62 Preschool Science Activities: Experiments, Challenges, And Crafts

As your kids approach school age, it becomes increasingly important to develop their knowledge of colors, numbers, shapes, and the alphabet. While you’re engaging them with these vital concepts, it’s also important to satisfy their need to think, create, and wonder. With these awesome science experiments, you’ll spark their curiosity about the world around them as you fill their lessons with fun-filled activities to introduce them to captivating scientific concepts.

We’ve gathered up 62 of the best science projects that are perfect for your inquisitive preschoolers and their developing minds.

1. Design Your Own Planet

Let your kiddos’ imaginations run wild as you have them create their very own planets! Allow them to use balloons, tape, glue, and construction paper to mold their worlds before inviting them to adorn their crafts with weird and wonderful colors that are indigenous to their planet. 

Learn More: Education

2. Build a Bridge

Introduce your preschoolers to the basics of engineering with this building challenge. Task them with creating bridges out of simple materials like toothpicks and marshmallows. You’ll encourage them to connect their materials together to see who can build the strongest bridge.

Learn More: Learn with Play at Home

3. Design a Catapult

Develop your little ones’ critical thinking skills with this super cool craft. Invite them to design and create catapults using popsicle sticks, rubber bands, and bottle lids before you have them test their structures by prompting them to see how far they can hurl some pom poms.

Learn More: Coffee Cups and Crayons

4. Turn Salt Into Drinking Water

Turn your class into pioneers of science with this hands-on experiment. Assist them in experimenting with different methods as they try to turn saltwater into fresh drinking water. They’ll learn basic principles that real scientists use every day, all while having a ball of a time doing it.

Learn More: Education

5. Design a Weather Calendar

Involve your children in tracking weather patterns with this collaborative classroom weather calendar. Start each morning off by inviting them to track weather conditions like rain, sun, or wind or invite them to predict what weather they think awaits them in the coming days.

Learn More: Simply Today Life

6. Make a Wind Sock

Here’s another exciting weather activity, but this one is all about wind! Engage your learners in whipping up this whimsical wind sock craft that you’ll then use to teach them about weather concepts like wind direction and wind speed.

Learn More: Stir the Wonder

7. Dissolving Peeps

Your kids are sure to love this adorable candy experiment, that’s perfect for Easter time! Using Peeps, you’ll task them with testing the acidity of different liquids like vinegar and baking soda. Allow them to place their Peeps in small containers filled with each liquid before you have them record the speed at which each piece of candy dissolves.

Learn More: Pre-K Printable Fun

8. Dissolving Jelly Beans

No Peeps on hand? No worries, here’s an alternative activity where your tots will use jelly beans. Simply have them place their beans in liquids such as soda, water, and milk before you have them observe the speed of each reaction as they watch their candies disappear.

Learn More: Pre-K Printable Fun

9. Frozen Flowers

Teach your class all about freezing points with this vibrant experiment. Start by sending them out into your schoolyard to pick out a bunch of flowers. Then, invite them back inside and have them place their flowers in water before freezing. The result? A beautiful and icy flower bouquet.

Learn More: Mombrite

10. Salt Painting

Treat your little artists to a texturally rich activity by having them design salt paintings. Prompt them to map out their designs using glue before inviting them to add in a tactile effect by sprinkling salt over their patterns. Once dried, allow them to use watercolor paint to fill their artwork with color as you watch their creations come to life!

Learn More: The Best Ideas for Kids

11. Water Refraction Experiment

Dazzle your kiddos with a little bit of scientific magic! In this easy experiment, you’ll begin by mapping out colorful strips on paper before placing it behind a glass jar. Then, encourage your class to fill each glass with different amounts of water as you invite them to observe the shape-shifting magic that occurs when the water reaches each color.

