At-Home Science Projects for Young Children

Young children are very curious, and also learn through hands-on experiences. With these three easy at-home science experiments, you can help your preschooler learn basic science concepts such as problem-solving and observation. It’s a great way to help your child learn more about their world while spending fun quality time together.

Try these science project experiments at home today:

Turning Grapes into Raisins

Kids love eating grapes and raisins, but learning about how one food transforms into another can be exciting for a child. For this experiment, you’ll need about three days of sunny weather.

Take some clean, fresh grapes, and make sure they’re completely dry. Have your child pick out the best ones and place them on a baking tray. Cover the tray with a kitchen towel, and leave outside in a sunny area for two to three days, ensuring it stays dry. You can also bring the tray in overnight. Check the raisins and discard any that may have rotted. This experiment is an ideal opportunity to help your child understand evaporation caused by the sun’s heat.

Here are some observations you and your child can make: How are the grapes changing? Are the raisins getting smaller and lighter?

Water Displacement Experiment

Your child can learn about buoyancy, volume, and mass with items you already have at home. You’ll need a transparent jar or large bowl, and several small objects such as coins, toy cars, and stones. Fill the container with a medium amount of water,  mark the level of the water on the container. Have your child place the objects into the container one by one.

While the water level rises, you and your child can make observations and ask questions together.  For example: Are the stones heavier than the coins? How many of each object does it take to make the water overflow the container? Does the size of the item make a difference?

Catching Bugs with Fruit

Is your child interested in insects and living creatures? This science experiment is a great way to understand how they live and behave – and it requires just a grapefruit. Even a child who seems indifferent about insects might feel curious enough to participate, and they can observe from a distance if they’re unsure.

Ask questions about the sorts of insects you might see, and why they seem to like the fruit. You can discuss the insects themselves, such as, “How do you think all those legs help it?” Your child will begin to think more about other creatures and how they behave.

You can learn more about this insect science experiment here.

Helping your child learn basic science concepts can be easy, fun, and budget-friendly. Try these three science projects to help your young child develop their science and problem-solving skills.