200 Quick & easy experiments

Crazy chemistry experiments

Electronics & Robotics

Engineering & Building

Motion & Mechanics

Anatomy & Biology

Toy & game design

Math made fun

STEM Activities

750+ Quick & easy craft ideas

Recycled creations

Fun & functional projects

Jewelry & Fashion design

Handmade cards & gifts

Art & Creativity

Fun & Games

Hands-on learning

Sound & Music

Pretend play

Play & Learn

Kitchen science

Fun with food

Sweet & salty snacks

Treats & Dessert

Cooking for kids

Cooking & Baking

Animals & Bugs

Plants & Rocks

Seasons & Weather

Radical rainbows

Outdoor Adventures

Space exploration

Nature & Adventure

Birthday fun

Pi Day

Earth Day

Easter

Holiday & Events

chemical reactions

chemistry

experiment

science experiment

quick experiment

easy experiment

science project

art-science projects

Have you ever seen a lava lamp? All of the colorful wax that rises and falls, bobbing around--it's mesmerizing! You've probably wondered how to make one. This is an easy science experiment that you can do at home to create your very own homemade lava lamp. And it only takes a few common household ingredients!Looking for ways to keep your young scientist engaged and learning? Learn about chemistry and practice art skills with <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/us/store/dp/planet-bath-bombs/3702" target="_self">Planet Bath Bombs</a> from the <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/store" target="_self">KiwiCo Store</a>!

We love watching the bubbles in a lava lamp dance. But before they get their groove on, there’s a lot of chemistry that has to happen! When you add the oil and water to your bottle, you’ll see that the water sinks to the bottom and the oil sits on top. Try shaking up the bottle (don’t forget to put the cap on) and see what happens. No matter how hard you shake, the oil and water won’t mix together — they’ll always separate out again! There are two reasons that oil and water don’t mix. The first reason has to do with something chemists call polarity. Water is made up of polar molecules. That means each molecule has a positive charge on one end and a negative charge on the other end. Positive and negative ends stick together kind of like magnets. Oil is made up of non-polar molecules. That means they don't have a positive or negative charge. Since the water molecules are looking for a positive or negative charge, they won’t mix with the oil molecules. The second reason has to do with something called density. The denser something is, the more stuff there is packed into it. If you weigh a cup of water and a cup of oil, the water weighs more. That means the water is more dense than the oil, which is why it sinks to the bottom! But there are ways that you can mix them up! Adding the fizzy tablet will create a chemical reaction that causes carbon dioxide gas bubbles to form. Water droplets will stick to the bubbles and hitch a ride to the top of the bottle. Once the bubbles escape, the water droplets will sink back below the oil. It is a density disco, polarity party, and a bubbly ballet all in one!

a4405cebd5794.jpg

a7ccb72cd6d5f.jpg

Fill the container ⅘ full with vegetable oil. 

We used a funnel, but it’s not necessary! 

ac4f3d48cfe7b.jpg

Fill the rest of the container (almost to the top!) with water. If the container is too full it might overflow when you add the fizzy tablets! 

a888046e4f3a5.jpg

Add a few drops of food coloring. They should sink to the bottom of the container and color the water. 

a1de64296f78b.jpg

Break up a fizzy tablet and drop it into the container and watch your lava lamp come to life! 

Want to experiment more? Try making a glow-in-the dark lava lamp. Instead of tap water, use quinine water (aka tonic water) and no food coloring. Place your lava lamp under a blacklight to light it up! 

a525c417cdc10.png

container

vegetable oil

water

food coloring

fizzy tablets

Fizzy Lava Lamp

learning game

What's the best way to clean a penny? What chemicals do the best cleaners have in common? Give this experiment a try and find out.

a81328a944c6f.jpg

We were curious to find out if we could figure out a good way to clean a penny.  What would it take?

a6bf7c96d560a.jpg

Madeleine went to the fridge, and chose a few things that she thought had potential cleaning power.
Pickle juice, ketchup, lemon juice, and vinegar and oil salad dressing.
We put a tablespoon or so into little cups.

a23bb24329087.jpg

And we chose four pennies that looked to be about the same color...and one very shiny one with which to compare them.
Pennies turn dark because their copper atoms combine with oxygen (our air) and form copper oxide.  We are hoping that acid will get rid of that outer coating, and restore our pennies to their shiny, beautiful selves.

a03ab9597cdff.jpg

We plopped one penny into each liquid, and left them in there for about 10 minutes.  

a481b14557910.jpg

Okay!  Now it was time to see if anything has happened.  We took the penny out of the messy ketchup....

a6184b287a4ca.jpg

Maddie was thrilled to see how clean the "ketchup penny" was! She cleaned it off with a paper towel, and put that one next to the ketchup cup, so we know which cup it came from...

