Science Experiments for Kids

If you're looking for a spring science project, the Great Spring Seed Race could be just the thing! It's not a fast race, so you'll need a few weeks and a little patience. The idea behind this activity is to plant several different seeds and make observations over time. It's a great way for kids […] The post The Great Spring Seed Race appeared first on Science Experiments for Kids .

Submerging a dandelion in water always looks impressive, as the delicate puffball (seed head) appears wet in the water but is completely dry when removed. It's a bit like a super high-tech rain coat. Several factors contribute to the waterproof properties of a dandelion seed head. This investigation uses dish soap ( washing up liquid […] The post Dandelion, Water and Surface Tension Investigation…

Have you ever wondered how plants know when it's time to grow? It's all down to something called photoperiodism. Plants have internal clocks that detect when daylight hours start to increase. What happens if it's unusually warm but daylight hours are still short? When it's warm but hours of daylight are short, or vice versa, […] The post How do plants know when it's time to grow? appeared first o…

Can you save an egg astronaut from a sticky end? Test different materials to find out which protects an egg the best from a rocket launch and a crash to the ground! We used a mini baking soda and vinegar powered rocket, but you could also try this activity with a water powered bottle rocket […] The post Save the Astronaut Egg appeared first on Science Experiments for Kids .

If you're looking for easy creative ideas to keep the kids busy over Easter, you're in the right place. These Easter STEM projects are simple, use equipment you probably already have, and most importantly, are great fun! Raid your recycle bin and get ready for hours of science fun! Easter Egg Chain Reaction or even roll eggs. You can make it as simple or as complex as you like. One year, we made …

Bright yellow daffodils are among the first signs of spring, along with birds singing and green buds emerging from trees. Daffodils are great flowers for science activities because they grow from bulbs and have distinct parts. You can learn about transpiration, competition for resources, phototropism and more with these five easy daffodil science experiments. Warning - daffodil sap can be an irri…

This fun parachute egg drop experiment is a great demonstration of the forces acting on parachutes. If you drop something, it falls to the ground. This is because it is pulled by the gravity of the Earth. You'll notice that some things drop faster than others. This is because of air resistance. Try dropping a piece of paper and a lego brick. Which drops the fastest? We are going to try dropping a…

Get ready to spread some science joy into your St. Patrick's Day celebrations. If you've ever wondered how rainbows form or how to build a bridge strong enough to hold a pot of gold, you're in the right place! Put on your thinking cap, grab some basic materials and have the best St Patricks Day ever! What is St. Patrick's Day? St. Patrick's Day is a celebration of the patron saint of Ireland. It …

Grab your passport and get ready to explore a country that's straight out of a fairy tale! Austria has mountains, lakes, interesting history, beautiful cities and fantastic food. It's a great place to visit at any time of year with amazing skiing in winter and plenty of hiking, cycling and watersports in summer. In this post we'll explore Austria's fascinating history, learn about balancing Ibex …

Train your brain to perform incredible mathematical feats almost effortlessly with these amazing maths tricks that will make your friends think you're a genius! Learn a couple of party tricks and some mental mathematics shortcuts that'll have you multiplying big numbers almost faster than you can type them into a calculator. All you need is a willing volunteer and a calculator and you'll soon be …

I'm very last minute with this, but my World Book Day Fortune Teller is ready to download. I've used activities that work as an exciting hook for many different stories so you can adapt the ideas to fit lots of well known children's books. The fortune teller is just a bit of fun, but a simple way to add some extra magic to the wonderful world of books and science. World Book Day Fortune Teller Eg…

As World Book Day is just around the corner, I thought I'd pull together some of my favourite book themed science experiments. Here at Science Sparks, we love using a book to help bring a science activity to life, and if I'm ever short of inspiration, reading a great children's book always helps me come up with something new. science activity ideas are sure to make for a memorable World Book Day.…

British Science Week is an annual event celebrating science, technology, engineering and maths. It's always a wonderfully inspirational 10 days full of smiling faces and great science. This year, the theme is Curiosity: What's your question? There are some brilliant packs full of activity ideas on the British Science Week website, but I thought I'd share some activities on Science Sparks that als…

Bobsleigh is one of the most exciting winter Olympic events. It's fast, requires incredible precision on the turns and a huge amount of power to launch. This activity uses a marble run to explore the physics of bobsleighs! Bobsleigh athletes want to maintain as much energy as possible as they ride the track, so they try to lose as little energy to friction as they can. If the ice is soft or the b…

Luge is one of our favourite Olympic events to watch. Luge involves one or two athletes sliding down an ice track at breathtaking speeds feet first on a small sled. It's the fastest Winter Olympic Sport. Your mission in this activity is to build a mini luge track using a craft stick, coins and tape. It's a great way to learn about gravity and friction. Questions to ask Does a heavier luge go fast…

The 2026 Winter Olympics start tomorrow, bringing athletes from around the world together to compete for a coveted gold medal! Here at Science Sparks, we're looking forward to watching gravity-defying spins, jumps and twists and super speedy slides. Winter Olympic sports are full of cool science, the games are a bit like a huge, frozen physics lab. Have you ever wondered why a curling stone seems…

My children ask questions ALL the time, which I love, but I don't always know the answer, or if I do, sometimes it's hard to explain properly to a smaller person. I've pulled together a list of the most common science questions kids ask, so you know where to come next time you're a bit stuck for an explanation! Science Questions for Kids Questions about Earth and the Environment What does climate…

Have you ever wondered why dogs have cold, wet noses? It might seem strange for a warm-blooded animal to have a cold, wet nose, but it's actually a fantastic adaptation that supercharges a dog's sense of smell and helps to regulate their body temperature. Cold nose and sense of smell A dog's nose is covered in a thin layer of mucus, which keeps it moist. Why is this helpful? Smell molecules trave…

This simple balancing ice skater STEM challenge is the first of a series of Winter Olympic themed science activities. The idea is to make a cardstock skater attached to a small piece of dowel, balance on your finger! It seems impossible, but with a bit of clever science, it works really well and looks amazing. It's a great way to learn about the centre of mass and balance, while patiently making …

Chinese New Year marks the start of the New Year based on the lunisolar calendar, which falls on the first new moon between 21st January and 20th February. It's a chance to celebrate the move from Winter to Spring and involves family reunions, decorations often with a red theme, gifts, dragon dances and fireworks. The celebrations begin with the new moon and end 15 days later with the full moon. …