With the changes in our communities lately, perhaps you are choosing to homeschool your children this year. Teaching children from home can be wonderful… and daunting. You may find yourself with busy little kids eager to learn with hands-on activities. This brings up the question, “How will I ever think of enough educational projects to keep my children entertained?” To ease your burden, we put together a list of the best at-home science experiments! These science experiments will be a perfect addition to your classroom (or living room that's now a makeshift classroom). The projects will inspire creativity in your kids and teach them the principles of science.

Magic Milk

This experiment is a great way to demonstrate chemical reactions. The dish soap molecules are attracted to the milk’s fat molecules, creating a reaction. Faszinierend!!

To make magic milk here are the things you will need:

• Milk
• Shallow dish
• Food coloring
• Dish soap
• Cotton swab
• Watercolor paper

Start by pouring milk into the shallow dish. You will want just enough to cover the bottom. Next, drip food coloring into the milk. You can add in several different colors for a multi-colored finished product. Once droplets are scattered in the milk, dip the cotton swab into the dish soap. Tap the dish soap cotton swab into the center of the food coloring droplets. Watch the magical reaction this causes! Finally, take your paper and carefully soak it on the milk’s surface. Remove your paper and admire your artwork! 

Elephant Toothpaste

This is another great chemistry demonstration. The hydrogen peroxide starts breaking down into water and oxygen when it comes into contact with the yeast. Then, the dish soap traps the oxygen bubbles, making a foam.

To make Elephant Toothpaste here are the things you will need:

• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Dish Soap
• Food Coloring
• Dry Yeast (1 tbsp.)
• Warm Water (3 tbsp.)
• Water bottle

To make the paste, pour hydrogen peroxide into the water bottle (you don’t need a lot.. fill the bottle about 1/8 full). Add a squirt of dish soap to the hydrogen peroxide followed by droplets of food coloring. Let the food coloring drip down the inside walls of the bottle. Separately combine the yeast and warm water. Finally, add the yeast mixture into the water bottle. Watch as this reaction creates a colorful foam!

Lava Lamp

Making a lava lamp is a great way to teach kids about density; oil and water don’t like to mix.

To make a lava lamp here are the things you will need:

• Vegetable oil
• Water
• Food coloring
• Alka-Seltzer tablets
• Jar or bottle

To make a lava lamp, start by filling your jar or bottle with 2 parts oil and 1 part water. Add in a few drops of food coloring. Break the Alka-Selzer tablet into 1/4 and drop each piece in as needed. Watch your concoction bubble into a lava lamp!

Slime

Slime Slime Slippery Slime. This gooey goodness is fun to make but even more fun for little kids to play with when it is created!

To make slime here are the things you will need:

• 8oz bottle of white school glue
• 1 Tbsp. baking soda
• 2 Tbsp. contact saline solution
• Food coloring
• Bowl

To make slime empty the bottle of glue and a few drops of food coloring into a bowl. Mix in baking soda and contact saline solution. Keep stirring until the contents are completely mixed. After everything is mixed, kneed the slime with your hands until it no longer sticks to your fingers.TA-DA! You have slime! Pull your slime out of the bowl and store it in a ziplock bag or covered container.

Ice Cream

Want to teach your kids about how energy transforms states of matter? This is the perfect experiment for you. Ice cream in a bag is simple to make and an experiment you actually get to eat! Hooray!

To make ice cream in a bag here are the things you will need:

• 1 c. half-and-half
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 c. Ice
• 1/3 c. salt
• Plastic bag (small and large)

To make ice cream combine half-and-half, sugar, and vanilla into a small plastic bag. Let your kids get creative with this experiment. They can throw in any extras they want: sprinkles, gummy bears, skittles, red hots, popcorn, last years Halloween candy, or dad’s m&m’s. In the large plastic bag combine ice and salt. Now, place the small plastic bag inside the big bag. Hand this to your kiddos and let them shake the bag vigorously for about 10 minutes. They can make up a fun dance to get their wiggles out and shake the ice cream at the same time.

Balloon Car

An engineering project is superb for a slow Thursday afternoon. This experiment will teach kids tips and tricks as to how ‘things work’. Finish up your lunch and save your juice box for a fun engineering project!

To make a Ballon Car here are the things you will need:

• Juice Box
• Balloon
• Plastic straw
• Rubber band
• Toothpick
• 4 Water bottle caps
• Tape
• Coins

To configure your car, you will need to begin by poking small holes into each of the water bottle caps and fasten one to each end of a toothpick. Now that you have 2 axels with attached wheels, lightly tape the toothpicks (axels) to the bottom of the juice box. Tape the straw to the bottom of the juice box. Add coins as weight if needed. Slide the balloon onto the straw and fasten it to the straw with the rubber band. As soon as the race track is set up, blow into the straw to fill the balloon and watch your little racers zoom to the finish line!

Shaving Cream Clouds

Did you know that clouds are really a big cluster of tiny drops of water? Cirrus, Cumulonimbus, Stratocumulus, and Stratus clouds are commonly seen from our backyards. But why do they rain and how? This fun experiment will demonstrate the water cycle.

To make Saving Cream Clouds here are the things you will need:

• Jar or vase
• Water
• White shaving cream
• Blue food coloring
• Dropper

To create the clouds, fill the jar about 3/4 full of water and the remainder with shaving cream. In a separate bowl, dilute a few drops of food coloring into a small amount of water. Fill the dropper up with this blue solution- this will be your ice crystals. Slowly drop the blue solution into the shaving cream. Your kids can watch as the ‘cloud’ becomes heavy with ‘ice crystals’ and beings to rain!

 Click here to watch a fun video that teaches more about the water cycle. 

Invisible Ink

Because every child needs detective training, try out writing messages in invisible ink! This project teaches children about oxidation and chemical reactions to heat.

To make invisible ink messages here are the things you will need:

• Lemon Juice
• Bowl
• Water
• Cotton swab
• Paper
• Lamp

Begin by squeezing lemon juice into a bowl with a few drops of water. Use the cotton swab as a pen, dipping it into the lemon mixture to write a message on paper. When your kids are ready to read the secret message they have written or received, hold the paper close to the lamp and let it heat up. Voila! You have decoded a secret message.

We hope you enjoy these fun experiments! If you have any other science experiments you would recommend, we would love for you to share them in the comments below.