a2a6d4eeef6ca.jpg

af457dc72c5a3.jpg

Oooh!
Ketchup is the cleanest!  But not very shiny.  Lemon juice is a very close second!  And pickle juice not very far behind.  Oil and vinegar is the shiniest, and is taking it off the oxidation bits and pieces.
What would happen if we left them for longer?
And what would make the pennies shiny again?  Salt?  Baking soda?
Why don't you go find out?  Scientific minds want to know!


pennies

cups

various liquids

Bright as a Penny

slime

family activity

group project

sensory activity

learning activity

at-home learning

Take your slime game to the next level! Shaving cream makes this special concoction soft, squishy, and irresistible.

a0b9fd53a6295.jpg

a06e331718705.jpg

Add 3 cups of shaving cream to the mixing bowl.

a9bcb9bf4b1ce.jpg

Drip some food coloring into the shaving cream. Mix well! 

a5ceddb148d4c.jpg

Stir in ½ cup of white glue and ½ teaspoon of baking soda.  

a4481473141f7.jpg

Add 1 tablespoon of contact lens solution to the mixture and continue mixing. If the mixture becomes too sticky to mix with a spoon, start kneading with your hands! 

ab08f1f7a0b46.jpg

And there you have it, the perfect fluffy slime recipe! This slime is great for sensory play, stress relief, and just plain fun. Plus, it's super easy to customize with different colors or glitter. We hope you and your kids enjoy making and playing with this fluffy slime as much as we do!

shaving cream (3 cups)

food coloring - assorted colors

white glue (1/2 cup)

baking soda (1/2/ teaspoon)

contact lens solution (1 tablespoon)

mixing bowl

spoon

Fluffy Slime

Did you know that you can create your own cloud in a bottle with just a few easy steps? Follow along with this simple DIY (or watch the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aiw4sp0dqkI">video tutorial</a>) to learn about how clouds form, while creating you own cloud in a bottle!Interested in the science of pressure? Learn about how pressure makes volcanos erupt with a <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/us/store/dp/professions-geologist/5846" target="_self">Geologist Starter Kit</a> from the <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/store" target="_self">KiwiCo Store</a>!

Do not point the bottle at anyone as you pump it up, and wear eye protection for this experiment.

af046dabedd89.jpg

a5373cbd908fd.jpg

Use the awl to make a small hole in the bottle cap.

For our younger scientists, ask for a grownup’s help with this step!

a4514aaf6e315.jpg

Slide the needle of your pump into the hole, and add some clay to the inside of the cap. Squeeze the bottle to make sure it's air-tight. 

ac42b36c10e2d.jpg

Pour a small amount (roughly 1 tablespoon) of rubbing alcohol into your empty bottle and screw the cap back on. 

adea05c77d679.jpg

Swish the rubbing alcohol around so that it covers the walls on the inside of the bottle. 

a25056b2920cd.jpg

Pump up the bottle! The more you pump, the more dramatic your result will be! We pumped about 40 times. Just make sure to keep the bottle air-tight.

ad148079733eb.jpg

When you're done pumping, hold onto the bottle firmly and twist open the cap to release the pressure. (A loud popping noise will occur, so any onlookers around may want to plug their ears.) A cloud will instantly form inside!

So what's happening?&nbsp;This trick works thanks to pressure. The more air you pump into the bottle, the more you increase both the pressure and the temperature inside the bottle. (We could actually see the air pressure push out the bottom of our bottle!) This makes some of the alcohol and water droplets in the bottle turn into a vapor.

large empty plastic bottle

clay

ball pump

rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol)

Instant Cloud in a Bottle

eruptions

density

This fun science project that is guaranteed to impress! This is a cheap and easy way for your child to explore the nature of different properties in a super cool way. Talk about a groovy project!Want to learn more about chemistry without the hassle of gathering materials? Explore the science of crystallization with a <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/us/store/dp/crystal-chemistry-garden-project-kit/2640">Crystal Chemistry Garden</a> from the <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/store">KiwiCo Store!</a>

ad11f92c3aeb9.jpg

Have your child fill 3/4 of the bottle with vegetable oil.

a5ae04c887881.jpg

Fill the rest of the bottle with water, leaving about an inch from the top.

aaff2897581e8.jpg

Now add your food coloring, adding about 10 drops.

a4b299e68a7c5.jpg

 My kids loved this part because of the way the food coloring stayed in droplet form while it moved through the oil and only mixed when it hit the water at the bottom. You may want to let the mixture settle a little before moving on because there are a lot of bubbles in it.

ac42b4fb64b91.jpg

Now break up your alka seltzer tablet into several pieces (about 4) and have your child drop them into the solution one at a time and observe the effect! (You don't want them to put them in all at once.) Now repeat with the other bottles, using different colored food coloring. 

afd386c174152.jpg

My kids were fascinated by their DIY "lava lamps." They said, "this is so awesome!" again and again--high praise indeed! 

