Science Experiments Archives - The Stem Laboratory

Leak Proof Bag

Crystal — Sat, 07 Oct 2023 12:14:00 +0000

Can you poke a hole in a bag full of water without losing even one drop? Once you learn the science behind this leak-proof bag experiment, you’ll be ready to poke holes in a bag full of water while holding it over somebody’s head!

It’s the perfect compliment to our 30 Science Experiments you can find in our shop!

Getting Ready

Since this science activity involved water, we decided to do it outside, but it would have also been perfect for bath time.

Before heading out the door, we gathered a few simple supplies to perform our leak proof bag trick:

Zipper storage bag
Water
Several sharpened pencils

We filled the zipper storage bag about 2/3 full of water. After squishing out the air, we made sure the zipper was sealed tight.

I asked my kids what they thought would happen if we stabbed a pencil through the bag. I always love to have them make a hypothesis and then see if it really happens. Sometimes the results can be surprising!

Using the sharp end of one pencil, I quickly pushed it through the bag. It went in one side and out the other – without spilling a drop!

To make it even more fun, I held the bag of water over my son’s head while I pushed more pencils through it. He was so scared he was going to get a shower at the park!

Once my kids saw that the bag wasn’t going to explode all over them, they were courageous enough to push some pencils through themselves. We added quite a few! We even squished the water gently around the bag and turned it upside down without spilling a single drop of water.

The Science Behind It

Plastic bags are made of a polymer called low-density polyethylene. Polymers are long chains of molecules. The tip of the pencil squeezes between the chains without breaking them but the chains’ flexible property helps to form a temporary seal against the edge of the pencil. This enables a pencil to pierce the bag without losing even one drop of water!

More Science

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Sprout House Science Experiment – Watch Seeds Grow!

Malia — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 17:00:00 +0000

Have you ever wanted to grow a tiny garden right in your classroom? With this Sprout House experiment, kids get to build their own little greenhouse, plant seeds, and watch them sprout before their eyes! This hands-on STEM activity is the perfect way to teach kids about plants, germination, and engineering—all in one fun project.

What is a Sprout House?

A Sprout House is like a mini greenhouse, but instead of glass and metal, it’s made out of sponges! That’s right—plain old sponges! The sponges hold water, helping the seeds sprout and grow. Kids will design, build, and care for their very own tiny plant house while learning what seeds need to grow.

What You’ll Need

Gather a few simple supplies:

4 plain kitchen sponges – These will become the walls and roof of the house.
Scissors – For cutting the sponges.
Toothpicks – To hold everything together.
Glue (optional) – If you want extra support.
A shallow tray or plate – To hold the Sprout House.
Fast-growing seeds – Try wheat berries, chia seeds, or alfalfa.
A spray bottle – To keep the seeds moist.

How to Build Your Sprout House

Step 1: Build the Walls

Take one sponge and use it as the base of the house.
Cut another sponge in half to make two side walls.
Cut a third sponge in half—then cut one half again to make the front and back walls.

Step 2: Put It Together

Attach the walls to the base using toothpicks.
Press the toothpicks in deep so the walls stand up tall!
Cut the last sponge in half to make roof panels and attach them on top.

For the roof, you can use toothpicks as connectors again, but securing the roof to the walls and to each other can be a bit tricky. If needed, you can use a hot glue gun to hold the roof in place.

Step 3: Add the Seeds

Spray the sponges with water until they’re damp but not dripping.
Sprinkle a thin layer of seeds on the roof and walls.
Gently press the seeds so they stick to the sponge.

Chia and alfalfa seeds are a fun combo. Simply put about a tablespoon of seeds in a small dish and add a little water to create a seed slurry. Chia seeds absorb a lot of water and become gummy, which actually makes spreading the seeds much easier.

Step 4: Take Care of Your Sprout House

Place the house on a tray or plate to catch any extra water.
Keep it in a bright spot (but not direct sunlight).
Mist it several times a day with the spray bottle to keep the sponges moist.
Watch closely—in just a few days, the seeds will start to sprout!

