that can be used for this radiometric dating lab activity, but candy is always well-received in my classes.

Students begin with a designated number of candies with letters on one side (like Skittles, M&Ms, etc) and they shake the candies in a box or bag to simulate radioactive decay. Candies that have flipped represent the daughter atoms. By repeating the shaking and counting of flipped candies, students can create a graph showing the radioactive decay of an isotope. This easily leads to a discussion of half-lives and the radiometric dating of fossils.

7. Greenhouse Effect Experiment

Topics: greenhouse gases, climate change, fossil fuels, carbon dioxide emissions

The greenhouse effect is easy enough to illustrate. Here’s a quick greenhouse effect simulation , if students aren’t familiar. They have likely also observed the greenhouse effect in their own car or a local greenhouse. The effects of carbon dioxide emissions on the greenhouse effect, however, is not something students readily observe. That’s why this simple lab is so clever. Students set up two plastic zipper bags with a cup of water and a thermometer in each bag. Antacid tablets are added to one cup, producing carbon dioxide within that bag. Students then monitor the difference in temperature over a 30-minute period to see how carbon dioxide intensifies the greenhouse effect. For full instructions on this lab including background reading, student instructions, data tables, and comprehension questions, grab this Greenhouse Effect Experiment .

These fun biology experiments will help your students grasp fundamental concepts and nurture their scientific curiosity. Pick one you haven’t tried, gather your lab equipment, and get going!

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20 Fun and Interesting Biology Experiments for High School 

Jennifer is a prolific writer with over 10 years of experience in online writing. She enjoys creating quotes and poems.

Learn about our Editorial Policy .

Unlike science in middle school, high school biology is a hands-on endeavor. Experiments are a standard part of biology courses, whether they are part of a controlled laboratory class, science fair, or individual student projects. Explore a few fascinating high school biology experiments; and discover ideas for simple and easy biology experiments to incorporate into your curriculum.

Examples of Biology Experiments for High School

Whether you are looking for a science fair project or need to create a project for a class assignment, there are numerous biology projects for teens.

• Planting Spring Bulbs: An Easy-to-Follow Guide for Beginners
• 7 Senior Bio Examples to Help You Craft Your Own

Frog Dissection

Dissecting a frog is a quintessential part of high school biology. If possible, try to get both female and male specimens for your class so students can see the eggs and compare the insides to the male frog.

Flower Dissection

High schoolers can get a bit squirmy about frog dissection. Have a flower dissection instead. The teens can find and label the female and male parts of the flower. It can be fun for high schoolers to check out flower intricacies under a microscope.

Diversity Among Plant Samples

Another simple biology experiment involves going into your natural environment, such as a local park, to observe diversity among plant samples. To make the experiment more detailed, students can rub collected samples on filter paper to observe which plants present which colors . Teens can work to find out why certain plants present certain colors.

Phototropism

It can be enlightening to show kids how phototropism affects plants. They can set up an experiment by using different materials to affect light. They can see how affecting the light affects the growth of the plant.

Water From Common Sources

Water is everywhere. Unfortunately, water contains numerous elements too. A great experiment is collecting water samples from various sources and viewing them under a microscope. Students can then compare their results and attempt to postulate why a given water source would present more organisms than another would.

Yeast Experiment

Another experiment involves taking a piece of bread to monitor the molds that grow over a period of two weeks.

Taste Perception

Everyone has their own taste. Literally! Some people like sour things while others like sweet. Find out if everyone perceives taste the same way and has the same threshold for taste by doing an in-class experiment.

Disinfectant Effectiveness

Ever wonder how effective hand sanitizer is at killing bacteria? Test it! Grow bacteria in a Petri dish along with paper soaked in peroxide, white vinegar, rubbing alcohol, etc. Find out how each one of them works to inhibit bacteria growth.

Pea Plant Genetics

Students can recreate Mendel's genetic pea plant experiments . By growing pea plants and comparing their phenotypes, students can determine each parent plant's genotype.

Examining Fingerprints

Fingerprints are pretty amazing features on the human body. Not only can you use them to open your phone, but each one is unique . Put your fingerprint on paper and examine the different aspects of the lines and arches on your fingers. Compare fingerprints among everyone in class.

Comparing Animal and Plant Cells

To better understand animal and plant cells, students can compare cells from their cheeks to cells from an onion. Just stain the cells with iodine or another dye to better see the cell structures under a microscope.

Creating a DNA model is a great way to help students understand the structure and function of DNA in genetics. Students can use candy, string, and toothpicks to develop a fairly realistic model of the double helix structure.

Water Bottle Germs

Many people refill their water bottles in high school. But do they add germs or bacteria to the bottle? Is refilling a disposable water bottle safe? Have students take swabs of the water bottles they use and look for bacteria around the lid or on the bottle.

Testing Hair

Teens use a lot of hair products. But do they truly work? Have teens in your class take a few samples of their hair. See what happens to the hair when common hair products are added.

Water Cycle

Understanding the water cycle isn't hard. But teens can look at it firsthand by creating a water cycle experiment. Just have them fill a baggie with water and tape it to a window. They will watch evaporation, condensation, and precipitation in action.

Closed Ecosystem Bottle

It can be hard for students to imagine something having its own ecosystem. However, you can use a plastic bottle to create a closed ecosystem.

Field Survey Biology Experiment

This experiment is great because it is cheap, easy, and you can do it in a variety of areas around your school or send students home with it. The goal is to observe the surrounding area over time and monitor the samples that you collect.

Materials You'll Need

For this experiment, you need to grab:

• Jar or baggies to collect samples
• Stakes and string or cones help mark an area
• Paper or journals for taking notes
• Slides, slide covers, and a microscope

Observation Instructions

Take note that you will observe your area for several months, so choose an area that is easy to re-mark or where you can leave the markings up, so you return to the same designated area each time.

• Have students choose one spot to observe. The spot should be no more than two to three feet square.
• Do you see evidence of animals? (Look for prints, scat or guano, fur, owl pellets, etc.)
• What plant life do you see? (Look for moss, lichen, weeds, and other plants).
• What fungus do you see? (Look for mushrooms and other fungal growth).
• What insects do you see? (Encourage students to look specifically for relationships here - such as connecting mosquitos with water or bees with flowers or a hive).

Sampling and Classroom Instructions

Bring the research back into the classroom by following these instructions.

• Guide students to make connections and note relationships in their marked area. Have them inventory the area and draw a crude map of where everything is.
• If possible, have students use tweezers and gently take samples of soil, fungus, moss, plant life, insects, etc.
• pH value of soil or water
• Microorganisms in water
• Plant cells under a microscope
• Comparative structure of flowers you find
• Require students to record everything in their own journal or interactive notebook.

Teacher tip: Set up stations in the classroom for viewing, dissecting, drawing, testing pH, etc. This will allow students some choice in how they proceed with examining their specimens.

Testing for Bacteria

Have students see where the most bacteria are lurking. This experiment is great if you want a lab that has guaranteed results. There is always some kind of bacteria lurking somewhere, just waiting to grow in a student's Petri dish.

These are the materials you are going to need to have on hand.

• Prepared Petri dishes, three per student
• Sterile swabs
• Painter's tape
• Scotch tape
• Permanent Marker
• Graph paper

Material notes : You can also purchase sterile Petri dishes and agar separately; however, it is much more likely students will contaminate the plate before they swab.

Preparing Your Petri Dishes

Prepping your Petri dishes is an essential part of the experiment.

• Before opening any materials, have students identify three places (but in one physical location such as at home or at school) that they are going to swab for bacteria. Encourage them to hypothesize about which place they think will grow the most bacteria.
• Using the Petri dish, trace three circles on the graph paper and cut it out.
• In pencil, draw a line to denote the 'top' of the circle. It doesn't matter where you draw the line, but you will need something to show you how your Petri dish is oriented so you can be sure you're tracking the same colony each time you observe.
• On the back of the graph paper circle, note the location where you will take the swab, as well as the date you are taking the swabs. Do this for all three Petri dishes you have.

Collecting Samples

Have students bring their unopened sterile swabs and closed Petri dishes to the site. Carefully, they should:

• Set the Petri dish down on a flat surface.
• Unwrap the swab.
• Swipe the swab across the area they suspect has bacteria.
• Lift the lid, gently wipe the used swab across the agar, and close the lid, carefully but quickly.

Hint: Sometimes, it's helpful to tape the Petri dish shut so that the Petri dish doesn't accidentally lose its lid.

Evaluating Results

Now that you've swabbed the areas, it's all about the results.

• Have students draw Petri-dish-sized circles in their lab books or on separate graph paper. Draw one week's worth of Petri dishes for each dish the student has.
• As the colonies start to grow, have students draw the size in their notebooks, making daily observations. If they cannot observe daily, have them observe on the same day(s) over a month.
• They should also be recording the color and other notable features of their bacteria colonies in their lab books.
• At the end, the students should write a conclusion of their study.

The Effect of Light on Growth

In this lab, students investigate how light affects plant growth. Students may use any plants, but cress will grow more quickly, so your students can get results faster.

Gather up your materials.

• Styrofoam cup or bowl
• Potting soil

Instructions

With your materials at the ready, it's time to start your experiment.

• On Day 1 - plant seeds in the soil in the cups.
• Label the cups according to the light you're going to use. You can compare sunlight vs. complete darkness, or you can compare several types of light.
• On each day after the initial day, take a picture of each cup and try to measure the growth, if any.
• For your lab entries, measure the sprouts, and note color and shape characteristics.

Planaria Regeneration

In this lab, students watch the rate at which planaria regenerates and test whether how you cut the planaria makes a difference as to how they grow back.

To conduct this experiment, you want to grab.

• 9 planarias
• 3 small plastic Petri dishes
• 1 large plastic Petri dish
• 1 plastic pipet
• 1 magnifying glass
• 1 plastic coverslip
• Spring water
• Paper towels
• Ice pack(optional)

Setup Instructions

Getting the setup right is half the battle when it comes to creating fun and interesting biology experiments for high schoolers.

• Start by numbering the three small Petri dishes to ensure nothing gets confused later.
• Using the pipet, move a planarian into the large Petri dish.
• At this point, you may want to try to set the Petri dish on an ice pack for a few minutes. This isn't totally necessary, but it will slow the planarian down to make it easier to cut.
• Right behind the head
• Right in the middle
• Right towards the tail
• Use the pipet to gently transfer each segment to a new Petri dish (with spring water).
• Repeat the steps with all remaining worm segments.
• Every day, observe the planaria. Regeneration will be considered 'complete' when the photoreceptors (the black dots that look like eyes on the planarian's head) appear.

Scientific Method and High School Biology Experiments

Much of high school biology is focused on instilling the elements of science in students. The scientific method is one of these main focuses. The method prompts participants in science to be investigators and to come up with a guess about what will happen in a given experiment, called a hypothesis. The point of the experiment is then to either prove the hypothesis correct through the experiment or prove it incorrect. This prompts teens to get involved in the scientific method while teaching other scientific skills, such as:

• The ability to make a rational estimate based on present factors and knowledge
• Close detail and monitoring skills
• The possibility of being wrong and how to move past that if it turns out to be the case
• Quick thinking skills

As much fun as biology experiments can be, there is an educational component spearheading the experiment.

Fun and Interesting High School Biology Experiments

For teens, high school biology can be fun. Finding the right experiment can help biology pop off the page and become more than just another required course of study. Who knows? Perhaps your student will even be prompted to enter a science fair or a career rooted in science?

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Sometimes the best way to learn biology is by playing a game or using a simulation. For this reason some of our stories and activities include companion games. Here is list of our current collection of fun biology games. Please note that these biology games are now in HTML5 and are no longer require Flash. We hope you enjoy them.

Beat the Heat

Bee Learning Lab

Bee Waggle Dance Game

Beetle Dissection

Explore the Beetle Dissection The outside of beetles can be shiny, dull, or extremely colorful. But what is going on inside of beetles? Take a virtual look inside the body of a beetle with this Beetle Dissection Tool. Explore on your own or follow our Beetle Dissection Activity . Visit Beetle Dissection Central for more.

Explore the Bone Anatomy Viewer Ever wonder what’s inside your bones? Here’s your chance to find out! Dissect a virtual bone and learn about the busy world of bones. You can saw, cut away layers, scoop, and zoom into the different parts of a bone. To learn more, visit Busy Bones .

Cell Parts Game

Cell Size SIM

COVID SIM Pandemic Simulation

Explore COVID SIM. In the COVID-19 pandemic, how much does wearing masks and distancing matter? How important is it to get vaccinated? You can now explore and visualize these questions as you figure out how you could slow the pandemic. To learn the latest about the COVID vaccines, the number of people who have been vaccinated, and more, visit our story page COVID-19 Vaccines . Also in: Español

Doctor Know

Play EcoChains EcoChains is a game that introduces you to arctic life and ice that is so very important for survival. This is a fun way to learn about the food web that includes living things from very tiny to the very large and those in between - like humans.

Be Part of Ask A Biologist

By volunteering, or simply sending us feedback on the site. Scientists, teachers, writers, illustrators, and translators are all important to the program. If you are interested in helping with the website we have a Volunteers page to get the process started.

Share to Google Classroom

Science of Curiosity

Six Best FREE Interactive Biology Websites (that don’t use flash!)

If you are like me, you have spent hours trying out interactive biology websites, only to get frustrated and overwhelmed. Many of them are overly complicated, or require so many instructions that the message of the activity is lost to your students. 

And then we lost Flash! That was a huge blow to me, and to science teachers all over the world! Compiled here are six of the best interactive biology websites that DON’T use flash, and are FREE!

Jump to the bottom of this list for my very favorite interactive biology website! 

Nova labs : .

Topics include:  Evolution, Earth’s Climate, Cybersecurity, RNA, Clouds, the Sun. Educators Guides for each Lab provide a lot of great info and extra resources. 

Students can log in as a guest, or easily create an account which saves their work to come back to later.

Each lab includes a  sequence of video clips with questions  students can answer and get feedback from. Students can submit their ‘report’ by clicking ‘my lab report’ at the top right, choosing the lab they are working on, and then save the webpage as a PDF (‘print’ then ‘save as PDF’ or Save to Google Drive). The PDF can then be sent to the teacher. 

Interactive games align with the Labs  and offer students another way to interact with content and go deeper with their learning. The games are involved, though not overly complicated, but will take time. Sometimes I have students just complete part of a game, rather than the whole thing. 

To ‘turn in’ their work, I ask for a screenshot of their progress, which they can see by clicking the ‘man’ icon at the top left of the game screen.

Utah Genetics : 

Topics include:  Genetics, Neuroscience, Plants, Cells, Evolution

Utah Genetics is one of the best free online interactive sites for Science…ever. The website offers  articles, video clips, and interactives  which teachers can choose for different levels and needs of their students. The resources are very well organized by topic and layer information, allowing you to go deeper, or stay simple. 

When you select a topic, the button at the top right will bring you to some additional resources and ready-made student sheets.  Keep it digital  by letting your students complete the sheet online using Kami or some other PDF editing tool!

NOTE – Utah Genetics did take a hit when it lost Flash. Some of my favorite activities were lost. But there is still great content there, and from what I have heard they are working on replacing the Flash activities with something new! Fingers crossed!

HHMI Biointeractive:  

Topics Include:  Bimolecules, Evolution, Cells, Anatomy, Ecology, Genetics, and Anatomy

An amazing resource, full of  videos, activities, and interactives  that cover Biology and Ecology topics. The best part of Biointeractive:  connection to the real world!  Real science, real data, real experts in bite sized pieces that are easy for students to understand. 

Resources are searchable by topic, type, and level. If you are looking for AP resources, this is a great place to find them!

Most articles and activities provide  ready to use student response sheets  in PDF form.  Keep it paperless  by having students answer on Kami or another PDF editor! 

The Concord Consortium

Topics Included : Populations, Evolution, Genetics, Cell Membrane Transport, Protein Structure…and much more!

Concord Consortium offers an awesome library of interactive biology activities for High School and AP Level Biology (as well as younger grades and other science subjects!). Finding what you are looking for is easy with the filters and search bar. 

The interactive activities are fun and well made . They have been a life-saver in my classroom for helping students understand difficult concepts. My favorite ones to use are about Cell Transport – diffusion and osmosis. They really help students see what is happening on a molecular level.

Concord offers teachers a  free account  that allows them to create classes and assign work. Another plus: many come with a Teaching Guide to give you some extra info and support as you use them in your classroom. 

CK-12 Biology for High School

Topics Include:  The entire Biology curriculum!

So, this is not strictly an ‘interactive’ activity website…but it is online learning. Students move through a digital text book with integrated video clips and long-form questions to get them thinking about the text. Sprinkled in are some interactive images!

The most valuable part, in my opinion, are the  Practice question sets . To get there, click the green button in the bottom right corner of any topic page. Students get immediate feedback if their answer is incorrect. A link pops up to direct them to information that will help them answer the question. Most are multiple choice, while some are fill in the blank or true/false.

The proficiency scale changes as you answer questions (see image below)  which becomes very motivating ! 

The goal is to answer ten questions correctly – once you have done that, your done! Built-in differentiation! Teachers set up an account which allows you to monitor student progress!

My favorite Biology interactive website –  BioMan Interactive : 

Topics Include:  Body Systems, Cells, Ecology, Evolution, Genetics, Scientific Method, Respiration and Photosynthesis

BioMan is my favorite biology interactive website because  the activities are fun, simple, and focused.  BioMan activities can be used as an introduction to a topic, as reinforcement or review. Each game includes information and built in question sets. Student answers are even recorded and stored on BioMan!

Teachers can create an account on the website. When students complete the activity, they have the option of emailing their score to you or submitting it to a registered teacher. When you log in to the BioMan account as a teacher, all of your student’s work and scores are available in one place – it is great! 

BONUS Resource: HowToSmile.org

Topics Include: Life Sciences, Human Body, Chemistry, and more!

HowToSmile contains a huge library of hands on resources for your classroom! I know this post is about interactive biology websites – but sometimes you just need to make and do in real life!

The link above takes you to the main topics, scroll down to Life Sciences for biology-specific resources. When you click on an activity, you will get information about how long it will take, the age range it appeals to, and how long it will take to prepare. Not all of the activities are geared for high school, but I have found some really fun ones!

Do you have any favorite interactive biology websites? Let us know about it in the comments! 

Originally published on our sister site – TeachEveryDay.com

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Six Best FREE Interactive Biology Websites (that don’t use flash!)

If you are like me, you have spent hours trying out interactive biology websites, only to get frustrated and overwhelmed. Many of them are overly complicated, or require so many instructions that the message of the activity is lost to your students. 

And then we lost Flash! That was a huge blow to me, and to science teachers all over the world! Compiled here are six of the best interactive biology websites. These online activities are well designed and easy for students to understand. Post includes tips for how to use the activities with your students.

Jump to the bottom of this list for my very favorite interactive biology website!

Nova labs : .

Topics include: Evolution, Earth’s Climate, Cybersecurity, RNA, Clouds, the Sun. Educators Guides for each Lab provide a lot of great info and extra resources. 

Students can log in as a guest, or easily create an account which saves their work to come back to later.

Each lab includes a sequence of video clips with questions students can answer and get feedback from. Students can submit their ‘report’ by clicking ‘my lab report’ at the top right, choosing the lab they are working on, and then save the webpage as a PDF (‘print’ then ‘save as PDF’ or Save to Google Drive). The PDF can then be sent to the teacher. 

Interactive games align with the Labs and offer students another way to interact with content and go deeper with their learning. The games are involved, though not overly complicated, but will take time. Sometimes I have students just complete part of a game, rather than the whole thing.

To ‘turn in’ their work, I ask for a screenshot of their progress, which they can see by clicking the ‘man’ icon at the top left of the game screen.

Related: Easy, organized way to turn in Digital work!

Utah Genetics : 

Topics include: Genetics, Neuroscience, Plants, Cells, Evolution

Utah Genetics is one of the best free online interactive sites for Science…ever. The website offers articles, video clips, and interactives which teachers can choose for different levels and needs of their students. The resources are very well organized by topic and layer information, allowing you to go deeper, or stay simple. 

When you select a topic, the button at the top right will bring you to some additional resources and ready-made student sheets. Keep it digital by letting your students complete the sheet online using Kami or some other PDF editing tool!

NOTE – Utah Genetics did take a hit when it lost Flash. Some of my favorite activities were lost. But there is still great content there, and from what I have heard they are working on replacing the Flash activities with something new! Fingers crossed!

HHMI Biointeractive:  

Topics Include: Bimolecules, Evolution, Cells, Anatomy, Ecology, Genetics, and Anatomy

An amazing resource, full of videos, activities, and interactives that cover Biology and Ecology topics. The best part of Biointeractive: connection to the real world! Real science, real data, real experts in bite sized pieces that are easy for students to understand. 

Resources are searchable by topic, type, and level. If you are looking for AP resources, this is a great place to find them!

Most articles and activities provide ready to use student response sheets in PDF form. Keep it paperless by having students answer on Kami or another PDF editor! 

The Concord Consortium

Topics Included : Populations, Evolution, Genetics, Cell Membrane Transport, Protein Structure…and much more!

Concord Consortium offers an awesome library of interactive biology activities for High School and AP Level Biology (as well as younger grades and other science subjects!). Finding what you are looking for is easy with the filters and search bar.

The interactive activities are fun and well made . They have been a life-saver in my classroom for helping students understand difficult concepts. My favorite ones to use are about Cell Transport – diffusion and osmosis. They really help students see what is happening on a molecular level.

Concord offers teachers a free account that allows them to create classes and assign work. Another plus: many come with a Teaching Guide to give you some extra info and support as you use them in your classroom.

CK-12 Biology for High School

Topics Include: The entire Biology curriculum!

So, this is not strictly an ‘interactive’ activity website…but it is online learning. Students move through a digital text book with integrated video clips and long-form questions to get them thinking about the text. Sprinkled in are some interactive images!

The most valuable part, in my opinion, are the Practice question sets . To get there, click the green button in the bottom right corner of any topic page. Students get immediate feedback if their answer is incorrect. A link pops up to direct them to information that will help them answer the question. Most are multiple choice, while some are fill in the blank or true/false.

The proficiency scale changes as you answer questions (see image below) which becomes very motivating !

The goal is to answer ten questions correctly – once you have done that, your done! Built-in differentiation! Teachers set up an account which allows you to monitor student progress!

My favorite Biology interactive website – BioMan Interactive : 

Topics Include: Body Systems, Cells, Ecology, Evolution, Genetics, Scientific Method, Respiration and Photosynthesis

BioMan is my favorite biology interactive website because the activities are fun, simple, and focused. BioMan activities can be used as an introduction to a topic, as reinforcement or review. Each game includes information and built in question sets. Student answers are even recorded and stored on BioMan!

