We’ve rounded the corner into week four of our stay-at-home order here. The school provided work for six of the days the kid’s been home, but the other five have been spring break. Most days we’re hanging in there, but boredom is starting in and you can start to see that everyone’s patience is wearing thin. I was recently inspired by the viral “pepper germs” Instagram post to return to my daughter’s preschool days and start looking to our kitchen for opportunities for scientific exploration. Here are eight educational—and more importantly fun!—experiments using ingredients from your kitchen.
Food Coloring Fireworks: This simple experiment uses food coloring, oil, and water to create a fun jar of “fireworks.”
Rubber Egg Experiment: This activity takes a little patience, as you have to wait 8 days for the chemical reaction to occur, but it’s worth the time because it’s super cool! All you need is an egg, vinegar, and optional food coloring.
Pick up Ice with String: Can you pick up ice using string? Give it a try in this experiment, which uses ice, ice water, salt, and string.
Walking Water: I’ve always seen pictures of this finished experiment, but I had absolutely no idea until writing up this post that half the jars were empty when it started. I can’t wait to try it!
Wave Bottles: Let your kiddo learn a bit about the way waves work as well as about the density of different liquids by creating a wave bottle using water, oil, and food coloring in this fun activity.
Invisible Ink: Your child can make invisible ink using baking soda and water, and reveal it using cranberry juice, or make invisible ink from lemon juice and reveal it using heat.
Milk Painting: Create amazing paintings in milk using dish soap and food coloring. The tutorial for this experiment includes a link for turning your paintings into more permanent art by making marbled milk paper, too!
Oobleck: Kids who love messes will especially love experimenting with this non-Newtonian fluid: Is it a liquid? Is it a solid? It behaves like both! (Clean-up instructions for this cornstarch and water mix are included.)
Growing Crystals: Finally, here’s a bonus activity as it takes you out of the kitchen and into the laundry room to grab some Borax. Using, pipe cleaners, Borax, and hot water your child will be able to grow a formation of crystals.
Looking for more science experiments? Find them here.