What’s the Science Behind It?

This experiment teaches two cool science concepts:

Plants need water, air, and light to grow.
- The damp sponges act like soil, keeping the seeds wet so they can sprout.
- The bright spot provides light to help the plants grow strong.
Seeds go through germination.
- When seeds absorb water, they wake up and start growing!
- Tiny roots appear first, then little green shoots pop up.

Get the Record Sheet

Awesome news! You don’t have to scramble for instructions or create your own worksheets—it’s all done for you.

Grab the Sprout House record sheet, step-by-step directions, and 29 more easy-prep science experiments inside our 30 Science Experiments Pack—the ultimate time-saving bundle for busy teachers who want engaging, classroom-tested lessons that kids LOVE.

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Click here to grab your Science Experiment Pack today!

Make science hands-on, engaging, and stress-free. Your students will love it—and so will you.

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Walking Water Rainbow Science Experiment for Kids

Malia — Tue, 23 May 2023 15:00:00 +0000

Ever wondered how water can “walk”? Try this magical rainbow experiment!

Science experiments don’t have to be complicated to be fun and educational! This walking water science experiment for kids is a simple but fascinating way to explore capillary action, color mixing, and the properties of water. Perfect for preschoolers and elementary students, this hands-on activity encourages curiosity and critical thinking.

In this guide, you’ll find step-by-step instructions, the science behind the experiment, and ways to extend the learning experience!

What is the Walking Water Science Experiment?

The walking water science experiment for kids is a simple demonstration of capillary action—the process that allows water to move through materials like paper towels, plants, and even your own body’s veins! By using colored water and paper towels, kids will watch in amazement as water “walks” from one cup to another, creating a beautiful rainbow effect.

This experiment is ideal for preschoolers, kindergarteners, and early elementary students, offering a fun, visual way to introduce key scientific concepts.

Materials You’ll Need

To set up your walking water rainbow experiment, you’ll need just a few household items:

6 clear cups or jars
Paper towels
Water
Food coloring (red, yellow, and blue)
A stirring stick or spoon

Step-by-Step Instructions: How to Do the Walking Water Experiment

Follow these simple steps to create your walking water science experiment for kids:

Step 1: Prepare the Cups

Line up six clear cups in a row.
Fill every other cup with water (cups 1, 3, and 5 should have water, while 2, 4, and 6 remain empty).

Step 2: Fold the Paper Towels

Take a paper towel and fold it lengthwise several times.
Place one end of the paper towel in the colored water and the other end in the empty cup next to it.
Repeat this process, creating a bridge between all cups.

Step 3: Add the Food Coloring

In cup 1, add red food coloring and stir.
In cup 3, add yellow food coloring and stir.
In cup 5, add blue food coloring and stir.

Step 4: Watch the Water Walk!

Wait and observe! Over the next 30 minutes to a few hours, you’ll see the water slowly “walking” up the paper towels and into the empty cups.
As the colors mix, they form secondary colors (green, orange, and purple), creating a rainbow!

The Science Behind It

This rainbow science experiment is as magic as the science behind it. The colored water travels up the paper towel by a process called capillary action. Capillary action is the ability of a liquid to flow upward, against gravity, in narrow spaces. This is the same thing that helps water climb from a plant’s roots to the leaves in the tree tops.

Paper towels, and all paper products, are made from fibers found in plants called cellulose. In this demonstration, the water flowed upwards through the tiny gaps between the cellulose fibers. The gaps in the towel acted like capillary tubes, pulling the water upwards.

The water is able to defy gravity as it travels upward due to the attractive forces between the water and the cellulose fibers.

The water molecules tend to cling to the cellulose fibers in the paper towel. This is called adhesion.

The water molecules are also attracted to each other and stick close together, a process called cohesion. So, as the water slowly moves up the tiny gaps in the paper towel fibers, the cohesive forces help to draw more water upwards.

At some point, the adhesive forces between the water and cellulose and the cohesive forces between the water molecules will be overcome by the gravitational forces on the weight of the water in the paper towel.

