10 Easy Kitchen Science Experiments: Fun STEM Activities Using Household Items

Transform your kitchen into an exciting science laboratory with these 10 easy-to-implement experiments that reveal the wonders of science using materials you already have at home! Perfect for children ages 6-15, these carefully selected activities demonstrate fundamental scientific principles through engaging, hands-on exploration that feels more like play than learning. From creating colorful chemical reactions and investigating density to exploring surface tension and observing biological processes, each experiment is designed to spark curiosity while building critical STEM skills. Parents will appreciate the minimal preparation required, clear step-by-step instructions, and the educational value packed into each activity. Whether you're looking for a rainy day activity, supplementing school learning, or simply wanting to inspire scientific thinking, these experiments provide the perfect balance of fun, safety, and educational impact while creating memorable shared experiences.

Discover 10 amazing science experiments you can do today using just common household items! These simple STEM activities teach chemistry, physics, and biology concepts through exciting hands-on exploration.

DIY science experiments offer far more than just entertainment—they provide a foundation for critical thinking and scientific literacy that benefits children across all academic areas. As kids make predictions, observe results, and draw conclusions through these hands-on activities, they're developing the exact cognitive skills that underpin success in science, mathematics, and beyond. The carefully structured nature of experiments teaches children to follow multi-step processes, make careful observations, and understand cause-and-effect relationships—skills that transfer to problem-solving in everyday life. Parents often report that kitchen science sessions lead to deeper conversations and questions that reveal children's natural curiosity and analytical abilities. Perhaps most importantly, these accessible experiments demystify science, showing children that scientific discovery doesn't just happen in high-tech laboratories but can be part of everyday exploration. This early positive association with scientific investigation often sparks a lasting interest in STEM subjects and builds confidence in children's abilities to understand the world through systematic inquiry.

• Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
• White vinegar
• Food coloring (assorted colors)
• Clear plastic cups or glasses
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Liquid dish soap
• Vegetable oil
• Salt and sugar
• Gummy bears
• Celery stalks with leaves
• Paperclips
• Tissue paper
• Balloons
• Effervescent antacid tablets (like Alka-Seltzer)
• Red cabbage
• Various household liquids (lemon juice, coffee, cleaning products)
• Popsicle sticks and rubber bands
• Mini marshmallows or pom-poms
• Bread slices
• Sealable plastic bags
• Borax powder (found in laundry section)
• Pipe cleaners
• String or thread
• Notebook and pencil for recording observations
• Safety goggles
• Protective gloves (for experiments with potential irritants)

