Home science experiments for kids
Experiments with things from the kitchen
| Project | Minutes | Grades | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elephant Toothpaste | 15 | 2nd–8th | Yeast splits peroxide into water and oxygen super fast, and soap catches the oxygen as foam. |
| Stretchy Slime | 25 | 3rd–8th | The activator links glue's long chains into a net, so runny glue turns into stretchy slime. |
| Oobleck | 10 | K–8th | Oobleck goes hard when you push it fast and runny when you go slow. |
| Fizzy Volcano | 15 | K–8th | Baking soda and vinegar make a gas, and soap turns the gas into foamy lava. |
| Salt Lava Lamp | 15 | K–8th | Oil floats on water, and salt can drag it down for a ride. |
| Magic Milk | 10 | K–8th | Soap grabs fat, and as it races across the milk the colours ride along. |
| Rain Cloud in a Jar | 10 | K–8th | A cloud holds water until it gets too heavy, and then it rains. |
| Walking Water Rainbow | 15 | K–8th | Water can climb up through tiny gaps, even uphill. |
| Giant Bubbles | 20 | K–8th | Soap makes water stretchy enough to wrap around air. |
| Soda Geyser | 15 | 2nd–8th | Gas hiding in soda rushes out all at once when it finds rough places to make bubbles. |
| Secret Message | 15 | K–8th | Some colours change when they meet a base, like baking soda. |
Recipes that are experiments
| Recipe | Minutes | Ages | What it teaches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butter in a Jar | 15 | 5 to 9 | Shaking smashes the tiny blobs of fat in cream together until they stick into one big lump of butter, and the watery buttermilk is left over. |
| Ice Cream in a Bag | 15 | 5 to 9 | Salt makes ice melt a little, and the melting soaks up heat, so salty ice gets colder than plain ice and freezes the cream. |
| Homemade Soda | 5 | 5 to 9 | The bubbles are carbon dioxide gas squeezed into the water, and stirring hard lets it escape, so stir slowly. |
More science
| Activity | What kind | What a child does | Ages |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEM projects | Explore | Builds and experiments with things from the recycling and the kitchen. | 6 and up |
| Science fair projects | Explore | Forty projects with a question, a test and what to write down. | 8 and up |
| Space | Explore | The planets in order, and what each world is like. | 6 and up |
| The Body | Explore | Tap the skin, muscles, bones, heart and organs to see what each does. | 6 and up |
Every experiment lists its materials and tools first, and a grown-up helps with anything hot or sharp. Everything here is free through the end of 2026, with no ads, no sign-up and nothing to download.
Questions parents ask
What are good science experiments for kids to do at home?
Slime, oobleck, a fizzy volcano and a salt lava lamp use baking soda, vinegar, salt, oil and cornstarch. Each one has picture steps and a line on the science behind it.
What do we need for these experiments?
Mostly things from the kitchen cupboard. Each project page lists its materials and tools, and says what can be swapped.
What ages are they for?
About 5 to 12. The Grades and Ages columns say which each one fits, and younger children can do it with a grown-up.
Are these experiments free?
Yes. Everything here is free through the end of 2026, with no ads, no sign-up and nothing to download.
Teacher? Share this page to Google Classroom. Children open it with no sign-up.
Checked against how Peabody works on 6 November 2026. Written with help from AI, from Peabody's own code and library. Peabody is a learning app, not an assessment: if you're worried about your child's learning, talk to their teacher. How Peabody's pages are made.