At-Home DIY Science Fair: 34 Experiments for Curious Families
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Science is present all around the globe, patiently waiting to be revealed through various forms. Its possibilities are endless, and its journey is always just beginning.
With these 34 simple and easy science experiments, you will discover the enormous world of science firsthand, all within the comfort of your own home.
Each experiment can be conducted independently or with others, offering flexibility for all ages and interests.
Get ready to raise your eyebrows at these neat little science experiments.
Friends, family, strangers!
Embrace the awe in every detail, and have fun experimenting!
Science is nifty.
Number #01. Fizzy Fun with Baking Soda
Options
- Mix vinegar and baking soda for a fizzy reaction.
- Make a vinegar and baking soda volcano.
- Make a fire extinguisher with baking soda and vinegar.
Ingredients
- Vinegar
- Baking soda
Instructions
- Gather your materials (vinegar, baking soda, and any containers or tools you’ll need)
- Pour some vinegar into a container.
- In a separate container, add some baking soda.
- When you’re ready, slowly pour the baking soda into the vinegar.
- The mixture should begin to fizz and bubble.
- Experiment with different ratios of vinegar to baking soda to see how it affects the reaction. Enjoy the fizzy fun — explore the science!
Number #02. Slime or Bouncy Ball with Borax
Options
- Make slime with borax and glue.
- Make a bouncy ball with borax and glue.
Ingredients
- Borax
- Glue
Instructions
- Mix glue with water.
- Dissolve borax in water.
- Combine both mixtures and knead.
- For a bouncy ball, shape the mixture into a ball.
Number #03. Invisible Ink with Lemon Juice
Ingredients
- Lemon juice
Instructions
- Squeeze lemon juice into a bowl.
- Use a cotton swab to write on paper.
- Let it dry.
- Heat the paper to reveal the message.
Number #04. pH Testing with Red Cabbage
Ingredients
- Red cabbage
Instructions
- Chop and boil red cabbage.
- Strain the juice.
- Use the juice to test the pH of various items.
Number #05. Strawberry DNA Extraction
Ingredients
- Strawberries
- Dish soap
Instructions
- Mash strawberries.
- Add dish soap to the mixture.
- Filter the mixture.
- Add alcohol to precipitate the DNA.
Number #06. Rainbow in a Jar
Ingredients
- Different density liquids (honey, dish soap, water, oil, rubbing alcohol)
Instructions
- Layer different liquids in a jar based on their densities.
- Observe the rainbow effect.
Number #07. Balloon Inflation with Vinegar and Baking Soda
Ingredients
- Vinegar
- Baking soda
Instructions
- Pour vinegar into a bottle.
- Put baking soda in a balloon.
- Attach the balloon to the bottle.
- Watch the balloon inflate as the reaction occurs.
Number #08. Lava Lamp with Oil and Alka-Seltzer
Ingredients
- Oil
- Water
- Alka-Seltzer
Instructions
- Fill a container with oil and water.
- Add food coloring.
- Drop in Alka-Seltzer tablets.
- Observe the lava lamp effect.
Number #09. Starch Test with Iodine
Ingredients
- Iodine
Instructions
- Apply iodine to different foods.
- Observe the color change to identify starch presence.
Number #10. Mentos and Soda Reaction
Ingredients
- Mentos
- Soda
Instructions
- Drop Mentos into a bottle of soda
- Watch the chemical reaction.
Number #11. Crystal Growth
Options
- Grow a garden crystal with table salt.
- Grow crystals using Epsom salt.
Ingredients
- Table salt (or Epsom salt)
Instructions
- Dissolve salt in hot water.
- Let it cool.
- Observe crystal formation.
Number #12. Iron Extraction from Cereal
Ingredients
- Breakfast cereal
- Magnet
Instructions
- Crush cereal.
- Mix with water.
- Use a magnet to extract iron filings.
Number #13. Oxygen Production with Hydrogen Peroxide and Yeast
Ingredients
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Yeast
Instructions
- Mix hydrogen peroxide with yeast.
- Observe the production of oxygen bubbles.
Number #14. Rainbow Flame with Metal Salts
Ingredients
- Different metal salts
Instructions
- Soak wooden sticks in metal salt solutions.
- Burn the sticks to observe different flame colors.
Number #15. Carbon Dioxide Test with Limewater
Ingredients
- Limewater
Instructions
- Bubble a gas through limewater.
- Observe the formation of a cloudy solution indicating carbon dioxide.
Number #16. Turmeric pH Indicator
Ingredients
- Turmeric
Instructions
- Mix turmeric with water.
- Use the solution to test the pH of various substances.
Number #17. Iron Acetate with Vinegar and Steel Wool
Ingredients
- Vinegar
- Steel wool
Instructions
- Soak steel wool in vinegar.
- Observe the formation of iron acetate.