1. Transform baking soda and vinegar into an exciting eruption that demonstrates acid-base reactions! Start by placing a small plastic cup or empty water bottle in the center of a baking tray to catch the overflow. Help your child decorate it with construction paper or modeling clay to resemble a volcano if desired. Add 2 tablespoons of baking soda to the container. In a separate cup, mix 1/4 cup vinegar with a few drops of red or orange food coloring and a squirt of dish soap (which creates bigger, longer-lasting bubbles). For younger children (6-8), focus on the excitement of the reaction and simple explanations: 'The baking soda and vinegar mix to create a new substance called carbon dioxide—the same gas that makes soda fizzy!' For older children (9-15), explain the chemical reaction in more detail: 'Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a base while vinegar (acetic acid) is an acid. When they combine, they form carbonic acid which immediately breaks down into water and carbon dioxide gas, creating the bubbles you see.' Extend the learning by experimenting with different amounts of baking soda and vinegar to see how it affects the eruption intensity. This classic experiment never fails to delight while clearly demonstrating chemical reactions, gas formation, and basic chemistry concepts.
2. Create a beautiful tower of colored liquids that demonstrates density principles! You'll need a tall, clear glass and the following liquids: honey, corn syrup, dish soap, water, vegetable oil, and rubbing alcohol. First, add a few drops of different food coloring to each liquid except the honey (which is already colored) and the oil (which won't mix with the coloring). Start by pouring about 2 tablespoons of honey into the glass. Very slowly and carefully, pour each subsequent liquid down the side of the glass in this order: corn syrup, dish soap, water, vegetable oil, and finally rubbing alcohol. If done carefully, they'll form distinct layers. For younger children (6-8), explain simply: 'Each liquid has a different "heaviness" or density. Heavier liquids sink to the bottom while lighter ones float to the top.' For older children (9-15), introduce the concept of molecular structure: 'Density depends on how tightly packed the molecules are in each liquid. Honey molecules are packed very closely together, making it dense and heavy, while alcohol molecules are more spread out, making it less dense and lighter.' Extend the experiment by carefully dropping small objects of different materials (metal nuts, grape, cork, plastic bead) into the tower and observe where they settle. This visually striking experiment effectively demonstrates density, layering, and the physical properties of different substances.
3. Watch osmosis in action as gummy bears dramatically change size in different solutions! Start with four clear cups labeled: plain water, salt water, sugar water, and vinegar. In the salt water cup, dissolve 2 tablespoons of salt in 1 cup of water. In the sugar water cup, dissolve 2 tablespoons of sugar in 1 cup of water. Fill the remaining cups with plain water and vinegar respectively. Place one same-colored gummy bear in each cup and one additional gummy bear aside as a control for comparison. Have your child measure and record the gummy bears' initial sizes. After 8 hours (or overnight), remove the gummy bears, pat them dry, and measure them again. For younger children (6-8), focus on observation: 'The gummy bears changed size because water moved in or out of them—this is called osmosis!' For older children (9-15), explain the science more precisely: 'Osmosis is the movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane (like the gummy bear's surface) from an area of lower concentrated solution to higher concentrated solution. The gummy bear in plain water grew because water moved into it, while the one in salt water may have shrunk as water moved out.' Create a simple chart showing the before and after measurements. This experiment provides a visible demonstration of osmosis—an important biological process—while teaching measurement, comparison, and scientific documentation skills.
4. Witness how plants transport water and nutrients with this simple but fascinating experiment! Take 3-4 stalks of celery with leaves intact and trim the bottom ends freshly. Fill several small glasses with water and add different colors of food coloring to each (make the colors very dark for best results). Place one celery stalk in each glass and one in plain water as a control. Have your child predict what will happen. Check the celery every few hours, but for dramatic results, leave overnight. For younger children (6-8): 'Plants drink water just like we do! The colored water travels up through tiny tubes in the celery called xylem. It's like the celery has straws inside it!' For older children (9-15): 'Plants have vascular systems that transport water and nutrients. The xylem tissue acts like capillaries, moving water upward through capillary action and transpiration pull from the leaves.' For an extended investigation, try splitting the bottom of a celery stalk halfway up and placing each half in different colored waters. Later, cut the celery stalk horizontally at different heights to see the colored dots where the vessels are carrying water. This experiment visually demonstrates capillary action, plant vascular systems, and transpiration—fundamental concepts in plant biology—while encouraging prediction, observation, and documentation skills.
5. Demonstrate the surprising strength of water's surface tension with this counter-intuitive experiment! Fill a glass with water to the very brim. Ask your child to predict whether a paperclip will sink or float if placed on the water's surface. Most will predict it will sink (and they're partly right). First, drop a paperclip directly into the water and watch it sink. Then try a different approach: place a small piece of tissue paper on the water surface, and very gently place a paperclip on top of the tissue. As the tissue becomes wet and sinks, the paperclip remains floating on the water's surface! For younger children (6-8): 'Water molecules hold hands very tightly at the surface, creating a kind of invisible skin called surface tension. This skin is strong enough to hold up the paperclip if we place it down very carefully.' For older children (9-15): 'Water molecules are attracted to each other through hydrogen bonding. At the surface, these bonds create tension because there are no water molecules above to pull upward. This surface tension creates enough force to counteract the paperclip's weight, allowing it to float despite being denser than water.' Extend the experiment by testing what happens when you add a drop of dish soap nearby (it breaks the surface tension), or trying different sized paperclips to find the largest one that can float. This activity effectively demonstrates surface tension, molecular attraction, and the concept of density versus buoyancy.
6. Create a seemingly magical effect that demonstrates static electricity's invisible force! Run a thin stream of water from a faucet (about the width of a pencil). Inflate a balloon and rub it vigorously against wool fabric, a sweater, or dry hair to build up a static charge. Carefully bring the balloon near the stream of water without touching it. Watch in amazement as the water stream bends toward the balloon! For younger children (6-8): 'When we rub the balloon, it collects tiny charges called static electricity. Water molecules have positive and negative sides, and they're attracted to the charges on the balloon, making the water bend!' For older children (9-15): 'Rubbing the balloon transfers electrons, giving it a negative charge. Water molecules are polar, meaning they have partially positive and partially negative regions. The negative balloon attracts the positive regions of the water molecules, causing the entire stream to bend toward the balloon.' Experiment with different materials to create static electricity and test how long the balloon holds its charge. For a variation, try the same principle with small pieces of tissue paper or salt and pepper grains on a table. This engaging experiment clearly demonstrates static electricity, molecular polarity, and electrostatic attraction while seeming almost magical to observers.
