What You'll Need

The beauty of science experiments you can do at home with basic household items is that you don’t need anything fancy or expensive to get started. To get started with your own experiments, you’ll need a few basic supplies:

• Table salt
• Vinegar
• Baking soda
• Plastic cups or bowls
• Spoon
• Food coloring
• Water

Salt and Vinegar Volcano

This classic science experiment you can do at home will thrill your kids. The salt and vinegar volcano is a fun and safe way to combine a few common household items to create a bubbling, foaming reaction. All you need is a cup, a spoon, vinegar, baking soda, and salt.

To build your volcano, mix one tablespoon of baking soda with one tablespoon of salt in a cup. Pour one cup of vinegar into the cup and watch the reaction. The vinegar and baking soda will react to create a foaming, bubbling volcano.

You can also add some food coloring to the vinegar to create a colorful explosion. Simply add the food coloring to the vinegar before pouring it into the cup. The food coloring will mix with the vinegar and baking soda and create a fascinating, colorful reaction.

Dancing Cornstarch

This science experiment is a fun and safe way to explore the properties of cornstarch and water. All you need is a bowl, cornstarch, water, and food coloring. To get started, mix one cup of cornstarch with one cup of water in the bowl. You can also add a few drops of food coloring to the mixture for a colorful experiment.

Once you have your mixture, press down on it with your hands. You’ll feel the mixture is solid, but when you release your hands, the mixture will flow like a liquid. This is called a non-Newtonian fluid, and it happens because the cornstarch and water mixture has a unique combination of properties.

Keep playing with the mixture and you’ll notice that the cornstarch and water mixture dances when you touch it. When you press on the mixture, it will stiffen and when you release your hands, the mixture will flow like a liquid. This is a great way to explore the properties of a non-Newtonian fluid and have some fun at the same time.

Making a Lava Lamp

This fun and easy science experiment you can do at home will teach your kids about density and how liquids can be layered. To get started, you’ll need a plastic bottle, vegetable oil, water, food coloring, and Alka-Seltzer tablets. Fill the bottle with a mix of oil and water, then drop a few drops of food coloring into the bottle.

Next, drop an Alka-Seltzer tablet into the bottle and watch the reaction. The tablet will dissolve in the water and create bubbles that will rise to the top of the bottle. This happens because the oil is less dense than the water, so the bubbles will float to the top of the bottle and create a lava lamp effect.

You can also experiment with different types of oil and water to see how the reaction changes. For example, you can try using olive oil or vegetable oil and different types of water, such as salt water or distilled water. This will give you a better understanding of how density affects liquids and can create a mesmerizing lava lamp effect.

Making Slime

Making slime is a classic science experiment your kids will love. All you need is a few common household items, such as white glue, water, borax, and food coloring. To get started, mix one cup of white glue with one cup of water in a bowl. You can also add a few drops of food coloring to the mixture for a colorful slime.

Next, mix one teaspoon of borax with two tablespoons of water in a separate bowl. Slowly add the borax mixture to the glue mixture and stir. As you stir, the slime will start to form. Once the slime is fully formed, you can take it out of the bowl and start playing with it. The slime will be stretchy and fun to play with, and you can even use it to create different shapes and sculptures.

You can also experiment with different types of glue, such as glitter glue or glow-in-the-dark glue, to create even more interesting slime. You can also add different ingredients, such as glitter or sequins, to the slime to make it even more fun and colorful.

Conclusion

These are just a few of the easy science experiments you can do at home with basic household items. These experiments are a great way to introduce your kids to the wonders of science, and they’re a lot of fun too. So get creative and have fun experimenting!