Teachers can create an account on the website. When students complete the activity, they have the option of emailing their score to you or submitting it to a registered teacher. When you log in to the BioMan account as a teacher, all of your student’s work and scores are available in one place – it is great! 

Do you have any favorite interactive biology websites? Let us know about it in the comments! 

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Although article explained a lot but i need more elaboration on bio subject.

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Top 10 Biology Experiments You Don't Want to Miss

January 14, 2019 4 min read biology experiments science activities

A few years back we shared a series about how to teach the different areas of science at home, which you can find here:

• Teaching Biology at Home
• Teaching Earth Science at Home
• Teaching Astronomy at Home
• Teaching Chemistry at Home
• Teaching Physics at Home

The posts in the series have remained some of our most popular posts and so we thought we would help you all out by sharing our favorite experiments for each discipline!

We are going to start this series out with biology - here's how you can teach biology at home .

And without further ado, here are our top 10 biology experiments!

Top 10 Biology Experiments

1. Dissect a Flower  

Many of the typical spring blooms, such as lilies, tulips, and daffodils, have clearly seen elements, which makes them excellent specimens for your students to study the structure of a flower.

One of the best ways to do this is through a flower dissection! These step-by-step directions for a flower dissection will help you examine the structure of a flower.

2. Raise a Butterfly

Butterflies go through an amazing life-cycle. A butterfly lays an egg, from which a caterpillar emerges. Then, the caterpillar eats and grows, eventually forming a chrysalis. And several weeks later a butterfly emerges!

There is nothing like watching this process in action! And these instructions on how to grow a butterfly will help you observe this life cycle in action.

3. Extract DNA 

DNA is the stuff that tells our cells what to do and how to look. It resides in the nucleus of a cell, so as you can imagine it is quite tiny. In fact, you normally need a very powerful microscope to see DNA for yourself.

That is unless you extract it and force it to join up together into one giant mass of DNA. And that is exactly what you do with this Banana DNA Extraction experiment .

4. Make a Seed Board 

Plants start their lives out as seeds and there is a huge variety of seeds, just like there is a huge variety of plants.  

These four steps for making a seed board will help your students appreciate the differences and similarities between seeds.

5. Dissect an Owl Pellet 

This one often grosses people out, but dissecting an owl pellet is a great way to learn about bones and animal diet.

Don't worry, owl pellets are not from the backside of an owl. Owls swallow their prey whole, so a few hours after the meal, they will regurgitate the indigestible parts in the form of a pellet.

These four steps for dissecting an owl pellet will help you get the most of this fascinating but slightly suspect dissection.

6. Look at Fingerprints

Our body is covered with an amazing organ know as skin. It's the largest organ of the integumentary system. The  skin on our fingers, toes, palms of your hands, and soles of your feet is folded into tiny ridges. These ridges form swirling patterns, that help our hands and feet grip things.

These directions for examining your fingerprints will help your students understand just how amazing our skin is!

7. Grow an Herb Cutting

Roots are the structure of a plant that anchors into the ground and helps the provide the plant with the nutrients it needs to grow.

These directions for growing an herb cutting will help your students see how roots grow and get a chance to examine roots up close without getting dirty! 

8. Make a Habitat Diorama 

Our planet is covered with different types of habitats. Habitats are the place that is normal for the life and growth of a certain animal or a plant. In other words, it's the area where an animal or plant resides.

These directions for how to make a habitat diorama will help your students learn about the different plants and animals in an area in a hands-on way.

9. Eat a Cell Model

The cell is the basic unit of life, but it's so small that we can't see the cell's structure with our naked eyes. Enter the cell model.

You can make a jello cell, a cake cell, or a cell calzone to eat, but whatever cell you choose to snack on, these edible models will help your students visualize this basic building block of life.

10. Create a Fall Leaf  (or Signs of Spring)  Journal

When you study biology, it's a good idea to learn about the nature surrounding you. A  Fall Leaf journal  or a Signs of Spring journal will help your students learn about the trees and bushes that are in your area.

Wrapping it Up

There are loads more options for biology experiments out there that we love - in fact, we probably could have done a post with 100 experiments! But these are the ten we don't want you to miss.  If you want more biology experiments, check out our Biology Pinterest board .

If you want it all pulled together for you, check out the following our homeschool science programs with easy-to-use plans for teaching biology:

• For Preschool – Intro to Science  and  Summer's Lab
• For Elementary Students –  Biology for the Grammar Stage ,   Biology Lapbooks , The Sassafras Science Adventures ( Zoology ,   Anatomy , and   Botany )
• For Middle School Students –   Biology for the Logic Stage
• High School Students –   Biology for High School

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Biology Worksheets, Notes, and Quizzes (PDF and PNG)

This is a collection of free biology worksheets, notes, handouts, slides, study guides and quizzes. Most content targets high school, AP biology, genetics, anatomy/physiology, immunology, and biology 101 and 102 in college. There is also biochemistry and physics for biologists. However, some resources are at the grade school and middle school level.

The files are PDF, PNG, JPG, and formats using Google Apps for Google Classroom. Most of the time, these formats are interchangeable. So, if you see something you like, but want a different format, just let us know. Print these resources, make transparencies and slides, etc.

In the interest of quick load time, not all of the images are shown. If you’d rather see them all, just contact us!

Biochemistry

[ Google apps worksheet ][ worksheet PDF ][ answers PDF ][ worksheet PNG ][ answers PNG ]

Enzymes Definitions

[ Google Slides worksheet ][ worksheet PDF ][ answers PDF ][ worksheet PNG ][ answers PNG ]

• 20 Amino Acids [ PNG ][ PDF ]
• Amino Acid Side Chains [ PNG ][ PDF ]
• Identifying Type of Biological Macromolecules [ Google Slides worksheet ][ worksheet PDF ][ answers PDF ][ worksheet PNG ][ answers PNG ]
• Disaccharide Examples [ PNG ]
• Products of Photosynthesis [ JPG ]
• Anabolism vs Catabolism [ PNG ]
• 3 Parts of a Nucleotide [ PNG ]
• Fermentation Definition and Examples [ PNG ]

General and Cell Biology

Organelles and Their Functions

Parts of a Plant Cell

Label Parts of a Chloroplast

[ Google Apps worksheet ][ worksheet PDF ][ answers PDF ][ worksheet PNG ][ answers PNG ]

Label Parts of a Mitochondria

Label the Animal Cell

[ Google Apps worksheet ][ worksheet PDF ][ worksheet PNG ][ answers PNG ]

Prokaryotes vs Eukaryotes Worksheet

Steps of the Cell Cycle

Steps of Mitosis

Membrane Transport Terms and Definitions

Membrane Transport Worksheet #2

The Plasma Membrane

Label a Bacterial Cell

• Label a Bacteriophage [ Google Apps worksheet ][ worksheet PDF ][ worksheet PNG ][ answers PNG ]
• Evidence of Evolution Worksheet [ Google Apps worksheet ][ Worksheet PDF ][ Worksheet PNG ][ Answers PNG ]
• Evolutionary Processes Worksheet [ worksheet Google Apps ][ worksheet PDF ][ worksheet PNG ][ answers PNG ]
• Major Receptor Families [ Google Apps worksheet ][ worksheet PDF ][ worksheet PNG ][ answers PNG ]
• Label a Bacterial Cell Membrane ( E. coli ) [ Google Apps worksheet ][ worksheet PDF ][ worksheet PNG ][ answers PNG ]

Anatomy and Physiology

These worksheets are only a portion of the available anatomy and physiology worksheets. Human anatomy and physiology worksheets have their own section.

Label the Heart

Label the Eye

[ Google Apps worksheet ][ worksheet PDF ][ answers PDF ][ worksheet PNG ]

Types of Blood Cells

[ worksheet Google Apps ][ worksheet PDF ][ worksheet PNG ][ answers PNG ]

Label the Muscles

[ worksheet PDF ][ worksheet PNG ][ answers PNG ]

Label the Ear

[ Google Apps worksheet ][ Worksheet PDF ][ Worksheet PNG ][ Answers PNG ]

Label the Lungs

Label the Kidney

Label the Liver

Label the Large Intestine

Label the Stomach

[ Google Apps worksheet ] [Worksheet PDF ][ Worksheet PNG ][ Answers PNG ]

External Nose Anatomy

[ Worksheet PDF ][ Worksheet Google Apps ][ Worksheet PNG ][ Answers PNG ]

Parts of the Nose

Label Bones of the Skeleton

Label the Lymph Node

Label the Parts of the Brain

Label the Lobes of the Brain

Brain Anatomical Sections

Arteries of the Brain

Label the Pancreas

Label the Spleen

Label the Digestive System

Label the Respiratory System

Parts of a Neuron

Label the Lips

Label the Skin

Label the Circulatory System

The Urinary Tract

[ Worksheet PDF ][ Worksheet Google Apps ][ Worksheet PNG ][ Answer Key PNG ]

The Bladder

• The Female Reproductive System [ worksheet PDF ][ worksheet Google Apps ][ worksheet PNG ][ answers PNG ]

Parts of a Flower

Label the Orchid Plant

[ Worksheet PDF ][ Worksheet Google Apps ][ Worksheet PNG ] [Answer Key PNG ]

Parts of an Orchid Flower

Parts of a Monocot Seed

Parts of a Fern

Parts of a Tree Trunk

Parts of a Tree

[ worksheet PDF ][ worksheet Google Apps ][ worksheet PNG ][ answers PNG ]

Parts of a Mushroom

Label the Shark

Label the Fish

Parts of a Bird

Bird Anatomy

Frog Life Cycle

Parts of a Mosquito (Insect)

Bones of the T. rex Skull

[ worksheets PDF ][ worksheet Google Slides ][ worksheet PNG ][ answers PNG ]

Holes of the T. rex Skull

• Label the T. rex Skeleton [ worksheets PDF ][ worksheet Google Slides ][ worksheet PNG ][ answers PNG ]
• Label Human Teeth [ Worksheet PDF ][ Worksheet Google Apps ][ Worksheet PNG ][ Answer Key PNG ]
• Monocot vs Dicot Seeds [ worksheet PDF ][ worksheet Google Slides ][ worksheet PNG ][ answers PNG ]
• Label the Moss [ worksheet PDF ][ worksheet Google Slides ][ worksheet PNG ][ answers PNG ]
• Diagram of the Human Eye [ JPG ]

Use a completed worksheet as a study guide.

Cells of the Immune System

Immune Cell Functions

[ worksheet Google Apps ][ worksheet PDF ][ worksheet PNG #1][ answers PNG #1][ worksheet PNG #2][ answers PNG #2]

Methods to Study Virus Structures

[ worksheet Google Slide ][ worksheet PDF ][ worksheet PNG ][ answers PNG ]

Icosahedral Virus Capsids

Human DNA Viruses

Human RNA Viruses

This is selection of worksheets relating to DNA, RNA, transcription, translation, genetic crosses, plasmid mapping, etc. See the full collection of genetics worksheets if you’re don’t see what you need.

DNA Replication

Types of Mutations

Monohybrid Cross Worksheet #1

Monohybrid Cross Worksheet #2

Monohybrid Cross Worksheet #3

Monohybrid Cross #4 – Multiple Alleles

• Monohybrid Cross Worksheet #5: Multiple Alleles [ worksheet Google Apps ][ worksheet PDF ][ worksheet PNG ][ answers PNG ]

Monohybrid Cross #6 – Sex-Linked Inheritance

Monohybrid Cross #7 – Sex-Linked Inheritance

Dihybrid Cross Worksheet #1

Dihybrid Cross Worksheet #2

Dihybrid Cross Worksheet #3

Dihybrid Cross Worksheet #4

Dihybrid Cross #5 – Epistasis

Dihybrid Cross #6 – Epistasis

Incomplete Dominance Worksheet #1

Incomplete Dominance Worksheet #2

Natural Selection Worksheet

Convergent vs Divergent Evolution Worksheet

Intro to Pedigrees Worksheet #1

Pedigrees/Genealogy Worksheet #2

Pedigrees/Genealogy Worksheet #3 – X-Linked Dominant Traits

Pedigrees/Genealogy Worksheet #4 – X-Linked Recessive Traits

Pedigrees/Genealogy Worksheet #5 – Autosomal Dominant Traits

Pedigrees/Genealogy Worksheet #6 – Autosomal Recessive Traits

Pedigrees/Genealogy Worksheet #7 – Comprehension Skills

Pedigrees/Genealogy Worksheet #8 – Identifying Inheritance Patterns

Autosomal vs Sex-Linked Inheritance

Plasmid Mapping

• Genotype vs Phenotype [ PNG ]
• Genetic Codon Chart [ PNG ][ PDF ]
• RNA vs DNA [ JPG ]

Use labelled diagrams as study guides.

Ecosystems Worksheet

Levels of Organization (Ecosystem)

Primary Succession

Secondary Succession

Label the Insect

Label the Bee

Chicken Life Cycle (Basic)

Bird Life Cycle (Basic)

Butterfly Life Cycle

• Biotic and Abiotic Factors [ worksheet PDF ][ worksheet Google Apps ][ worksheet PNG ][ answers PNG ]
• Kingdoms of Life Graphic [ PNG ]
• Autotroph vs Heterotroph Graphic [ PNG ]
• Commensalism Definition and Examples [ PNG ]
• Difference Between Butterflies and Moths [ JPG ]
• Difference Between Bugs and Insects [ PNG ]

Parasitology

Schistosome Life Cycle

Schistosome Anatomy

• Giardia Life Cycle [ worksheet Google Apps ][ worksheet PDF ][ worksheet PNG ][ answers PNG ]

Physical Science for Biology

There is also an entire section devoted to physical science worksheets and study guides.

• Adhesion vs Cohesion Graphic [ PNG ]
• What Is Entropy? [ PNG ]
• Freezing Point of Water [ PNG ]

Biology Labs

• How to Extract DNA From a Banana [ PNG ]

Biology Word Search Puzzles

• DNA Replication Word Search
• Gel Electrophoresis Word Search
• Citrus Fruits
• General Biology Word Search Puzzle [ PNG ]
• Life Science Word Search [ PNG ][ PDF ]
• Cell Biology Word Search [ PNG ][ PDF ]
• Amino Acid Word Search [ PNG ][ PDF ]
• Biome Word Search [ PNG ][ PDF ]
• Environmental Science Word Search [ PNG ][ PDF ]
• Photosynthesis Word Search [ PNG ]
• Human Skeleton Bones Word Search [ PNG ]
• Dinosaur Word Search [ PNG ][ PDF ]
• Different Dinosaur Word Search [ PNG ][ PDF ]
• Wild Cats Word Search [ PNG ][ PDF ]
• Shark Word Search [ PNG ]
• Trees Word Search [ PNG ][ PDF ]
• Flowers Word Search [ PNG ][ PDF ]
• Butterfly Word Search [ PNG ][ PDF ]
• Genetics Word Search [ PNG ][ PDF ]

Miscellaneous Biology Notes and Resouces

• How Long Can Germs Live on Surfaces? [ PNG ]
• 10 Radioactive Foods [ PNG ]
• Examples of Organic Compounds [ PNG ]

Biology Notes Terms of Use

You are welcome to print these resources for personal or classroom use. They may be used as handouts or posters. They may  not  be posted elsewhere online, sold, or used on products for sale.

This page doesn’t include all of the assets on the Science Notes site. If there’s a table or worksheet you need but don’t see, just let us know.

35 Easy Science Experiments You Can Do Today!

Looking for easy science experiments to do at home or in the classroom? You’re in luck because we’ve got over 35 easy science activities for kids that will help you make science fun for all ages. 

Most of these simple science experiments for kids are easy to prepare, quick to perform, and use household items or inexpensive materials you can find almost anywhere. To connect the fun to the “why it works” you’ll find an easy to teach explanation with every experiment!

Musical Jars Science Experiment 

This super easy experiment is simple as it is fun! Kids make their own musical instruments with clear jars and water then investigate sound waves, pitch, and more.

When the experiment is complete, use the colorful new “instrument” for a fun music lesson. Kids can play and take turns to “name that tune”!

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial ->  Musical Jars Science Experiment

Viscosity of Liquids Science Experiment

Viscosity may be a confusing term for kids at first, but this super easy experiment can help them see viscosity in action!

With marbles, clear jars, and a few household materials, kids will make predictions, record data, and compare the results while they test high and low density liquids.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial ->   Viscosity Science Experiment

Floating Egg Science Experiment

Can a solid egg float? Kids can find the answer and understand why with this quick science experiment. 

Discover just how easy it can be to make a raw egg float while testing the laws of density. We’ve included additional ideas to try so kids can make predictions and test the concept further.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial ->   Floating Egg Science Experiment

Paper Towel Dry Under Water Experiment

Is it possible to keep a paper towel dry even when submerging it under water? The answer is a surprising “yes,” if you use science to help!

Start with the properties of your materials, make a prediction, then explore matter, density, volume, and more.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial ->   Paper Towel Dry Under Water Experiment

Mixing Oil & Water Science Experiment

This simple experiment for kids helps them better understand density and the changes that happen when adding an emulsifier to the mix. 

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial ->   Mixing Oil & Water Experiment

Will it Float or Sink Science Experiment

Will it sink or will it float? This fun experiment challenges what students think they know about household items!

Students record their hypothesis for each item then test it to compare what they think will happen against their observations.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Float or Sink Science Experiment

Water Temperature Science Experiment

What does thermal energy look like? In this easy science experiment, kids are able to see thermal energy as they explore the concept in action.

With clear jars and food coloring, students can quickly see how molecules move differently through hot and cold water.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Water Temperature Science Experiment

Balloon Blow-up Science Experiment

Kids will discover how matter reacts when heated and cooled as they watch with surprise as baking soda and vinegar blow the balloon up before their eyes.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Balloon Blow-up Science Experiment

Floating Ping Pong Ball Science Experiment

Kids will giggle with joy with this super easy experiment. With only a ping pong ball and a hair dryer, students will have a great time while exploring Bernoulli’s Principle in action. 

We’ve included additional ideas to further explore the concept with different objects and observe the change in results.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Floating Ping Pong Ball Science Experiment

Hair Stand on End Science Experiment

It’s especially fun for those who’ve never seen static electricity in action before!

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Hair Stand on End Science Experiment

Oil Bubbles in Water Science Experiment

Kids explore density and experience some chemistry when creating oil bubbles in water with everyday household items.

This experiment is particularly fun when kids see that they’ve made what looks like a lava lamp!

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial ->  Oil Bubbles in Water Science Experiment

Color Changing Water Science Experiment

Kids will be surprised as they watch a new color being “created” without mixing! Using only a clear bowl and glass, some food coloring, and water, this super easy science experiment is quick and easy with a huge wow factor. 

Try it with yellow and blue to follow along with our demonstration video then try different primary color combinations and explore the results.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial ->  Color Changing Water Science Experiment

Magnetic Paper Clip Chain Science Experiment

It may seem a bit like magic but it’s actually science! It’s not hard to capture your kids’ attention with this quick and easy science experiment as they watch paper clips “stick” together and form a chain!

Perfect for younger children, the experiment only takes a few minutes and is a fun way to explore the concept of magnetic transference.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial ->  Magnetic Paper Clip Chain Science Experiment

Is it Magnetic Science Experiment

With only a magnet and a few household items, kids will make and record their predictions, test and observe, then compare what they think is magnetic against the results.

Simple and quick, but some of the results may surprise your students!

Cloud in a Jar Experiment

This simple experiment only requires a few materials but really holds student attention as a cloud forms before their eyes!

Kids will learn new weather vocabulary as they explore how physical changes and reactions happen as clouds begin to take form. We’ve also included a helpful chart on the types of clouds.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial ->  Cloud in a Jar Science Experiment

Magic Milk Science Experiment

Create a dancing rainbow of colors with this easy science experiment for kids!

Using only a few ordinary kitchen items, your students can create a color explosion in ordinary milk when they add our special ingredient. (Hint: The special ingredient (soap!) includes hydrophilic and hydrophobic molecules that make the magic happen!)

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial ->  Magic Milk Science Experiment

Walking Water Science Experiment

Water can’t really walk upwards against gravity, but this cool science experiment makes it seem like it can! 

Kids are able to see the capillary action process and learn how attraction and adhesive forces in action allow water to move out of one glass into another. 

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Walking Water Science Experiment

Light Refraction Science Experiment

The results of this easy science experiment are so amazing, it makes kids (and adults) think it must be magic!

Young scientists watch in surprise while they see an arrow change directions instantly. Investigating refraction couldn’t be more fun!

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Light Refraction Science Experiment

Dancing Raisins Experiment

Learn about the reactions of buoyancy and density in this simple science activity for kids. 

They may not need dancing shoes, but give them a glass of soda pop and the raisins in this fun experiment love to dance!

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Dancing Raisins Science Experiment

See Sound Experiment

Kids love this experiment because they are encouraged to drum loudly so they can “see” sound waves in action!

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> See Sound Science Experiment

Elephant Toothpaste Science Experiment

Grab some giant brushes and get ready to make elephant toothpaste! Although you might not be able to get an elephant excited by this super easy experiment, kids love it!

The impressive and quick results created by the chemical reaction and the heat released in the process makes an abundant amount of fun and colorful foam!

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Elephant Toothpaste Science Experiment

Upside Down Glass of Water Science Experiment

We all know what happens when we turn a glass of water upside down, but what if I told you you can do it without the water spilling out?

The experiment only requires a few common items and you’ll be amazed by the results of air pressure in action!

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Upside Down Glass of Water Science Experiment

Pick up Ball with a Jar Science Experiment

It almost seems like magic but with the help of science, you can pick up a ball with an open jar!

Instead of magic, this easy science activity uses centripetal force and practice to do what seems like the impossible. 

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Pick up Ball with a Jar Experiment

Will It Melt Science Experiment

Can you guess which items will melt? This easy outside experiment challenges what students think they know about the effects of the sun.

Pepper Move Science Experiment

Can you make pepper move and zoom away with just a light touch of your finger? With science you can!

This experiment only takes a few quick minutes from beginning to end, but the reaction caused by surface tension makes kids want to do it over and over. 

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial ->  Pepper Move Science Experiment

Crush a Plastic Bottle Science Experiment

Go for it, crush that bottle, but don’t touch it! Although it usually can’t be seen or touched, air pressure is pushing against all surfaces at all times.

With this easy science activity kids can see air pressure at work when they watch a bottle crushes itself!

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Crush a Plastic Bottle Science Experiment

Egg in Vinegar Science Experiment

This vinegar science experiment will have your eggs and kids bouncing (with excitement!) before you know it!

