Elementary science doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive! One of the best things about science experiments for kids has to be the ease with which you can set them up! Here are over 50 science experiments for elementary that are a super fun way to get kids engaged with easy-to-understand science concepts using simple materials.
SCIENCE FOR ELEMENTARY AGE KIDS
Why Is Science So Important?
Elementary-age kids are curious and always looking to explore, discover, investigate, and experiment to find out why things do what they do, move as they move, or change.
At this age level, kiddos in 3rd-5th grade are ready to:
- ask questions
- define problems
- make models
- plan and do investigations or experiments (best science practices here)
- make observations (both concrete and abstract)
- analyze data
- share data or findings
- draw conclusions
- use science vocabulary (free printable words here)
Indoors or outdoors, science is definitely amazing! Holidays or special occasions just make science all the more fun to try!
Science surrounds us, inside and out. Kids love checking things out with magnifying glasses, creating chemical reactions with kitchen ingredients, and of course, exploring stored energy for physics!
Check out 50+ AMAZING science experiments to get started any time of the year.
Science starts early, and you can be a part of that by setting up science at home with everyday materials. Or you can bring easy science to a group of kids in the classroom!
We find a ton of value in cheap science activities and experiments. Check out our homemade science kit for a full list of supplies and materials you will want to have on hand. Plus, our free printable science worksheets!
Elementary Science Activities
The elementary years are the perfect time to get young kids excited about science!
Kids are asking all sorts of questions about different areas of science, and they also are developing reading skills and a vocabulary that make recording beginning experiments so much fun!
Good Science Topics Include:
- Living World Around
- Earth and Space
- Cycle of Life
- Animals and Plants
- Electricity and Magnetism
- Motion and Sound
CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR FREE SCIENCE CHALLENGE CALENDAR!
We love to plan science activities seasonally, so students have a wealth of experiences. Here are some elementary science activities for the school year!
Fall
Fall is a perfect time to study chemistry and this age is not too young to explore chemistry. In fact, our favorite erupting apple experiment is hands-down one of our favorite fall elementary science experiments. Using baking soda, vinegar, and apple, your students can see a chemical reaction with a fall fruit!
Halloween
When I think of Halloween elementary science experiments, I think of zombies, and when I think of zombies, I think of brains! Don’t shy away from creepy, gooey activities this time of year!
Try making creepy frozen brains with your kids. This activity takes a brain mold, water, food coloring, eye-droppers, a tray, and a bowl of warm water.
Freezing a brain (and then melting it) will allow your students to explore melting ice and reversible change. Buy a couple of molds and have students work in groups if you have multiple students in a class.
Dissolving Candy Corn Experiment
Halloween Lava Lamp Experiment
Thanksgiving
One of the most accessible fruits during Thanksgiving are cranberries! Using cranberries to build structures for STEM is also a great way to incorporate engineering into your classroom. Your students’ imaginations are the only limit to the structures they can create.
Winter
Winter may be chilly in some parts of the country, but there are a lot of indoor activities for your elementary age kids to enjoy. Using printable STEM cards to let students solve different winter-related problems is so much fun!
From designing a fort to building a 3D snowman, there’s something for every child to do with STEM. STEM activities encourage collaboration and community. Kids work together in pairs or groups to solve mini problems or challenges.
Christmas
Tis’ the season for science activities! Why not integrate the popular Elf on the Shelf into your classroom science activities?
Make some Elf themed slime to teach mixtures, substances, polymers, cross-linking, states of matter, elasticity, and viscosity in a beginning chemistry lesson!
This means you can use the other things that come with the “Elf” like welcoming messages, little notes to tell your kids to be on their best behaviors, and messages to deliver back to “Santa”!
Scientific Christmas Ornaments
Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is our latest official winter holiday, but we have a lot of love for it! Study chocolate! This is another great way to study reversible change.
Have your students observe what happens when chocolate is heated up and figure out whether or not it can be reversed. Make sure to leave some chocolates untouched for a quick and yummy taste test!
Spring
Try a BIG spring project with your students by building a DIY bug hotel! This insect habitat will give you a chance to get outside, learn about insects and their natural surroundings.
This project could incorporate journaling, research, as well as engineering and design. When you introduce your students to bugs in a scientific way, they are less likely to scream at spiders and all things creepy-crawly at recess time!
Easter
Easter activities mean jelly beans! Dissolving jelly beans or making engineering marvels with jelly beans, toothpicks, and peeps (for glue) will bring a fun candy treat into your spring science study. Just like the chocolate, make sure there are extras for treats!
Earth Day
Earth Day is one of my favorite times of the year for science activities in elementary. Our kids care deeply about their environment and are highly motivated to make a difference. Why not make this a school-wide activity.
Have your kids do some fundraising with penny wars or another easy to do fundraiser and buy a tree to plant at your school. This Earth Day activity brings communities together!
More Helpful Science Resources
- 100 STEM Projects For Kids
- Scientific Method For Kids
- Fizzing Science Experiments
- Water Experiments
- States of Matter Experiments
- Physics Experiments
- Chemistry Experiments
- Kitchen Science Experiments
AWESOME ELEMENTARY SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS FOR ALL YEAR LONG
Click on the image below or on the link for our top 10 science experiments of all time!