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12. Magic Moon Dough

Wow your learners with this magic moon dough that changes color when you touch it! Assist them in mixing together potato starch, flour, coconut oil, and thermochromic pigment. Once combined, you’ll spread the dough out on a flat surface before you invite them to touch it and observe how the color changes according to the warmth of their hands.

Learn More: STEAM Powered Family

13. Electric Eels

Here’s an electrifying experiment for your science aficionados. Begin by having them place gummy worms in a small glass before allowing them to soak their worms in vinegar and baking soda to spark a fizzy reaction that culminates in a glass full of “electric eels”.

Learn More: Bitz n Giggles

14. Sunscreen Paintings

Teach your littles the importance of using sunscreen with this engaging experiment. Task them with painting doodles onto black construction paper using sunscreen. Then, let them place their designs outside or in the sunlight for several hours before inviting them to observe how the sun lightens the rest of their paper leaving behind their darkened drawings.

Learn More: Team Cartwright

15. Magic Mud

This science project is sure to become a class favorite as you have your kids create Magic Mud! Task them with mixing together simple ingredients to create this glow-in-the-dark gloop and then invite them to play around with their ooze as they notice how it morphs into a solid while moving but reverts to a liquid while stable.

Learn More: YouTube

16. Straw Rockets

Using these printable templates, you’ll liven up your children’s day with this exciting activity. Simply have them cut and paste together these rocket crafts before challenging them to blow air through the straws to see who can fly their rocket the furthest.

Learn More: Artsy Fartsy Mama

17. Fireworks in a Jar

Fascinate your young minds with this colorful project. Involve them in filling a jar with water and oil before allowing them to drop in different hues of food coloring. They’ll marvel at this dazzling reaction as they watch their colors slowly separate and swirl into the water.

Learn More: I Can Teach My Child

18. Magnetic Slime

Here’s an interactive activity that’s fantastic for introducing your class to the science behind magnetism. Encourage them to create a simple mixture using liquid starch, iron oxide powder, and glue; and then allow them to hover magnets over their slime to explore how they can manipulate it using magnetism!

Learn More: Frugal Fun 4 Boys and Girls

19. Color Changing Water

This color-mixing project is perfectly tailored to your preschoolers’ growing curiosity, and it also doubles as an interactive sensory bin! Arm them with kitchen items like eye droppers, measuring spoons, and measuring cups before allowing them to use their tools to drop food coloring and glitter into the water to transform it into a colorful whirlpool.

Learn More: My Bored Toddler

20. Dancing Acorns

This fizzy experiment is sure to keep your little scientists entertained for hours. Simply place sinkable plastic items like beads or jewels in water and then task your kiddos with dropping in some Alka-Seltzer tablets. As the tablets start to dissolve they’ll notice how the chemical reaction causes their little trinkets to dance around the water.

Learn More: Teaching Ideas

21. Frozen Bubbles

Take science to the outdoors with this icy activity that’s perfect for a cold Winter’s day. Invite your tots to blow bubbles in the snow using bubble solution and straws. As each bubble is blown, prompt them to observe the speedy reaction as the icy air causes their bubble structures to crystallize.

Learn More: Fireflies and Mudpies

22. Ocean Life Experiment

Help your preschoolers visualize density with this simple ocean activity. Task them with filling an empty jar with sand, oil, and water before having them drop in some food coloring to turn their liquid into a beachy blue. They’ll notice how each substance either sinks or floats to the bottom because of the varying densities.

Learn More: Natural Beach Living

23. Wax Paper Experiment

Combine art and science in this creative project as you have your kiddos create wax paper art. Begin by having them crumple up wax paper then assist them in using an iron to transfer glossy paper into the folds. Afterward, encourage them to use watercolors and a spray bottle to adorn their canvases with color to reveal the hidden patterns.

Learn More: Housing a Forest

24. Making Borax Crystals

In this scientific project, your preschoolers will create homemade crystals. Start by combining Borax and warm water before inviting them to place colorful pipe cleaners or string in the solution. Over a few days, they’ll notice how their materials start to sparkle with an array of homemade crystals.