Kids can watch and explore the results of chemical reactions as the egg changes from something that seems solid into what feels like something bouncy!

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Egg in Vinegar Science Experiment

Straw Through a Potato Science Experiment

Can you make a normal plastic straw go into a raw, solid potato? It seems like something impossible, but science can easily make it possible!

Pick your potatoes then let kids try their strength as they explore air pressure with this super easy experiment.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Straw Through a Potato Science Experiment

Rainbow in a Jar Science Experiment

With only a few household items, they’ll explore mass, volume, and density with every color layer!

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Rainbow in a Jar Experiment

Tornado in a Bottle Science Experiment

Kids can have fun while learning more about centripetal force with this fun experiment.

With a little muscle and science, kids watch with amazement as they create their own glitter cyclone in a bottle as the centripetal force vortex appears.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Tornado in a Bottle Science Experiment

Why Doesn’t the Water Leak Science Experiment

Can you poke holes in a plastic bag full of water without the water leaking out? With this super easy science activity you can!

Kids are stunned as they learn about polymers and how they can do what seems to be impossible.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Why Doesn’t the Water Leak Science Experiment

Use a Bottle to Blow-up a Balloon Experiment

Is it possible to blow up a balloon with only water and science? 

In this super easy experiment, kids learn more about how matter behaves as they watch a balloon inflate and deflate as a result of matter being heated and cooled.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Use a Bottle to Blow-up a Balloon Experiment

Orange Float Science Experiment

Kids explore buoyancy as they learn about and test density in this sink or float science activity.

While it only takes a few minutes, this super easy experiment invites kids to predict what they think will happen then discuss why the heavier orange floats!

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Orange Float Science Experiment

Pick up Ice with String Science Experiment

With only a few household items, kids learn about freezing temperatures and the results they create in saltwater versus freshwater.

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Pick Up Ice with String Science Experiment

Color Changing Walking Water Experiment

Using the concepts explored in our popular Walking Water Science Experiment, kids will see color walk from one glass to another and change colors as it goes!

The quick experiment seems to defy gravity like magic, but don’t worry, kids can find out how science makes it work!

Detailed Instructions & Video Tutorial -> Color Changing Walking Water Experiment

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First Day Biology Activities

• Classroom Management

Looking For Some First Day Biology Activities?

I taught for 31 years but I don’t think my first-day biology activities were ever the same from one year to the next!

I’ve tried just about everything … reading the syllabus out loud to the kids, ice breakers, demos, videos … I changed my first-day plans just about every year.

My problem was that for a while I felt like I had to get ALL of the important information out to them on THE FIRST DAY and if I didn’t, I was going to have terrible problems for the whole rest of the year! Of course, it doesn’t really work that way and I did eventually realize that it was so much better to spend several days on all of that procedural stuff instead of trying to cram it all in on day one.

And really, from the kids’ point of view, the first day is pretty stressful for them too, no matter how much they try to act all cool! So I relaxed about some things. I did learn what really helped the most. With that being said, all teachers have their own philosophies and strengths. But I hope that this list of ideas will help you lower your stress level on the first day of school, whether this is your first year or your twentieth!

1. Have students’ names at their seats before they come into class.

As a secondary teacher, you may or may not prefer to use seating charts. Personally, there was never a time when I didn’t use them. So I like to have my seating charts ready before the first day.

At the high school level, we have multiple classes per day. I found the easiest way to set this up was to write each of my student’s names on a 3 x 5 index card prior to the start of school. I would also have my seating chart form (made in Powerpoint) made ahead, usually just alphabetically to start.

So then it was a simple thing to walk around the room with my chart and place each student’s name card at their seat.  It only took a few minutes, so I was able to do it in between any back-to-back classes. Sometimes I’d do it even with the current class still sitting there and would just tell them what I was doing and why. They seldom paid any attention!

The other payoff to writing each name on a card was that now I had my cards ready for random questioning or quick grouping activities for the rest of the year.

2. Greet students at the door with a smile and a hello!

They’re nervous and unsure what you’re going to be like. It’s great to smile and welcome them to class as they’re walking in the door.

This is also a good time to tell them to find their name at their seat. And just a side note here … have your seating charts out for yourself to check. I’ve had several instances of a student moving his/her index card to a different seat while I was still in the hall!

If you’re hesitant to use a seating chart with older students, you can always tell them that it helps you to learn their names much faster and that you’ll be changing seats in a couple of weeks.

3. Take attendance out loud!

Once everyone is in their seat introduce yourself and the course. Just about every year I hear an “oops” from someone who is in the wrong place at the wrong time!

At this point I always like to take attendance out loud … some names are hard to pronounce and I like to hear the kids say their names. It’s also a great time to ask if they prefer to be called Daniel or Dan or Danny, for example.

As I’m calling out names I’m consciously looking at the student so that I can immediately start placing a face with a name. The kids are always impressed when I can use their names right away!

4. Spend just a FEW minutes talking about the course.

This probably isn’t the best time to cover your course syllabus. They will be overwhelmed because most teachers will be doing that on the first day.

I spend between 5 – 10 minutes just talking a little bit about what they can expect this year. Don’t get me wrong – we’ll definitely be covering expectations and behaviors. We just won’t be doing it on the first day.

It’s just a quick intro about myself … how many years I’ve taught here, some of the fun labs and activities we’ll be doing, etc.

5. Give them a Biology Pre-Test!

This may sound like a strange first-day biology activity, but this is the one thing that I’ve hardly ever changed in my first-day agenda over the years.

This isn’t a test that I grade. It’s just a series of no-pressure questions that cover very basic background knowledge of the course units.

I’ve used this for years and have passed it along to other teachers. If you’d like a copy yourself, click here to get one for FREE! I even tell the kids up front that I won’t be grading it like a test … I will, however, be checking it for completion tomorrow so they DO still have to do it!

I ask them to work on it quietly and to just guess at an answer if they don’t know it. I encourage them not to leave any blanks, but I also don’t want them looking up answers either. This is just for me to get to see where they are in their background knowledge.

As an aside … I’m pretty old school in the sense that I don’t like a lot of background noise from my kids when they’re supposed to be working. And this is the perfect opportunity for me to start setting that expectation right away while they’re working on this test. I walk around, making eye contact, leaning down to answer a question, or even asking for quiet if need be.

6. Have students pack up in an orderly way and remind them to bring their finished pre-tests tomorrow.

The class has been low-key and relatively non-stressful. I like to set the tone here as well by letting them know when it’s ok to start packing up … one of my pet peeves is when kids start packing up 5 minutes before the bell rings!

Remind them to bring their completed pre-tests back with them tomorrow.

Wish everyone a great day!

You can now spend a few minutes setting up your index cards for your next class or take a well-deserved 3-minute break!

What are some of your favorite “first-day activities” for your biology class? Comment below and let us know your ideas!

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Actually the link was broken! Thanks for letting me know! It’s now been fixed so it should work now. Thanks for reading!

Thank you for this interesting post!

I was wondering if the link to the “Pre-Test” you give your students has been removed or if perhaps I just can’t find it!

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Easy Science Experiments for Kids

Looking for some easy experiments to do with the kids? We’ve got you covered with all of our favourite, easy science experiments for kids. The best part about all of these ideas is that they may be simple, but the lessons are powerful! Plus they can be adapted for a wide variety of ages and learning environments.

100+ Genius Easy Science Experiments for Kids

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Fun Science Experiments

First let’s kick things off with a list of easy science experiments for kids that we have done many times over and are a favourite of STEAM Powered Family readers around the world. Almost all of these projects use common household items and are tested by kids and teachers. We have science experiments for all ages, from preschool to middle school, even adults love to do these. The best part is that you can use these ideas to help students gain comfort and eventually mastery of the Scientific Method . This list is also a fantastic place to find ideas for your science fair projects.

Baking Soda and Vinegar Experiments

It is incredible the number of cool science experiments you can create from this one simple chemical reaction between Baking Soda and Vinegar . This endothermic reaction, is a classic acid and base chemical reaction.

Here is the chemical formula of this reaction

C 2 H 4 O 2  + NaHCO 3  -> NaC 2 H 3 O 2  + H 2 O + CO 2 vinegar + sodium bicarbonate -> sodium acetate + water + carbon dioxide

Some of our favourite baking soda and vinegar science activities of all time include Bottle Rockets , Fireworks Experiment , Baking Soda Oobleck , and Hatching Dinosaur Eggs . No matter which one you pick, you must try at least one vinegar and baking soda experiment when little scientists are first learning about chemistry.

Balloon Races – Physics Science Experiment

This fast paced, exciting science experiment explores the principles of physics and Newton’s Laws of Motion. It is so simple, kids won’t believe how much they are learning while having fun! Balloon Races make a fantastic activity for the classroom, camp, after school program or at home when the kids need to burn off some energy while learning!

Build a Compass – A Magnetism Science Experiment

Did you know it is actually very easy to build a compass ? All you need is a bowl of water, a needle and a cork! Have your children explore the same magnetic forces that inspired Einstein as a child in this fun science experiment.

Lollipop Layers Density Experiment

Density is such a fun phenomenon to explore, and in this version of a density experiment we are using candy! Lollipop layers is so simple, all you need is a bunch of lollipops or hard candies, water, and a patient hand. The result… GORGEOUS!

Greenhouse Effect Science Experiment

Climate change experiments are so important for helping foster a deep understanding in our students. In this Greenhouse Effect Science Experiment we learn how gas are changing the atmosphere and affecting global temperatures.

Volcano Experiment

A classic science project for kids, making a volcano can be as simple or as complex as you want to make it. The goal of the exercise, a big, bubbly reaction that is sure to WOW students. Here are some of our favourite Volcano Experiments we have done.

Have you ever made a Lava Lamp at home? This sensory science experiment is mesmerizing! Watching those bubbles bounce and dance and play is sure to capture students of all ages. Best of all, we have 5 different ways you can make a Lava Lamp (including the old favourite with alka seltzer), so no matter what supplies you have available, we have a Lava Lamp experiment you can do.

Make Milk Plastic

While teaching elementary science I was always on the hunt for cool science experiments that would impress my kids and really stretch their interests and foster their curiosity. One of the biggest hits of all time was a surprisingly simple experiment, that we never really considered as possible… making plastics. Specifically making bioplastics out of milk . With this concept you can create a lesson that is a powerful way to explore polymers with kids. This easy science experiment is a sure fire hit with students and gives them a wonderful keepsake of their studies.

Bouncy Naked Egg in Vinegar Experiment

Have you ever tried to shell a raw egg? Impossible you say? Challenge your hypothesis in this egg in vinegar science experiment ! Not only will you remove the shell from a raw egg, but the result is a bouncy, rubbery, raw egg. An incredibly simple science experiment, it can also be used to teach higher level concepts in osmosis and biology for students learning about the parts of the cell.

Making Water Rise Experiment Magic

When we did this water experiment the kids jaws hit the floor! It is so simple, but the results shock the kids. This is one very easy science experiment that is also incredibly memorable. It teaches the science of creating a vacuum in a very simple approach with just a jar, water and a candle. Learn how to make water rise and wow your students!

Elephant Toothpaste

You have probably seen the Elephant Toothpaste Science Experiment done on TV or at the Science Center where they create a massive gusher that goes many feet into the air, but did you know there is a very simple and easy way you can do this experiment yourself with items you already have available? This classic science experiment is one every student should experience.

Frozen Bubbles

If you live where it gets well below freezing, one of our favourite winter science experiments is to freeze bubbles . There are some specific science principles you need to understand to ensure this experiment is a beautiful success!

Growing Crystals

As a crystal lover and passionate family of rock hounds, the idea of growing crystals is something that we love! Over the years we have found all the ways to simplify and perfect the process so you can easily grow gorgeous crystals and learn the science behind crystallization. We have made crystals from borax, alum and sugar. We even have edible crystals called Rock Candy … yum!!

Explore Surface Tension with Glitter (or Pepper) and Soap

Surface tension is the focus of this simple science experiment that provides a powerful demonstration of the effect soap has on surface tension. Do this easy experiment, all you need is a plate, water, glitter or pepper and dish soap. Such an easy science experiment for kids!

Bottle Crush – Simple Heat Transfer Experiment

Got a soda pop bottle, some hot water and a cold winter day (or a bucket of ice)? Then you have all the makings of a cool science experiment! This this Bottle Crush science experiment , kids feel like all powerful magicians as they crush plastic bottles without touching them.

pH Testing Lab

Have you ever done a pH lab ex periment? In this simple version, you can use items from the kitchen to create a science lab that allows students to explore pH and learn more about acids and bases.

Gummy Mummies – Gummy Bear Mummification Experiment

Gummy Bear Science Experiments are always a hit with kids and in this easy science experiment we explore how the mummification process works. Add an extra fun comparison by also placing some of the gummy bears in liquid.

Walking Rainbow

Want a beautiful rainbow science experiment that is soooo easy it all happens without you even needing to do anything? Simply set it up, walk away, and come back to a beautiful rainbow of colours. In the Walking Rainbow Science Experiment kids learn about capillary action and color mixing. All you need is jars, paper towels, water and food coloring.

Rainbow Rain

On a rainy day, why not make Rainbow Rain in this simple science experiment for kids. The results are beautiful and will brighten a dreary day. All you need is water, shaving cream and a few drops of food colouring.

Skittles Experiment

It doesn’t get any easier than the simple Skittles Experiment . All you need is a plate, some Skittles and water. Soon you will have a spectacular science experiment the kids will beg to do again and again.

It’s been all the rage for a few years, and whether you love it or hate it, making slime can actually be a fantastic science experiment for kids.

Ready to do one of the most simple science experiments, but also the most fun? It’s time to make non-Newtonian Fluids! Known as Oobleck , it turns sold under pressure and liquifies when you remove pressure. And it will keep kids learning hands on and exploring for hours! The best part is all the different science experiments you can do with Oobleck.

Now when you think of Moon Dough , you don’t immediately think of easy science experiments for kids, but that’s because you have never made Moon Dough the way we make Moon Dough! In our recipes we learn about emulsifiers, glow in the dark science, chemical reactions, heat transfer, all while having so much fun exploring science and sensory play with kids of all ages.

Making playdough with your kids is a great way to teach them about mixtures, solutions, substances, and chemical changes. It is also teaches about the importance of formulas and the role each ingredient plays in creating one of the all time most popular sensory play items, playdough!

Magic Milk Experiment

Ready for some serious wow factor in a really easy science experiment? Magic Milk is a classic experiment that always mesmerizes kids. Over the years we have used it to learn about surface tension, space, pollution on Earth Day, and so much more. All you need is milk, dish soap and a drop of food colouring… and watch the magic colour explosion happen!

Simple Snow and Ice Experiment

Is it winter where you live? This is a fantastic, very simple and easy experiment to do with young students. All you need is some jars, snow, ice cubes and water… and watch the melting magic !

Heat Transfer Experiment – Slurpee Making

Kids love this simple slurpee science experiment where they get a cold, sweet treat at the end in the form of a homemade slurpee! Using the science of heat transfer, kids will make their very own slurpee out of juice. A great experiment for learning about temperature, heat and heat transfer.

Flying Ghosts Tea Bag Experiment

Obviously this easy science experiment is perfect for Halloween, but don’t let that stop you from doing it at any time during the year. The results of the flying tea bag experiment are always a hit with kids and all you need is fire and a tea bag to set flight to curiosity!

Ice Fishing

Inspire your little ones to learn more about how salt and water react in this fun ice fishing science experiment .

Water and Oil Experiment

Demonstrate how oil and water don’t mix in this colourful oil and water experiment. All you need is a few simple ingredients: water, oil and food colouring. When it comes to easy science experiments for kids, it doesn’t get easier than this!

Magnet Science – Harry Potter Inspired Wingardium Leviosa

Use the magic of science to wow students, or teach students this experiment so they can wow their friends with their new found magical abilities. You can also use this science to make ghosts fly! Who knew magnet science was so cool?

Marshmallow Science

Marshmallows are the secret to easy science experiments that you never knew existed in your pantry! Learn how to teach concepts around heat, molecules, expansion and more in this marshmallow science experiment .

Sky Science

Kids wondering why the sky changes colour during sunrise and sunsets? Or the always famous, why is the sky blue, question? Explore the science of the sky colours in this easy experiment .

Easy STEM Challenges

Why not combine Science with some Technology, Engineering and Math in these easy STEM Projects for kids.

Build a Popsicle Stick Catapult

One of the original STEM projects kids have been building for generations is the simple catapult. There are lots of different ways you can build a catapult, but here we are making the always easy and popular Popsicle Stick Catapult .

Build a Water Clock

This easy STEM project has some significant historical context that your history loving students will go wild over. Plus building a water clock is surprisingly easy but packs a powerful learning punch.

Make a Glow Salt Circuit

Before you start to worry, building a circuit doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, once your students master the basics of electricity and circuits, they will want to start adding circuits to everything. To get started, one of the most simple circuit projects you can make is our Glow Salt Circuit . Don’t worry, we provide all the detailed instructions to ensure your project is a hit.

Build a Battery

Another great way to explore electricity science is to build a simple battery out of food. We have built Lemon Batteries , Pumpkin Batteries and even Potato Batteries . Kids love capturing the energy in our foods and using it to light up!

Build a Bridge

A bridge building challenge is a great way to challenge a class either in school, at camp or in an after school program. Kids get to let their innovation, creativity, and understanding of science and engineering go wild as they build their creations. Then test them out against other designs to see which concepts come out on top.

Rube Goldberg Machine

Building simple machines is an incredible STEM project for all ages. With a Rube Goldberg Machine you are linking simple machines into a chain reaction to achieve an end goal. The best part about a Rube Goldberg Machine project is that it challenges students to work together and apply critical thinking and problem skills as they develop their STEM literacy. Check out the Rube Goldberg Machine we built as a Leprechaun Trap .

Build a Catapult Cannon

Catapults may be fun, but as kids get older, they want bigger challenges, bigger launches and bigger fun with their learning. Enter the Catapult Cannon , a Catapult design that launches harder and farther than your regular catapults, and challenges students to apply more advanced engineering and physics concepts.

Build a Confetti Cannon or Seed Bomb Launcher

For a smaller scale challenge with mini cannons, try making this Confetti Cannon , which includes two different designs, one for little learners and one more complex design for older kids. Plus you can use a similar design concept to make a Seed Bomb Launcher for homemade Seed Bombs.

Tower Construction Challenge

A very easy STEM Project is to challenge kids to build a tower. Now you can do this with blocks or LEGO, but up the challenge by having kids build with candy , marshmallows , paper, pasta or even frozen bubbles . Add a time limit to turn this into a one minute STEM challenge.

Make a Thaumatrope

Optical illusions are always a fun experiment for kids. For a quick and easy optical illusion for kids, try building Thaumatropes . It is so easy, especially with our ideas and templates.

Build a Balloon Car

This is a STEM build that is perfect for a classroom or after school group. Build a Balloon Car that is powered by air. For younger kids, challenge them with the Make It Move STEM Challenge .

Biology Science Building Models

Turn a boring Biology lesson into a fun science class with a STEM project inspired by the human body. Build functioning models of The Lungs , The Heart or The Hand .

Science Projects and STEM Activities for the Holidays

Need something specific to celebrate the seasons or holidays? Check out all of these resources featuring the best in easy science experiments for kids with a special theme!

Spring Activities

Summer Activities

Fall Activities

Winter Activities

End of School Year

Valentine’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day

Halloween Activities

Christmas Activities

5 Days of Smart STEM Ideas for Kids

Get started in STEM with easy, engaging activities.

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Remote Ready Biology Learning Activities

Resources for Teaching about Coronavirus has descriptions and links for multiple resources to use in teaching and learning about coronavirus.

Remote Ready Biology Learning Activities has 50 remote-ready activities, which work for either your classroom or remote teaching.

• brain & behavior
• complex systems
• science education
• science & culture
• art exhibitions

Hands-on Activities for Teaching Biology to High School or Middle School Students

by Drs. Ingrid Waldron and Jennifer Doherty, University of Pennsylvania

Intro and Biological Molecules 

Is Yeast Alive?

• Enzymes Help Us Digest Food  (NGSS)
• A Scientific Investigation - What types of food contain starch and protein?  (NGSS)
• Who Took Jerell's iPod? - An Organic Compound Mystery

More Minds-on Activities

Cell structure and function.

• Introduction to Osmosis  (NGSS)
• Cell Membrane Structure and Function  (NGSS)

Cellular Respiration and Photosynthesis

• Alcoholic Fermentation in Yeast - A Bioengineering Design Challenge  (NGSS)
• Photosynthesis, Cellular Respiration and Plant Growth  (NGSS)
• Photosynthesis Investigation  (NGSS)

Cell Division and Genetics

• Mitosis and the Cell Cycle (NGSS)
• Meiosis and Fertilization - Understanding How Genes Are Inherited (NGSS)
• Genetics (NGSS)
• Were the babies switched? The Genetics of Blood Types and Skin Color (NGSS)
• Dragon Genetics I
• Dragon Genetics II

Molecular Biology

• How Genes Can Cause Disease - Introduction to Transcription and Translation (NGSS)
• UV, Mutations, and DNA Repair (NGSS)

Evolution and Ecology 

• Evolution by Natural Selection (NGSS)
• How does evolution result in similarities and differences? (NGSS)
• Some Similarities between the Spread of Infectious Disease and Population Growth (NGSS)
• Food Webs, Energy Flow, Carbon Cycle and Trophic Pyramids (NGSS)
• Food Webs (NGSS)

Human Physiology

• Negative Feedback, Homeostasis, and Positive Feedback - Examples and Concepts  (NGSS)
• Regulation of Human Heart Rate
• How do we Sense the Flavors of Food? (NGSS)
• More Minds-on Activities on Physiology and Health

Download all of the PDFs in a zipped archive. (Caveat: file size is about 140MB and will take a while.) -->

More Minds-on Activities!

Additional Activities

Subscribe to our listserv   to receive notices when we post new activities or significant revisions .

The expression " hands-on, minds-on " summarizes the philosophy we have incorporated in these activities - namely, that students will learn best if they are actively engaged and if their activities are closely linked to understanding important biological concepts .

Most of our activities support the Next Generation Science Standards , as indicated by (NGSS) in the descriptions below and the links to the right. Additional information is provided in Summary Tables and in the Teacher Preparation Notes for these activities. 

To accommodate limited budgets, most of our activities can be carried out with minimum equipment and expense for supplies.