When that happens, the water will not travel up the paper towel anymore. That is why it helps to shorten the length that colored water has to travel by making sure your paper towel isn’t too tall and making sure you fill your colored liquid to the top of the glass.

Rainbow Science Activity Extensions

Turn this demonstration into a true experiment by varying the water level (volume) you start with and seeing how long it takes the water to reach the empty glass.

Or start with the same volume of colored water and change the brand, type (single vs double ply, quilted vs not) or length of paper towel to see how long it takes for the water to “walk” to the empty glass.

You could even use the same volume of water, same length and brand of paper towel but vary the height of the filled glass, by raising them up on books, to see how that affects the speed of the water as it “walks” to the empty glass.

Have you had enough fun with the paper towels? Try using other paper products to see how the type of paper effects the results. Try toilet paper, printer paper, newspaper or a page from a glossy magazine. What do you predict will happen?

Not Working?

If you aren’t seeing much movement within a few minutes, it may be that you need to add more water to your colored water glasses. It really needs to be almost at the top for the water to walk quickly. So try topping off those glasses and seeing if that gets things moving.

If you see the water moving up the paper towel but it seems like it’s taking forever, it may be the type of paper towel you are using. You want a paper towel that will really hold a lot of water. We have used Bounty Select-a-Size and Target’s Up and Up Brand Select-a-Size with success.

It really is worth the extra effort of trying different cups and paper towels to get this activity to work. And once you have had success, don’t throw out those beautifully-colored paper towels or the colored water! We gently squeezed out our paper towels and let them dry in a heap on a baking sheet. We ended up with gorgeous tie-dyed looking paper towels to use for crafts and we used the leftover water as watercolors for painting with later.

Grab a Record Sheet

Help kids keep track of their results by grabbing our free record sheet! Then grab 30 more jaw-dropping (but easy prep!) science experiments kids will love from our shop.

Bringing It All Together

This walking water science experiment for kids is an easy and exciting way to introduce young learners to science. Whether you’re a teacher, homeschool parent, or just looking for a fun activity, this experiment is a great way to spark curiosity and engage kids in hands-on learning.

Give it a try today, and let us know how your walking water rainbow turns out in the comments!

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20 Science Fair Projects

Malia — Wed, 29 Mar 2023 17:00:00 +0000

Are you on the hunt for science fair projects kids will love?! We’ve got you covered! These 20 science experiments are motivating AND educational – our favorite combination.

Get inspired below and then hop over to snag our 30 Science Experiments in our shop that are all kid-approved!

Teach kids about physics, chemistry, engineering and so much more. This roundup is packed with serious science fair inspiration!

Want a ready to go science project? Grab our Super Cool Science Kit!

Learn about density by pouring a rainbow in a jar. // Playdough to Plato

Turn an ordinary egg into a bouncy, glow in the dark egg that teaches kids about osmosis and egg anatomy.

Work on engineering and physics with a motivating egg drop challenge. // Buggy and Buddy

Build a homopolar motor that really moves a wire ballet dancer. // Babble Dabble Do

Discover how plants “drink” water by turning a flower not one but TWO colors! // Playdough to Plato

Make a rainbow as water magically walks.

Explore chemical reactions and engineering when you build a LEGO volcano that really erupts.

Test whether candies will melt in the sun. // Playdough to Plato

Find out how much sugar is really in soda, juice and more. // Ditch the Carbs

Inflate a balloon with a simple pouch of yeast. // Playdough to Plato

Experiment with different liquids to see what prevents an apple from turning brown. // Teach Beside Me

Get up close and personal with the water cycle using a simple Ziploc. // Playdough to Plato

Build lemon batteries. // Fantastic Fun and Learning

Learn about buoyancy by making one orange float and another orange sink. // Playdough to Plato

Find out how arctic animals stay warm in the winter. // I Can Teach My Child

Make gummy worms wiggle and dance with a simple chemistry experiment. // Playdough to Plato

Design a DIY thermometer that really works. // Lemon Lime Adventures

See the plant cycle in action with an easy to make sprout house. // Playdough to Plato

Or grow a real, live “green house”. (Get it?!)