Learn More: The Craft Train

25. Skittles Experiment

Teach your kids about complex concepts like stratification with this edible science experiment. Task them with spreading out some colorful Skittles on a plate and then prompt them to cover their candies in warm water. They’ll notice how the color starts to seep out of the Skittles creating a sweet and intricate design.

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26. Sprouting Sweet Potato

Have your class observe scientific changes over time as you invite them to grow their own potatoes! Invite them to place toothpicks in sweet potato halves before placing them on top of containers filled with water. Throughout each day, you’ll encourage them to observe and jot down the changes they see as their sweet potato begins to sprout roots.

Learn More: Pre-K Pages

27. Dancing Corn Experiment

Here’s another fizzy experiment that you can involve your learners in. Simply have them fill a jar with corn and then allow them to pour in baking soda and vinegar to spark an instant chemical reaction, causing the corn to zoom around the jar.

Learn More: Little Bins for Little Hands

28. Cranberry Slime

Why make regular slime, when you can treat your kids to cranberry slime? In this fall-themed project, you’ll task them with mixing together cranberries, xanthan gum, and other simple ingredients to make their slime. Once complete, they’ll have an edible ooze that they can stretch and squish in any way they like.

Learn More: STEAMsational

29. Yeast Science Experiment

Have your young minds whip up these easy concoctions that make for a mesmerizing experiment. Allow them to test the reactivity of yeast by having them mix yeast into 3 types of sugar. Afterward, they’ll pour their mixtures into squeezy bottles and place a balloon over the opening to observe how the chemical reaction causes the balloons to inflate.

Learn More: Lemon Lime Adventure

30. Tin Foil Boat Challenge

Challenge your little brainiacs to work out the connection between density and floating with this creative experiment. Invite them to put together tin foil boats before you have them test their structures on water to see whether their designs float or sink.

Learn More: JDaniel4’s Mom

31. STEM Snowman

Here’s a simple experiment to test your students’ awareness of balance. Task them with creating snowmen out of paper towel rolls. Then, have them cut it into three pieces before encouraging them to balance their pieces on top of one another to make their snowman stand.

Learn More: How Wee Learn

32. Turn Milk Into Plastic!

This crazy experiment will leave your kiddos in shock as they make plastic out of milk! Invite them to mix milk, vinegar, and food coloring together before straining their mixture and leaving it to solidify. You can then engage them in using cookie cutters to create a variety of shapes with their DIY plastic.

Learn More: How Wee Learn

33. Earthworm Coding

Computer coding is fast becoming an invaluable skill in our ever-changing world. In this activity, you’ll introduce your tots to the basics of coding using adorable earthworms. Challenge them to replicate the sequences on these color-coding worksheets by having them thread colorful beads onto pipe cleaners.

Learn More: Sixth Bloom

34. Eyedropper Dot Counting

Develop your children’s counting skills in a hands-on way with this easy STEM activity. Start by drawing different-sized circles on wax paper or a laminated sheet. Then, task your learners with using eye droppers to place drops of water in the circles to see how many drops it takes to fill each one.

Learn More: Teach Beside Me

35. Geoboard Design

Dive into the world of shapes with this Geoboard activity! Start by handing out some Geoboards to your class before inviting them to fill their boards with shapes, patterns, and images by having them pull and stretch rubber bands around each raised point.

Learn More: The STEM Laboratory

36. Pool Noodle Engineering Wall

This STEM activity provides a wonderful way for you to teach your preschoolers about cause and effect. Using pool noodles, twine, and anything else you want to include you’ll engage your little geniuses in creating this wall of fun. Encourage them to create intricate pulley systems or thrilling ball reaction systems as you introduce them to the basics of engineering.