Additional resources for teaching biology are available at Minds-on Activities for Teaching Biology .  These teaching resources include remote ready analysis and discussion activities, games, and overviews of important biological topics, including major concepts, common misconceptions, and suggested learning activities.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. To preserve the value of these learning activities for other teachers, please do not post keys for any questions from any of these activities! We encourage you to  subscribe to our listserv  to receive notices when we  post new activities or significantly improved versions  of current activities.

Intro and Biological Molecules

Students evaluate whether the little brown grains of yeast obtained from the grocery store are alive by testing for metabolism and growth.

Download Student Handout: PDF format or Word format Download Teacher Preparation Notes: PDF format or Word format View and submit comments

Enzymes Help Us Digest Food (revised, March, 2024)

In this hands-on, minds-on activity, students investigate the biological causes of Maria's symptoms and Jayden's symptoms. To explore the causes of these symptoms, students carry out two experiments, interpret the results, and answer additional analysis and discussion questions. Students learn about enzyme function and enzyme specificity as they figure out that Maria's symptoms are due to lactase deficiency (which can result in lactose intolerance) and Jayden's symptoms are due to sucrase deficiency. In the final section, students are challenged to generalize their understanding of enzymes to interpret a video of an experiment with saliva, starch and iodine. This activity can be used in an introductory unit on biological molecules or later during a discussion of enzymes. (NGSS)

A Scientific Investigation - What types of food contain starch and protein? (revised, August, 2024)

In the first part of this activity, students answer analysis and discussion questions as they learn about the structure, functions, and synthesis of starch and proteins. They use this information to explain why certain parts of plants or animals contain a substantial amount of starch or protein. Then, students carry out key components of a scientific investigation, including generating hypotheses, designing and carrying out experiments to test their hypotheses, and, if needed, using experimental results to revise their hypotheses. (NGSS)

Who Took Jerell's iPod? - An Organic Compound Mystery (revised, November, 2012)

In this activity, students learn how to test for triglycerides, glucose, starch, and protein and then use these tests to solve a mystery. The activity reinforces students understanding of the biological functions and food sources of these different types of organic compounds.

More Minds-on Activities for teaching about biological molecules are available at Minds-on Biological Molecules . These include an analysis and discussion activity and a game for learning and review.

Introduction to Osmosis  (revised, October, 2022)

In this hands-on, minds-on activity, students investigate the effects of hypotonic and hypertonic solutions on eggs that have had their shells removed. As students interpret their results, they develop a basic understanding of the process of osmosis. As they answer additional analysis and discussion questions, students learn about the effects of osmosis on animal and plant cells and apply their understanding of osmosis to the interpretation of several "real-world" phenomena. (NGSS)

Download Student Handout:   PDF format  or  Word format Download Teacher Preparation Notes:   PDF format  or  Word format View and submit comments

Cell Membrane Structure and Function  (revised, May, 2020)

This activity includes two hands-on experiments and numerous analysis and discussion questions to help students understand how the characteristics and organization of the molecules in the cell membrane result in the selective permeability of the cell membrane. In the hands-on experiments, students first evaluate the selective permeability of a synthetic membrane and then observe how a layer of oil can be a barrier to diffusion of an aqueous solution. Students answer analysis and discussion questions to learn how the phospholipid bilayer and membrane proteins play key roles in the cell membrane function of regulating what gets into and out of the cell. Topics covered include ions, polar and nonpolar molecules; simple diffusion through the phospholipid bilayer; facilitated diffusion through membrane proteins; and active transport by membrane proteins. An optional additional page introduces exocytosis and endocytosis. (NGSS)

Download Student Handout:  PDF format  or  Word format Download Teacher Preparation Notes:  PDF format  or  Word format View and submit comments

More Minds-on Activities for teaching cell biology are available at Cell Structure and Function . These include an overview, analysis and discussion activities, and a game for review.

Alcoholic Fermentation in Yeast - A Bioengineering Design Challenge  (revised, March, 2024)

This multi-part minds-on, hands-on activity helps students to understand both alcoholic fermentation and the engineering design process. Students begin by learning about alcoholic fermentation and yeast. To test whether grains of yeast can carry out alcoholic fermentation, students compare CO2 production by grains of yeast in sugar water vs. two controls. Then, students are introduced to the bioengineering design challenge to find the optimum temperature and sucrose concentration to maximize rapid CO2 production. Students are guided through the basic engineering steps of applying the relevant scientific background to the design challenge, planning for systematic testing of possible design solutions, drawing tentative conclusions from the results of this testing, clarifying the criteria for an optimum design solution, and planning for further testing. In addition to the complete Student Handout, we offer a shorter Student Handout that omits the design challenge. (NGSS)

Download Student Handout:   PDF format  or  Word format Download Shorter Student Handout: PDF format or Word format Download Teacher Preparation Notes:   PDF format  or  Word format View and submit comments

Photosynthesis, Cellular Respiration and Plant Growth  (revised, October, 2022)

This minds-on, hands-on activity begins with the driving question of how a tiny seed grows into a giant sequoia tree. To address this question, students first consider what types of molecules and atoms are in plants. Next, they analyze data from an experiment on changes in plant biomass in the light vs. dark. Then, they conduct an experiment to evaluate changes in CO2 concentration in the air around plants in the light vs. dark. Students interpret these data to develop an increasingly accurate and evidence-based model of the contributions of photosynthesis and cellular respiration to changes in plant biomass. This activity counteracts several common misconceptions about plant growth, photosynthesis, and cellular respiration. (NGSS)

Photosynthesis Investigation  (revised, September, 2017)

In the first part of this activity, students learn how to use the floating leaf disk method to measure the rate of net photosynthesis (i.e. the rate of photosynthesis minus the rate of cellular respiration). They use this method to show that net photosynthesis occurs in leaf disks in a solution of sodium bicarbonate, but not in water. Questions guide students in reviewing the relevant biology and analyzing and interpreting their results. In the second part of this activity, student groups develop hypotheses about factors that influence the rate of net photosynthesis, and then each student group designs and carries out an investigation to test the effects of one of these factors. (NGSS)

More Minds-on Activities for teaching about cellular respiration, anaerobic fermentation and photosynthesis are available at  Cellular Respiration and Photosynthesis . These include an overview and analysis and discussion activities.

Mitosis and the Cell Cycle - How a Single Cell Develops into the Trillions of Cells in a Human Body (revised, December, 2022)

In this hands-on, minds-on activity, students learn how the cell cycle produces genetically identical daughter cells. They use model chromosomes and answer analysis and discussion questions to learn how DNA replication and mitosis work together to ensure that each new cell gets a complete set of chromosomes with a complete set of genes. The model chromosomes are labeled with the alleles of several human genes, and students learn how the alleles influence phenotypic characteristics. To understand how a single cell (the fertilized egg) can develop into the trillions of cells in a human body, students analyze an exponential growth model for the increase in number of cells. The final section provides a brief introduction to cellular differentiation. (NGSS)

Meiosis and Fertilization - Understanding How Genes Are Inherited (revised, December, 2022)

In this hands-on, minds-on activity, students use model chromosomes and answer analysis and discussion questions to learn how a child inherits one copy of each gene from each parent via the processes of meiosis and fertilization. Students first analyze how the processes of meiosis and fertilization result in the alternation between diploid and haploid cells in the human lifecycle. To learn how meiosis produces genetically diverse gametes, students analyze the results of crossing over and independent assortment. As they model meiosis and fertilization, students follow the alleles of a human gene from the parents' body cells through gametes to zygotes. Thus, students learn how a person inherits one copy of each gene from each of his/her parents. A final brief section contrasts sexual reproduction with asexual reproduction. This activity can be used to introduce meiosis and fertilization or to review these processes. (NGSS)

Genetics (revised, December, 2020)

This hands-on, minds-on activity helps students to understand basic principles of genetics, including (1) how genotype influences phenotype via the effects of genes on protein structure and function and (2) how genes are transmitted from parents to offspring through the processes of meiosis and fertilization. Students use model chromosomes to demonstrate how meiosis and fertilization are summarized in Punnett squares. In the coin flip activity, students learn about the probabilistic nature of inheritance and Punnett square predictions. (NGSS)

Were the babies switched? – The Genetics of Blood Types and Skin Color (revised, February, 2024)

In this minds-on, hands-on activity, students learn about the genetics of ABO blood types, including multiple alleles of a single gene and codominance. Then, students use chemicals to simulate blood type tests and carry out genetic analyses to determine whether hospital staff accidentally switched two babies born on the same day. Next, students analyze the genetics of skin color in order to understand how fraternal twins can have different skin colors. In this analysis, students learn about incomplete dominance and how a single phenotypic characteristic can be influenced by multiple genes and the environment. (NGSS)

Dragon Genetics - Independent Assortment and Gene Linkage (revised, January, 2010)

Students learn the principles of independent assortment and gene linkage in activities which analyze inheritance of multiple genes on the same or different chromosomes in hypothetical dragons. Students learn how these principles derive from the behavior of chromosomes during meiosis and fertilization.

Dragon Genetics -- Understanding Inheritance (revised, August, 2012)

In this simulation activity students mimic the processes of meiosis and fertilization to investigate the inheritance of multiple genes and then use their understanding of concepts such as dominant/recessive alleles, incomplete dominance, sex-linked inheritance, and epistasis to interpret the results of the simulation. This activity can be used as a culminating activity after you have introduced classical genetics, and it can serve as formative assessment to identify any areas of confusion that require additional clarification.

More Minds-on Activities for teaching about cell division and genetics are available at Cell Division and Genetics . These include overviews, analysis and discussion activities, and games for learning and review.

DNA (revised, January, 2023)

In this hands-on, minds-on activity, students extract DNA from Archaea or from their cheek cells. In addition, students learn or review key concepts about the structure, function, and replication of DNA. For example, students learn that the genes in DNA give the instructions to make proteins, which influence our characteristics. They also learn how the double helix structure of DNA and the base-pairing rules provide the basis for DNA replication. This activity includes multiple analysis and discussion questions and hands-on or online modeling of DNA replication. (NGSS)

Download Student Handout Archaea: PDF format or Word format Download Teacher Preparation Notes Archaea: PDF format or Word format Download Student Handout Cheek Cells: PDF format or Word format Download Teacher Preparation Notes Cheek Cells: PDF format or Word format View and submit comments

How Genes Can Cause Disease - Introduction to Transcription and Translation (revised, January, 2023)

To begin this hands-on, minds-on activity, students learn that different versions of a gene give the instructions for making different versions of a clotting protein, which result in normal blood clotting or hemophilia. Then, students learn how genes provide the instructions for making a protein via the processes of transcription and translation. They develop an understanding of the roles of RNA polymerase, the base-pairing rules, mRNA, tRNA and ribosomes. Finally, students use their learning about transcription and translation to understand how a change in a single nucleotide in the hemoglobin gene can result in sickle cell anemia. Throughout, students use the information in brief explanations, figures and videos to answer analysis and discussion questions. In addition, students use simple paper models to simulate the processes of transcription and translation. An alternative version omits the paper models ( How Genes Can Cause Disease - Understanding Transcription and Translation ). (NGSS)

Download Student Handout: PDF format or Word format Download Teacher Preparation Notes: PDF format View and submit comments

UV, Mutations, and DNA Repair (revised, July, 2020)

Students learn about the effects of UV light, mutations and DNA repair on the survival of prokaryotes and the risk of skin cancer. In the first experiment, students evaluate the effects of different durations of UV exposure on survival and population growth of Haloferax volcanii. This experiment also tests for photorepair of DNA damage. Students design the second experiment, which evaluates the effectiveness of sunscreen. In addition, students answer analysis and discussion questions that promote their understanding of molecular biology, cancer, and the interpretation of experimental results. (NGSS)

More Minds-on Activities for teaching molecular biology are available at Molecular Biology .These include an overview and analysis and discussion activities.

Evolution and Ecology  

Evolution by natural selection (revised, march, 2024).

In this minds-on, hands-on activity, students develop their understanding of natural selection by analyzing specific examples and carrying out a simulation. The questions in the first section introduce students to the basic process of natural selection, including key concepts and vocabulary. The second section includes a simulation activity, data analysis, and questions to deepen students' understanding of natural selection, including the conditions that are required for natural selection to occur. In the third section, students interpret evidence concerning natural selection in the peppered moth and answer questions to consolidate a scientifically accurate understanding of the process of natural selection, including the role of changes in allele frequency. (Analysis and discussion versions of the first and third sections are available at https://serendipstudio.org/exchange/bioactivities/NaturalSelectionIntro and https://serendipstudio.org/exchange/bioactivities/NaturalSelectionMoth .) (NGSS)

How does evolution result in similarities and differences? (revised, February, 2024)

In this hands-on, minds-on activity, students analyze the similarities and differences between bat and squirrel skeletons and between bat and insect wings. Students learn about the two ways that evolution produces similarities: (1) inheritance from shared evolutionary ancestors (homologous characteristics) and (2) independent evolution of similar characteristics to accomplish the same function (analogous characteristics). In the laboratory investigation, students observe the external anatomy and locomotion of earthworms, mealworms, and crickets. Students use these observations and the concepts they have learned to figure out which two of these animals are more closely related evolutionarily. (NGSS)

Some Similarities between the Spread of Infectious Disease and Population Growth (revised, June, 2018)

First, students analyze a hypothetical example of exponential growth in the number of infected individuals. Then, a class simulation of the spread of an infectious disease shows a trend that approximates logistic growth. Next, students analyze examples of exponential and logistic population growth and learn about the biological processes that result in exponential or logistic population growth. Finally, students analyze how changes in the biotic or abiotic environment can affect population size; these examples illustrate the limitations of the exponential and logistic population growth models. (NGSS)

Food Webs, Energy Flow, Carbon Cycle and Trophic Pyramids (revised, August, 2024)

To begin this hands-on, minds-on activity, students view a video about ecosystem changes that resulted when wolves were eliminated from Yellowstone National Park and later returned to Yellowstone. Then, students learn about food chains and food webs, and they construct and analyze a food web for Yellowstone. Students use what they have learned to understand a trophic cascade caused by the elimination of wolves from Yellowstone. Next, students learn that the biosphere requires a continuous inflow of energy, but does not need an inflow of carbon atoms. To understand why, students apply fundamental principles of physics to photosynthesis, biosynthesis, and cellular respiration, the processes which result in carbon cycles and energy flow through ecosystems. In the final section, students use the concepts they have learned to understand trophic pyramids and phenomena such as the relative population sizes for wolves vs. elk in Yellowstone. Thus, students learn how ecological phenomena result from processes at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels. For virtual instruction, you can use Food Webs - What effects did the elimination and return of wolves have on other populations in Yellowstone? , Carbon Cycles and Energy Flow through Ecosystems and the Biosphere , and Trophic Pyramids . (NGSS)

Download Student Handout: PDF format or Word format Download Teacher Preparation Notes: PDF format or Word format Access the files for the food web cards; view and submit comments

Food Webs - Understanding What Happened When Wolves Returned to Yellowstone (revised, March, 2021)

To begin, students view a video about ecosystem changes that resulted when wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone. Next, students learn about food chains and food webs. They construct and analyze a food web for Yellowstone National Park. Finally, students use what they have learned to understand a trophic cascade caused by the return of wolves to Yellowstone.

More minds-on analysis and discussion activities for teaching evolution and ecology are available at Ecology and Evolution . 

Negative Feedback, Homeostasis, and Positive Feedback - Examples and Concepts   (revised, June, 2023)

This minds-on, hands-on activity begins with an anchoring phenomenon, how a person's breathing changes when he/she is re-breathing the air in a plastic bag. Students develop a negative feedback model of how the changes in breathing stabilize blood levels of O2 and CO2. To understand changes in breathing when running, students analyze cellular respiration. Next, students use a negative feedback model to understand temperature regulation and homeostasis. Then, students analyze how failures of negative feedback can result in diabetes. Finally, students compare and contrast positive and negative feedback. The Appendix for the Teacher Preparation Notes suggests an optional activity in which each student group investigates a question or hypothesis concerning negative feedback, homeostasis and changes in breathing. (NGSS)

Regulation of Human Heart Rate  (revised, July, 2013)

Students learn how to measure heart rate accurately. Then students design and carry out an experiment to test the effects of an activity or stimulus on heart rate, analyze and interpret the data, and present their experiments in a poster session. In this activity students learn about both cardiac physiology and scientific method.

How do we Sense the Flavors of Food? (new, July, 2017)

In this minds-on activity, students develop science practice skills by developing plans for a hands-on investigation, carrying out the investigation, analyzing the data, and interpreting the results. Then, students answer analysis and discussion questions as they develop a basic understanding of how taste and olfactory receptor cells function and how sensory messages to the brain contribute to flavor perception and flavor-related behavior. (NGSS)

More minds-on analysis and discussion activities for teaching physiology and health are available at Human Physiology and Health . 

View and Submit General Comments

If you prefer, you can send a private message with comments or requests for additional information to Ingrid Waldron at [email protected] .

Teachers are encouraged to copy and modify these labs for use in their teaching.

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37 Cool Science Experiments for Kids to Do at Home

General Education

Are you looking for cool science experiments for kids at home or for class? We've got you covered! We've compiled a list of 37 of the best science experiments for kids that cover areas of science ranging from outer space to dinosaurs to chemical reactions. By doing these easy science experiments, kids will make their own blubber and see how polar bears stay warm, make a rain cloud in a jar to observe how weather changes, create a potato battery that'll really power a lightbulb, and more.

Below are 37 of the best science projects for kids to try. For each one we include a description of the experiment, which area(s) of science it teaches kids about, how difficult it is (easy/medium/hard), how messy it is (low/medium/high), and the materials you need to do the project. Note that experiments labelled "hard" are definitely still doable; they just require more materials or time than most of these other science experiments for kids.

#1: Insect Hotels

• Teaches Kids About: Zoology
• Difficulty Level: Medium
• Messiness Level: Medium

Insect hotels can be as simple (just a few sticks wrapped in a bundle) or as elaborate as you'd like, and they're a great way for kids to get creative making the hotel and then get rewarded by seeing who has moved into the home they built. After creating a hotel with hiding places for bugs, place it outside (near a garden is often a good spot), wait a few days, then check it to see who has occupied the "rooms." You can also use a bug ID book or app to try and identify the visitors.

• Materials Needed
• Shadow box or other box with multiple compartments
• Hot glue gun with glue
• Sticks, bark, small rocks, dried leaves, bits of yarn/wool, etc.

#2: DIY Lava Lamp

• Teaches Kids About: Chemical reactions
• Difficulty Level: Easy

In this quick and fun science experiment, kids will mix water, oil, food coloring, and antacid tablets to create their own (temporary) lava lamp . Oil and water don't mix easily, and the antacid tablets will cause the oil to form little globules that are dyed by the food coloring. Just add the ingredients together and you'll end up with a homemade lava lamp!

• Vegetable oil
• Food coloring
• Antacid tablets

#3: Magnetic Slime

• Teaches Kids About: Magnets
• Messiness Level: High (The slime is black and will slightly dye your fingers when you play with it, but it washes off easily.)

A step up from silly putty and Play-Doh, magnetic slime is fun to play with but also teaches kids about magnets and how they attract and repel each other. Some of the ingredients you aren't likely to have around the house, but they can all be purchased online. After mixing the ingredients together, you can use the neodymium magnet (regular magnets won't be strong enough) to make the magnetic slime move without touching it!

• Liquid starch
• Adhesive glue
• Iron oxide powder
• Neodymium (rare earth) magnet

#4: Baking Soda Volcanoes

• Teaches Kids About: Chemical reactions, earth science
• Difficulty Level: Easy-medium
• Messiness Level: High

Baking soda volcanoes are one of the classic science projects for kids, and they're also one of the most popular. It's hard to top the excitement of a volcano erupting inside your home. This experiment can also be as simple or in-depth as you like. For the eruption, all you need is baking soda and vinegar (dishwashing detergent adds some extra power to the eruption), but you can make the "volcano" as elaborate and lifelike as you wish.

• Baking soda
• Dishwashing detergent
• Large mason jar or soda bottle
• Playdough or aluminum foil to make the "volcano"
• Additional items to place around the volcano (optional)
• Food coloring (optional)

#5: Tornado in a Jar

• Teaches Kids About: Weather
• Messiness Level: Low

This is one of the quick and easy and science experiments for kids to teach them about weather. It only takes about five minutes and a few materials to set up, but once you have it ready you and your kids can create your own miniature tornado whose vortex you can see and the strength of which you can change depending on how quickly you swirl the jar.

• Glitter (optional)

#6: Colored Celery Experiment

• Teaches Kids About: Plants

This celery science experiment is another classic science experiment that parents and teachers like because it's easy to do and gives kids a great visual understanding of how transpiration works and how plants get water and nutrients. Just place celery stalks in cups of colored water, wait at least a day, and you'll see the celery leaves take on the color of the water. This happens because celery stalks (like other plants) contain small capillaries that they use to transport water and nutrients throughout the plant.

• Celery stalks (can also use white flowers or pale-colored cabbage)

#7: Rain Cloud in a Jar

This experiment teaches kids about weather and lets them learn how clouds form by making their own rain cloud . This is definitely a science project that requires adult supervision since it uses boiling water as one of the ingredients, but once you pour the water into a glass jar, the experiment is fast and easy, and you'll be rewarded with a little cloud forming in the jar due to condensation.

• Glass jar with a lid
• Boiling water
• Aerosol hairspray

#8: Edible Rock Candy

• Teaches Kids About: Crystal formation

It takes about a week for the crystals of this rock candy experiment to form, but once they have you'll be able to eat the results! After creating a sugar solution, you'll fill jars with it and dangle strings in them that'll slowly become covered with the crystals. This experiment involves heating and pouring boiling water, so adult supervision is necessary, once that step is complete, even very young kids will be excited to watch crystals slowly form.

• Large saucepan
• Clothespins
• String or small skewers
• Candy flavoring (optional)

#9: Water Xylophone

• Teaches Kids About: Sound waves

With just some basic materials you can create your own musical instrument to teach kids about sound waves. In this water xylophone experiment , you'll fill glass jars with varying levels of water. Once they're all lined up, kids can hit the sides with wooden sticks and see how the itch differs depending on how much water is in the jar (more water=lower pitch, less water=higher pitch). This is because sound waves travel differently depending on how full the jars are with water.

• Wooden sticks/skewers

#10: Blood Model in a Jar

• Teaches Kids About: Human biology

This blood model experiment is a great way to get kids to visual what their blood looks like and how complicated it really is. Each ingredient represents a different component of blood (plasma, platelets, red blood cells, etc.), so you just add a certain amount of each to the jar, swirl it around a bit, and you have a model of what your blood looks like.

