Easy Science Experiments for Toddlers

Give Your Little Scientist A Thrill With These Simple Science Experiments for Toddlers

Learning science is a lot more fun when it is learnt through practical science experiments. Here are some brilliant ideas for some fun and easy science experiments for toddlers. Science is a magical subject that helps us learn and know more about the world around us. Introducing science lessons and experiments in early childhood has a lot of benefits.

Science lessons not only teach scientific concepts, but they also help children develop a positive attitude towards science. Here is a list of benefits of performing science experiments for toddlers.

Benefits Of Including Science Experiments For Toddlers In Early Learning

• It develops problem-solving skills in children.
• Science experiments make them more aware of their environment and its elements.
• It develops more curiosity in kids. 
• It boosts their creativity and enables them to think out-of-the-box and come up with unorthodox ideas and innovative solutions.
• Science experiments allow children to explore and use a wide range of objects. It also offers them a first-hand experience of how things work.
• Understanding abstract scientific concepts become simpler when children observe the processes happening in front of them.
• Science lessons can sometimes be intimidating, but a fun experiment can dispel all those fears. It helps children develop a positive attitude towards science and look forward to learning more.

Introducing children to science in early childhood has several advantages. Make learning science fun with some magical science experiments for toddlers at home. 

Start off your little scientist’s learning with this list of simple science experiments for toddlers.  

• Glitter Vs Soap
• Making Your Own Popsicles
• Ocean In A Bottle
• Magic Color Changing Flowers
• Expanding Gummy Bears

5 Best Science Experiments for Toddlers

Glitter Vs Soap

Help your child learn the importance of using soap to wash away germs using this fun science experiment for toddlers. 

What you’ll need: glitter, dishwashing soap and a plate. 

Instructions:

• Step 1: Fill a plate with water and sprinkle some glitter on it. Ask your child to stick their finger in the middle of the plate. You’ll observe that the glitter sticks to their fingers. Explain to them that these are like germs.
• Step 2: Pour some liquid soap at the centre of the container, the glitter particles immediately move away from the centre of the plate. It starts forming swirly patterns in the water. The soap molecules repel the glitter particles and they move away from the soap forming swirly patterns. This is why soap is so good at removing dirt and germs.

Making Your Own Popsicles

What could be more fun than making popsicles? Popsicles are one of the best summer science experiments for toddlers. Get your little one to learn about food with this edible science project. Additionally, you can teach your children about how liquids turn to solid in cold temperatures. And the promise of a yummy treat at the end of the experiment is guaranteed to get you enthusiastic participation from even the most reluctant learner.

What you’ll need: some fruits ( banana, mango, strawberry etc), milk, honey, knife, blender, popsicle sticks and plastic cups.

Instructions

• Step 1: Help your toddler peel and cut the fruit of your choice.
• Step 2: Add the fruit to the blender with milk and some honey to sweeten the mixture. Blend till you have a smooth puree.
• Step 3: Have your child place the popsicle sticks in the plastic cups and pour the fruit mixture into the plastic cups.
• Step 4: Place the plastic cups in the freezer for 6-7 hours until the mixture is frozen.
• Step 5: In the meanwhile, explain to your child that water and most liquids become ice when exposed to very cold temperatures. Unmould and enjoy your delicious homemade popsicle.

Ocean In A Bottle

Nothing is more exciting than a day at the beach in the summer. But if you can’t go to the ocean, how about bringing the ocean home for your toddler? This summer science experiment for toddlers will help your little one observe and learn about how oil and water behave when mixed together. And the finished bottle will keep them entertained for several hours.

What you’ll need: cooking oil, blue food colouring, water, funnel, tiny plastic sea animal toys, seashells and large clear plastic bottles.

Instructions:

• Step 1: Fill the bottle with water up to approximately 1/3rd of the height.
• Step 2: Add several drops of blue food colouring to make it look like a blue ocean and have your child shake the bottle to ensure that the food colouring is completely mixed in.
• Step 3: Add your miniature sea animal toys and seashells (optional). Fill up the bottle with cooking oil and pop the lid back on. If the lid is not child safe, seal the lid with some hot glue.
• Step 4: Allow your child to tip the bottle upside down and watch your ocean in a bottle come to life. Explain to them that oil and water do not mix. Water molecules are attracted to each other and pack together tightly, so they sink to the bottom. But the oil molecules are bigger and stick to each other, so they are left floating on top of the water.

Magic Color Changing Flowers

This fun science experiment for toddlers is a great way to introduce them to capillary action. Plants absorb water from the soil and transport it from the roots to the leaves through capillary action. 

What you’ll need: 3 cups, red, blue and green food coloring, 3 white carnations with stalk, scissors and water.

Instructions:

• Step 1: Trim the stalks of the carnations so that it fits in the cup.
• Step 2: Fill each cup with water until it’s half full. Add 2 drops of red food coloring to the 1st cup. Add 2 drops of blue food coloring to the 2nd cup and 2 drops of green food coloring to the 3rd cup.
• Step 3: Place a carnation in each of the cups.
• Step 4: After an hour or two, you’ll notice that the stalks have changed colors and a few petals have changed color too. Let it sit for a few more hours and you’ll notice that the white carnations have completely changed color. The white flowers change color because of a process called capillary action. A plant’s roots absorb water and the water travels all the way up to the stem, leaves, flowers because of capillary action. Normally, this action is invisible to our eyes. However, the colored water made it possible for us to observe capillary action.

Expanding Gummy Bears

Which child doesn’t like gummy bears? This easy science experiment for toddlers is a great way to help them understand the concept of osmosis.

What you’ll need: 3 gummy bears, 2 cups, 1 cup water (at room temperature), 1 cup warm water, ½ cup salt.

Instructions:

• Step 1: Make a salt solution by mixing ½ cup salt in 1 cup warm water. Allow it to cool completely.
• Step 2: Fill one cup with the salt solution and fill the 2nd cup with plain water.
• Step 3: Place one gummy bear in the salt solution and one in the plain water.
• Step 4: After a few hours, you’ll notice that the gummy bear in plain water has expanded and become very big. And the gummy bear in the salt solution has grown very little. This happens because of a process called osmosis. Gummy bears have a lot of sugar in them. The water in which it was placed tries to balance the amount of sugar in the water and in the gummy bear. As a result, the water moves into the gummy bear making it expand and grow in size. The gummy bear in the salt solution grows very little. This is because the water only moves into the gummy bear until the sugar and salt content, both inside and outside the gummy bear is balanced.

We hope you and your child enjoyed these fun and easy science experiments for toddlers at home. Check out these amazing science experiments for kids at home. For more kids learning activities and games, explore our website.

Frequently Asked Questions on Easy Science Experiments for Toddlers