Learn More: Left Brain Craft Brain

37. Make a Bouncy Ball

Your little ones will love these homemade bouncy balls that they can make all by themselves! Assist them in mixing together borax, water, glue, and cornstarch before prompting them to add in food coloring of their choice. Once their ingredients are combined, allow them to place their mixture into molds before leaving to dry to create this interactive toy.

Learn More: The STEM Laboratory

38. Ice Excavations

Turn your classroom into a bustling excavation site with this hands-on experience. Start by freezing small toys or objects in containers to create icy fossils. Then, provide your learners with plenty of tools to allow for exploration as you encourage them to talk about their thought process of safely removing their newfound treasures.

Learn More: Lemon Lime Adventures

39. Erupting Snowballs

Trigger your kids’ senses with this interactive experiment. Engage them in crafting these pre-made frozen snowballs before having them pour vinegar over their balls to initiate a chemical reaction that will cause their snowballs to erupt.

Learn More: Learn, Play, Imagine

40. Ice Cream in a Bag

This edible science project is sure to be a big hit with your class. Have them place their tasty ingredients in a plastic bag before prompting them to add in ice and salt. Then, encourage them to shake their bags around as they watch their liquid ingredients transform into solid ice cream right before their eyes.

Learn More: Steamsational

41.  Glowing Ice Cubes

Lay a strong foundation for your future scientists with this dazzling activity. Invite them to whip up two batches of ice cubes by having them put tonic water in one batch and normal water in the other. Once completely frozen, allow them to observe the difference that the tonic water makes by shining a black light on their ice cubes.

Learn More: Go Science Girls

42. Grow Your Own Rainbow

This simple and easy experiment only requires a few tools, but makes for a load of fun! Engage your kiddos in coloring the edges of a paper towel before allowing them to insert each side into two glasses of water. They’ll soon see how the water travels through the paper towel to reveal a beautiful rainbow.

Learn More: Mombrite

43. Make Your Own Tornado

In this mesmerizing experiment, your students will create tornadoes right in your classroom! Encourage them to combine a few ingredients like dish soap and water in a jar before prompting them to give their jars a good swirl – watching as their colorful tornado starts to take form.

Learn More: Growing A Jeweled Rose

44. Magnetic Exploration

Here’s another magnetic science activity that’s sure to get your young minds thinking. Simply invite them to conduct an experiment where they’ll find out whether different objects are magnetic or not. Split them into small groups, challenge them to make predictions, and then have them use magnets to test each item.

Learn More: PreKinders

45. Bubble Pop Or Not?

Pique your littles’ interest in science with these magical bubbles. Using a special solution of sugar, dish soap, and water you’ll entertain them with these super strong bubbles that are virtually unpoppable!

Learn More: Team Cartright

46. Cloud Scout

In this engaging activity, your class will explore the skies as you teach them about different clouds. Simply have them put together this adorable Cloud Spotter tool before you prompt them to raise it to the skies and identify various cloud types.

Learn More: Red Ted Art 

47. Make Your Own Spectroscope

Treat your young minds to a new science tool by having them create spectroscopes. Challenge them to put their instrument together by having them use recycled materials. You’ll then invite them to gaze through their contraption as you introduce them to the science behind light and prisms.

Learn More: Buggy and Buddy

48. Explore Your Food

Dive into this food adventure as you invite your little learners to learn more about the foods we eat. Challenge them to sort and classify seeds that can be found in different fruits and vegetables. While they’re busy, you can even engage them in a discussion about which seeds are safe to eat and which seeds are not.

Learn More: Preschool Toolkit

49. Instant Ice

Your kiddos will learn about the movement of energy between solids, liquids, and gasses in this magical experiment. Task them with combining baking soda and vinegar to create sodium acetate, also known as hot ice. Afterward, have them pour this solution on a flat surface to leave behind a solid trail of instant ice!

