Easy Homeschool Science Experiments Using Kitchen Ingredients
Science doesn’t need special equipment or ingredients that are impossible to find. Keep things simple and you’ll enjoy these Easy Homeschool Science Experiments Using Kitchen Ingredients. I’m all about making science doable, practical, and yes, fun. The truth is, some of our best experiments have come straight from the pantry.
If you haven’t checked it out yet, look at my Simple Homeschool Science Experiments. It has even more hands-on activities you can try using what you already have around the house.
Keep reading to find helpful tips, practical resources, and a list of engaging kitchen science activities your kids can immediately try.
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Benefits of Kitchen Science
Kitchen science is one of the easiest ways to teach core ideas without stress. It’s interactive, sensory-rich, and uses ingredients already in the cupboards.
- Everyday items like baking soda or vinegar can demonstrate chemical reactions, helping kids understand that science is happening around them.
- Kids of all ages enjoy seeing “magic” happen before their eyes, making each experiment more memorable.
- It builds confidence to try more experiments using simple tools, encouraging independent exploration and hands-on learning.
See how to teach homeschool science without the overwhelm with tips and tricks in my 10 day series.
My Favorite Science Books
I like keeping a few reference science books on hand that offer bite-sized facts, diagrams, and quick explanations. They make it easy for me to answer questions on the fly and give context to what we’re observing.
Awesome Kitchen Science Experiments for Kids: 50 STEAM Projects You Can Eat! (Awesome STEAM Activities for Kids)Usborne Science Encyclopedia: An In-depth Guide for Young Scientists Exploring Gravity, Flight, Genes, DNA and More, with Over 180 Video Clips and 1000 Recommended Websites for Further LearningThe Kingfisher Science EncyclopediaNational Geographic Kids Science Encyclopedia: Atom Smashing, Food Chemistry, Animals, Space, and More!First Science Encyclopedia (DK First Reference)The Elements Book: A Visual Encyclopedia of the Periodic Table (DK Our World in Pictures)
Easy Homeschool Science Experiments Using Kitchen Ingredients
You don’t need to run to the store for these activities. Most require just a few ingredients and minimal prep, which is always a win for busy moms. These are some of the ones I keep returning to because they work for a wide range of ages.
Dancing Popcorn Experiment: This is a fun one to show motion and bubbles at work. Just grab some baking soda, vinegar, and popcorn kernels. Kids love watching the kernels float up and down like they’re dancing in the jar.
What it Teaches: This shows the reaction between baking soda and vinegar, which creates carbon dioxide gas. That gas forms bubbles that attach to the popcorn, lifting it. Once the bubbles pop, the popcorn sinks, making it a great way to explain gas and buoyancy.
Recommended Science Printables
I use printable packs when I want to stretch an activity across several days or subjects. They help organize our thoughts and give my kids a chance to write and draw what they observed.
Lemon Volcanoes Experiment: We did this one on a rainy afternoon, and it quickly became a favorite. It’s colorful and fizzy and teaches chemical reactions without being messy. Lemons, food coloring, and baking soda are all you need.
What it Teaches: This is perfect for discussing acids and bases. The citric acid in the lemon reacts with the baking soda to produce carbon dioxide. It also shows how some reactions are faster depending on the ingredients used.
Floating Egg Science Experiment: This one is a classic and great for discussing density. Just salt and water can change how an egg behaves. It’s a good one when you need a quick win.
What it Teaches: It teaches the concept of density and how salt affects water’s ability to support weight. It’s an easy visual for understanding how things float or sink, and it’s great for encouraging kids to make predictions before adding more salt.
Recommended STEM Kits
While I love using what I have at home, I keep a few STEM kits around for days when I need something more open-and-go. They often come with instructions and parts that save me prep time.
110 Lab Experiments Science Kits for Kids – STEM Projects Educational Scientific Toys for kids 6 7 8 9 10 12 Years Old, Christmas Birthday Gifts for Boys and Girls, Chemistry Set, Learning & EducationNational Geographic Kids Junior Chemistry Set – Complete Early Learning Lab Kit with 50 Science Experiments and 20+ Lab Tools for Kids Aged 4-6Science Magnets Experiment Set for Kids Electricity and Magnetism Kit for Students Stem Kit Physics Lab Basic Circuit Tools for Learning StarterJapace 100+ Experiments Science Kit for Kids, Cool Boy Christmas Birthday Gift Ideas, Chemistry and Physics Set STEM Toys for Boys GirlsDoctor Jupiter My First Science Kit for Kids Ages 4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 | Birthday, Easter Gift Ideas for 4+ Year Old Boys & Girls | STEM Learning & Educational Toys | Preschool Learning ActivitiesScientific Explorer My First Mind Blowing Science Experiment Kit, 11 Mind Blowing Science Activities and Experiments (Ages 6+)
Simple Magic Skittles Experiment: This experiment is all about patterns and color. We tried it several times, and my kids love arranging the candy differently to see what happens. It also leads to good discussions about solubility.
What it Teaches: Explains how water dissolves sugar coatings and lets you observe how the dye spreads. You can talk about solubility and molecular movement. The color patterns grab your kids’ attention.
Earthquake Science Experiment by Science Sparks: This one is great for discussing earth science. Using basic pantry items, you can simulate different building designs and test how they hold up in an earthquake. We built our structures using toothpicks and marshmallows.
What it Teaches: Introduces engineering and structural strength. You can discuss how different shapes and materials withstand stress. It ties nicely into earth science discussions.
Safety and Clean-up Tips
- Use trays or baking sheets: I always set up our experiments on a tray. It keeps the mess contained and makes clean-up fast.
- Supervise at all times: Even when the activity seems easy, I stay nearby. Sometimes kids want to test their ideas, and I want to ensure they do that safely.
- Keep clean-up supplies handy: My go-tos are paper towels and a damp cloth. I like having them right next to us so we can wipe up any spills.
Ideas for Follow-Up Questions or Extensions
Here are some easy ways to take your kitchen science a step further and get even more learning out of it.
- Ask your child to teach the experiment to a sibling or friend. Explaining it to someone else helps solidify their understanding.
- Try the experiment again using a different ingredient and see if the results change. It helps children learn how one variable can shift an outcome.
- Ask your kids to draw a before-and-after picture of the experiment. This gives them a visual way to reflect on what changed.
- Create a short story or comic based on the experiment. It encourages creativity and reinforces the science concept in a new format.
- Use measurement tools to record exact amounts and changes. This adds a math element and builds observation skills.
Printable Experiment Recording Sheet
When we started doing science at home, I made a simple worksheet for my kids to write down what they saw. It helped them stay focused and gave us something to reflect on later.
This printable includes clear spaces to write down the experiment’s objective, materials, hypothesis, steps, and dedicated sections to draw observations and summarize what happened. It’s a simple yet effective way to keep track of hands-on learning without overcomplicating things.
You can download the printable experiment sheet at the bottom of the post, which works for most experiments. It’s easy to reuse and fits into a science binder or portfolio.
More Science Experiments To Try
If your kids enjoyed these, there are even more simple activities to try using items from your kitchen, garage, or craft supplies. You can create a whole week of fun learning without extra shopping.
- How to Make Super Bubbles
- Hovercraft Science Experiment
- How to Grow a Crystal
- Melting Rainbow Preschool Science Experiment by Darcy and Brian
- Ocean Science Experiments by Homeschool Preschool
Science doesn’t have to be a chore. You can make science lessons feel natural and engaging at home with basic ingredients and a few easy ideas.