Top Ten Easy Science Experiments For Kids

Childhood offers a prime opportunity for cultivating interest in the natural world. Kids are innately curious, and discovering how things work around them creates a firm foundation for a life of learning. Wondering how you as a parent can encourage scientific curiosity and awareness? Get outside, observe what you see and ask questions together — and try some fun science experiments as you do! Conducting easy experiments at home not only creates connection between you and your kids, but also lays the groundwork for future education and interests. As you gather data and test conclusions, you are developing crucial skills for your budding scientists.

From looking at water droplets under a microscope to planting seeds on your windowsill, there are many everyday ways to get scientific at home. Simply by paying attention to and discussing what you see, you will be enriching your kids’ lives. Following are a few examples.

Gardening Grows More Than Seeds

Watching seeds sprout and grow can be captivating for children. Start with some visually large seeds, such as sunflower or pumpkin, and put them in small containers of fresh, aerated soil. Keep them warm, moist and in indirect sun, and watch together to see what happens. How long does it take for the seeds to sprout? What kind of growth occurs each day? Could you keep a chart of your findings? As you do, you’ll grow more than vegetables; you’ll also expand your children’s understanding and interest in the biological world.

Water Offers Almost Endless Discoveries

What’s more ordinary than water — and yet what provides more extraordinary learning opportunities at home? From learning how to bend water with a comb and wool, to witnessing the changes between solid, liquid and gas, you have lots of ways to get scientific with water. With a microscope, you can even study organisms in water from different sources, from algae to amoebas.

For more ideas about experiments you can do with your kids, take a look at the attached resource. It details 10 great ways to study science together — and have fun in the process.