Discover how germs are spread from one person to the next. // I Can Teach My Child

And finally, learn about osmosis by making gummy bears grow! // Playdough to Plato

More Simple Science Kids Will Love

Inspire kids to LOVE science with our 30 Science Experiments kids will love and beg to repeat!

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Apple Life Cycle Book

Hayley Lewallen — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 05:43:00 +0000

I love teaching about apples at the beginning of the school year. It’s a perfect way to introduce life cycles and students are always amazed at how a tiny seed can grow into a huge apple tree!

Scroll down to grab your free life cycle book and then make sure to hop over and enjoy more science with our awesome 30 Science Experiments!

Getting Ready

This apple life cycle book was SUPER easy to prep!

I just copied all of the pages front and back to save on paper and then made a stack with the pages in 1,2,3 order.

Next, I punched four staples onto the marks on the left side of the cover page and cut the books apart using the light grey line that ran down the middle.

VIOLA! I had TWO books prepped!

Apple Life Cycle Book

The book was perfect to use in small groups.

I started by passing out a book to each child at the table.

Together, we went page by page through the book and chatted about what we saw happening at every step in the apple life cycle.

When we were finished, the children colored the pages.

I paired them up with a partner and they took turns reading through the book several times.

When they were finished, they each signed the back of their partner’s book to show that they’d listened to them read and then students placed the books in their book box to pull out again later.

Grab Your Book

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Honey Science

Renee Heinrich — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 04:46:29 +0000

This sweet honey science freebie is the perfect way to teach kids about bees!

Scroll below to grab your freebies and then buzz on over to grab our 30 Science Experiments (complete with a no prep journal to record results!) in our shop!

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Getting Ready

Prepping was easy!

I printed off the worksheets on some colorful yellow paper to give them a pop.

Then, I printed off the sequence cards on both yellow and white cardstock for durability and cut them out.

I’d picked up a few books on bees from the library, so I set those out along with some pencils and crayons.

I also snagged some honey and crackers for a quick worker bee treat afterward.

Honey Science Activity

To start the conversation about bees and their importance, I read a few bee books I’d picked up from the library.

The kids favorite (and mine!) was The Magic School Bus: Inside the Beehive. It did a fabulous job explaining the pollination process and helping kids visualize the inside of a beehive in an engaging way.

After I read the book, I pulled out the pollination worksheets I had printed off and we filled them out together.

They were great for checking comprehension.

Next, I pulled out the collecting honey worksheet and the sequencing cards so we could dig deeper into the honey making process.

I asked for volunteers to read one step in the process and then find the matching yellow sequence card.

After we went through the entire cycle, I handed out the white sequence cards and had students color each step before putting them in chronological order.

Then, we finished up the sweet science activity with a little snack of honey and crackers!

Grab Your Download

Ready for your free-BEE? Click the blue download button below to get your free copy then hop over for more science fun with our amazing, kid-friendly 30 Science Experiments!

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Mammal Sort

Renee Heinrich — Sat, 20 Feb 2021 06:18:56 +0000

Looking for a fun way to teach young learners about mammals? You’re in the right spot. This mammal sort is a great way to tell the difference between mammals and non-mammals!

Scroll down to grab your free mammal sort and then hop on over and grab our 30 Science Experiments that will leave your kids’ jaws dropped!

Getting Ready

Prepping for this mammal sort was easy!

First, I printed off the animal cards on cardstock to make them durable enough for reuse and then cut along the outside borders to separate the pieces.

Then, I printed off the sentence starters and record sheets for the writing activity and grabbed some great mammal picture books to read aloud for background knowledge.

Learning About Mammals

To start the conversation about mammals, I pulled out the animal cards and laid the game board down in front of the children.

I held up the rabbit card and asked students to brainstorm what facts they knew about the animal. The class came up with quite the list!

When the children couldn’t think of anything more, I added one last characteristic to the list: it’s a mammal.

