Chemistry Activities for Kids
- Bubbles (26)
- Crystals for Kids
- Edible Science Projects (49)
- Elementary School Projects (58)
- High School Projects (117)
- Home Chemistry Kit
- Invisible Ink (6)
- Let's Make Slime (27)
- Middle School Projects (104)
- Preschool Science (43)
- Science Parties
Safe Science Experiments
Many fun and interesting science experiments are also safe for kids. This is a collection of science experiments and projects that are safe enough for kids to try, even without adult supervision.
Easy Science Projects
Find an easy science project that you can do using common household materials. These easy projects are great for fun, home school science education, or for school science lab experiments.
Preschool Science Experiments
This is a collection of fun, easy and educational science experiments and activities for preschool students.
Science Projects Photo Gallery
The best part about science projects is actually doing them, but seeing them is pretty cool too. This is a photo gallery of science projects so you can see what to expect from projects. I've included links to instructions for doing these projects yourself or buying kits online.
Kitchen Science Experiments
Do you want to explore science, but can't find or can't afford chemicals? Here are science experiments and projects you can do that use common kitchen chemicals.
Top Chemistry Projects for Bored Kids
Are you searching for something fun and educational to do that suitable for kids? Here are some great chemistry activities and projects to get you started. They are safe and use easy-to-find materials.
Chemistry Activities for Kids - Free Weekly Newsletter
Are you ready for kid-friendly chemistry activities and games? Each newsletter features safe projects, games or quizzes, and links for additional learning. Learn about the elements, grow crystals, and more! When you sign up you'll get one newsletter a week until you've gotten them all.
How to Make Science Toys
You don't have to go to a store to get science and educational toys. Some of the best science toys are the ones you can make yourself using common household materials. Here are some easy and fun science toys to try.
Best Science Toys
The best toys never go out of style. Telescopes, rock tumblers, creature habitats, and chemistry kits are as educational as ever. The latest versions are safer and more interesting than ever before.
Chemistry Scavenger Hunt
A chemistry scavenger hunt is an educational game where you find items that match a description. It's a great way to learn key concepts. Here's a list of chemistry scavenger hunt clues and items that match.
Black Light Projects
There are a lot of interesting science projects you can try in which you make things glow in the dark using a black light or ultraviolet lamp. Here are some fun glowing projects to try.
Bubble Life & Temperature
This science fair project examines whether bubbles last the same length of time in hot temperatures as they do in cool temperatures.
Cabbage pH Paper Video
Have you ever wanted to make your own pH paper test strips? This is an easy project that you can complete in a few minutes. Here's a video that guides you through the steps of making pH paper test strips yourself.
Caffeine & Typing Speed
The purpose of this science fair project is to determine whether caffeine affects typing speed.
Baking Soda & Vinegar Chemical Volcano
Making a baking soda and vinegar volcano is safe and easy, plus it only requires a few inexpensive kitchen ingredients. Here are detailed instructions for making a volcano, plus a look at the chemical reactions involved.
Chemical Volcano Video Tutorial
The baking soda and vinegar volcano is the classic chemical volcano that you see at science fairs. Watch how easy it is to make a chemical volcano that produces a memorable eruption.
Crystal Spikes in the Sun
Most crystals take days or weeks to form. Use this technique if you have a sunny day and want crystals FAST!
Baggie Chemistry - Experiment with Chemical Reactions
Introduce students to chemical reactions and experimentation using common materials and baggies.
Do you want to grow a big single crystal instead of a mass of crystals? Then try out these instructions for growing a big alum crystal. You can apply the techniques used here to grow big single crystals of other substances, too.
Use chemistry to make gifts or to pamper yourself. These are instructions for scented and colored bath salts.
Bend Water with Static Electricity
Use static electricity to bend a stream of flowing water. This is an easy science activity that illustrates how opposite electrical charges attract each other.
Edible Fake Barf
Making a simulant is a form of chemistry, right? Here are instructions for making your own edible fake barf. Ick!
Exothermic Chemical Reaction
Exothermic chemical reactions produce heat. In this reaction vinegar is used to remove the protective coating from steel wool, allowing it to rust. When the iron combines with oxygen, heat is released.
Let's combine chemicals (ingredients) to make fake wounds suitable for Halloween or other special events.