• Empty jar or bottle
• Red cinnamon candies
• Marshmallows or dry white lima beans
• White sprinkles

#11: Potato Battery

• Teaches Kids About: Electricity
• Difficulty Level: Hard

Did you know that a simple potato can produce enough energy to keep a light bulb lit for over a month? You can create a simple potato battery to show kids. There are kits that provide all the necessary materials and how to set it up, but if you don't purchase one of these it can be a bit trickier to gather everything you need and assemble it correctly. Once it's set though, you'll have your own farm grown battery!

• Fresh potato
• Galvanized nail
• Copper coin

#12: Homemade Pulley

• Teaches Kids About: Simple machines

This science activity requires some materials you may not already have, but once you've gotten them, the homemade pulley takes only a few minutes to set up, and you can leave the pulley up for your kids to play with all year round. This pulley is best set up outside, but can also be done indoors.

• Clothesline
• 2 clothesline pulleys

#13: Light Refraction

• Teaches Kids About: Light

This light refraction experiment takes only a few minutes to set up and uses basic materials, but it's a great way to show kids how light travels. You'll draw two arrows on a sticky note, stick it to the wall, then fill a clear water bottle with water. As you move the water bottle in front of the arrows, the arrows will appear to change the direction they're pointing. This is because of the refraction that occurs when light passes through materials like water and plastic.

• Sticky note
• Transparent water bottle

#14: Nature Journaling

• Teaches Kids About: Ecology, scientific observation

A nature journal is a great way to encourage kids to be creative and really pay attention to what's going on around them. All you need is a blank journal (you can buy one or make your own) along with something to write with. Then just go outside and encourage your children to write or draw what they notice. This could include descriptions of animals they see, tracings of leaves, a drawing of a beautiful flower, etc. Encourage your kids to ask questions about what they observe (Why do birds need to build nests? Why is this flower so brightly colored?) and explain to them that scientists collect research by doing exactly what they're doing now.

• Blank journal or notebook
• Pens/pencils/crayons/markers
• Tape or glue for adding items to the journal

#15: DIY Solar Oven

• Teaches Kids About: Solar energy

This homemade solar oven definitely requires some adult help to set up, but after it's ready you'll have your own mini oven that uses energy from the sun to make s'mores or melt cheese on pizza. While the food is cooking, you can explain to kids how the oven uses the sun's rays to heat the food.

• Aluminum foil
• Knife or box cutter
• Permanent marker
• Plastic cling wrap
• Black construction paper

#16: Animal Blubber Simulation

• Teaches Kids About: Ecology, zoology

If your kids are curious about how animals like polar bears and seals stay warm in polar climates, you can go beyond just explaining it to them; you can actually have them make some of their own blubber and test it out. After you've filled up a large bowl with ice water and let it sit for a few minutes to get really cold, have your kids dip a bare hand in and see how many seconds they can last before their hand gets too cold. Next, coat one of their fingers in shortening and repeat the experiment. Your child will notice that, with the shortening acting like a protective layer of blubber, they don't feel the cold water nearly as much.

• Bowl of ice water

#17: Static Electricity Butterfly

This experiment is a great way for young kids to learn about static electricity, and it's more fun and visual than just having them rub balloons against their heads. First you'll create a butterfly, using thick paper (such as cardstock) for the body and tissue paper for the wings. Then, blow up the balloon, have the kids rub it against their head for a few seconds, then move the balloon to just above the butterfly's wings. The wings will move towards the balloon due to static electricity, and it'll look like the butterfly is flying.

• Tissue paper
• Thick paper
• Glue stick/glue

#18: Edible Double Helix

• Teaches Kids About: Genetics

If your kids are learning about genetics, you can do this edible double helix craft to show them how DNA is formed, what its different parts are, and what it looks like. The licorice will form the sides or backbone of the DNA and each color of marshmallow will represent one of the four chemical bases. Kids will be able to see that only certain chemical bases pair with each other.

• 2 pieces of licorice
• 12 toothpicks
• Small marshmallows in 4 colors (9 of each color)
• 5 paperclips

#19: Leak-Proof Bag

• Teaches Kids About: Molecules, plastics

This is an easy experiment that'll appeal to kids of a variety of ages. Just take a zip-lock bag, fill it about ⅔ of the way with water, and close the top. Next, poke a few sharp objects (like bamboo skewers or sharp pencils) through one end and out the other. At this point you may want to dangle the bag above your child's head, but no need to worry about spills because the bag won't leak? Why not? It's because the plastic used to make zip-lock bags is made of polymers, or long chains of molecules that'll quickly join back together when they're forced apart.

• Zip-lock bags
• Objects with sharp ends (pencils, bamboo skewers, etc.)

#20: How Do Leaves Breathe?

• Teaches Kids About: Plant science

It takes a few hours to see the results of this leaf experiment , but it couldn't be easier to set up, and kids will love to see a leaf actually "breathing." Just get a large-ish leaf, place it in a bowl (glass works best so you can see everything) filled with water, place a small rock on the leaf to weigh it down, and leave it somewhere sunny. Come back in a few hours and you'll see little bubbles in the water created when the leaf releases the oxygen it created during photosynthesis.

• Large bowl (preferably glass)
• Magnifying glass (optional)

#21: Popsicle Stick Catapults

Kids will love shooting pom poms out of these homemade popsicle stick catapults . After assembling the catapults out of popsicle sticks, rubber bands, and plastic spoons, they're ready to launch pom poms or other lightweight objects. To teach kids about simple machines, you can ask them about how they think the catapults work, what they should do to make the pom poms go a farther/shorter distance, and how the catapult could be made more powerful.

• Popsicle sticks
• Rubber bands
• Plastic spoons
• Paint (optional)

#22: Elephant Toothpaste

You won't want to do this experiment near anything that's difficult to clean (outside may be best), but kids will love seeing this " elephant toothpaste " crazily overflowing the bottle and oozing everywhere. Pour the hydrogen peroxide, food coloring, and dishwashing soap into the bottle, and in the cup mix the yeast packet with some warm water for about 30 seconds. Then, add the yeast mixture to the bottle, stand back, and watch the solution become a massive foamy mixture that pours out of the bottle! The "toothpaste" is formed when the yeast removed the oxygen bubbles from the hydrogen peroxide which created foam. This is an exothermic reaction, and it creates heat as well as foam (you can have kids notice that the bottle became warm as the reaction occurred).

• Clean 16-oz soda bottle
• 6% solution of hydrogen peroxide
• 1 packet of dry yeast
• Dishwashing soap

#23: How Do Penguins Stay Dry?

Penguins, and many other birds, have special oil-producing glands that coat their feathers with a protective layer that causes water to slide right off them, keeping them warm and dry. You can demonstrate this to kids with this penguin craft by having them color a picture of a penguin with crayons, then spraying the picture with water. The wax from the crayons will have created a protective layer like the oil actual birds coat themselves with, and the paper won't absorb the water.

• Penguin image (included in link)
• Spray bottle
• Blue food coloring (optional)

#24: Rock Weathering Experiment

• Teaches Kids About: Geology

This mechanical weathering experiment teaches kids why and how rocks break down or erode. Take two pieces of clay, form them into balls, and wrap them in plastic wrap. Then, leave one out while placing the other in the freezer overnight. The next day, unwrap and compare them. You can repeat freezing the one piece of clay every night for several days to see how much more cracked and weathered it gets than the piece of clay that wasn't frozen. It may even begin to crumble. This weathering also happens to rocks when they are subjected to extreme temperatures, and it's one of the causes of erosion.

• Plastic wrap

#25: Saltwater Density

• Teaches Kids About: Water density

For this saltwater density experiment , you'll fill four clear glasses with water, then add salt to one glass, sugar to one glass, and baking soda to one glass, leaving one glass with just water. Then, float small plastic pieces or grapes in each of the glasses and observe whether they float or not. Saltwater is denser than freshwater, which means some objects may float in saltwater that would sink in freshwater. You can use this experiment to teach kids about the ocean and other bodies of saltwater, such as the Dead Sea, which is so salty people can easily float on top of it.

• Four clear glasses
• Lightweight plastic objects or small grapes

#26: Starburst Rock Cycle

With just a package of Starbursts and a few other materials, you can create models of each of the three rock types: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Sedimentary "rocks" will be created by pressing thin layers of Starbursts together, metamorphic by heating and pressing Starbursts, and igneous by applying high levels of heat to the Starbursts. Kids will learn how different types of rocks are forms and how the three rock types look different from each other.

• Toaster oven

#27: Inertia Wagon Experiment

• Teaches Kids About: Inertia

This simple experiment teaches kids about inertia (as well as the importance of seatbelts!). Take a small wagon, fill it with a tall stack of books, then have one of your children pull it around then stop abruptly. They won't be able to suddenly stop the wagon without the stack of books falling. You can have the kids predict which direction they think the books will fall and explain that this happens because of inertia, or Newton's first law.

• Stack of books

#28: Dinosaur Tracks

• Teaches Kids About: Paleontology

How are some dinosaur tracks still visible millions of years later? By mixing together several ingredients, you'll get a claylike mixture you can press your hands/feet or dinosaur models into to make dinosaur track imprints . The mixture will harden and the imprints will remain, showing kids how dinosaur (and early human) tracks can stay in rock for such a long period of time.

• Used coffee grounds
• Wooden spoon
• Rolling pin

#29: Sidewalk Constellations

• Teaches Kids About: Astronomy

If you do this sidewalk constellation craft , you'll be able to see the Big Dipper and Orion's Belt in the daylight. On the sidewalk, have kids draw the lines of constellations (using constellation diagrams for guidance) and place stones where the stars are. You can then look at astronomy charts to see where the constellations they drew will be in the sky.

• Sidewalk chalk
• Small stones
• Diagrams of constellations

#30: Lung Model

By building a lung model , you can teach kids about respiration and how their lungs work. After cutting off the bottom of a plastic bottle, you'll stretch a balloon around the opened end and insert another balloon through the mouth of the bottle. You'll then push a straw through the neck of the bottle and secure it with a rubber band and play dough. By blowing into the straw, the balloons will inflate then deflate, similar to how our lungs work.

• Plastic bottle
• Rubber band

#31: Homemade Dinosaur Bones

By mixing just flour, salt, and water, you'll create a basic salt dough that'll harden when baked. You can use this dough to make homemade dinosaur bones and teach kids about paleontology. You can use books or diagrams to learn how different dinosaur bones were shaped, and you can even bury the bones in a sandpit or something similar and then excavate them the way real paleontologists do.

• Images of dinosaur bones

#32: Clay and Toothpick Molecules

There are many variations on homemade molecule science crafts . This one uses clay and toothpicks, although gumdrops or even small pieces of fruit like grapes can be used in place of clay. Roll the clay into balls and use molecule diagrams to attach the clay to toothpicks in the shape of the molecules. Kids can make numerous types of molecules and learn how atoms bond together to form molecules.

• Clay or gumdrops (in four colors)
• Diagrams of molecules

#33: Articulated Hand Model

By creating an articulated hand model , you can teach kids about bones, joints, and how our hands are able to move in many ways and accomplish so many different tasks. After creating a hand out of thin foam, kids will cut straws to represent the different bones in the hand and glue them to the fingers of the hand models. You'll then thread yarn (which represents tendons) through the straws, stabilize the model with a chopstick or other small stick, and end up with a hand model that moves and bends the way actual human hands do.

• Straws (paper work best)
• Twine or yarn

#34: Solar Energy Experiment

• Teaches Kids About: Solar energy, light rays

This solar energy science experiment will teach kids about solar energy and how different colors absorb different amounts of energy. In a sunny spot outside, place six colored pieces of paper next to each other, and place an ice cube in the middle of each paper. Then, observe how quickly each of the ice cubes melt. The ice cube on the black piece of paper will melt fastest since black absorbs the most light (all the light ray colors), while the ice cube on the white paper will melt slowest since white absorbs the least light (it instead reflects light). You can then explain why certain colors look the way they do. (Colors besides black and white absorb all light except for the one ray color they reflect; this is the color they appear to us.)

• 6 squares of differently colored paper/cardstock (must include black paper and white paper)

#35: How to Make Lightning

• Teaches Kids About: Electricity, weather

You don't need a storm to see lightning; you can actually create your own lightning at home . For younger kids this experiment requires adult help and supervision. You'll stick a thumbtack through the bottom of an aluminum tray, then stick the pencil eraser to the pushpin. You'll then rub the piece of wool over the aluminum tray, and then set the tray on the Styrofoam, where it'll create a small spark/tiny bolt of lightning!

• Pencil with eraser
• Aluminum tray or pie tin
• Styrofoam tray

#36: Tie-Dyed Milk

• Teaches Kids About: Surface tension

For this magic milk experiment , partly fill a shallow dish with milk, then add a one drop of each food coloring color to different parts of the milk. The food coloring will mostly stay where you placed it. Next, carefully add one drop of dish soap to the middle of the milk. It'll cause the food coloring to stream through the milk and away from the dish soap. This is because the dish soap breaks up the surface tension of the milk by dissolving the milk's fat molecules.

• Shallow dish
• Milk (high-fat works best)

#37: How Do Stalactites Form?

Have you ever gone into a cave and seen huge stalactites hanging from the top of the cave? Stalactites are formed by dripping water. The water is filled with particles which slowly accumulate and harden over the years, forming stalactites. You can recreate that process with this stalactite experiment . By mixing a baking soda solution, dipping a piece of wool yarn in the jar and running it to another jar, you'll be able to observe baking soda particles forming and hardening along the yarn, similar to how stalactites grow.

• Safety pins
• 2 glass jars

Summary: Cool Science Experiments for Kids

Any one of these simple science experiments for kids can get children learning and excited about science. You can choose a science experiment based on your child's specific interest or what they're currently learning about, or you can do an experiment on an entirely new topic to expand their learning and teach them about a new area of science. From easy science experiments for kids to the more challenging ones, these will all help kids have fun and learn more about science.

What's Next?

Are you also interested in pipe cleaner crafts for kids? We have a guide to some of the best pipe cleaner crafts to try!

Looking for multiple different slime recipes? We tell you how to make slimes without borax and without glue as well as how to craft the ultimate super slime .

Want to learn more about clouds? Learn how to identify every cloud in the sky with our guide to the 10 types of clouds .

Want to know the fastest and easiest ways to convert between Fahrenheit and Celsius? We've got you covered! Check out our guide to the best ways to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit (or vice versa) .

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Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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Science Fun

Science Experiments for Kids:

Science experiments you can do at home!  Explore an ever growing list of hundreds of fun and easy science experiments. Have fun trying these experiments at home or use them for science fair project ideas. Explore experiments by category, newest experiments, most popular experiments, easy at home experiments, or simply scroll down this page for tons of awesome experiment ideas!

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32 Cool Science Experiments for Kids (that are Fun AND Easy!)

Do you ever want to do science experiments at home with your kids, but you’re not quite sure what to do? Not just any old kitchen science experiment will do – you want something cooler than vinegar + bicarb soda! But, you also want something simple and easy to do – because no-one wants a huge mess from their kids doing crazy science experiments at home!

We understand, and that’s why the writing team here at STEM Geek has put our heads together to come up with the most awesome at-home science experiments for kids! As science enthusiasts and educators, we also wanted to make sure that these are genuine science learning opportunities. So not only are they captivating for the kids, but we also emphasize what questions can be asked as kids explore and apply the scientific method! Plus, we’ve arranged them according to how much time they take: up to 1 hour, 1 to several hours, and long-term.

Related Post: Ultimate Boredom Buster: 101 Things To Do When Kids Are Bored

Science Experiments at Home that take Less than 1 Hour

1. tie-dye milk.

Sounds delicious, right? You’re not actually drinking it, but instead watching science magic happens when you combine dish soap with milk and food coloring. This is a very pretty experiment that draws the focus and mind into what’s happening on the plate, and all because of a little chemistry with everyday items. Well, food dye may not be an everyday item, but it might be after your kids get a hold of this!

So, what’s going on here, scientifically-speaking? Milk is made up of two major ingredients: water and fat. When you add a little dish soap, it bonds with the fat in the milk so strongly that it literally pushes the food coloring and water away from the cotton ball. On a microscopic level, the dish soap is wandering around the milk, which causes the colors to swirl and swirl.

Questions to ask beforehand:

• Before knowing what will happen to the food coloring, ask the kids what they think will happen when dish soap mixes with milk.
• Since the major catalyst is fat in the milk, what would happen if you used other types of milk: Skim milk, soy milk, coconut milk?

You’ll need:

• Round cake pan or plate with high edges
• Cotton ball (some tutorials show cotton swabs)
• Dish detergent
• Different colors of food dye (three or four should do)

Procedure/Instructions:

• Fill the pan halfway with milk.
• Drip one color of food dye in one section of the plate away from the center. Four to five drops works and later you can play around with more or less. Do the same for the rest of the colors around the plate.
• Soak the cotton ball in dish detergent, and when you’re ready for action, place the cotton ball into the center of the pan.
• Watch the colors racing around, creating a psychedelic tie-dye effect!
• You can add more cotton balls throughout the dish to see more action.
• If some food coloring hugs the wall of the plate, take a cotton swab dipped in dish detergent and place it into the food coloring. It will move away!

2. Saturn’s Glowing Rings

I don’t know about you, but I love everything about space. This experiment shows you how Saturn’s rings are made of rocks and ice chunks even though they look so smooth in pictures. You’ll also see why there are big gaps in the rings. Younger kids take delight in using a flashlight and sprinkling powder, while older kids can get more specific with questions about Saturn and how the rocks and ice stay in orbit.

• Do Saturn’s rings give off their own light?
• Why are some rocks and ice chunks more lit up than others?
• Compare the results of light sprinkles to thicker sprinkles.
• Strong flashlight
• Powder (flour, baby powder, etc) in a shaker
• Very dark room
• Darken a room and set the flashlight on the edge of a table or counter, pointing it at a blank wall. Lay the newspaper on the floor between the flashlight and the wall.
• Turn on the flashlight and notice where the light comes from the flashlight and where it hits the wall. You should only see the light from these two places and not from the space between them. This shows you that the light travels through the air without being seen until it hits the wall. The light represents the sun’s light.
• Now to see how Saturn’s rings glow: Hold the powder shaker and sprinkle some powder over the beam of light where you know the light is traveling. You’ll notice the powder lights up and sparkles in the beam of light. The powder shows in glowing clumps, just like in Saturn’s rings.

3. Breaking Down Colors

We all know that the fun, vibrant colors we see in our lives are created by mixing the basic red, yellow, and blue. In this experiment, you and your child will learn which colors make up those fun shades they have in their art supplies. This also teaches some basic chemistry and uses materials you already have at home. It can be done very simply and expanded to create a large-scale investigation if you love it.

• Which colors separate out first?
• Is the same order for each test?
• Which colors make up the original shade?
• Do the different types of color (pen, pencil, paint) separate in the same way or differently?
• Are some separated in a shorter space are the colors the same mixture?
• Coffee filters
• Color sources (markers, colored pencils, paint, etc.)
• A plain pencil
• To complete this experiment, cut the coffee filters into strips, mark one end with a line the same distance from the bottom on each strip.
• Color in each strip (between the bottom and line) with your colors, and write at the top what the color and source are (e.g., purple marker).
• Place each strip in a glass and help it to stand up by folding the top over a pencil (a chopstick, table knife, or any long narrow object will also work) so that it stands up in the glass.
• Fill the glass up to the top of your colored block, and wait. The water will move up the filter, and the colors will separate out as it goes.
• Remove the strip once the water gets near the top of the strip to stop the experiment. 

To make this a true experiment, we recommend testing multiple colors and using markers, colored pencils, and paint (as some starting examples). You could test the same colors from each type of art supply to investigate whether they all use the same mix of basic colors to create the same end product.

This post has a nice full description of the methods if you need more detail.

4. Water Xylophone

This simple experiment will teach your child about sound and pitch using glasses, water, and something to act as a mallet. Don’t let the simplicity deceive you, there are a lot of ways to experiment and learn through this process, and it also brings in an element of music that makes it interesting and engaging.

• Do you think more water makes the sound higher or lower in pitch?
• How do you think the shape or size of the glass will affect the sound?
• How should we arrange the glasses to play a simple song?
• Do you think this will work with a plastic cup, why or why not?
• Some glasses
• Something wood to act as a mallet (we recommend wood so you don’t break the glasses!)
• A great way to start is with glasses that are the same size, shape, and material, and filling them with different amounts of water.
• Have your child use the mallet to test how the amount of water affects the sound.
• From there, it’s a really simple extension to use different sized and shaped glasses (or any glass vessel like jars and bowls) to experiment with how the shape, size, and amount of water in the glass affect the tone. 

To take this one further and really bring in the musical component, you and your child could work out a simple song and create the right tones to play it. If you or your child are musical, you could get very elaborate and creative (try googling harry potter or star wars theme songs on glasses, there are so many options that I couldn’t even choose one)!

5. Ultimate Bottle Flipping

Ah, bottle flipping. The fad that kids can’t get enough of, but parents are well and truly over. The constant thud of semi-filled water bottles being tossed (and hopefully landing upright) is guaranteed to send parents around the twist!

If you can stand it for a bit longer though, there’s a lot of STEM knowledge to be gained in this bottle flipping experiment. As we know, the aim of bottle flipping is to flip a partially filled water bottle underhand and get it to land upright.

In this experiment, kids will learn the importance of observing a result multiple times before changing a variable (the amount of water in the bottle).

• How much water should you put in the bottle?
• What is the ideal amount of liquid to get the perfect flip?
• What should be the ideal amount of water?
• Was their prediction correct?
• Why do they think the amount of water affects the chances of landing the bottle?
• A plastic water bottle
• Measuring jug
• Paper to record results
• Get the kids to start by flipping their bottle with no water in it at all. Kidspot recommends flipping it 50 times for each step, but you could do less if you need to.
• Try it again with 50ml of water.
• Keep adding more water until the bottle is full.

If they’re keen, you could try other types or sizes of bottles, or even try different liquids to see if that affects the results!

6. Rainbow in a Jar

This simple science experiment is not only very visually appealing, but it’s also a great way to learn about the density of liquids. Warning though, this one could get messy so make sure kids are in some old clothes and you might want to take it outside! I like this experiment because you’ll probably have most of the materials in your kitchen already!

• Which liquids they think will be heaviest?
• Which ones will be lightest?
• Why do they think that?
• A glass jar
• Food coloring
• Various liquids like honey, corn syrup, dishwashing liquid, olive oil, rubbing alcohol and water.
• Use the food coloring to make all your liquids a different color. A dropper comes in handy here, but if you don’t have one you can manage without.
• Slowly add each liquid to the jar (pouring into the middle of the jar is best).
• Soon, you’ll have different layers of colored liquid forming your very own rainbow in a jar.

