Science experiments and exploration are very common in my house so I was not surprised when my son requested it as the theme for his 8th birthday. Deciding which experiments we could easily do with a group of kids, that wouldn’t take too long or create giant messes in my house, was the biggest challenge. Below is the list of experiments I chose, what materials you need, and how to perform them!
Dress for Success
Everyone knows before you can do science, you have to gear up and stay protected. Each kid had a lab coat and goggles. We also provided gloves when we worked with hydrogen peroxide. This set of supplies worked great for eight year olds.
Inflating Balloons
This experiment uses baking soda and vinegar like a volcano eruption, but it captures the gas released to inflate a balloon. So it wasn’t repetitive, I limited myself to only one experiment that uses these ingredients and this option was less messy than a volcano. Yes, science is messy, but your activities don’t have to be.
Materials:
- Balloon
- Plastic bottle (or Erlenmeyer flask)
- Vinegar
- Baking soda
Instructions: https://www.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/learning/resources/blow-up-balloon
This experiment had a cool reaction that was different for each kid, but it was over very quickly.
Paper Rockets
Less of an experiment, and more an exploration of using air to launch rockets. Like true scientists, the kids also tested out different angles to launch, tried to achieve greater heights, and tested aiming accuracy.
Materials:
- Paper (recommend origami paper)
- Bendable Straws
Instructions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBgFjLppthI
Bubble Snake
Ok, now we start to get a little messy but it’s a clean messy! This science experiment involves blowing some really big bubble snakes or just making a giant mess of bubbles, either way is fun.
Materials:
- Plastic bottle
- Dish soap
- Water
- Tray
- Paper towel or sock
- Rubber band
Instructions: https://www.cantonpl.org/blogs/post/steam-bubble-snakes/
I chose to skip the food coloring and just have plain white/clear bubbles. The kids had just as much fun and I didn’t stress about getting dye on hands and clothes.
Magic Milk
This is a common science experiment to teach kids about germs. I also used it when I did a week of Harry Potter activities over the summer.
Materials:
- Milk
- Dish Soap
- Cotton Rounds
- Markers or Food Coloring
- Tray
Instructions: https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/magic-milk-a-classic-science-experiment-for-kids/
Science of Color
This science experiment was a hit with the kids because they had the most freedom to play. The kids could make primary and secondary colors or mix a new serum or potion.
Materials:
- Test Tubes
- Droppers
- Color Tablets
- Water
Instructions:
Fill several tubes with water. Drop in a color tablet into each tube. Use the droppers to mix the colored water.
Elephant Toothpaste
This is a classic science experiment that makes a good show but definitely requires adults to perform.
Materials:
- Hydrogen Peroxide (6%)
- Dry Yeast
- Water
- Dish Soap
- Food Coloring
- Plastic bottle (or Erlenmeyer flask)
Instructions: https://sciencebob.com/fantastic-foamy-fountain/
Diet Coke + Mentos
This was our grand finale! The kids each got a turn releasing the mentos to the cheers of the group. There was a lot of jumping, screaming, and dancing!
Materials:
- Diet Coke (2L Bottles)
- Mentos
- Geyser Spout Kit
Instructions:
Load 6 mentos into the tube and add the spout cover (the kid comes with 4 different ones). Screw the tube onto the bottle of Diet Coke. Release the mentos and run!
There are so many science experiments available to kids. These were the ones that worked for us and the kids had a blast!