Baking Soda & Vinegar Volcano
Okay, it's the kitchen equivalent of a volcano, not a real one. The 'eruption' is cool all the same! It's also more or less non-toxic, which adds to its appeal.
Bouncing Polymer Ball
Use chemistry to make a bouncing polymer ball, then alter the procedure to see the effect the changes have on the charactertistics of the bouncing ball.
Black Snakes or Glow Worms
You can make black snake or glow worm fireworks yourself, safely and easily.
Crystal Growing Instructions
Do you want to grow crystals, but you aren't sure where to start or what to do to make sure your crystals turn out well? Here's some basic information on crystal growing. I've provided links to recipes so you can start growing crystals. These instructions are general, so if your recipe calls for something special (like no vibrations or dark), be...
Borax Crystal Snowflake
Do real snowflakes melt too quickly? Grow a borax snowflake, color it blue if you like, and enjoy the sparkle all year long!
Crystal Geode Project
Natural geodes are hollow rock formations that contain deposits of crystals. Assuming you don't have a geological timeframe to obtain a geode, it's easy to make your own crystal geode using plaster of paris, alum, and food coloring.
You can use chalk and alcohol to perfom chromatography to separate the pigments in food colorings or inks. After you've finished making your chromatogram, you'll have colored chalk.
These are step-by-step instructions on how to make fruity putty.
Charcoal Crystal Garden Instructions
Make delicate, colorful crystals! This is a great classic crystal-growing project. You use charcoal briquettes (or other porous materials), ammonia, salt, bluing, and food coloring to grow a sort of crystal garden.
Gel Air Fresheners
Feeling crafty? If you can make Jello, then you can make your own gel air fresheners. It's easy and fun. You can choose your own scents and colors. For holiday fun, consider layering different colored gels or using seasonal fragrances (e.g., pine or cinnamon for Christmas).
Candle Science Magic Trick
You know you can put out a candle flame by pouring water on it. In this science magic trick, the candle will go out when you pour 'air' onto it.
Chemistry Fun with Pennies
Use pennies, nails, and a few simple household ingredients to explore some of the interesting properties of metals. Clean the pennies chemically, make verdigris, and plate the nails with copper.
Gelatin Plastic Recipe
Colorful gelatin shapes can be used to make jewelry, mobiles, decorations, and more!
This is sort of like slime, but drier and very non-toxic if left uncolored.
Glow in the Dark Slime
What is better than regular slime? Slime that glows in the dark, of course! This is an easy and fun project that is suitable for kids.
This recipe results in an edible, fruit-scented playdough.
Make your own edible glitter. It's easy and inexpensive and much safer for kids or to put on your face.
This is a recipe for non-toxic sticker glue.
Copper Plating Christmas Ornament
Copper plate a holiday decoration as a Christmas ornament or for other decorative uses.
Diving Ketchup Magic Trick
Place a ketchup packet in a bottle of water and make it rise and fall at your command, as if by magic. Of course, the magic involves some basic science. Here's how to do the diving ketchup trick and how it works.
Endothermic Reaction (Safe)
Most endothermic reactions contain toxic chemicals, but this citric acid and sodium bicarbonate reaction is safe and easy.
Copper Sulfate Crystals
Copper sulfate crystals are among the easiest and most beautiful crystals that you can grow. The brilliant blue crystals can be grown relatively quickly and can become quite large. Here's how you can grow copper sulfate crystals yourself.
This recipe makes cool, non-toxic slime that appears to have a life of its own!
Easy Crystals to Grow
Are you looking for an easy, safe, reliable crystal-growing project? These alum crystals may be the easiest crystals you can grow.
Non-Toxic Gravy Fingerpaints
These finger paints are just right for aspiring artists! Use soap and water for clean-up. Be aware that the food coloring could stain fabrics and furniture.
Disappearing Ink Instructions
Learn how to make blue or red ink that will disappear after exposure to air. Tips for restoring the color and an explanation of the acid-base chemistry of the reaction are also included.
Non-Toxic Paste Recipe
This is the classic, simple flour paste.
Plastic from Dairy
Plastics are generally produced from petroleum, but they can come from other sources as well! All that is really required is the ability to join molecules containing carbon and hydrogen together, which you do whenever you curdle milk.
Resin Papier Mache Paste
This papier mache paste dries to a hard finish.
