Bubbles, Rainbows & Rockets: Fun & Easy Science Experiments at Home

You don’t need fancy STEM kits or lab gear to conduct fun science experiments. In fact, your kitchen, pantry, and even backyard can make the perfect mini-lab for scientific discovery. You can turn an ordinary afternoon into a hands-on adventure that sparks a lifetime of curiosity and excitement to learn. 

In this post, we’re sharing nine fun and easy science experiments for kids. Each activity uses supplies you probably already have around the house, and they’re designed to be safe, simple, and low-mess, perfect for curious kids and busy parents!

1. Vinegar & Baking Soda Volcano 

The classic baking soda volcano never goes out of style! Kids love the exciting eruption, and parents love the simplicity. Baking soda acts as a base and reacts with vinegar (an acid) to release carbon dioxide. That fizz and foam? It’s the gas escaping! A fun experiment you can try—no STEM kits for kids required, just a few home science tools.

Supplies Needed:

• 3 to 7 cups Warm water

• Red food coloring

• 5 drops Dishwashing detergent

• 2 tbsp Baking soda

• 2 cups White vinegar

Steps:

1. Place the cup or bottle on a tray—this will help you catch the overflow

2. Fill it halfway with baking soda.

3. Add a few drops of dish soap and food coloring.

4. Pour vinegar in and watch the bubbly eruption.

2. Walking Water Experiment

This science experiment is fun for kids of all ages! With this one, kids will be amazed at the rainbow that is created using capillary action (the same process plants use to draw water) pulls liquid up the paper towel fibers. 

Supplies Needed:

• Paper Towel (6 folded half sheets)

• Food Coloring 

• Water

• 7 Small Clear Cups or Glasses

Steps:

1. Gather your home science tools.

2. Line up six cups in a row.

3. Fill the 1st, 3rd, and 5th cups with water. Add red, yellow, and blue food coloring to each.

4. Leave the 2nd, 4th, and 6th cups empty.

5. Roll paper towels into strips and place one end in a full cup and the other in an empty cup.

6. Wait an hour and watch colors “walk” to create new shades.

3. Dancing Raisins 

Simple, silly, and surprisingly mesmerizing. Carbon dioxide bubbles from the soda stick to the raisin’s wrinkled surface, making it float. When the bubbles pop, the raisin sinks again.

Supplies Needed:

• Clear soda (like Sprite or 7Up)

• A handful of raisins

Steps:

1. Pour soda into a glass.

2. Drop in a few raisins.

3. Watch them sink, then float back up again!

4. Invisible Ink with Lemon Juice 

This easy science experiment only takes a few minutes to complete! It works because lemon juice is acidic and weakens paper. When paper is heated, the remaining acid turns the writing brown before discoloring the paper.

Supplies Needed:

• Lemon juice

• Cotton swabs or a paintbrush

• White paper

• A lamp or iron (with adult help)

Steps:

1. Dip a cotton swab in lemon juice.

2. Write a secret message on the paper.

3. Let it dry.

4. With adult supervision, gently heat the paper near a lamp bulb or iron. Your hidden words will appear!

5. Rainbow in a Glass 

Layer different colors of liquid to create a real rainbow. Liquids with more sugar are denser and sink to the bottom, while lighter ones float above, creating colorful layers.

Supplies Needed:

• Sugar

• Water

• Food coloring

• 4–5 clear cups

Steps:

1. Mix sugar and water in different cups (1 spoon in the first, 2 in the second, and so on).

2. Add different colors to each cup.

3. Slowly pour each colored layer into one tall glass, starting with the densest (most sugar).

4. Watch your rainbow stack up!

6. Balloon Rocket 

Who needs a space center when you’ve got string and tape? Air rushing out of the balloon propels it forward. This is the same basic principle that rockets use to launch into space, just on a much smaller (and sillier) scale!

Supplies Needed:

• Balloon

• String

• Straw

• Tape

Steps:

1. Thread the string through a straw and stretch it tightly across the room.

2. Tape a blown-up balloon (don’t tie it) to the straw.

3. Let go and watch the balloon zoom across the string!

7. Magnetic Slime 

This experiment may be a little messier, but it is a lot of fun, especially for the older kids! And it still doesn't need any STEM kits for kids. With the mixture below, you can create magnetic slime. The iron fillings in the slime are then attracted to the magnet, making the slime dance. 

Supplies Needed:

• White glue

• Liquid starch or contact solution with borax

• Iron filings or magnetic powder

• A strong magnet

Steps:

1. Mix glue with starch to form slime.

2. Stir in iron filings until evenly distributed.

3. Play with a magnet to watch your slime move and “crawl.”

8. Egg in a Bottle 

Looking for a science experiment that feels a little like magic? The classic egg in a bottle trick is always a crowd-pleaser. Here’s how it works: when you drop a small flame into the bottle, the air inside heats up and expands. As the flame goes out, the air cools quickly, and the pressure inside drops, forcing the egg inside. 

Supplies Needed:

• A hard-boiled egg (peeled)

• Glass bottle with a mouth just smaller than the egg

• Matches or a small piece of paper (with adult help)

Steps:

1. Light a piece of paper and drop it into the bottle (adults only).

2. Quickly place the egg on top of the bottle.

3. Watch as the egg gets sucked inside!

9. Cloud in a Jar 

You can bring a bit of the sky indoors with a cloud in a jar. Using a bit of warm water and a jar, you can teach young ones how water vapor rises, cools, condenses, and turns into tiny droplets just the way real clouds form in the sky. 

Supplies Needed:

• A jar with a lid

• Hot water

• Ice cubes

• Hairspray (optional)

Steps:

1. Pour hot water into the jar.

2. Quickly spray a little hairspray inside (to give particles for water to cling to).

3. Place the lid upside down on the jar and cover with ice cubes.

4. Watch a mini “cloud” form!

A Note About Safety

While these nine easy science experiments for kids are safe and only use home science tools, some do use heat, matches, and mild chemicals. That said, always choose age-appropriate experiments and ensure an adult is present. For example, younger kids should stick to safe options like Walking Water, Dancing Raisins, or Balloon Rockets. And to keep it especially simple, have clean-up supplies nearby.

Got little ones a bit more into the arts over the sciences? You may also want to read: Creative Art Ideas for Kids: Painting and Crafts They’ll Love 

Everyday Science, Everyday Fun

Science is everywhere, and you don’t need pricey STEM kits for kids to spark curiosity. These easy science experiments for kids use everyday household items, making your kitchen the perfect mini-lab. From the fizz of a baking soda volcano to the magic of invisible ink, these activities bring learning to life in exciting, hands-on ways.

Looking for more family-friendly tips and fun? Explore the Stelle blog—your go-to resource for simple, mom-approved ideas that make everyday moments magical.