Science Activity Ideas

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If you're in search of exciting activities to stimulate your little one's mind when they are not at school, why not infuse a dash of science into the mix? I've curated some entertaining options to keep your kids engaged, ensuring their brains stay active instead of just idling away in front of the TV or social media all day!

Kitchen Science Spectacle

Cook up some fun experiments using the goodies in your kitchen. Mix and match ingredients to create bubbly reactions or make a volcano eruption with some baking soda and vinegar - watch out for the fizz! You can even make edible experiments like ‘honeycomb’ treats (like the middle of a Crunchie chocolate bar).

This is where caramel undergoes an exciting makeover thanks to the magical touch of baking soda (Sodium Bicarbonate). When the baking soda mixes with the hot melted sugar, it unleashes a burst of Carbon Dioxide, creating a bubbly extravaganza that puffs up the treat. As it sets, those lively bubbles are trapped, giving the crunchy sweet treat a texture reminiscent of honeycomb. You can eat it as is, or dip it in melted chocolate for a boost of decadence.

TAKE NOTE make sure to always supervise little ones during this activity and use your judgement as to how much and what parts of the activity you involve them in since we are dealing with high temperatures, the hob and sizzling sugar!

Outdoor Adventure Quest

Head outdoors for a scavenger hunt! Find leaves, rocks, and bugs. Investigate their features and see what secrets they hold.

Plant Growth Party

You can make a ‘Mr Cress Head’ from egg shells!

Throw a seed-planting extravaganza! Grow seeds in different situations - some with sunlight, some without - and see how they sprout and grow. Have your kids and their friends make a ‘Mr Cress Head’ in an empty egg shell or, if they want to be a little more creative, using the foot end of a pair of tights each, a cup, cress seeds, compost and rubber bands.

Place the foot of the tights into a cup with the outer edges of the tights going over the top of the cup. Add about 2 teaspoons of cress seeds inside the lighters and almost fill them up with compost. Remove the tights from the cup and tie up the end before turning it over so that the seeds are at the top. This is going to be the head of ‘Mr Cress Head’ and once the seeds sprout, they will be his hair.

Now it’s time to decorate! Using an elastic band, pull out a small bobble of tights and compost from the side of the tights to make a nose. Googly eyes, pipe cleaners and felt, together with some PVA glue, mean the kids can really give their ‘Mr Cress Head’ a bit of personality (but remember to leave the top of the head free to allow the ‘hair’ to grow!

When the cress starts to germinate, cut a hole in the top so that the cress can get out and then, once it is long enough, you can use this in a salad or add it to a sandwich. Invite your guests to your seed party using cards made from plantable seed paper. These are eco-friendly cards which are 100% biodegradable and are packed with various seeds. Once the invite has served its purpose, you can plant it to see it blossom into beautiful wildflowers or herbs with the help of some compost, water and light.

Invent-a-Machine Bash

Build funky contraptions from household items like elastic bands, paper clips, lolly sticks etc. We're talking levers, pulleys, and inclined planes - let the engineering genius run wild!

Draw around shadows to make your own art!

Shadow Play Shenanigans

Draw around shadows during the day to explore the Earth's interaction with the sun. Or why not put on your own shadow puppet display? It’s an easy, budget-friendly activity which will capture your kiddo’s attention for a good long while as they have to make the theatre and the puppets and then come up with a story and perform it. It’s a masterclass in creativity!

All you need for the theatre is a card box, thin white paper (baking paper works wonders), scissors, tape and a light source (a desk lamp or your phone light will do fine). Your little ones can have fun making their shadow puppets with some cardboard held up by sticks or straws (so that they have a handle to hold) then they just need to act out their story behind the stage they have made and in front of the light source.

Get ready to transform your living room into a stage, your kiddos into puppeteers, and your evenings into a showcase of imagination. Let the shadow play begin!

Water World Wonders

Dive into water experiments - from making a homemade rain gauge to testing what sinks or floats. You can make your own rain gauge with a plastic bottle and some jelly!  Just cut the plastic bottle about 2/3 of the way up and then pour a few centimetres of jelly into the bottom (made up as directed).  This is just to make sure that the bottom of your gauge is flat! Once that has set, turn the top part of the bottle upside down and place it inside the bottom part (making a funnel) and tape it together.  

Make a scale in centimetres on a piece of tape and then attach it to the side of your bottle before burying your rain gauge so that just the top is sticking out of the ground. This is  just to make sure that it doesn’t blow away!  You can then check the Raine gauge every day at the same time and measure the amount of rain collected and keep a weather diary.  Make sure to empty the bottle once you’ve checked it each day.  Let's explore the secrets of H2O!

Horrible Science have some kits that are perfect for inquisitive kids (photo credit: Amazon)

Science Kit Showdown

Dive into science kits for some pre-made fun experiments. It's like having a mad scientist's lab right at home! Horrible Science do some fun kits; they have Frightful First Experiments for kids 6 years and up and then for children 8 years and up, there’s Explosive Experiments.

Remember, during all these adventures, chat about the magic behind the science - it'll make everything a zillion times cooler!