Smoke Bomb Video Tutorial
Smoke bombs are the easiest and safest do-it-yourself firework project. You only need two inexpensive, non-toxic ingredients and it only takes minutes to make. Watch and learn how you can cook up a smoke bomb at home.
Sparkly Paint Recipe
This non-toxic paint uses starch and salt for its glittery effects.
Fake Snot Recipe
This is a gooey, gross variation of the traditional slime recipe, great for Halloween and other occasions requiring snot.
Snow Globe Using Benzoic Acid
Snow made from water crystals melts at room temperature, but snow made from benzoic acid crystals will still be decorating your snow globe when the weather warms up. Here's how to make a snow globe by precipitating benzoic acid to make the 'snow'.
Are Chemistry Kits Dangerous?
Old chemistry kits used to contain a wide variety of chemicals, including some that could be toxic or hazardous if they were mis-used. Modern chemistry kits use much fewer chemicals. In fact, there are some chemistry kits that claim to contain no chemicals at all! Do you feel chemistry kits are too dangerous? Alternatively, do you think...
Use chemistry to make a real flower glow in the dark.
Rubber Chicken Bones - Rubber Chick Bones Calcium Project
Rubber Chicken Bones - Rubber Chick Bones Calcium Project
Fizzy Bath Bomb
Use your chemistry to make a fizzy, scented bath bomb. Make them for yourself or give them as gifts!
You can cool water below its stated freezing point and then crystallize it into ice on command. This is known as supercooling. These are step-by-step instructions for supercooling water at home.
Make your own version of Floam, a type of slime that contains polystyrene beads so that you can mold it into shapes.
Fireworks in a Glass
Fireworks are a beautiful and fun part of many celebrations, but not something you want kids to make themselves. However, even very young explorers can experiment with these safe underwater fireworks.
Magic Crystal Christmas Tree
A magic crystal Christmas tree is an easy crystal project you can do for the holidays.
Rainbow in a Glass Density Demonstration
Make a rainbow in a glass using colored sugar solutions with different densities. This project is very easy and safe enough to drink.
Glow in the Dark Crystal Geode
It's very easy to make a glow in the dark crystal geode. The rock is a natural mineral (eggshell). You can use one of several common household chemicals to grow the crystals. The glow comes from phosphorescent paint, which you can get from a craft store.
Does the Mentos Trick Work with Regular Coke?
Have you ever wondered whether or not the mentos trick works with regular coke? Does it work with other drinks? Here's the answer!
Homemade Iceberg Experiment
Make a homemade iceberg. In this experiment, you'll freeze salt water to see whether you get salt ice or fresh ice from it.
If you breathe in helium and talk you will have a higher pitched squeaky voice. Learn how to do the helium voice experiment safety and find out how helium voice works.
Wave Tank Instructions
Wave tanks use liquids with two different densities that won't mix together. Here's an easy, non-toxic method.
Steve Spangler Science Jelly Marbles Activity Kit
The Steve Spangler Science Jelly Marbles Activity Kit is a science kit that features water-absorbing polymer balls in a variety of interesting science experiments.
Fried Green Egg
Red cabbage juice contains a natural pH indicator that changes color from purple to green under basic (alkaline) conditions. You can use this reaction to make a fried green egg.
Glow-in-the-Dark Crystal Snowflake
Learn how to make a glow-in-the-dark crystal snowflake or other glowing holiday ornament. This is a safe and easy project that's great for kids and kids-at-heart. The crystal decorations are light-weight and inexpensive to make.
Lava Lamp - Non-Toxic Version
While real lava lamps and lava lites rely on trade secrets, you can get a similar effect with simple household ingredients.
Ice Cube on a Wire
Pull a wire through an ice cube without cutting the cube! This trick works thanks to a phenomenon called regelation, in which the ice melts from the pressure of the wire and freezes up after the wire passes. Here's how to put a wire through an ice cube or hang the ice on wire.
Iron from Breakfast Cereal
Cold breakfast cereals are usually fortified with iron. What does the iron look like? Find out here!
Invisible Ink - Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is acidic and weakens paper. When paper is heated, the remaining acid turns the writing brown before discoloring the paper.
Fruit Ripening and Ethylene Experiment
Measure the ripening of fruit from exposure to the plant hormone ethylene by testing starch levels with an iodine solution. This easy experiment can be performed on several types of fruit, such as apples, pears, and bananas.
