Homeschool Science Experiments

Science is one of those subjects that a lot of homeschool parents either love to teach or dread to teach. If your kids are anything like mine though, they LOVE all things creating a potion related! 

Below are a list of some of the most fun, educational and most importantly easy homeschool science experiments! You probably have most of these needed supplies on hand, or it won’t break the bank to pick some up next time you’re running errands. 

Homeschool science experiments are an awesome way to bring science to life and make it something you all look forward to! 

Another bonus, these 13 experiments are all very much “open and go” meaning there’s not much planning on your part other than checking for needed supplies. 

These are also very adaptable if you are homeschooling multiple ages. You can go into more explanation on the “why” of the experiment or tie into existing science for older kids, or you can all just have some fun! 

Either way, these are some of our favorite ways to add some homeschool fun to our days! 

13 Experiments Your Kids Will Love! 

1. M&M water experiment

This is such an easy, and fun one! All you need is some M&M candies (I’ve heard Skittles work too but we don’t mess around in our house – chocolate candy is always the top choice haha!), a plate and some warm water. I came across this experiment a few years ago and it’s so fun every time we decide to give it another try. The process of the warm water shifting the colors from the candies creates the prettiest rainbow hued swirls. 

2. Anything with vinegar and baking soda

There isn’t a kid out there who isn’t impressed with the amazing reaction that happens when combining baking soda and vinegar! And there are so many ways to have fun with this combo. Here are a few awesome ways to use baking soda and vinegar in your homeschool science experiments:

Blow up balloon without blowing air into it – really cool to see! Learn more here

Erupting volcano – a classic that is always a hit! For older kids you can make a volcano using plaster of paris, which adds to the project time but can be very fun. Learn more here 

For younger kids, you can make a volcano out of playdoh or other modeling compound. Learn more here

More ideas for various mediums used to make more volcanoes can be found here

Fizzy paint – so much fun and various ways to do this one. Here is one simple yet fun way!

Rocket – build a rocket that actually launches! Obviously this will be an outdoor experiment! Really fun, and you can get so creative with the learning that goes along with this one. Learn how to build your own rocket here

Researching and learning all about acids & bases and reactions is a great idea for older kids to pair with these or other baking soda & vinegar experiments. 

3. Lava lamp

This is one groovy homeschool science experiment! Also as a calm down jar, this is one gorgeous and soothing experiment to add to your homeschool!  Learn more about creating your own (temporary) lava lamp here 

4. Ooblek

We made this in our household probably a million times, no joke. Along with slime, this has been one science experiment my kids have done over and over again throughout the years. I will admit it, I love ooblek as much as they do haha! The changing shape, and feel of this seemingly “magical” creation is just plain cool! Learn how to make it here 

Hereis a great video that shows exactly how to make ooblek . 

5. Slime

Ahhh slime, another love or hate for most parents. But if you can set your kids up outside on the back porch or are ok with a bit of a mess in the kitchen, it’s such a great experiment for kids! There are so many ways to make slime, and so many add-ins, providing all sorts of learning. If you are going to become a slime family I would definitely recommend buying ingredients in bulk, especially the Elmer’s glue. 

Here is a great simple slime recipe

Here is a fun fluffy slime recipe

6. Elephant toothpaste

The name alone is intriguing, right? If you haven’t done this yet as a homeschool science experiment, it’s a must! Really cool and everyone will get such a kick out of it! 

Learn more here

7. Make ice cream

I remember doing this as a kid in my science class and thinking it was so fun! There are a few ways to do this one, rolling a coffee can back and forth or with sandwich baggies seem to be the most popular. 

Here is the coffee can way

Here is the sandwich baggie way 

8. Make rock crystal candy

This experiment takes time and patience but is really cool for your kids to see the process as it happens. And knowing they will get to eat the candy after it’s formed may help with the patience needed ☺

Here is a great tutorial on how to make your own rock crystal candy 

9. Walking water

Fun, fun, fun and so cool to see! This one equally impresses adults and kids. 

Learn how to make water “walk” here 

10. Clouds & rain in a glass

This is a perfect experiment to go along with learning about clouds for younger kids. Or for older children learning about meteorology in a unit study on earth science. It’s really pretty too!

Learn how to make weather in a glass here

11. Invisible ink

This is a fun way to spend some time on a rainy day. Kids can create secret messages to each other and learn about chemical reactions while doing so. There are various recipes for making your own invisible ink at home but the link below has two of the most common ways.

Learn how to create invisible ink here

12. Marshmallows & toothpicks

Another classic combo when it comes to science and kids. There are many ways to learn with these simple supplies, with STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) being the core learning area. 

Learn about creating some simple STEM shapes here

Here is a great video on creating a marshmallow & toothpick structures

13. Eggs

There are SO many really cool experiments using a kitchen basic, the egg! From creating a “naked” egg to making an egg fit into a bottle, the possibilities are endless! So make sure to grab an extra dozen eggs next time you’re shopping for hours of fun.

Here is an awesome tutorial on how to create a naked egg, the base for many of the cool egg experiments, from Steve Spangler 

Learn how to bottle  an egg here

Here and here are a couple of ideas for an egg drop challenge. This is another classic that is sure to delight your kids and teach them a ton about the laws of motion and gravity. 

Have fun!

I hope these homeschool science experiment ideas are helpful and encourage you to embrace the fun side of science with your kids! 

Let me know which experiments you try or if you have other favorites in the comments below!