You might even get them to draw a diagram of what they think the jar will look like at the end. They can compare this with the experiment results to see if their prediction was correct.

It might also help to talk to your kids first about what density is and how materials are all made of different amounts of molecules. The more molecules a liquid has, the heavier it will be. Playdough to Plato demonstrates a great way of introducing this concept using marbles. 

7. Write Your Own Secret Messages! 

We love science experiments that are made up primarily of supplies that you likely already have in your home.

• Why do you think this will work?
• Which liquid do you think will make the best secret message?
• Why do people write secret messages?
• Juice (eg. Lemon)
• Lamp (or anything else that can be used as a heat source)
• In order to complete this experiment, you’ll need to gather all of your supplies along with a piece of paper, some q-tips, and a lamp or other item that you can use as a heat source.
• Next, you’ll mix your lemon juice with a slight amount of water. 
• Using your q-tip, use the mixture you’ve created to begin writing your message. 
• Allow it to dry. 
• Once dry, apply heat to it in order to get your message to appear.

Extend this project by attempting to write with a juice and water mixture, a milk and water mixture, or any other variation of the liquids we listed as necessary supplies!

8. Create Your Own Butterfly

Your little ones will love practicing their color mixing by creating their very own coffee filter butterflies. Hang them in the windows of your home to spread some cheer and to watch the sun flow through their beautiful wings! 

• What colors can mix together to make other colors?
• How do butterflies fly?
• What do you think will happen when we add water to the markers?
• Water spray bottle
• Allow your child to draw on the coffee filter to their heart’s content.
• Spray it with water and allow the colors to mix together.
• Allow it to dry thoroughly.
• Once dry, fold it like a fan and then clip it in the middle.

Ta-da, you’ve created a beautiful butterfly! 

9. Make A Duck Call

Give your family an excuse to head outdoors by allowing your children to craft their own duck calls. Test them out at a local pond and see if you can get the ducks to come closer to you for a healthy veggie snack! 

• Do you think ducks will be able to hear us with this?
• What other materials do you think could make this noise?
• How is what we have created similar to a duck’s beak?
• Plastic straw
• Push down on the straw to flatten one end and then cut the flattened end into a point.
• Flatten out your straw and then blow into it.
• Feel free to experiment with different amounts of flattening and different point shapes to see how you can adjust the sound.
• When finished, take your duck call into the wild to test it out.

10. Make Ivory Soap Boats

Did you ever carve items out of soap at camp when you were a child? Give your child the same opportunity. Soap can be carved using safe items, like plastic knives. 

• Why are we able to carve soap so easily?
• Do you think our boats float?
• Why do you think they float or sink?
• Carving tools (for kids)
• Allow your child to express their creative side by carving their boat out of soap. 
• Once they have finished carving it, allow them to test them out in the bathtub. . Extend their learning by discussing density with them–the soap floats because it is less dense than the water.

11. Make Your Own Quicksand 

As John Mullaney famously said, “I thought quicksand would be a much bigger problem in my adult life than it would have turned out.” For some reason, quicksand permeates children’s adventure stories – and their imaginations! 

• Where can we find quicksand in real life?
• How do you think quicksand works?
• What do you think we will need to make our own quicksand?
• Cornflower (one cup)
• Water (half cup)
• A container
• To make your quicksand, you’ll need to mix the cornflour and water. 
• Be sure to stir slowly in order to demonstrate – if you stir too quickly, it will become hard and you won’t be able to see it function the way it should!

12. Make Your Own Lava Lamp

We’ve tried this one in our classrooms, and trust us, our kids go wild year after year. Kids love making something that they can use as home decoration, and they love how easy it is to show new people – this is the experiment that lives on and on! 

• How do you think density is involved in this experiment?
• Why don’t the water and oil mix?
• Why can’t we shake our lava lamps?
• Clear Plastic Bottle
• Vegetable Oil
• Food Coloring
• Alka-Seltzer
• Pour water into the plastic bottle until it is approximately one quarter full. 
• Then pour vegetable oil in until the bottle is almost completely filled. 
• Allow some time for the oil and water to separate. 
• It is important that your children do not shake the bottle in this step. It will extend the experiment for no other reason than you waiting for the bubbles to dissipate. 
• Add as much food coloring as your child deems fit and then drop a piece of Alka-seltzer tablet into the bottle for the lava lamp fun to begin.

13. Guess the Smell

This one will take a little more prep work, but it’s a great touchstone for your children to begin discussing one of their five senses: the sense of smell! 

• What are examples of times we use our sense of smell?
• What other senses do we have?
• If you could only use one sense for the rest of your life, which one?
• Plastic Cups
• Smells (eg. coffee, cinnamon, vanilla, lemon juice)
• Place a variety of common smells in small plastic cups. We like to use coffee, cinnamon, vanilla, and lemon juice. 
• Pour these in and place tin foil securely over the top of the cup. 
• Poke small holes in the top of the foil. 
• Secure the foil with tape (on the sides, not over the holes). 
• Allow your children to guess the smells and record their findings on paper.

Home Science Experiments that take 1 to Several Hours

14. mangrove bioshield  .

Ecologists and conservationists are pushing for more regulations in building and saving mangrove forests around coastal areas. The reason is represented in this STEM activity. The trees act as a mangrove BioShield (bio = life, shield = protection), showing how natural obstacles can prevent critical damage from marine natural disasters such as tsunamis.

The mangrove BioShield can be for older elementary kids through to high school. Obviously, the younger they are, the more parent involvement. This experiment is done twice to show the effects of having and not having a BioShield. The first part uses little to no trees, and the second uses a forest of trees and rocks.

• What will happen in a tsunami if the village is without a BioShield? And the village with a BioShield?
• Would a BioShield help with hurricanes?
• Would you want to encourage people to save manatee forests if they are beneficial?
• Medium to large clear, plastic container
• Newspaper – wad into balls, then cover half of the bottom container – this help to keep the ground sturdy
• Mud – cover the newspaper and press it in to form a slope down to the empty side of the container. The top side should be flattened for the cardboard houses, then it slopes down into the empty half of the container.
• Cardboard houses (use the bottoms of milk cartons for the house and popsicle sticks for the roofs, place houses on the mud towards the top of the high slope
• Model trees or leafy stems from plants – Different amounts for activity 1 and activity 2
• Several small rocks
• Cardboard – long enough to fit across the container and tall enough to hold it from out of the water
• Water – enough to go halfway up the slope

A tsunami without the mangrove forest – insert only one or two trees down the slope. Place the cardboard piece into the water end of the container and move back and forth to create waves. Notice how easy it is for the water to destroy the village you’ve created.

Repeat the process of constructing the village, but this time insert a lot of trees down the slope to where the water meets the mud. They need to be deeply rooted like mangroves, and I’ve found that aquarium plants work well for this reason. Place the rocks within the mangrove forest and in front of the trees. Add a little bit more water. Insert the cardboard again and move it back and forth to create waves.  

15. A Greater Crater

When you look at the night sky and see the moon, one of the first things you notice is its craters. The moon is completely covered in them, and some are so large we can see them from Earth. Meteorites often make the craters that we see when they hit the surface, but it makes us wonder why some craters are so much bigger than others.

This experiment will help you to investigate one of the main reasons why craters come in different sizes.

• What causes craters?
• How big do the meteorites have to be to make a crater?
• What is it about the meteorite that causes the size of the crater?
• Paper to record your results
• Flat floor surface for the experiment, large enough for the newspaper to cover
• Shallow metal pan at least 2 inches deep
• Flour to fill 2 inches of the pan
• ¼ cup hot chocolate powder
• Mesh strainer or flour sifter
• Large marble (and others of varying sizes if comparing results)
• Metric ruler
• Tongs or long tweezers
• Pour the flour into the pan until it reaches 2 inches. Place the pan on top of the newspaper on a level surface.
• Sift a layer of hot chocolate powder over the flour (this is so you can better see the rays and other features of the craters).
• You will be dropping your marble from three different heights, then comparing the sizes of the craters. Measure the diameter (side to side) of the marble and record this on your paper as Marble 1. Hypothesize how large the crater will be and write that next to the diameter of Marble 1.
• Stand next to your pan and hold the marble at knee height above the flour. Drop the marble (do not throw it, just let it fall from your fingers) into the flour and study the shape of the crater. Look for a rim around the crater or any rays coming from the edges.
• Measure across the widest part of your crater, from rim to rim and record on your data sheet as Marble 1 – Knee Height – Width or something similar. You can also draw a picture of your results.
• Very gently use the tongs or long tweezers to remove the marble without destroying the crater.
• Repeat this procedure from waist height, shoulder height, top of head height. Make sure you aim in different parts of the flour so you don’t land on top of another crater. Record all of your results as the different heights you’re using.
• Compare your results.
• You can try again with a different sized marble as “Marble 2” to compare those results with each height as done with Marble 1.

Perhaps now, you’ll look at the moon a little differently!

16. Rube Goldberg Chain Reaction Machine

We’ve all seen them, some pretty far-out there chain reaction machines to complete simple tasks, usually in movies. But they are real , and are becoming even more popular now that we’re all stuck at home for a while. This is a fun way to explore physics with stuff you have at home.

Ask your child to decide what the end goal is (e.g. get the ball into the cup), and ask them to think about creative ways to make it get there. Working together, you can start with small pieces of a circuit to find out how your ball reacts to the set-up, and grow it from there. You can even refer to this video for more ideas:

• What will happen when the ball bounces off of this wall?
• How will these dominoes change the speed of the ball?
• What can we use to make sure that the ball goes in the direction we want it to at this point?
• What should we put here to get the best bounce? 
• Paper towel
• Toilet paper tubes
• Fixed objects like walls or furniture
• Any other toys and materials that can be used to build your circuit

To make this a true experiment, it needs to include more than a one-off demonstration, and there are a lot of ways to accomplish this.

• Set up parallel courses and use different sized or weighted balls to go through the circuit.
• Set up one elaborate circuit and use different objects one at a time.
• Set up circuits in different ways to see how different set-ups affect your end goal.

Another experimental component is the process used to create a circuit that reaches your end goal ( like this video about getting the ball into the cup, but you could come up with lots of other endpoints!). Along the way, you and your child get a lot of time to learn about momentum, velocity, friction, energy transfer, and interference (e.g., the cat). 

17. Melting

This is a simple and fun experiment that can be set up in a short time and then fill-up your day with observations and new experiments. Using only things you already have at home, you can set-up an engaging experiment with your kids!

Ice melts at different rates depending on a variety of factors including temperature, pressure, and if there are impurities (think salt, sugar, dirt) in the ice or touching the ice. There is a lot of opportunities to get creative and do the experiment in multiple ways, keeping your kids engaged and developing their investigative, experimental, and critical thinking skills.

• Which ice melts the fastest, slowest, and if they have any guesses about why?
• What other ice-melting experiments they think would be fun: Using different temperature liquids? Using different amounts of ice? Different sized cups?
• Lots of ice
• Several matching cups (i.e., they are the same size, shape, and color)
• Measuring cups
• A variety of liquids for the test
• Paper for writing down observations
• Measure the same amount of ice and place it in each cup.
• M easure equal amounts of each liquid and place them in the cups: try to complete this part quickly so that the ice in each cup is in liquid for as close the same amount of time as possible.
• Set up your cups in a place that is easy for your child to watch and observe.
• Ask them to check in at regular intervals (every 15 minutes, every hour) and record or talk to you about their observations.

Other potential experimental examples:

• Using different liquids to test if they affect melting time;
• Using the same liquid and placing ice in different locations to test what conditions throughout your home affect melting;
• Test if different amounts of ice melt at different rates;
• Test if different kinds of cups change melting time.

There are endless possibilities for you to come up with new ways to complete these simple experiments. You get the idea. Explore more!

18. Breathing Leaves

Science experiments don’t get much more simple than this one!  It’s effective though and kids will enjoy watching their leaf ‘breathe’. Learning about plant science is often tricky because it can seem a bit abstract. This experiment allows kids to see the process of plants making oxygen right before their eyes!

A question to ask beforehand:

• What do you think will happen if we leave it for a few hours?
• A fresh leaf from a tree
• A bowl of water
• Pluck a fresh leaf from a tree and place it in a bowl of water.
• Use a rock to weigh it down and leave the experiment out in the sun.
• Have your kids predict what they think they will see when they come back in a few hours (they can write their prediction down or draw a diagram if that’s more their style).
• After a few hours, your kids will see lots of tiny little bubbles on the edge of the leaf and in the glass bowl of water (use a magnifying glass to get a closer look if you have one).

So, what’s happening here? Leaves take in carbon dioxide and convert it to oxygen during photosynthesis. The bubbles you can see are the leaf releasing the oxygen it’s created. You could explain to your kids how trees and plants make the oxygen we need to breathe. Kids Fun Science explains this experiment in more detail and suggests taking it further by leaving the plant for a longer period of time (do you see more or fewer bubbles?) or placing a leaf in a dark area to see what difference that makes!

19. How Does Sunscreen Work?

If there’s one thing I know, it’s that kids hate wearing sunscreen! Trying to get it on them is like wrestling a crocodile. Maybe if they knew how sunscreen worked they’d understand how important it is to wear it when they’re out in the sun (and be slightly more cooperative when we’re lathering it over their little faces). This is a simple experiment that shows kids the difference wearing sunscreen will make to their skin.

• What do they observe when they come back?
• Why do they think one side faded and the other not?
• A piece of colored cardboard (a dark color would be best)
• Your usual bottle of sunscreen
• Have your kids smear the sunscreen over one part of the cardboard and leave the other part clear.
• Kids can then predict what they think will happen when they return to the experiment after a few hours.
• Talk to them about how the sun’s UV radiation is absorbed by the sunscreen so it can’t get through to damage the cardboard.

You could even take it further by trying different kinds of sunscreen or leaving your cardboard out during different times of the day.

20. Make A Rubber Egg

Imagine a world in which eggs can be used like bouncy balls. Well, with a couple of home supplies and a little bit of science, you can live in that world. Your child will be dazzled as they remove eggshells from eggs while leaving the insides intact. 

• Is vinegar an acid or a base?
• Is there another substance that could do this?
• Simply leave the egg in the vinegar for a few hours and wait to see what happens. Because of the transformative nature of this experiment, it lends itself to science journaling. 
• Consider having your kiddos draw before and after pictures of the eggs in order to track their journeys. 

21. Flying Tea Bags

Nothing will get your kids’ attention faster than telling them that you are going to spend some time creating something that will fly. However, because this experiment will involve fire, please ensure that you select a time in which you will be able to provide ample adult supervision. 

• How do we stay safe with fire?
• How do we make sure we don’t damage the surface we are working on?
• Why do you think the tea bag will fly?
• Single Serving Tea Bags
• A Small Bowl
• A Non-Flammable Work Surface
• First, open the tea bags and unfold them. 
• Empty the leaves from the bag. 
• Stand the tea bags up on your surface and light the top of each bag on fire. 

As they begin to burn, they will float into the sky! 

22. Make Wax Paper Lanterns

Your children will love the chance to display their fantastic art skills by creating these paper lanterns. If you want to add a culture lesson, have your children research German’s St. Martin’s Day and learn about why children parade through the streets with lanterns. We promise there’s a good moral story involved here! 

• When could we use lanterns?
• What safety considerations do we need to use in this project?
• Why can we see the light through the wax paper?
• Popsicle Sticks
• To begin, tear a ten-inch piece of wax paper off of the roll and cut it in half. 
• After that, fold each piece in half. 
• Allow your child to color their image on top of the wax paper. (This is a great place for an impromptu lesson in color mixing). 
• Fold the wax paper and iron it (consider something in between the crayon mess and the iron you use on your clothes). 
• Finally, glue the craft sticks into squares, add the wax paper, and turn it into a cube.

Voila, you’ve created your own lantern!

23. Create an Insect Habitat

Alright, this one isn’t for the faint of heart. Draw up your courage and send your child into the backyard to collect all of the creepy crawlies they’d like to.

Now you have a home for them. Better yet, you can keep your child entertained for hours as they track the growth of their bug friends.

• What do bugs need to survive?
• What do bugs eat?
• What is the difference between a need and a want?
• Imagination
• Find something that you’re willing to sacrifice to the bugs in order to create a habitat for them – we recommend a shadowbox so that your child can see inside, but a cardboard box will do just fine as well. 
• Ensure that there is breathing room for the bugs. 
• Create a habitat with sticks, bark, small rocks, dried leaves, and whatever else you can find.
• If you’re willing to hang onto the habitat long enough, use it as an opportunity to talk about decomposition as the bugs begin to break down the twigs.

Long-Term Science Experiments at Home

24. crystal kingdom.

This is the oldest trick in the book, but it’s popular because it’s so effective, fun, and has great results. The only drawback to most crystal-growing recipes is that they take ages to grow, and to be quite honest this one is no exception. In fact, these crystals will take several days to grow but the end result is worth it. The reason is that this experiment involves growing a whole landscape of beautifully colored salt and bluing crystals. Here’s a video for visual reference: 

A few things to keep in mind: Allow for plenty of air circulation, preferably inside rather than outside. Ammonia is not necessary but does help in the process.

• What will happen when you add ammonia?
• Why does more salt and less liquid create faster crystallization?
• What part does the bluing solution have in crystal growing?

(Answers can be found here )

• Two bottles of bluing solution
• Large tray/cookie sheets with sides
• Measuring cup
• Liquid watercolors
• Eye droppers
• Cut sponges into large pieces. Spread them out on the tray.
• Measure out 1 cup of each of salt, water, and bluing and then gently mix together.
• Evenly coat or sprinkle the mix over the sponges.
• Add 1 cup of ammonia to the sponges.
• Coat an extra 1 cup of salt on to the sponges.
• By now you’ll see some crystals growing . Sprinkle the magic mix again: 1 cup each of salt, water, and bluing. You can pour the ingredients onto the tray instead of on top of the crystals to keep them from breaking. Don’t worry, more will grow!
• Take an eyedropper, and drop a tablespoon of each liquid watercolor (undiluted) in different patterns over the sponges and crystals.
• Take note of your garden and what the crystal formations look like. You can make a sketch in your notebook as a before and after. Ask questions and observe!
• Observe how the crystals are bigger than before, and notice the colors aren’t as vibrant. Compare the differences in shapes, sizes, and colors.
• If you want more crystals to grow, add a little more water, bluing, and salt.

25. Blow up a Balloon with Yeast

We are surrounded by science in action, but sometimes it is really difficult to see what is happening, especially when it is on a small-scale. When we make bread, yeast ‘eats’ the sugars in the food and creates CO2, giving bread its airy texture. This experiment lets you both visualize what happens when yeast consumes sugar and is a great set-up for an experiment that can be observed throughout the day.

Depending on your supplies and time, you could start with a demonstration and use that to think of other tests, or you could set up several parallel tests at the same time.

• How quickly does the balloon filled with air?
• When does it stop filling (at some point the yeast will run out of food and will stop making gas)?
• Does the starting temperature affect the experiment?
• Does the balloon fill faster in different places in your home (try especially for different air-temperatures, you could include an outside location)?
• Some balloons
• Blow up the balloon a few times before starting so that it’s loosened up a bit.
• Fill the bottle with about 1 inch of warm water (heat is required to activate the yeast, but you could experiment with different temperatures), add the yeast and swirl to dissolve.
• Add the sugar and swirl more.
• Place the balloon over the opening to the bottle and wait. You should expect to see the balloon begin to inflate after around 20 minutes.
• Continue checking and observing how much the balloon inflates throughout the day.

More example experimental setups include:

• Do different temperatures – either with the water you start with or the air the yeast lives in – affect how quickly the balloon blows-up?
• Does using 2x the yeast result in a balloon that is 2x bigger, or blows-up 2x faster?
• Do different types of sugar (e.g., white sugar, honey, syrup, flour) affect how quickly the balloon blows up or how big it gets?

A sk your child to think of new experiments (you could prompt with some of the examples above, or ideas from this post ). 

26. Seed Germination

A really simple but fun multi-day experiment is germinating seeds under different conditions. This means finding some quick-sprouting seeds such as beans and putting them in different conditions to see how that affects germination (sprouting leaves and roots) and growth.

I love using seed experiments because they are inexpensive, simple, and leave a ton of room for creating your own unique experiment.

• Which seed will sprout fastest?
• Seeds (Beans, radishes, squashes, and many flowers sprout quickly from large seeds, making them good choices.)
• Small pots or paper cups
• Potting soil
• Cloth or paper towel
• Somewhere with good light
• To get started, you’ll need some seeds – feel free to choose something you already have, if you’re a gardener you might have some seeds ready for the coming season and could spare a few – or find something online or at your local nursery.
• Use small pots or paper cups and fill each with your growth material (we recommend a minimum of 3 for a useful comparison).
• Fill one with potting soil, one with sand, and one with a cloth or paper towel.
• Place them somewhere with good light, and add water.
• Ask your child to predict which seed will sprout fastest, and make observations every day. If possible, make them around the same time each day.
• Once you see growth, you can ask your child what they think caused any differences, and you can use that as a jumping-off point for more experiments

Additionally, you could:

• Use one type of seed and different types of growth media: soil, paper towel, gravel, sand, water, etc.
• You could use different seeds (beans, flowers, grass, herbs) and grow them under the same conditions (soil, water, sun exposure) to see how different plants grow differently.
• You could see how different light conditions (by a window, in the basement, in a bright room away from a window, etc.) affect germination.

You could also extend each experiment by simply continuing to grow each seed to learn whether the different germination time affects long-term growth (you may want to re-pot everything in the soil for this to be effective, depending on the specifics of your initial experiment).

27. Colored Celery

It’s hard to imagine plants having little capillaries inside them that transport water and nutrients, but this experiment shows that in action. It’s easy to set up, but you’ll have to wait at least a day to see some results. Your kids will be able to see how transpiration takes place and plants absorb water from the soil all the way up into their leaves.

• A few stalks of celery (celery works best for this because it’s a bit more visible, but you could also use flower stems)
• Different food coloring
• Place each stalk in a cup of colored water and make your predictions about what will happen.
• After a day or so you’ll see the celery leaves becoming the color of the water they’re standing in.
• Have your kids describe their observations (they can write down what they see or draw it if they prefer).
• If you look at the base of the stem you’ll also see tiny little holes that the colored water is traveling through.

When you’re done with the experiment, make sure you snap the celery and look inside – you should be able to see the capillaries in action. For more ideas, Little Bins for Little Hands has got some great hints and tips for this experiment.

28. Moldy Bread

This experiment is an oldie, but a goodie! Kids love looking at disgusting things and this one will certainly come up with the goods. Not only will kids learn about how mold grows, but they might also take on some lessons about the importance of washing their hands!