Glowing Ice Crystal Ball
This glowing crystal ball is easy to make, plus the light is sealed so you can float the glowing crystal ball in a punch bowl or use it as a safe decoration anywhere you might like glowing ice.
Geode of Copper Sulfate Crystals
Geodes are rocks that contain crystals. Normally, millions of years are required for flowing water and minerals to deposit crystals, but you can make your own 'geode' in only a few days. Grow blue copper sulfate crystals inside an egg shell to make your own geode.
Modeling Clay Recipes
There are several ways you can make homemade clay for modeling, making ornaments, and for other projects and crafts. Here are several clay recipes, including a refrigerator clay, a clay you bake to harden, one you coat for a glossy finish, and one that works up and stays pliable much like store-bought modeling clay.
Glow in the Dark Alum Crystals
Alum crystals are among the quickest, easiest, and most reliable crystals you can grow. Did you know you can make them glow in the dark by adding a common household ingredient to the crystal growing solution?
Paper Chromatography with Leaves
Most plants contain several pigment molecules, so experiment with different leaves to see the wide range of pigments.
Glow in the Dark Pumpkin
You can make a glow in the dark pumpkin with a jack-o-lantern face using a common non-toxic chemical. The jack-o-lantern doesn't require carving or fire, shines in rain or wind, and lasts as long as your pumpkin. Plus, the glowing pumpkin looks really spooky!
Bubbles are already awesome, but glowing bubbles are even better. It is easy and safe to make bubbles glow, plus it doesn't require any hard-to-find materials. Here is what you do.
Red Cabbage pH Paper
Learn how to make your own pH indicator test strips using red cabbage. This is a fun, safe, and easy chemistry project that you can do at home.
Invisible Ink - Corn Starch
The writing for this invisible ink technique is done using corn starch. An iodine solution is used to reveal the message.
Rubber Egg & Chicken Bones
You can make a hard boiled egg bounce like a rubber ball and cause chicken bones to become soft and rubbery. All you need is a common kitchen ingredient.
Kid-Friendly Elephant Toothpaste Demo
The elephant toothpaste demo produces a growing column of foam that looks like what you would get if an elephant squashed a giant tube of toothpaste. Here's a kid-friendly version of this classic chemistry demonstration.
Sharpie Pen Tie Dye
You can create a pattern resembling tie-dye using colored Sharpie pens and rubbing alcohol. It's a fun and educational project that is great for kids.
Ivory Soap Microwave Trick
Microwave a bar of Ivory soap and watch it expand to over six times its original size. The foam trick is good clean fun, plus it can be used to demonstrate Charles' Law, physical change, and foam formation.
Things that Glow in Black Light
Black lights emit ultraviolet radiation, giving certain materials an eerie glow. Which materials? You can do a little experimental research or you can check out this list!
Mentos & Diet Soda Chemical Volcano
Candies and diet soda together can make a chemical 'volcano' with an eruption several feet high. If the normal baking soda volcano is too tame for you, give this project a try.
Glowing Jell-O Recipe
It's incredibly easy to make Jell-O or other gelatin glow under a black light. Here's what you do.
Make Frozen Bubbles
Use dry ice to freeze bubbles solid so that you can pick them up and examine them closely. You can use this project to demonstrate several scientific principles, such as density, interference, semipermeability, and diffusion.
Magic Rocks - Review
Magic Rocks are a classic instant crystal growing kit. You pour a magic solution over magic rocks and a fanciful crystal garden starts growing as you watch. Here's my review of the Magic Rocks kit.
Make your own invisible ink so you can write and reveal secret messages. Get information about inks that are activated by heat, chemical reactions, and ultraviolet light.
Spooky Halloween Jack-o-Lantern
You can make spooky fog come out of your Halloween jack-o-lantern using a little dry ice. Here's how you do it plus a trick for getting the best effect.
Poinsettia pH Paper
You can make pH indicator from poinsettia flowers, then use the indicator to make your own pH paper test strips.
Water into Wine Demonstration
Turn a clear liquid into a red liquid, then back to clear again. This demonstration is commonly called turning water into wine or blood, and can be used to demonstrate acid-base indicators.
Sugar Crystals - Make Your Own Rock Candy
Sugar crystals are also known as rock candy since the crystallized sucrose resembles rock crystals and because you can eat your finished product. You can grow clear sugar crystals with sugar and water or you can add food coloring to get colored crystals. It's simple, safe, and fun.