Easy Science Projects You Can Do at Home

Find an easy science project that you can do using common household materials. These easy projects are great for fun, home school science education, or for school science lab experiments.

Mentos and Diet Soda Fountain

A mentos in a soda liter bottle — Alohalika / Getty Images

All you need is a roll of Mentos candies and a bottle of diet soda to make a fountain that shoots soda into the air. This is an outdoor science project that works with any soda, but clean-up is easier if you use a diet drink.

Slime Science Project

Girl holding pink slime — MamiGibbs / Getty Images

There are many different ways to make slime. Choose from a collection of recipes to make slime using materials you have on hand. This science project is easy enough even young kids can make slime.

Easy Invisible Ink Project

A pen over a blank page — PRG-Estudio / Getty Images

Write a secret message and reveal it using science! There are several easy invisible ink recipes you can try, using corn starch, lemon juice, and baking soda.

Easy Vinegar and Baking Soda Volcano

Homemade volcano with kids in the background — EvgeniiAnd / Getty Images

The chemical volcano is a popular science project because it is very easy and yields reliable results. The basic ingredients for this type of volcano are baking soda and vinegar, which you probably have in your kitchen.

Lava Lamp Science Project

Junior high kids looking at a lava lamp experiment — fstop123 / Getty Images

The type of lava lamp you would buy at the store actually involves some fairly complex chemistry. Fortunately, there is an easy version of this science project that uses non-toxic household ingredients to make a fun and rechargeable lava lamp.

Easy Ivory Soap in the Microwave

Kid using microwave — Stefan Cioata / Getty Images

Ivory Soap can be microwaved for an easy science project. This particular soap contains air bubbles that expand when the soap is heated, turning the soap into a foam right before your eyes. The composition of the soap is unchanged, so you can still use it just like bar soap.

Rubber Egg and Chicken Bones Project

Woman's hand holding an egg — Chris Whitehead / Getty Images

Vinegar reacts with the calcium compounds found in egg shells and chicken bones so that you can make a rubbery egg or bendable chicken bones. You can bounce the treated egg like a ball. While the project works with both fresh and cooked eggs, be sure you bounce a cooked egg because the yolk of a raw egg stays soft. The project is extremely easy and yields consistent results. It's great for first graders.

Easy Crystal Science Projects

Copper sulphate crystal science project — Vudhikul Ocharoen / Getty Images

Growing crystals is a fun science project. While some crystals can be hard to grow, there are several you can grow quite easily, such as Easy Alum Crystals, Copper Sulfate Crystals, and Borax Crystal Snowflakes.

Easy No-Cook Smoke Bomb

A smoke bomb letting out smoke — Jess Escribano / EyeEm / Getty Images

The traditional smoke bomb recipe calls for cooking two chemicals over a stove, but there is a simple version that doesn't require any cooking. Smoke bombs require adult supervision to light, so even though this science project is extremely easy, use some care.

Easy Density Column

Colorful layers in a glass — Anne Helmenstine

There are several common household chemicals that may be layered in a glass to form an interesting and attractive density column. The easy way to get success with the layers is to pour the new layer very slowly over the back of the spoon just above the last liquid layer. If your hands are shaky, pouring layers down the side of a sloping glass works, too.

Chemical Color Wheel

Milk and Food Coloring Project — Anne Helmenstine

You can learn about how detergents work by doing the dishes, but this easy project is much more fun! Drops of food coloring in milk are pretty unspectacular, but if you add a bit of detergent you'll get swirling colors.

Bubble "Fingerprints" Project

You can capture the impression of bubbles by coloring them with paint and pressing them onto paper. This science project is educational, plus it produces interesting art.

Water Fireworks

coloring dye in a glass of water — Taya Johnston / Getty Images

Explore diffusion and miscibility using water, oil and food coloring. There's actually no fire at all in these 'fireworks', but the way the colors spread out in water is reminiscent of the pyrotechnic.

Easy Pepper and Water Project

Sprinkle pepper onto water, touch it, and nothing happens. Remove your finger (secretly applying a 'magic' ingredient) and try again. The pepper appears to rush away from your finger. This is a fun science project that seems like magic.

Chalk Chromatography Science Project

chalk chromatogaphy examples made using chalk with ink and food coloring — Anne Helmenstine

Use chalk and rubbing alcohol to separate out the pigments in food coloring or ink. This is a visually appealing science project that yields quick results.

Easy Glue Recipe

You can use science to make useful household products. For example, you can make non-toxic glue based on a chemical reaction between milk, vinegar, and baking soda.

Easy Cold Pack Project

Make your own cold pack using two kitchen ingredients. This is an easy non-toxic way to study endothermic reactions or to chill a soft drink can if you prefer.

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Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Easy Science Projects." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/easy-science-projects-604176. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2023, April 5). Easy Science Projects. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/easy-science-projects-604176 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Easy Science Projects." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/easy-science-projects-604176 (accessed June 1, 2023).