DIY Science Experiments: 150 Hands-On Science & STEM Activities + Bonus Experiment Sheet

Turn everyday materials into 150 exciting opportunities for scientific discovery! This huge DIY Science Experiments collection was designed to make hands-on science easy, approachable, and genuinely fun for children—without requiring an expensive laboratory, complicated preparation, or hard-to-find supplies.

Each experiment is presented on its own full-page, visually engaging experiment card with everything students need to explore a real science or engineering concept. Children are encouraged to predict, test, observe, explain, compare, question, and try again—helping turn a fun activity into meaningful scientific thinking.

Best of all, these experiments were created with busy teachers and families in mind. Most use simple, inexpensive materials already found in a classroom, kitchen, supply closet, or home, such as water, cups, paper towels, balloons, baking soda, vinegar, food coloring, paper, cardboard, string, coins, magnets, ice, seeds, straws, and other familiar items.

150 EXPERIMENTS — SO MANY WAYS TO EXPLORE!

Students will investigate an incredible variety of topics across the collection, including Kitchen Chemistry, Water Science, Air/Pressure/Gases, Forces/Motion/Magnetism, Light/Color/Optics, Sound Science, Weather & Earth Science, Plants & Living Things, Heat/Cold/States of Matter, Engineering & STEM Challenges, and Science Mysteries & Investigations.

Experiments include kid-favorite investigations such as Baking Soda Balloon, Magic Milk, Rubber Egg, Walking Water Rainbow, Floating Egg, Balloon Rocket, Static Electricity Balloon, Paper Airplane Science, CD Rainbow, Cup-and-String Telephone, Rain Cloud in a Jar, Tornado in a Bottle, Bean in a Bag, Chocolate Rock Cycle, Ice Rescue Challenge, Paper Bridge Challenge, Egg Protection Challenge, Build a Catapult, Mystery Powders, Oobleck Investigation, Strawberry DNA Extraction, Balloon Hovercraft, Build a Simple Seismograph, and many, many more.

EACH EXPERIMENT PAGE INCLUDES

• A bold, student-friendly experiment title
• Category + science concept
• A curiosity-building Big Question
• An illustrated You’ll Need materials list
• Make a Prediction! writing space
• Clear, numbered Let’s Experiment! directions
• An experiment-specific What Did You Notice? observation prompt
• A kid-friendly Why Did That Happen? science explanation
• Important Science Words
• A Take It Further! challenge that encourages students to change a variable or test a new idea
• A consistent Safety First! system showing when students can work independently, need a grown-up helper, or require an adult to complete a step

BONUS SCIENCE EXPERIMENT SHEETS INCLUDED!

Extend the learning beyond the experiment itself with the included 50 reproduceable Science Experiment Sheets.

Students can organize their thinking before, during, and after an investigation as they make predictions, explain their reasoning, record what they did, describe observations, draw what they saw, reflect on whether their prediction was correct, explain what they learned, and identify new questions they want to investigate.

This makes it easy to turn the experiments into science notebook activities, formative assessments, STEM reflections, center accountability sheets, or evidence of student learning.

PERFECT FOR SCHOOL, HOME & AFTER-SCHOOL LEARNING

This resource works beautifully for classroom science centers, whole-group demonstrations, small groups, STEM stations, early finishers, enrichment, homeschool science, family science nights, substitute plans, indoor activity days, science clubs, and 21st Century after-school programs. The collection was specifically designed so teachers and families can print only the experiment they want rather than needing to work through the book in sequence.

Because so many activities rely on everyday supplies, this resource is especially helpful when you want hands-on science without hours of preparation.

WHY TEACHERS & FAMILIES WILL LOVE IT

This is not a collection of science “tricks.” Each activity connects to a genuine science or engineering idea and encourages children to think like scientists by making predictions, observing carefully, comparing results, identifying patterns, changing variables, testing ideas, explaining evidence, and improving designs.

The colorful, highly polished pages are designed to make students immediately think:

“I want to try that!”

At the same time, the consistent format makes every investigation familiar and easy to follow. Students quickly learn where to find the materials, directions, prediction prompt, observation question, explanation, vocabulary, extension, and safety information.

SCIENCE DOESN’T HAVE TO BE COMPLICATED

You do not need a fully stocked science lab to create memorable science experiences.

A cup of water can teach surface tension.
A balloon can demonstrate air pressure.
A paper airplane can become an investigation in flight.
A seed can reveal how living things respond to their environment.
A cardboard box can become an engineering challenge.

With 150 experiments to choose from, there is always something new to investigate.

CREATE • TEST • OBSERVE • DISCOVER

Use one experiment for a special science day—or build an entire year of hands-on exploration.

Whether students are experimenting at school, at home, in a STEM club, during homeschool lessons, or in a 21st Century after-school program, this collection makes it easy to put real scientific thinking directly into their hands.

Low-prep. Kid-friendly. Visually engaging. Science-packed.

Hands-on experiments. Endless discoveries.

Be curious. Ask questions. Test ideas. Make discoveries.

Created by Tasha’s Treats