Since the term was new to the class, I explained that scientists put animals in groups and one of them is called “mammals.” They were going to work together as scientists to figure out whether the rest of the animals in our stack were mammals like rabbits or not. To do that, they’d need to answer three questions:

Does it have fur/hair?
Does it give live birth?
Is it warm blooded?

I placed the rabbit to the side and grabbed the frog next. To figure out whether or not it was a mammal, we worked our way through the questions:

Frogs do not have fur or hair.
Frogs do not give live birth.
Frogs are not warm blooded.

Everyone agreed that since frogs failed all three tests, they must not be mammals.

Mammal Sort Activity

We worked as a group to solve a couple more. Then, I sent students off in pairs to sort a complete stack of mammal sort cards onto their own game boards.

Students were excited to take turns picking a card off of the animal pile and explaining why or why not they believed the animal was a mammal.

In addition, it was a great way to check comprehension.

Later that day, I pulled out the sentence starters for a quick follow up.

I asked for volunteers to read each one: mammals are, mammals have, mammals can.

Then, I showed them the lined piece of paper and had children finish the sentences on their own.

When we came back together and read the sentences aloud, the class was surprised to find that there were so many different possible answers!

This was science at its best! One of the great things about this activity is the opportunity for kids to work together. Additionally, this mammal sort activity had the students explain their answers as well. By the end of this lesson, you can be confident that your students will be mammal experts!

Grab Your Download

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Animal Habitat Sort

Hayley Lewallen — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 06:03:50 +0000

If my kids had to pick a science topic they love the most, it would hands-down be learning about animals. Which is why I love starting our animal habitat lesson with this fun picture sort. It is a great way to introduce kids to animal habitats!

Scroll below to download the freebie! Then, ready for more science? Our 30 Science Experiments will make your students’ jaws drop every time!

Getting Ready

Prep for this activity was easy peasy.

To get ready, I printed the cards on cardstock and laminated them for durability.

After chopping them up with my paper cutter, my cards were ready to go!

Animal Habitat: Land or Water?

To start the animal habitat activity, I placed the land and water cards in the pocket chart.

Then, I asked the kids to tell what they knew about land or water, what experiences they’ve had, and what they might see on each.

The discussion really got their minds visualizing the similarities and differences between the two habitats.

After the introduction, I told my students that we would be sorting animals based on where they lived using clues that would help us figure out where they would fit best.

For example, we talked about how most animals that live on land will have legs, while some in the water may not because they swim!

Then one student at a time came up and pulled a card.

The first child chose the elephant. She pointed out the four legs, the trunk and the big ears. She had seen the elephant at the zoo, so she confidently slid the elephant into the “land” column.

Students took turns until all of the cards were sorted.

Then, we talked about the features of each group.

For example, the land group had legs but the water creatures did not. The animals that live underwater swim while the other animals use their legs to walk.

Grab Your Copy

Ready to sort some animals?

Scroll down and click the blue download button to snag your free animal sorting set. Then, grab more science with our amazing 30 Science Experiments in our shop!

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Ladybug Life Cycle Wheel Craft

Malia — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 05:00:56 +0000

Worms, butterflies, and bugs… my kids are fascinated with anything that creeps, crawls or flies! Are your kids, too?! This cute ladybug life cycle craft is a great way to teach children about the life cycle of a lady bug. From egg to ladybug, all four steps are included.

Scroll down to grab your free ladybug life cycle wheels! Then, ready for more science fun? Check out our awesome 30 Science Experiments (complete with a no prep journal to record results) in our shop!

Getting Ready

To prep, I printed off a life cycle sheet and cover for each child. To add a fun pop of color, I decided to make the cover blue, but you could choose any color under the sun.

Then, I grabbed enough brads and large paper plates for every student to have one.

Tip: Make sure that the paper plate is at least 8 inches (20cm) wide.

Ladybug Life Cycle

Before jumping into the craftivity, the kids and I learned about the ladybugs’ life cycle. There was so much to discover!

Female ladybugs lay 10-15 yellow eggs on the underside of leaves to keep them safe from predators and weather.