You might want to check out the results of this experiment at Science Alert before you start to see if your stomach is up to it.

• A few slices of bread
• Some ziplock bags
• Sticky little hands. 
• Get a few slices of bread and lay them out on your kitchen bench.
• Have your kids touch one piece of bread with dirty, unwashed hands.
• They can wash their hands with soap and water and touch another slice, then do the same using hand sanitizer.
• Leave one piece of bread untouched.
• Place them all in clear, labeled ziplock bags and predict which one will grow the most mold.
• Leave your bread slices for at least a week (it may take a bit longer, depending on the conditions where you live) and get the kids to record their observations.

You can also try wiping your bread slices on other surfaces to see what moldy results you get (their laptop or tablet is a great place to start)!

29. Sprouting Beans

Give your household a real survivalist feel by beginning an indoor garden. We recommend planting your beans in a clear cup so that your children can be privy to all of the processes during the plant’s journey.

• How does a plant grow?
• What does germination mean?
• What is in season to grow in our area now?
• Unprocessed Beans
• If you’d like your child to see every step of the process, consider placing the beans inside of a damp paper towel inside of a ziplock. 
• You can wait, see the germinated seed together, and then plant it inside of a small cup.
• Once inside the cup, watch it grow.

Extend your work by planting various beans and altering the growth conditions in order see what makes your beans grow best! 

30. Begin Composting

Begin your “go green” resolutions by teaching your child the value of composting! Best of all, once the science experiment is done, your family will have a recycling process that will last your entire lifetimes. 

• Why is composting important?
• How else can our household go green?
• Why do we need a foundation layer for compost?
• Compost Bin
• Organic Material
• First, create a compost bin. You can purchase one or build one out of wood. 
• To begin your composting, you’ll need even amounts of brown materials (think shredded paper, dryer lint, etc.) and green materials (think fruit and vegetable waste, lawn clippings, etc.). 
• If you’re really feeling fancy, throw some earthworms in there.

For days to come, your family will be able to discuss what can and cannot be broken down by the decomposers inside of the compost bin. Never-ending science! 

31. Turn Grapes Into Raisins

Your kids may or may not eat raising – but we can guarantee you, they’ve likely never considered the option of creating their own! 

• What other snacks can we make with science?
• Should we ever eat our experiments?
• How does this work?
• For this experiment, you’ll need grapes. (Really, that’s it!) 

Leave your grapes somewhere where they will not be disturbed and use this as an opportunity for your children to journal the changes in the grapes from day to day. Believe it or not, this type of sequential journaling is a valuable literacy skill! 

32. DIY Science Experiment

The best science experiment your child can engage in is the one they create themselves! Begin brainstorming a list of questions and let the world be their oyster as they plan and carry out their own experiments. Some of our favorite brainstorming questions, from Scholastic’s Science-Fair Project Guide, are listed below:

• What is the effect of toothpaste brand on teeth-cleaning power?
• What brand of trash bag can withstand the most weight before ripping?
• How does the type of material affect how long a shirt takes to dry?

Written by Miranda Altice, Kaitlin Anselmo, Mark Coster, Allison Ebbets, and Jodie Magrath.

Mark is the driving force behind STEM Geek. With 20 years of experience in chemistry education and research, and 3 willing children as guinea pigs, Mark has a passion for inspiring kids and adults to combine fun and learning with STEM Toys!

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WHY NOT TRY A FUN SCIENCE EXPERIMENT RIGHT NOW?

Here’s list of great science experiments with instructions that you can do right at home or at school. In order for your science experiment to be safe and successful, be sure to:

• Get your parent’s or teacher’s permission, and their help
• Follow the directions as written

Building a Hovercraft – Video

The egg drop challenge, make ice cream in a plastic bag, build a hovercraft you can ride, eggshell geode crystals, build a soap powered model boat, a density experiment you can drink, make your own rock candy, build a fizz inflator, make a levitating orb, blobs in a bottle, fantastic foamy fountain, build a film canister rocket, the exploding lunch bag, make your own volcano, bend water with static electricity, a color symphony, make a paperclip float, blow up a balloon with yeast, how to make slime – method 1, see some optical illusions, make an electromagnet, try some lava in a cup, make a balloon rocket.

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50 Fun Kids Science Experiments

Science doesn’t need to be complicated. These easy science experiments below are awesome for kids! They are visually stimulating, hands-on, and sensory-rich, making them fun to do and perfect for teaching simple science concepts at home or in the classroom.

Top 10 Science Experiments

Click on the titles below for the full supplies list and easy step-by-step instructions. Have fun trying these experiments at home or in the classroom, or even use them for your next science fair project!

Baking Soda Balloon Experiment

Can you make a balloon inflate on its own? Grab a few basic kitchen ingredients and test them out! Try amazing chemistry for kids at your fingertips.

Rainbow In A Jar

Enjoy learning about the basics of color mixing up to the density of liquids with this simple water density experiment . There are even more ways to explore rainbows here with walking water, prisms, and more.

This color-changing magic milk experiment will explode your dish with color. Add dish soap and food coloring to milk for cool chemistry!

Seed Germination Experiment

Not all kids’ science experiments involve chemical reactions. Watch how a seed grows , which provides a window into the amazing field of biology .

Egg Vinegar Experiment

One of our favorite science experiments is a naked egg or rubber egg experiment . Can you make your egg bounce? What happened to the shell?

Dancing Corn

Find out how to make corn dance with this easy experiment. Also, check out our dancing raisins and dancing cranberries.

Grow Crystals

Growing borax crystals is easy and a great way to learn about solutions. You could also grow sugar crystals , eggshell geodes , or salt crystals .

Lava Lamp Experiment

It is great for learning about what happens when you mix oil and water. a homemade lava lamp is a cool science experiment kids will want to do repeatedly!

Skittles Experiment

Who doesn’t like doing science with candy? Try this classic Skittles science experiment and explore why the colors don’t mix when added to water.

Lemon Volcano

Watch your kids’ faces light up, and their eyes widen when you test out cool chemistry with a lemon volcano using common household items, baking soda, and vinegar.

Bonus! Popsicle Stick Catapult

Kid tested, STEM approved! Making a popsicle stick catapult is a fantastic way to dive into hands-on physics and engineering.

Grab the handy Top 10 Science Experiments list here!

Free Science Ideas Guide

Grab this free science experiments challenge calendar and have fun with science right away. Use the clickable links to see how to set up each science project.

Get Started With A Science Fair Project

💡Want to turn one of these fun and easy science experiments into a science fair project? Then, you will want to check out these helpful resources.

• Easy Science Fair Projects
• Science Project Tips From A Teacher
• Science Fair Board Ideas

Easy Science Experiments For Kids

Science Experiments By Topic

Are you looking for a specific topic? Check out these additional resources below. Each topic includes easy-to-understand information, everyday examples, and additional hands-on activities and experiments.

• Chemistry Experiments
• Physics Experiments
• Chemical Reaction Experiments
• Candy Experiments
• Plant Experiments
• Kitchen Science
• Water Experiments
• Baking Soda Experiments
• States Of Matter Experiments
• Physical Change Experiments
• Chemical Change Experiments
• Surface Tension Experiments
• Capillary Action Experiments
• Weather Science Projects
• Geology Science Projects
• Space Activities
• Simple Machines
• Static Electricity
• Potential and Kinetic Energy
• Gravity Experiments
• Magnet Activities
• Light Experiments

Science Experiments By Season

• Spring Science
• Summer Science Experiments
• Fall Science Experiments
• Winter Science Experiments

Science Experiments by Age Group

While many experiments can be performed by various age groups, the best science experiments for specific age groups are listed below.

• Science for Toddlers
• Science for Preschoolers
• Science for Kindergarten
• Elementary Science by Season
• Science for 1st Grade
• Science for 2nd Grade
• Science for 3rd Grade
• Science for 4th Grade
• S cience for 5th Grade
• Science for 6th Grade
• Science for Middle School

How To Teach Science

Kids are curious and always looking to explore, discover, check out, and experiment to discover why things do what they do, move as they move, or change as they change! My son is now 13, and we started with simple science activities around three years of age with simple baking soda science.

Here are great tips for making science experiments enjoyable at home or in the classroom.

Safety first: Always prioritize safety. Use kid-friendly materials, supervise the experiments, and handle potentially hazardous substances yourself.

Start with simple experiments: Begin with basic experiments (find tons below) that require minimal setup and materials, gradually increasing complexity as kids gain confidence.

Use everyday items: Utilize common household items like vinegar and baking soda , food coloring, or balloons to make the experiments accessible and cost-effective.

Hands-on approach: Encourage kids to actively participate in the experiments rather than just observing. Let them touch, mix, and check out reactions up close.

Make predictions: Ask kids to predict the outcome before starting an experiment. This stimulates critical thinking and introduces the concept of hypothesis and the scientific method.

Record observations: Have a science journal or notebook where kids can record their observations, draw pictures, and write down their thoughts. Learn more about observing in science. We also have many printable science worksheets .

Theme-based experiments: Organize experiments around a theme, such as water , air , magnets , or plants . Even holidays and seasons make fun themes!

Kitchen science : Perform experiments in the kitchen, such as making ice cream using salt and ice or learning about density by layering different liquids.

Create a science lab: Set up a dedicated space for science experiments, and let kids decorate it with science-themed posters and drawings.

Outdoor experiments: Take some experiments outside to explore nature, study bugs, or learn about plants and soil.

DIY science kits: Prepare science experiment kits with labeled containers and ingredients, making it easy for kids to conduct experiments independently. Check out our DIY science list and STEM kits.

Make it a group effort: Group experiments can be more fun, allowing kids to learn together and share their excitement. Most of our science activities are classroom friendly!

Science shows or documentaries: Watch age-appropriate science shows or documentaries to introduce kids to scientific concepts entertainingly. Hello Bill Nye and the Magic Schoolbus! You can also check out National Geographic, the Discovery Channel, and NASA!

Ask open-ended questions: Encourage critical thinking by asking open-ended questions that prompt kids to think deeper about what they are experiencing.

Celebrate successes: Praise kids for their efforts and discoveries, no matter how small, to foster a positive attitude towards science and learning.

What is the Scientific Method for Kids?

The scientific method is a way scientists figure out how things work. First, they ask a question about something they want to know. Then, they research to learn what’s already known about it. After that, they make a prediction called a hypothesis.

Next comes the fun part – they test their hypothesis by doing experiments. They carefully observe what happens during the experiments and write down all the details. Learn more about variables in experiments here.

Once they finish their experiments, they look at the results and decide if their hypothesis is right or wrong. If it’s wrong, they devise a new hypothesis and try again. If it’s right, they share their findings with others. That’s how scientists learn new things and make our world better!

Go ahead and introduce the scientific method and get kids started recording their observations and making conclusions. Read more about the scientific method for kids .

Engineering and STEM Projects For Kids

STEM activities include science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In addition to our kids’ science experiments, we have lots of fun STEM activities for you to try. Check out these STEM ideas below.

• Building Activities
• Self-Propelling Car Projects
• Engineering Projects For Kids
• What Is Engineering For Kids?
• Lego STEM Ideas
• LEGO Engineering Activities
• STEM Activities For Toddlers
• STEM Worksheets
• Easy STEM Activities For Elementary
• Quick STEM Challenges
• Easy STEM Activities With Paper  

Printable Science Projects For Kids

If you’re looking to grab all of our printable science projects in one convenient place plus exclusive worksheets and bonuses like a STEAM Project pack, our Science Project Pack is what you need! Over 300+ Pages!

• 90+ classic science activities  with journal pages, supply lists, set up and process, and science information.  NEW! Activity-specific observation pages!
• Best science practices posters  and our original science method process folders for extra alternatives!
• Be a Collector activities pack  introduces kids to the world of making collections through the eyes of a scientist. What will they collect first?
• Know the Words Science vocabulary pack  includes flashcards, crosswords, and word searches that illuminate keywords in the experiments!
• My science journal writing prompts  explore what it means to be a scientist!!
• Bonus STEAM Project Pack:  Art meets science with doable projects!
• Bonus Quick Grab Packs for Biology, Earth Science, Chemistry, and Physics

Subscribe to receive a free 5-Day STEM Challenge Guide

~ projects to try now ~.

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

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61 Wet and Wild Outdoor Science Experiments and Activities

The whole world is one big science classroom.

The only thing more fun than hands-on science is taking it outside! These outdoor science experiments and activities are perfect for taking advantage of sunny days. Fly kites, dissect flowers, experiment with sound and water, and so much more! There is something on our list for everyone from adults all the way down to toddlers.

You’ll only need simple supplies for most of these, so any teacher or family can head out to learn about chemistry, biology, physics, and more. To make it even easier to find the right outdoor science activities, we’ve rated each one for difficulty:

• Easy: Simple, short activities you can do with little or no prep needed.
• Medium: These activities take a little longer or require a few extra supplies but are still fairly simple.
• Advanced: Activities that require more unusual supplies or complex skills.

Outdoor Science Experiments That Get a Little Messy

Nature and wildlife outdoor activities, weather and climate outdoor science experiments, more outdoor science experiments and activities.

1. Wrap a watermelon in rubber bands

You’ve probably seen videos of this making the rounds online, so why not try it out yourself? This is one of those outdoor science experiments that’s easy to do, but make sure you wear safety equipment like goggles. (Medium)

2. Send a geyser sky-high

This is one of those outdoor science activities that simply can’t be done anywhere other than outdoors. Kids will marvel at the chemical reaction that sends diet soda shooting high in the air when Mentos are added. (Medium)

Learn more: Mentos and Coke Experiment (Plus Free Worksheet!)

3. Construct a LEGO waterwheel course

Explore the power of water with a cool homemade LEGO water course that includes a dam and a water wheel. This engineering project is fun to play with when you’re done. (Medium)

Learn more: LEGO Course

4. Find the best soap bubble solution

It’s easy to mix your own soap bubble solution with just a few ingredients. Let kids tweak the recipe to find the best proportion of ingredients to blow the longest-lasting bubbles with this fun outdoor science experiment. (Medium)

Learn more: How To Make a Homemade Bubbles Mixture at The Spruce Crafts

5. Blow giant bubbles

Bubbles are part of many fun outdoor science experiments. Once you’ve blown the longest-lasting bubbles, move on to creating the largest bubbles you’ve ever seen! Learn how in the video. (Medium)

6. Brew some elephant toothpaste

This experiment is popular with kids and adults alike! Don your safety goggles, mix a few ingredients, and watch the “elephant toothpaste” fly! (Medium)

Learn more: Elephant Toothpaste Experiment Plus Free Worksheet

7. Explode plastic baggies

Vinegar and baking soda experiments are always a big hit with kids, and this one is no exception. They’ll love seeing the bags pop from the chemical reaction, and you’ll be glad the mess is outside. Plus, learn how to make a DIY volcano here! (Easy)

Learn more: Exploding Baggies

8. Conduct an egg drop

Here’s another classic outdoor science project you won’t want to move inside—the egg drop. Challenge kids to engineer a container that will protect an egg from a long fall (this is especially fun to do from upper-story windows). (Medium)

9. See water pollution in action

Learn about the challenges of cleaning up polluted water sources like rivers and lakes with this interesting outdoor science activity. Pair it with a visit to a local water-treatment plant to expand the lesson. (Medium)

Learn more: Water Pollution Experiment

10. Set up a musical science pool

This project is equally fun as a sensory experience and as a science experiment. Fill a kiddie pool with water, then place metal mixing bowls of different sizes inside. Finally, let kids experiment with different combos of waters, bowls, and drumsticks (i.e., wooden spoons). (Medium)

Learn more: Musical Science Pool

11. Paint a shadow with homemade chalk paint

Head outside and have kids trace the outlines of their shadows. Then mix up some homemade chalk paint and let kids get creative painting their shadows. (Medium)

Learn more: Shadow Sidewalk Chalk Art

12. Make and melt frozen oobleck

Oobleck is a strange non-Newtonian fluid that’s both fun and fascinating to play around with. For a new twist on this classic experiment, freeze some oobleck, then take it out into the sun and see what happens when it melts. (Medium)

Learn more: Frozen Oobleck

13. Assemble a nest

Birds build intricate nests, and they make it look easy. Can you do the same? Gather some materials outdoors, and try to make your own nest. (Easy)

Learn more: Build a Nest

14. Explore 1 square foot

There’s an amazing amount of life in every square foot of nature. Grab your magnifying glasses or microscope, and take a closer look at the ground you walk on every day. (Easy)

Learn more: Square Foot Outdoor STEM Project

15. Explode a DIY seed pod

Find out how some plants spread their seeds far and wide with this cool balloon experiment. Fill it with seeds and air, then pop it outside on a breezy day and watch the seeds fly! (Medium)

Learn more: Seed Dispersal Activity

16. Forecast the weather with pine cones

Fun fact: Pine cones open and close according to the weather in order to protect or disperse the seeds inside. Use that fact to your advantage and create a pine cone weather station in your backyard. (Easy)

Learn more: Pine Cone Weather Station

17. Put together a simple microscope

This DIY microscope isn’t very powerful, but it does magnify small objects so you can see details. It’s also really simple to make. Looking for a stronger microscope you can take on the go? Try this portable model that hooks up to your cell phone. (Easy)

Learn more: Mini Microscope

18. Create nature discovery bottles

Stroll through the great outdoors and have kids collect interesting natural objects. Use recycled soda or water bottles to display their specimens. (Easy)

Learn more: Nature Sensory Bottles

19. Play a game of Nature Bingo

Give your nature walk more direction by giving students specific items to seek out. You can make your own boards, or hit the link below for free printables for every season. (Easy)

Learn more: Nature Bingo

20. Start a nature journal

Nature journals are a great way to partner writing and outdoor science while building kids’ observational skills. You can use any sturdy notebook or check out the link below for free printable journal pages and a fun DIY carry-along journal project. (Easy)

Learn more: Nature Journal

21. Make and plant DIY seed bombs

Use recycled materials to create “seed bombs.” Then plant them in the schoolyard or send kids home to use them in their own gardens. Students learn about ecology, recycling, and plant life cycles. (Medium)

22. Experiment with limestone rocks

Kids  love to pick up rocks, and there are plenty of great science experiments you can do with them. In this one, you pour vinegar over a rock to see if it bubbles. If it does, you’ve found limestone! (Easy)

Learn more: Vinegar and Limestone Test

23. Contribute to citizen science

Use a cell phone to snap pictures of everything you find on a nature walk, then report those sightings to Project Noah. This citizen science project is dedicated to documenting every living thing on Earth! (Easy)

Learn more: Project Noah

24. Learn about plant transpiration

This simple project demonstrates how plants get rid of excess water they don’t need, a process known as transpiration. The supplies and method are simple enough for anyone to try it. (Easy)

Learn more: Transpiration

25. Learn to identify trees

Give trees a closer look and learn to identify them by their leaves and seeds. These jars preserve the leaves and seeds for future study too. (Medium)

Learn more: Tree ID Scavenger Hung

26. Go on a nature scavenger hunt

Take kids outdoors to use their five senses with this free printable scavenger hunt activity. They’ll hone their observation skills and learn so much about the world around them. (Easy)

Learn more: Nature Scavenger Hunt

27. Help monarch butterflies

You may have heard that monarch butterflies are struggling to keep their populations alive. Join the fight to save these beautiful insects by planting your own butterfly garden, monitoring monarch populations, and more. Get all the info you need at the link. (Advanced)

Learn more: Monarch Watch

28. Count tree rings to explore dendrochronology

Your students might know you can count tree rings to find out how old a tree is, but do they know why that’s true? Students will undoubtedly get a kick out of exploring dendrochronology. (Medium)

Learn more: Tree Rings and Dendrochronology

29. Seek out signs of birds

Have you ever noticed that birds can be difficult to spot, even though signs of them are all around? This free printable scavenger hunt helps you find evidence that birds live nearby. Just look for nests and food sources and listen for their sounds. (Medium)

Learn more: All About Birds Scavenger Hunt

30. Attract birds with a DIY bird feeder

Bring all the birds to the yard with this easy recycled bird feeder project. Kids can learn to identify common backyard birds in your area. Visit The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s educators resource page for more ideas. (Easy)

31. Identify birds with an app

Some birds are easy to identify, but others stump even longtime bird-watchers. If you’re looking for outdoor science activities for kids who love feathered friends, check out the free Merlin Bird ID app. It listens to bird calls and identifies them in a snap! It works with photos too. (Easy)

Learn more: Merlin Bird ID

32. Estimate the height of a tree

Kids work in pairs to estimate the height of a tree in this project that puts the M in STEM. Get a free printable at the link below to walk you through the process. (Medium)

Learn more: Outdoor STEM: Measuring Tree Height

33. Dissect a flower

Take a plant apart to look at the various parts, like the roots, flower, bud, and more. (Medium)

Learn more: Investigating a Plant

34. Craft tree bark rubbings

Each tree has its type of bark, and making crayon rubbings is an easy and fun way to take a closer look. Put together a whole portfolio and label each with the kind of tree it comes from. (Easy)

35. Pit hydroponics against soil

Grow veggies using soil and hydroponics. Then, conduct your own taste test to see if one is better than the other. (Advanced)

36. Cast animal tracks

Explore wildlife biology by becoming an expert tracker! Learn to identify tracks and take casts. Turn this into an experiment by trying different methods to take casts, or use it as a method of identifying wildlife in the woods. (Advanced)

Learn more:  How to Find & Collect Animal Tracks

37. Gaze at the clouds

Look up and take some time to admire the clouds. Craft this cute “cloud viewer” and find a cloud in the sky. Then, identify what type it is, and learn more about how clouds form. (Easy)

Learn more: Make Your Own Cloud Viewer

38. See the greenhouse effect in action

Climate change can be a contentious topic, so start by teaching kids about the greenhouse effect, which is easy to see and understand using this simple experiment. Then, urge them to explore data collected by scientists so they can learn to make informed decisions about topics like global warming. (Easy)

Learn more:  Teaching About the Greenhouse Effect

39. Assemble an anemometer

Scientists use anemometers to measure wind speed. Build this DIY version and do some outdoor science experiments about weather science with your kids. (Medium)

Learn more: Anemometer

40. Turn a bottle into a rain gauge

All you need is a plastic bottle, a ruler, and a permanent marker to make your own rain gauge. Monitor your measurements and see how they stack up against meteorology reports in your area. (Medium)

Learn more: How To Make a Rain Gauge

41. Harness the power of the wind

Wind turbines have become common sights in some parts of the country as we explore alternative energy sources. Build your own to learn how they work with this outdoor science experiment. (Medium)