Number #18. Film Canister Rocket
Ingredients
- Alka-Seltzer
- Water
Instructions
- Fill a film canister with water.
- Add an Alka-Seltzer tablet.
- Close the canister and watch it launch.
Number #19. Homemade Thermometer
Ingredients
- Alcohol
- Straw
Instructions
- Fill a container with alcohol.
- Insert a straw and seal it.
- Observe the liquid rise with temperature changes.
Number #20. Eggshell Dissolution with Vinegar
Ingredients
- Vinegar
- Egg
Instructions
- Place an egg in vinegar.
- Observe the eggshell dissolve over time.
Number #21. Color-Changing Milk
Ingredients
- Milk
- Soap
- Food coloring
Instructions
- Add food coloring to milk.
- Dip a soap-covered cotton swab into the milk.
- Observe the color changes.
Number #22. Non-Newtonian Fluid with Cornstarch and Water
Ingredients
- Cornstarch
- Water
Instructions
- Mix cornstarch with water.
- Observe the properties of the non-Newtonian fluid.
Number #23. Simple Circuit
Ingredients
- Battery
- Wire
- Small light bulb
Instructions
- Connect the battery, wire, and light bulb to create a circuit.
- Observe the light bulb lighting up.
Number #24. Density Column
Ingredients
- Different density liquids
Instructions
- Layer various liquids in a container.
- Observe the separation based on density.
Number #25. Calcium Acetate from Vinegar and Eggshells
Ingredients
- Vinegar
- Eggshells
Instructions
- Soak eggshells in vinegar.
- Observe the reaction producing calcium acetate.
Number #26. Hand Warmer with Calcium Chloride
Ingredients
- Calcium chloride
- Water
Instructions
- Mix calcium chloride with water.
- Feel the heat produced by the reaction.
Number #27. Fire Snake with Baking Soda and Sugar
Ingredients
- Baking soda
- Sugar
Instructions
- Mix baking soda and sugar.
- Ignite the mixture and observe the fire snake formation.
Number #28. Gas Production with Alka-Seltzer and Water
Ingredients
- Alka-Seltzer
- Water
Instructions
- Mix Alka-Seltzer with water.
- Observe the gas production.
Number #29. Cartesian Diver
Ingredients
- Straw
- Plastic bottle
Instructions
- Create a diver with a straw.
- Place it in a bottle filled with water.
- Squeeze the bottle to make the diver sink and rise.
Number #30. Color Change with Vinegar and Baking Soda
Ingredients
- Vinegar
- Baking soda
Instructions
- Mix vinegar and baking soda.
- Observe the color change during the reaction.
Number #31. Color Change with Lemon Juice and Baking Soda
Ingredients
- Lemon juice
- Baking soda
Instructions
- Mix lemon juice with baking soda.
- Observe the color change during the reaction.
Number #32. DIY Lava Lamp
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil
- Effervescent tablets
Instructions
- Fill a container with vegetable oil and water.
- Add food coloring.
- Drop in effervescent tablets and observe the lava lamp effect.
Number #33. Density Tower
Ingredients
- Different density liquids
Instructions
- Layer various liquids in a container.
- Observe the separation based on density.
Number #34. Homemade Ice Cream in a Bag (Yummy!)
Ingredients
- Salt
- Ice
Instructions
- Mix ice cream ingredients in a small bag.
- Place it in a larger bag filled with ice and salt.
- Shake until the mixture hardens into ice cream.
Another Real-Life Science Experiment —
The Mineral Deposits of the Dead Sea
The duo of photographs below, captured by Ri Butov, showcase spherical clusters of salt crystals taken from the Dead Sea, a place renowned for its natural mineral deposits.
It’s quite common to find salt formations within the Dead Sea. Such crystals are usually pure white, and rough with crystalline texture, as shown below.
In the right image, a pair of hands gently holds several similar spherical salt formations near the water’s edge. These hands highlight the size of the salt formations, demonstrating their unique pliability (almost like sticky snow).
…continue reading about the Dead Sea → here. ←
Scientific research and its experiments aren’t just about data. The science community works quite hard to keep their approaches unbiased, open, and explorative of all realities.
Nevertheless, keep your imagination.
Step away from the confines of peer-reviewed research texts and so-called expert opinions — away from laboratory walls, classroom chairs, and bright screens.
When you make the decision to turn your own scientific gaze upon the world — searching for your own voice amidst the crowds of human voices — remember that nature will always hold countless undiscovered truths, waiting to be unearthed.
Scientific research requires patiently waiting, sometimes even for years, for the results of the next big discovery — always knowing that it’s just within reach, right around the corner.
All in all, if you stay open — if you stay receptive — new perspectives and scientific discoveries will be easier for you to notice.
Thank you — your engagement with my work is deeply appreciated.
Authored, edited, formatted, and researched by E. Silvers.
Discover more from E. Silvers on Medium here.