7. Make a mesmerizing lava lamp that demonstrates density, immiscible liquids, and chemical reactions! Fill a clear plastic bottle or tall glass about 2/3 full with vegetable oil. Add water until it's nearly full, leaving a small gap at the top. Notice how the water sinks below the oil and forms a separate layer. Add about 10 drops of food coloring, which will pass through the oil and color only the water. Now for the magic: break an effervescent antacid tablet (like Alka-Seltzer) into 4 pieces. Drop one piece into the bottle and watch closely. As the tablet reacts with water, it creates gas bubbles that carry colored water upward through the oil. When the bubbles reach the surface and pop, the colored water sinks back down. For younger children (6-8): 'Oil and water don't mix because they're different types of molecules. The fizzy tablet creates bubbles that carry the colored water up, but when the bubbles pop, the water falls back down.' For older children (9-15): 'This demonstrates three scientific principles: density (water is denser than oil), immiscible liquids (they don't mix due to molecular polarity differences), and chemical reactions (the tablet creates carbon dioxide gas when it contacts water).' Add more tablet pieces one at a time to continue the effect. For an added visual enhancement, shine a flashlight through the bottle in a darkened room. This captivating experiment combines multiple scientific principles in one visually engaging demonstration.
8. Create your own pH testing solution and discover which household liquids are acids or bases! Chop half a red cabbage into small pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over the cabbage (adult task) until it's just covered, then let it steep for 15 minutes until the water turns deep purple. Strain out the cabbage pieces, keeping the purple liquid—this is your natural pH indicator! Line up several clear cups and fill each halfway with your indicator solution. Test different household liquids by adding a tablespoon to each cup and observing color changes. Vinegar, lemon juice, and carbonated beverages will turn your indicator pink or red (acidic). Baking soda solution and cleansers will turn it blue, green, or yellow (basic). For younger children (6-8): 'The cabbage juice is like magic detective liquid that changes color to show us if something is an acid or a base. Acids taste sour, like lemons, while bases feel slippery, like soap.' For older children (9-15): 'Red cabbage contains anthocyanins that change color when exposed to different pH levels. The pH scale measures how acidic or basic a solution is, with 7 being neutral. Acids have a pH below 7, while bases have a pH above 7.' Create a chart showing the different colors and what they indicate about pH levels. This engaging experiment introduces acid-base chemistry, the pH scale, and natural indicators while encouraging systematic testing and observation.
9. Combine engineering with physics by building a simple catapult that demonstrates potential and kinetic energy! Gather these materials: 7 popsicle sticks, 4-5 rubber bands, a plastic spoon, and mini marshmallows (or pompoms) as projectiles. First, stack 5 popsicle sticks and bind them tightly together at both ends with rubber bands. Take the remaining 2 sticks and bind them tightly at just one end. Insert the stack of 5 between the 2 bound sticks, positioning it about 1/3 of the way from the bound end. Secure the spoon to the unbound end of the top stick using a rubber band, creating your launching platform. For younger children (6-8): 'When you press down on the spoon and release it, you're storing energy and then letting it go—like stretching and releasing a rubber band!' For older children (9-15): 'This demonstrates energy transformation. When you press down, you're creating potential energy (stored energy). When you release, that potential energy converts to kinetic energy (movement), launching the marshmallow.' Extend the learning by measuring and recording how far marshmallows fly when you press the catapult to different degrees, or when you adjust the position of the 5-stick stack. Create a target with point values for accuracy practice. This hands-on engineering project teaches physics concepts, measurement skills, and the scientific method through iterative design improvements.
10. Reveal the invisible world of microorganisms by conducting a controlled bread mold experiment! Take 3-4 slices of bread and place each in a sealable plastic bag. Before sealing, subject each slice to different conditions: leave one untouched as a control; touch another with clean hands; touch one with dirty hands; wipe one on a household surface like a counter or sink. Label each bag with its condition and the date. Seal all bags, removing as much air as possible. Place them in a warm, dark place and observe daily for 7-10 days, without opening the bags. Have children record observations, draw or photograph the mold growth patterns, and compare results. For younger children (6-8): 'Molds are tiny living things too small to see with just our eyes. They float in the air and grow when they find food, like bread. The different colors are different types of molds!' For older children (9-15): 'Molds are fungi that reproduce through spores present in our environment. They digest organic matter outside their bodies by releasing enzymes, then absorbing the dissolved nutrients. Different conditions affect their growth rate and the types of mold that develop.' Discuss the importance of food safety, hand washing, and how molds are both helpful (making medicines, cheeses) and harmful (food spoilage, allergies). This fascinating experiment makes the invisible world visible while teaching microbiology concepts, controlled experimentation, and observation skills.
11. Grow stunning crystals that demonstrate supersaturated solutions and crystallization! You'll need: 3 cups of water, 9 tablespoons of borax powder (found in the laundry section), a wide-mouth jar, pipe cleaners, string, and a pencil or stick. Begin by shaping colored pipe cleaners into simple forms like stars, hearts, or letters—these will be the crystal formation base. Tie each shape to a piece of string, then tie the other end to a pencil or stick. The pencil should rest across the jar mouth with the shape dangling without touching the bottom or sides. Next, create a supersaturated solution: heat the water (adult task) to just below boiling, then gradually stir in borax until no more dissolves (approximately 3 tablespoons per cup of water). Carefully pour the solution into the jar, submerging the pipe cleaner shape. Leave undisturbed in a location where it won't be bumped for 24 hours. For younger children (6-8): 'As the hot water cools down, it can't hold as much borax anymore, so the extra borax forms crystals on our pipe cleaner shape—like magical growing jewels!' For older children (9-15): 'This demonstrates supersaturation and crystallization. Hot water can hold more dissolved solute (borax) than cold water. As the solution cools, it becomes supersaturated, and the excess borax precipitates out as solid crystals that form on the pipe cleaner, which acts as a nucleation site.' The next day, carefully remove your crystal creation. This sparkling science experiment effectively demonstrates solutions, crystallization, and molecular arrangement while creating a beautiful keepsake of the scientific process.