Learn More: Frugal Fun 4 Boys

50. Parachute Experiments

In this interactive project, you’ll challenge your little brainiacs to create DIY parachutes. Invite them to piece together their craft using plastic garbage bags, string, and plastic cups. Then, encourage them to test their designs in different wind conditions while also amping up the challenge by adding on differing weights

Learn More: Deceptively Educational

51. Model of the Heart

This captivating craft is great for engaging your kids in a human body unit. Using simple materials, they’ll create a makeshift heart before you task them with physically pumping their contraption to observe how the heart works to pump blood throughout our bodies.

Learn More: Team Cartright

52. Static Butterflies

While your preschoolers may not understand all the details behind static electricity, this creative project provides a fantastic way to introduce them to the basics. Using construction paper, task them with gluing a butterfly body onto cardboard before adding on some tissue paper wings. Afterward, allow them to rub a balloon on various materials to see if they’ve generated enough electricity to move their butterfly’s wings. 

Learn More: I Heart Crafty Things

53. Pumpkin Exploration

Lead your pupils into a scientific exploration of a pumpkin, perfect for a Halloween-themed science lesson. Engage them in analyzing different parts of these iconic and spooky decorations, from seeds to fibrous strands and flesh.

Learn More: Early Learning Ideas

54. Make Rain in a Jar

In this captivating activity, you’ll entertain your children with science as you have them create rain in a jar. Simply prompt them to fill their jars with water before covering it with a layer of shaving cream to create clouds. Then, invite them to drop blue food coloring over the shaving cream and watch as the color seeps through the clouds and into the water.

Learn More: Mrs. Jones’ Creation Station

55. Leaf Breathing

Did your kiddos know that leaves can breathe? In this activity, you’ll introduce them to the science behind photosynthesis by first having them place leaves in water. They’ll soon begin to notice little air bubbles forming, sparking a discussion on how plants are able to turn carbon dioxide into oxygen.

Learn More: KC Adventures

56. Water Candle Experiment 

Walk your preschoolers through the scientific method with this hands-on experiment. Invite them to place a lit candle on a layer of colored water. Then, allow them to provide you with hypotheses of what they think will happen when you place a jar over the candle.

Learn More: Mombrite

57. Sink or Float in Your Cork Boat

Treat your students to this hands-on experience as you task them with building unsinkable boats! Challenge them to use cork and other materials to build their boats before you invite them to set sail as they test their designs out on the water.

Learn More: 2 Paws Designs

58. Pencil Bag Magic

Entertain your class with this captivating optical illusion! Start by having them fill zipper bags with water before sealing. Then, arm them with sharpened pencils and invite them to quickly poke them through their bags. It’s a great way to engage them in some scientific magic as you prompt a discussion of how the pencils and plastic work together to stop any leaks.

Learn More: Hello Wonderful

59. Melt Your Colors

Here’s another activity that’s perfect for a states of matter lesson. Allow your kids to place old crayon chunks onto a piece of cardboard before having them place their designs in the sun. As the sun starts to heat up the crayons they’ll eventually start to melt – turning solid to liquid and also creating great examples of thermal artwork.

Learn More: Coffee Cups and Crayons

60. Seasons Themed Sensory Bottles

This creative project makes a great craft to end off lessons on seasons and weather. Invite your children to put together their very own sensory bottles by first prompting them to pick a theme. They’ll then fill their bottles with food coloring and little decorations to mimic the characteristics of their chosen season or weather pattern.

Learn More: Tea in the Wild

61. Make Your Own Dinosaur Fossils

Inspire the future archeologists in your class with this fossil-making activity. Task them with pressing small dinosaur toys into salt dough before gently lifting up to reveal their impressions. You’ll then place their fossil discs in the oven to set their dino prints in stone.

Learn More: Make Life Lovely

62. Magic Milk Experiment

Art and science combine in this whimsical activity! Start by filling a bowl with milk before encouraging your preschoolers to drop in some food coloring. Then, allow them to use cotton buds to swirl the colors around to create a colorful tapestry of fluid patterns.

Learn More: Natural Beach Living