Fun & Easy Science Experiments Kids Will Love!

Since our Spring Break (which starts next week) looks like it’ll be a little very wet and challenging to do things outside, I’ve been working on some fun things to do inside (maybe they will even learn a little too!).

School may be out, but science experiments are still fun – especially when you can see the results right in your own kitchen. These experiments are fun enough for young children, and the scientific explanation of the results will fascinate the older kids as well.

Inflate Balloons with Pop Rocks

Pop Rocks are fun to eat because they snap and pop and fizz in your mouth. But you may not know that they can inflate a balloon, too, by releasing carbon dioxide trapped in a bottle of soda.

You will need:

• 1 – 16 oz bottle of soda (any flavor will do)
• 1 pouch of Pop Rocks
• 1 balloon
• A funnel

How to make it work:

Use the funnel to pour the whole container of Pop Rocks into the balloon. Twist the end of the balloon just a little so you’re holding the Pop Rocks inside the balloon while you stretch the end of the balloon over the top of the soda bottle. You don’t want the Pop Rocks to drop into the bottle before you’re ready to start. Once the balloon is firmly in place on the bottle let it go. Watch the Pop Rocks work in the soda and the balloon start to inflate.

Make Giant Gummy Worms

All you need for this little experiment is gummy candy (worms or bears will work fine), water and a container. Fill the container with about 2 inches of lukewarm water and drop your candy in. That’s it! Now you just have to wait 8-12 hours while your giant gummies grow. It’s much more dramatic if you do it overnight so your little ones have a great surprise to look forward to in the morning.

Your gummy candy will be much larger than the original but it will be very fragile so handle with care when taking it out of your container. Let the kids oooh and ahhh over their creations before eating them.

Dye White Flowers Pretty Colors

Making colored flowers is easy and fun. Just take several small jars or glasses and fill them about one-half full with water. Then drop in several drops of food coloring and add your white flowers. Carnations work nicely for this experiment.

Leave in the water overnight for a faint color change or several days for a more dramatic color. Your kids will love to see how the flowers change from day to day. Take pictures to chronicle your experiments and drop it in the scrapbook for fond memories when they’re older. For older kids, help them hypothesize about how the effect will change based on stem length, the amount of dye in the water, or the type of flower used.

Spring break science experiments are a great way to keep the kids entertained on rainy days. Kids can dive into these experiments on their own, or mom and dad can help the younger children. With a little imagination, the kids can even come up with their own experiments. And the best part? Your kids won’t even know they’re learning stuff on their vacation!

Even when it looks like this outside…

This post was linked up at the Home Matters Linky Party!