• Understand fundamental scientific concepts including chemical reactions, density, and surface tension
• Develop hypothesis formation and testing skills through prediction and observation
• Build critical thinking abilities by analyzing experimental results and drawing conclusions
• Practice measurement and data collection methods used in scientific investigation
• Learn proper scientific terminology appropriate for different age levels
• Strengthen observation skills through detailed documentation of experiment processes
• Understand the properties of common household substances and their interactions
• Develop an understanding of controlled experiments by changing single variables
• Connect scientific principles to everyday phenomena and real-world applications
• Build confidence in conducting scientific investigations independently
• Develop safety awareness when working with various materials
• Strengthen communication skills by explaining scientific concepts and results
• Learn basic principles of chemistry, physics, and biology through hands-on exploration
• Develop fine motor skills through careful manipulation of experimental materials

• Always have adult supervision for all experiments, especially those involving chemicals or heat
• Wear safety goggles during experiments involving liquids or potential splashes
• Keep all materials away from eyes, nose, and mouth; wash hands thoroughly after each experiment
• Conduct experiments on protected surfaces like trays or plastic tablecloths
• Label all experimental containers clearly and never reuse food containers for non-food purposes afterward
• Store all chemicals (even household ones) out of reach of young children
• Never mix chemicals unless specifically instructed in the experiment directions
• Ensure proper ventilation for experiments that might produce strong odors
• Have a first aid kit readily available
• Discuss safety procedures before beginning each experiment
• Keep long hair tied back and avoid loose clothing that could interfere with experiments
• Never taste any experimental materials, even if they contain food ingredients
• Dispose of all materials properly according to local regulations, especially chemicals
• Keep a fire extinguisher or bucket of water nearby for experiments involving flames
• Adjust experiments as needed for children with allergies or sensitivities