When the eggs hatch, the larvae look for tiny mites or aphids they can find near them to eat.

After just a few days, they grow large enough that they need to molt (shed their skin).

Several weeks of growing later, the larvae changes into a shrimp-like shape called a pupa. The pupa attaches to a leaf and begins going through metamorphosis, changing into a ladybug.

As the ladybug emerges, the skin of the pupa splits and the adult appears looking soft and pink (not red) for several hours until its shell becomes hard and darkens to a bright red.

Life Cycle Wheels

After our chat, I handed out the life cycle wheels and the kids colored each step of the ladybug’s life: egg – larvae – pupa – adult.

Carefully, each child cut around the outside of their wheel and glued it to the middle of their paper plate.

Little Sister (4) is working on her scissors skills, so it was great practice.

We worked together to place the covers on top and secured it with a brad in the middle of the circle to hold it in place.

Viola! The kids were eager to try the wheel for themselves as they spun through each stage of their ladybug’s life from egg…

…to ladybug!

Download Your Free Copy

Click the blue download button below to snag your free life cycle wheel! Then, check out more science fun with our 30 Science Experiments!

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Expanding Ivory Soap Experiment

Noirin Lynch — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 06:31:41 +0000

If you’re looking for some good clean fun, this classic expanding Ivory soap experiment won’t disappoint. Curious little scientists will be amazed as a bar of Ivory soap grows in a matter of seconds.

So, stock up on those Ivory soap bars because your kiddos will be begging to see this magic growing soap more than once! And for more jaw-dropping science like this one, check out our 30 Science Experiments in our shop!

Getting Ready

The prep for this demo couldn’t be easier. All we needed was a bar (or two, or three…) of Ivory soap, a microwave and a microwavable bowl or plate.

Don’t try substituting a different brand of soap. Ivory soap is whipped with air and that’s the key to this experiment working.

Expanding Ivory Soap Experiment

Before zapping the Ivory soap, I had my kids examine the bar. They noticed the wrapper felt a little damp and the bar felt slightly moist.

I had bought an 8 pack of soap, so we used one bar to see what would happen if we placed the bar in a bowl of water. It floated!

I didn’t explain why the soap floated yet – I wanted to let my kiddos try to solve that mystery later.

Now we were ready for the real show!

I put the Ivory soap in a microwave-safe bowl and placed it in the microwave for 2 minutes. After 15 seconds or so, the soap began to grow.

My 7 year-old literally jumped up and down with excitement yelling, “The air is getting hot and expanding!” over and over.

I was cracking up that she was so excited by this simple demonstration and managing to explain it with all that enthusiasm at the same time. That was one of the best reactions yet during all of our many science experiments.

After about 2 minutes on high, the soap stopped expanding.

We carefully removed the bowl from the microwave and let the soap cool for a minute or so before I allowed the kiddos to explore it.

Both kids could barely wait till the soap cooled before grabbing a chunk to explore.

They loved squeezing the fluff and crumbling it between their fingers. It felt foamy but dry and easily broke apart into powder. Playing with the soap afterwards was definitely a highlight of this Ivory soap experiment.

After giddily crumbling 2 bars of soap back into the bowl, my 4 year-old ran to the kitchen for a glass of water and added it to the soap to try to make the soap back into a bar again. Wow! What an amazingly messy sensory experience. My kids couldn’t get enough, so into the microwave went another 4 bars of soap!

The Science Behind the Expanding Soap

Ivory soap is whipped with air when it’s made. Those tiny air bubbles also contain water molecules. When these air bubbles and the water within are heated in the microwave, the water vaporizes, changing from a liquid to gas.

According the Charles’ Law, as the temperature of a gas increases, the volume of the gas increases too.

This expanding of the gases (both the air and water contained inside the soap) causes the soap to expand and become fluffy. The heat also makes the cloud-like soap to be soft and pliable.

Super Cool Science Kit

Continue the fun with our 30 Science Experiments – our favorite kid-friendly experiments and a no prep science journal little scientists can use to record their results!

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