Learn more: Build a Wind Turbine

42. Fly a kite

You can learn a lot about physics when you make and fly your own kite. Experiment with different designs to see whose kite flies the highest or the longest. (Easy)

Learn more: How To Make a Simple Kite

43. Compost food scraps in a bottle

Food waste is a big problem, contributing to much of the material that winds up in landfills. Teach kids how to compost with kitchen scraps in a plastic bottle, and use the compost to feed your plants. (Medium)

Learn more: Soda Bottle Compost

44. Grow a carbon sugar snake

If you’re looking for outdoor science experiments that are sure to excite your students, try this eye-popping chemical reaction demonstration. You only need simple supplies like sugar, baking soda, and sand, but the element of fire makes this experiment best done outdoors. (Medium)

Learn more: Carbon Sugar Snake

45. Construct a dirt battery

This outdoor science project is similar to building a battery from a lemon, but you also get to dig in the dirt! Kids learn about electric currents and conductivity. (Medium)

Learn more: Dirt Battery

46. Test the power of sunscreen

We slather kids in sunscreen when they’re playing outside, but do they understand why? Try this fun little experiment, which demonstrates how sunscreen protects from the sun’s harmful rays. (Easy)

Learn more: STEM Sunscreen Experiment

47. Build a solar oven

Explore the power of the sun when you build your own solar ovens and use them to cook some yummy treats. (Medium)

Learn more: Solar Oven

48. Blast off with bottle rockets

Just a few simple supplies let you use the power of air pressure to send a homemade bottle rock soaring to the heavens! Get full instructions in the video. (Medium)

49. Make sun prints

You’ll need to buy special paper for this outdoor science project, but it’s easy to find. Kids will love creating their own patterns and experimenting to find which objects work best. (Medium)

Learn more: Sun Prints

50. Launch Ping-Pong balls with a catapult

Young kids will simply adore building this basic catapult and watching Ping-Pong balls soar! Older kids can experiment by changing the position of the fulcrum, the length of the board, and the objects being flung. (Easy)

Learn more: DIY Catapult

51. Test out parachutes

Gather a variety of materials (try tissues, handkerchiefs, plastic bags, etc.) and see which ones make the best parachutes. You can also find out how they’re affected on windy days or find out which ones work in the rain. (Easy)

Learn more: How To Make a Parachute

52. Swing a glass of water to learn about centripetal force

When you do this experiment right, you won’t make a mess at all. But while kids are still getting the hang of swinging glasses of water around their heads, you’ll probably want to make this an outdoor science activity. (Medium)

53. Become a human sundial

Choose a sunny day and grab some sidewalk chalk—your students are about to become sundials! They’ll practice measuring skills and learn about the movement of the sun across the sky. (Easy)

Learn more: Human Sundial

54. Build a light box

Kids can entertain themselves for hours with a big empty cardboard box. Channel that energy by turning a box into a place to learn about light refraction and reflection, using colored water in plastic bottles. (Medium)

Learn more: Light Box

55. Float a baking soda–powered boat

Here’s another experiment using the classic baking powder and vinegar reaction. This one uses it to power these cute little DIY boats! A kiddie pool is the perfect spot for this outdoor science project. (Medium)

Learn more:  Baking Soda Boat

56. Slide into friction science

Head out to the playground, gather up a variety of objects, and hold races to see which ones make it down the slide first. This is a fun introduction to friction and inclined planes. (Easy)

Learn more: Exploring Ramps and Friction on a Slide

57. Test your local water quality

Once you’ve “cleaned up” your water, try testing it to see how clean it really is. Then head out to test other types of water. Kids will be fascinated to discover what’s in the water in their local streams, ponds, and puddles. Water-testing kits are readily available online— try this set available on Amazon . (Advanced)

Learn more: Water Quality Experiment

58. Make a rainbow

Spotting a rainbow in the sky is always a magical experience. Let kids experiment with different methods to learn how they can create rainbows of their own, anytime they like! (Easy)

59. Send a tea bag flying

Hot air rises, and this experiment can prove it! You’ll want to supervise kids with fire, of course, but this is a really cool concept to see in action. (Medium)

Learn more: Flying Tea Bag Experiment

60. Find your way with a DIY compass

Here’s an old classic that never fails to impress. Magnetize a needle, float it on the water’s surface, and it will always point north. (Easy)

Learn more: Simple Magnetic Compass

61. Make a solar desalinator

Clean freshwater is a valuable commodity. Construct solar-powered desalination devices with readily available materials, and find the most effective desalination methods. (Advanced)

Outdoor science experiments don’t have to be limited to spring or summer! Bookmark the Coolest Winter Science Experiments and Activities .

Plus, get all the latest teacher tips and tricks, straight to your inbox, when you sign up for our newsletters .

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Fun Science Experiments for Kids

These science activities and science experiments are sure to be a hit with kids in preschool and elementary! You will find so many easy and fun science projects that require just a few items found around your house.

From lava lamps to magic milk to eruptions and more, these simple science experiments and STEM activities will WOW the kids and keep them engaged.

So pick a science activity and try one out with the kids today!

Best Science Activities and Experiments for Kids

My kids love science activities and so do I, so we find ourselves doing them quite often lately. I love that they are learning while having so much fun.

Science experiments are a great, hands-on way for kids to explore scientific concepts. They are super engaging and exciting, so kids are really drawn into learning.

Plus, I find that they learn more when they are engaged with interactive, hands-on ways.

The experience becomes more memorable than simple reading about science or doing a workbook page on a scientific concept.

I really try to find science experiments that are simple and use supplies we already have or can easily get. I find that the easier they are to set up, the more we do them.

So if you are looking for simple science fun too, these will be perfect for you.

Science Experiments That Will Excite Your Kids

If you want to excite your kids and explore scientific concepts, then you will definitely want to check out these simple science activities!

For each experiment, I explain the science behind them. So not only will the kids explore science in fun, engaging ways, but you will easily be able to explain the “why” behind each experiment.

Grab some simple household supplies and you will be well on your way to lots of science fun with kids.

This list of science activities and experiments is sure to save you tons of time when planning science lessons for your students.

Top 20 Fun Science Experiments for Kids

Rainbow walking water science experiment.

This might be our favorite science experiment! This Rainbow Walking Water science experiment will be a favorite for both kids and adults alike! We couldn’t believe how fast the water traveled up the paper towel and mixed the colors!

Skittles Rainbow Science Experiment

This Skittles Rainbow science experiment is fun and easy! It comes with a free recording sheets too.

Lava Lamp Science Experiment

Your kids will absolute love this Lava Lamp Science Experiment ! This one is always a hit for our kids! You just need water, oil and a surprise third ingredient!

Oobleck Science Activity

This oobleck recipe makes a great science activity for kids! With the correct ratios and just 2 ingredients you will be ready for lots of fun sensory play.

Pepper and Soap Experiment

This may be the easiest science activity on this list and your kids will love it! They may even think it is magical. That is, until they learn the science behind this Pepper and Soap science experiment !

Color Changing Flowers Experiment

We love this Color Changing Flowers experiment! It’s super easy to do and the kids will love watching the flowers change colors. This is a perfect spring activity!

Fireworks in a Jar Experiment

Your kids will really love watching the colorful reactions in this fun Fireworks in a Jar experiment.

Magic Milk Science Activity

This Magic Milk science activity always amazes the kids! You’ll just need a few household supplies and milk to get started with this simple and fun experiment!

Floating Dry Erase Marker Science Activity

This floating dry erase marker science activity is super fun! You just need dry erase markers and water!

Fizzy Rainbow Science Experiment

This Fizzy Rainbow Science Experiment will bring some fun and color to your kids day! This just takes a few simple ingredients you probably already have.

Catapult Activity

This catapult activity is a fun and easy STEM activity that your kids will love!

Dancing Raisins Science Experiment

Your kids will get a kick out of watching Dancing Raisins in this simple and fun science experiment!

Disappearing Color Wheel Science Experiment

This disappearing color wheel science experiment is a fun way for kids to explore light and physics!

Rain Cloud in a Jar

This Rain Cloud in a Jar science experiment gives kids a chance to explore rain and clouds in a hand-on, fun way!

Leak Proof Bag Experiment

This Leak Proof Bag science experiment will wow your kids. All you need is two household items and you can do this fun experiment too!

Keep Paper Dry Under Water Science Experiment

This simple keep paper dry under water science experiment is a blast. Your kids will be amazed when the paper doesn’t get wet!

Grow a Rainbow Experiment

Grow a rainbow with this fun experiment! All you will need is markers, a paper towel and two glasses of water! Your students will be amazed to see capillary action at work with this experiment.

Oil and Water Science Activity

This Oil and Water Science Activity is an easy experiment that your kids will really enjoy. Any time our kids can squirt water with droppers they always have a great time!

Dancing Corn Science Activity

This dancing corn activity is incredibly fun! All you need is a few ingredients from around your house!

Chromatography Science Activity

This chromatography science activity is a fun way to learn about separating colors using coffee filters and markers.

More Fun Science Activities!

I hope you were able to find some amazing science activities to do with the kids! We have been having a blast with them, so I hope your kids will too!

Salt Painting Activity for Kids Pumpkin Candy Science Activity for Kids Winter Blizzard Lava Lamp Experiment River Habitat Water Play in a Rain Gutter Ocean Play Dough Invitation Ladybug Life Cycle with Play Dough Pond Life Play Dough Invitation Explore Clouds and Rain for Fine Motor Practice

Seasonal Science Experiments and Activities

Simple Summer Science Experiments and STEM Activities Simple Spring Science and STEAM Activities 20+ Awesome Christmas Science Experiments for Preschoolers

Science Activities by Category

Easy STEM Activities for Kids Kindergarten Science Experiments

Looking for more science experiments or STEM?

Check out these science experiments for preschoolers . They are great for kids in elementary too.

Or check out this list of easy science activities for kids!

Virginia Tech’s Undergraduate Science Laboratory Building advances scientific education

• Alex Garner

25 Aug 2024

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The Undergraduate Science Laboratory Building on Virginia Tech’s Blacksburg campus is now open, marking a significant milestone in the university's commitment to advancing scientific education and research. This new facility, spanning approximately 102,000 gross-square-feet, is designed to support modern laboratory practices and foster interdisciplinary collaboration among students and faculty from various colleges.

Consistent with the Division of Facilities ’ capital construction closeout process, remaining cosmetic finishes will continue for several weeks into the fall semester. In close partnership with the building’s contractor, minor construction activities will occur inside and outside the facility during periods that accommodate teaching and learning schedules. While these efforts are ongoing in bringing the now-open building to its fullest potential – both functionally and aesthetically – students and faculty are requested to only use the building during scheduled classes, labs, and associated activities. When fully completed later this fall, the building will be available and ready for individual study, collaboration sessions, group projects, and other activities that are outside scheduled class/lab timeframes.

The Undergraduate Science Laboratory Building features 26 flexible and adaptable laboratories, including wet, dry, and specialty labs. These modern spaces are equipped to meet the evolving instructional needs of the College of Science, the College of Engineering, the College of Natural Resources and Environment, and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. These laboratories will enable students to work on projects that bridge academic instruction with experiential learning and real-world applications.

In addition to advanced laboratories, the facility also includes general-use classrooms, collaboration spaces, offices, informal study areas, and workspaces for graduate teaching assistants. The new building’s completion represents a major milestone in Virginia Tech’s campus master plan , which outlines land use strategies to support the university’s strategic vision.

Careful design and construction

Sustainability is a cornerstone of the Undergraduate Science Laboratory Building's design. In support of the Virginia Tech Climate Action Commitment , the building aims to achieve at least Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver certification, reflecting Virginia Tech's commitment to environmental stewardship and energy efficiency. 

The Undergraduate Science Laboratory Building's development involved collaboration with the Division of Facilities and ZGF , who provided architectural and engineering services, and Skanska USA , who served as the construction manager. Their combined expertise ensured that the building met the highest standards of design and functionality.

Looking ahead

As Virginia Tech and its students continue to innovate, the Undergraduate Science Laboratory Building stands as a testament to the university's dedication to providing top-tier educational facilities. By fostering a collaborative and cutting-edge learning environment, the Undergraduate Science Laboratory Building is already playing a crucial role in shaping the future of scientific education and research at Virginia Tech.

For those in need of assistance locating the new Undergraduate Science Laboratory Building, positioned near the corner of Prices Fork Road and West Campus Drive, or any other campus locations, please visit the Interactive Campus Map .

Meghan Marsh

(540) 231-8870

Stephanie Overton

(540) 231-7892

• Campus Experience
• Campus Master Plan
• Campus sustainability
• College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
• College of Engineering
• College of Natural Resources and Environment
• College of Science
• Division of Facilities
• Executive Vice President and Provost
• Sustainability
• Undergraduate Education
• Undergraduate Research

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Entertainment | 30+ festivals, fun events and things to do in…

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Entertainment

Entertainment | 30+ festivals, fun events and things to do in the bay area this fall, check out this upcoming events roundup of local ways to keep the fun going following the summer season.

Family Fall Market: 12 to 5 p.m. Sept. 7, Todos Santos Plaza, 2175 Willow Pass Road, Concord. Head to Todos Santos Plaza to enjoy a cozy autumn day filled with seasonal vendors, art, drinks, food and fun for the whole family. Free admission. tinyurl.com/FamFallMarket

San Jose Brewsology: 7 to 11 p.m. Sept. 7, The Tech Interactive, 201 South Market St., San Jose. Come out to the Brewsology Beer Festival for a one-of-a-kind museum experience featuring more than 40 breweries with 100+ beers to sample. $68 to $84. tinyurl.com/Brewsology

Jack London WILD Trail Challenge: 9 a.m. Saturdays, Sept. 7 to Oct. 5, Jack London State Historic Park, 2400 London Ranch Road, Glen Ellen. Avid hikers and weekend warriors can answer the call of the wild at Jack London State Historic Park’s new WILD Trail Challenge, a series of five hikes covering every trail in the park for a total of 31.2 miles. $25 per hike. jacklondonpark.com/events/hiking-series

Sugar Mill Glass Pumpkin Patch: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 7-8, Old Sugar Mill, 35265 Willow Ave., Clarksburg. Imagine thousands of glass pumpkins displayed in a festive fall setting (think straw bales and cornstalks) with live glassblowing demonstrations every 30 minutes. Free admission. tinyurl.com/GlassPatch

B Walker Ranch BBQ Bash Hoedown: 5 to 10 p.m. Sept. 13, B Walker Ranch, 4303 Abernathy Road, Fairfield. This event promises to be a blast with live music, line dancing, barbecue meats, live and silent auctions, competitive games and local wines. $125. tinyurl.com/WalkerBBQBASH

Cuvaison Harvest Experience: 1 to 7 p.m. Sept. 14, Cuvaison Winery, 1221 Duhig Road, Napa. Gain in-depth, hands-on knowledge about winemaking during this exclusive harvest event. Guided by the winemaking and cellar teams, you’ll learn grape harvesting techniques in the vineyard and the science of the crush process, followed by a wine-paired dinner. $250. tinyurl.com/CuvaisonHarvest

Northern California Renaissance Faire: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends Sept. 14 to Oct. 20, Casa de Fruta, 10031 Pacheco Pass Hwy., Hollister. This annual fair offers Renaissance-era pageantry, live music, artisans, Celtic concerts and food and drink vendors. $35. norcalrenfaire.com

Downtown Campbell Fall Wine Walk: 6 p.m. Sept. 19,  Water Tower Kitchen, 201 Orchard City Drive, Campbell. Now in its 15th year, this event beckons you to come discover 20+ amazing wine makers of Campbell. Enjoy a delightful evening tasting your way through eclectic shops and creative eateries. $50 to $55. downtowncampbell.com/event/2024/09/2024-fall-wine-walk-downtown-campbell

Fall Equinox Inner Sunset Art Walk: 5 to 8 p.m Sept. 20, Hunt & Gather, 1108 Irving St., San Francisco. Celebrate the fall equinox during this festive Inner Sunset stroll that includes a range of local art, music and businesses. Free admission. tinyurl.com/EquinoxArtWalk

Fall Migration at the Point: 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 20, Drakes Beach, Point Reyes Station. The Outer Point Reyes Peninsula can be a mecca for birds and birdwatchers during autumn migration, with the month of September being the peak of songbird passage. Enjoy a short walk focused on learning more about passerines, raptors, shorebirds, seabirds and other species at the Point Reyes headlands. $95.49. tinyurl.com/PointMigration

Harvest History Festival: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Sept. 21, Heritage Park, 771 N. Rengstorff Ave., Mountain View. Celebrate Mountain View’s historic past with this annual festival featuring live music, children’s activities, art projects and garden tours. Free admission. tinyurl.com/HarvestHistory

Alameda Blues, Brews & BBQ: 12 to 6 p.m. Sept. 22, Washington Park, 740 Central Ave., Alameda. Alameda’s favorite blues festival returns with another ace line up including Grammy Award nominee Mark Hummel and Bay Area legend the Dynamic Miss Faye Carol. Enjoy the flavors of local craft breweries and mouthwatering barbecue, as well as kids activities. Free admission. westendartsdistrict.org/blues-brews-and-bbq

Everybody’s Favorite BBQ & Hot Sauce Fest: Sept. 27-29, 2115 Sixth St., Sacramento. This touring festival highlights the aroma of America’s best barbecue vendors in a multicultural outdoor social setting, complete with live rock, R&B, jazz, blues, pop and country. Prices vary. everybodysfavoritefestival.com

Fall Festival Cornhole Tournament: 12 to 5 p.m. Sept. 28, Willow Park Mercantile, 205 G St., Antioch. Join the party in  Antioch’s Rivertown District with a cornhole tournament, live music, local wine and beer, tasty barbecue, a kids zone and craft vendors. Free admission; $80 tournament entry. tinyurl.com/CornholeFallFest

Wet Hop Festival: 1 to 6 p.m. Sept. 28, Homegrown Hops Brewing, 3000 Mines Road, Livermore. This festival celebrates the unique flavors and aromas of freshly harvested wet hops with exclusive beer tastings, food pairings, live music and hop farm tours. $60 to $95. tinyurl.com/WetHopFest

Faction Brewing Fall Market: 3 to 8 p.m. Sept. 28, Faction Brewing, 2501 Monarch St., Alameda. Faction’s Fall Market brings together some of the Bay Area’s best artists, makers and small businesses under one roof. Support local vendors, grab some food and craft brews and enjoy scenic views of the bay. Free admission. tinyurl.com/FactionFallMarket

Blues and Bones Festival: Sept. 28, Calaveras Fairgrounds, Angels Camp. There’s nothing like the sound of blues music combined with slow-cooked barbecue to leave a lasting impression on your summer. This year’s festival, the 13th annual, will feature some of the country’s best traveling blues bands along with award-winning barbecue. $40-$60. bluesandbones.com

Pacific Coast Fog Fest: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 28-29, Palmetto Ave., Pacifica. This festival features “A Whale of a Good Time” parade and marching band competition, a family fun fest, live music, arts and crafts booths, plus food and drink stalls. Free admission. pacificcoastfogfest.com

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass: Oct. 4-6, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. One of the largest and most beloved free music festivals in the country, this annual festival features an eclectic lineup of country, soul and folk musicians performing on six outdoor stages. Free admission. hardlystrictlybluegrass.com

Crush it at Estate Yountville: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 5, Estate Yountville, 6481 Washington St., Yountville. Join Estate Yountville this fall to enjoy a harvest menu and wines, grape stomping, live entertainment, family activities, local vendors and photo ops. Free admission; wine tastings and grape stomping are priced separately. visitnapavalley.com/event/crush-it-at-estate-yountville/12822

Napa Blues, Brews & BBQ: 12 to 6 p.m. Oct. 5, Napa Valley Expo, 575 Third St., Napa. Now in its 14th year, this festival draws music lovers, beer enthusiasts, barbecue aficionados and now, classic car fans for a day of entertainment and enjoyment. Free admission. napabluesandbrew.com

Monterey Beer Festival: 12:30 to 4 p.m. Oct. 5, Monterey County Fair & Event Center, 2004 Fairground Road, Monterey. Get ready to embark on the ultimate “beer-cation” at the 21st annual beer fest. Enjoy an expanded lineup featuring hundreds of beers, live music and a mouthwatering array of food truck offerings. $65 to $80. montereybeerfestival.com

Emeryville Art Exhibition: Oct. 5-27, Public Market Emeryville, 5905 Shellmound St., Emeryville. This juried group show features more than 100 works created by an impressive pool of local artists, including paintings, sculpture, photographs, prints, drawings, ceramics, textiles and furniture, along with performance art and poetry. Free. emeryarts.org

Lambtown Festival: Oct. 5-6, Dixon May Fairgrounds, Dixon. This annual celebration of all things sheep, lamb and wool includes workshops, competitions, sheep shows, hands-on demonstrations, vendor stalls and kids activities. $15 to $20. lambtown.org

Corks, Forks, Rhythm and Brews: 12 to 4 p.m. Oct. 7, City Hall West Parade Lawn, Alameda. Enjoy some of California’s best wine, spirits, beer, gourmet food and live entertainment at this benefit for the Alameda Boys & Girls Clubs. $100 to $200. tinyurl.com/CorksForksBlues

Fleet Week San Francisco: Oct. 7-15, Fisherman’s Wharf and the Marina District, San Francisco. San Francisco Fleet Week hosts the largest parade of ships on the West Coast. See the fleet enter the Bay under the Golden Gate Bridge as visiting ships steam towards their ports, led by the San Francisco Fire Department fire boat shooting jets of water into the air to celebrate. Free. fleetweeksf.org

Rebels & Renegades Music Festival: Oct. 12-14, Monterey County Fairgrounds, 2004 Fairground Road, Monterey. This fest brings hippies and cowboys together with some killer music, interactive art stations, a makers marketplace and delicious food peddlers. $105 to $250. rebelsandrenegadesfest.com

Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 19-20, Main Street, Half Moon Bay. Get into fall festivities with monster pumpkins, live music, a parade, fine art and crafts, fabulous food and drinks, expert pumpkin carvers, a Pumpkin Run, and pie-eating and costume contests. Free admission. pumpkinfest.miramarevents.com

Los Gatos Fall Wine Walk: 2 to 5 p.m. Oct. 26, Downtown Los Gatos. Stroll through downtown This seasonal sip, savor and stroll event includes tastings from more than 30 local wineries. Find updated pricing details losgatoschamber.com/wine-walk

San Mateo Harvest Festival: Nov. 8-10, San Mateo County Event Center, 1346 Saratoga Drive, San Mateo. This autumn-themed fair offers craft booths, seasonal food and drink stalls and tons of fun kids activities. $0 to $9. harvestfestival.com/san-mateo

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