plastic water bottle, empty (tall and skinny bottle, e.g., SmartWater brand)

alka seltzer tablets

Lava Bottle

winter

winter crafts

Take your winter decor to the next level with borax snowflakes! This project made a fun science experiment and craft in one. The kids got to learn about solutions and see the "magic" of borax crystals forming and we got to make beautiful snowflakes to decorate our winter table centerpiece. The kids can't wait to experiment with different shapes and colors next time!Borax (sodium tetraborate) is a naturally-occurring mineral salt commonly used as a laundry booster or cleaner. As with any other cleaning product, it should be kept away from children not under direct supervision of an adult. Do not allow children to ingest Borax. If consumed, contact a poison control center immediately. Wash hands after play, as prolonged skin exposure may cause irritation.Want to learn more about chemistry without the hassle of gathering materials? Explore the science of crystallization with a <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/us/store/dp/crystal-chemistry-garden-project-kit/2640">Crystal Chemistry Garden</a> from the <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/store">KiwiCo Store!</a>

81d5fefcc5fe.jpg

Gather all materials.  Borax can be found in the laundry aisle of your local grocery store.  We used various color pipe cleaners so the kids could pick their favorites, but we found that the white pipe cleaners looked most like snowflakes.

7f4b9996a9e6.jpg

I gave each of the kids a pipe cleaner and helped them form snowflakes out of them.  Our snowflakes ended up looking more like stars, but the kids loved them.  You could make any shape.  I think next time we'll try cutting the pipe cleaner into pieces and twisting them together.  While the kids worked with the pipe cleaners, I put the kettle on to boil.

70aa549fc42c.jpg

I gave each of the kids a pint-sized Mason jar and they poured in 1/3 cup of Borax.  I had to be extra careful with my 2 and 3-year-olds to make sure that they didn't try to eat any of the Borax.

28c82455858f.jpg

Then, I carefully filled the jars 3/4 full with boiling water.  After warning the kids repeatedly about the hot water, I let them use the Jumbo craft sticks to stir their borax.  They were very careful and did a great job getting the borax to dissolve.  They loved watching it "disappear".

a4bffb2f9c6f.jpg

Once the water was ready, we tied yarn to our pipe cleaner and lowered it into the jar of water.  Be sure to use a ribbon or string that you don't mind remaining attached to your snowflake.  Once the crystals form, those strings are NOT coming off!

08427aa809ce.jpg

We wrapped the other end of the string around the jumbo craft stick to keep it suspended in the water without touching the edges.  I tried using a pencil at first, but it didn't hold as well.  The craft stick was great because it didn't roll.  

42ee92466e00.jpg

We left our jars overnight and the next morning the kids were amazed by their beautiful crystal borax snowflakes!  These would make great ornaments and could me made in any shape, or even your child's initials!

Borax

mason jars (I used the pint wide mouth size)

pipe cleaner

string

Jumbo Craft Stick

Borax Snowflakes

physics

explosions

indoor project

With your kitchen as your lab and baking supplies as your ingredients, create your own underwater firework spectacular! These underwater fireworks go off because of density. Density means how much something weighs for a given volume of it. Denser things like iron and stone sink. Less dense things like wood and rubber float. In this experiment, you use four different liquids with four different densities: oil, water, food coloring, and saltwater. The oil sits on top of the water because it’s less dense than water. The water sits on top of the saltwater for the same reason. Food coloring is denser than oil and a little bit denser than water, but it isn’t as dense as saltwater. When the drops of food coloring hit the dense saltwater, they disperse like exploding fireworks!Eager to learn more about the world around us? Explore the science of volcanic eruptions with a <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/us/store/dp/professions-geologist/5846">Geologist Starter Kit</a> from the <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/store">KiwiCo Store</a>!

aaa4c47c3e39b.jpg

a52a248fed65e.jpg

Pour salt into the bottle until there is a thin layer of salt on the bottom. 

a7ff3c0e48631.jpg

Pour warm water into the bottle so that the bottle is about ¼ full. Mix the salt and water until all of the salt has dissolved and the water has cooled. 

a84c64b7b0f1a.jpg

Pour cold freshwater into the bottle until the water level is about ¾ high. 

a9fb67bc9a59f.jpg

Pour oil into the bottle, so that there is about ½” of oil floating on top of the water. 

a3c00bcda5ffa.jpg

Add a spoonful of oil into a small bowl followed by a few drops of food dye.

a7ac0199843a3.jpg

Stir until the large beads of dye have broken up into a bunch of small beads of dye. 

a415cbca053a7.jpg

Gently pour the mixture into the bottle. Then, watch as the food dye begins to seep into the water! What happens when it reaches the saltwater layer?

You probably have lots of liquids with different densities in your home. With adult supervision, try mixing some together to see which float and which sink. You can use your discoveries to make more underwater fireworks or other density representations! Some good liquids to try are corn syrup, rubbing alcohol, dish soap, milk, maple syrup, honey, and lamp oil. 

Panda Crate

Sprout: Koala Crate

Labs: Kiwi Crate

World: Atlas Crate

Studio: Doodle Crate

Labs: Tinker Crate

Studio: Maker Crate

Labs: Eureka Crate

70 creative chemistry projects for kids

Screen-free fun!