Skip to content
Back to Blog
Science

5 Easy Science Experiments You Can Do at Home

4 min read

A close-up of an egg covered in carbon dioxide bubbles during a kitchen chemistry reaction
Carbon dioxide bubbles form during a kitchen chemistry reaction, the same gas-producing reaction at work in several of these experiments.

You do not need a lab coat or expensive equipment to do real science. Many of the best experiments for kids use household items like vinegar, paper towels, and sparkling water.

Each experiment includes materials, steps, and a plain-language explanation so you can talk about what your child observed.

Time needed
30-45 minutes for all five
Best age range
Ages 5 and up, with adult help for younger kids
Adult supervision
Yes, especially for the Egg in a Bottle experiment, which uses fire
What kids will learn
chemical reactions, gas pressure, density, and capillary action
Safety note
An adult must light the match and supervise the egg experiment closely

1. Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano

Chemistry

Materials

  • 1/2 cup baking soda
  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • A few drops of dish soap
  • Food coloring (optional)
  • A cup or bowl

Steps

  1. Put baking soda in the cup.
  2. Add dish soap and food coloring.
  3. Pour in vinegar and step back.
  4. Watch the foam erupt.

The Science

Baking soda and vinegar react to produce carbon dioxide gas. Dish soap traps the bubbles and makes foam.

2. Dancing Raisins

Physics

Materials

  • A clear glass
  • Sparkling water or clear soda
  • A handful of raisins

Steps

  1. Fill the glass with sparkling water.
  2. Drop in a few raisins.
  3. Watch for several minutes.

The Science

Carbon dioxide bubbles stick to the raisins, lift them up, pop at the surface, and let them sink again.

3. Homemade Lava Lamp

Chemistry & Physics

Materials

  • A clear bottle
  • Vegetable oil
  • Water
  • Alka-Seltzer tablets
  • Food coloring

Steps

  1. Fill the bottle mostly with oil.
  2. Add water and food coloring.
  3. Drop in a small tablet piece.

The Science

Oil and water do not mix. Gas bubbles carry colored water upward, then release it so it falls again.

4. Paper Towel Chromatography

Chemistry

Materials

  • Paper towel or coffee filter
  • Washable markers
  • A cup of water
  • Scissors

Steps

  1. Cut a paper strip.
  2. Draw a marker dot near the bottom.
  3. Dip only the bottom edge in water.
  4. Watch colors separate.

The Science

Ink is made of multiple pigments. Water carries them up the paper at different speeds, separating the colors.

5. The Egg in a Bottle

Physics

Materials

  • A peeled hard-boiled egg
  • A glass bottle
  • A small piece of paper
  • Matches with adult supervision

Steps

  1. Light the paper and drop it in the bottle.
  2. Place the egg on the opening.
  3. Watch the air pressure push it in.

The Science

The flame heats air inside the bottle. When it cools, pressure drops inside and outside air pressure pushes the egg through.

Making It Stick

After each experiment, ask your child to draw what happened and write one sentence about why. Explaining it to someone else turns a fun moment into real understanding.

Want more detail on the Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano? See our full project guide with photos and troubleshooting tips.

Workshop Connection

At our workshops, students have debated why the raisins kept sinking and rising in the Dancing Raisins experiment for almost ten minutes, longer than it took to set up. That kind of argument is exactly the goal.

About the Author

Enqi Qi

Avanza STEM volunteer

Enqi volunteers with Avanza STEM and helps plan the science and math activities used in our workshop sessions.

Back to Blog