22 Hands-On Digestive System Activity Ideas 

Teaching about the digestive system is a great way to plan some opportunities for students to get hands-on with their learning. This classroom unit is the perfect time to get a bit messy with some super science experiments or to take part in any other engaging activities you can incorporate into their digestive system lesson plans. 

We have gathered 22 of the most exciting digestive system activity ideas for elementary students. Read on to learn more and start exploring this fun topic with your students!

1. The Dr. Binocs Show Digestive System Video

This fun video is a fantastic introduction to the digestive system. It looks at what happens to food once it enters our bodies and covers the different stages of digestion. Use this video as a hook for your lesson or as a fun plenary. 

Learn More: Peekaboo Kidz

2. Hands-On Digesting System Experiment

This interactive activity is sure to be a memorable one as it offers a hands-on look at the digestive tract! This fun activity prompts students to replicate every stage of digestion; from ingestion to expulsion and even includes an intestine simulation using pantyhose.

Learn More: 123Homeschool4Me

3. How The Stomach Digests Food Experiment

This activity using zip-lock bags gives students a great look at what happens to the food in our stomachs during digestion. All you will need is some zip-lock bags, clear soda, and different types of food for this fun, hands-on lesson about digestion.

Learn More: Gift of Curiosity

4. Digestive System Craft

Using a straw, some string, and some paper digestive organs, students can stick all these items into an outline of a person to create this 3D model of the digestive tract! 

Learn More: Living Life and Learning

5. DIY Digestive System Demo

This demonstration shows how the digestive system processes various food mixtures from start to end using everyday household items. This is perfect to show students before they complete this activity for themselves, or to show if you don’t have the time or space to complete this interactive activity in class.

Learn More: Kristelle Marie

6. Digestive System Labeling Activity

A labeling activity is a fantastic opportunity for students to demonstrate their knowledge by identifying different digestive organs. Students could also draw their own pictures rather than label them on a pre-made worksheet.

Learn More: Pinterest

7. Where Do The Organs Belong? Worksheet

This worksheet allows students to place individual organs in the correct place in the digestive tract. They can then label the organs once they have cut them out and stuck them into the correct position.

Learn More: Worksheet Place

8. Stomach in a Bag Experiment

This fantastic activity replicates the effect that acids have in breaking down food once it enters the stomach. Using just a balloon, some water, oil, and oats, this activity is low-cost and easy to use as a resource for each learner in your whole class. 

Learn More: Gameschool Academy

9. Play Dough Digestive System Modelling 

These printable human body worksheets are the perfect resource for a whole host of creative digestive system activities. One such activity is to laminate these sheets and create a play dough mat for students to recreate a 3-D image of the digestive system.

Learn More: 123Homeschool4Me

10. Fun Digestive System Sensory Activity

This super simple sensory bag activity is perfect for younger students. Not only does it teach them about the digestive tract and where our food goes, but it also strengthens motor skills as students push the “food” through the drawn-on digestive tract. 

Learn More: Tasks Sheet Design

11. Bile Breaking Down Fat Experiment

This super experiment demonstrates the effects of stomach acid and food enzymes and how they break down fat in the digestive tract. All you will need to complete this activity is some milk, food coloring, dish soap, and a cotton ball. 

Learn More: Simple Southern

12. Digestion Game

This fun board game is a great tool to test student’s knowledge about the digestive system. Students could also create their own games in groups or as long-term homework tasks. They will then have heaps of fun playing each others’ games and seeing who knows the information the best! 

Learn More: Pinterest

13. Printable Life-Sized Organs

These printable, life-sized body organs are great for demonstrating what our digestive organs actually look like; displaying their size and where they fit into our bodies. These printables are also great for making a larger-scale display for your classroom.

Learn More: Adventure in a Box

14. Digestive System Labeling Worksheet

This printable worksheet is a cut-and-stick labeling activity that is perfect for younger learners as they get to grips with the new vocabulary involved in this topic. Learners will quickly learn the names of the digestive organs with this great resource. 

Learn More: Living Life and Learning

15. The Digestive System Educational Video

This video is an amazing watch to introduce the key facts about our digestive system and what happens to our food during digestion. You could build on this video by creating a list of comprehension questions for students to answer after viewing the video.

Learn More: Happy Learning English

16. Digestive System Crossword Printable Worksheet

This entertaining puzzle worksheet is a great way to fill some time at the end of a lesson and consolidate vocabulary learned in a lesson. This activity is a relaxing and calm plenary for older students. 

Learn More: St. George Hub

17. Digestive System Flap Book Activity

This exciting flap book activity is a fun way for students to demonstrate and display their learning about the different parts of the digestive system. You could use a specific template or let your students get creative and come up with their own designs. Under each flap, they can write facts or explain what functions specific parts carry out during the process of digestion.

Learn More: Teaching in Room 6

18. Digestive System Worksheet

This worksheet is a great activity for slightly younger students. Students need to match each picture with the organ associated with digestion, and then order the different stages of digestion. This is a super way to assess individual learning before progressing through the topic or moving on.

Learn More: Live Worksheets

19. Digestive System Apron

This apron is a super idea to complete with your students. Your students could complete one per group, using diagrams for guidance, or you could complete one yourself and have it in your classroom for students to put on and learn about where their different digestive organs are!

Learn More: Musely

20. Digestive System Quiz Video

This quiz is packed full of digestive system questions for students. This is the perfect activity to gauge understanding and knowledge of this topic. 

Learn More: Kids Scholar

21. Play Dough Anatomy Activity

This activity cleverly recycles a plastic mold commonly found when buying a bathing suit. Draw the outlines of digestive organs on the mold using a  permanent marker. Then, your students can use play dough to fill in the gaps and create the organs.

Learn More: Teach Beside Me

22. Digestive System Activity Pack

These engaging activities are a perfect addition to any lesson plan on the digestive system. This free pack has activities ranging from labeling and color-by-numbers to reading comprehension passages with questions.

Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers