Looking for fun and easy biology experiments for kids? Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or homeschooler, these hands-on activities make learning biology exciting! Kids will love these interactive science experiments and printables, from building candy DNA models to exploring plant growth.
What is Biology?
Biology is the study of living things. It helps us understand how plants, animals, and even tiny microbes function. Biologists explore everything from how our bodies work to how different species interact in ecosystems. Studying biology is like reading the fascinating story of life on Earth!
Why is Biology Important for Kids?
- Understanding Life: Biology teaches kids how living things function, from plants to humans.
- Respect for Nature: It fosters appreciation for the environment and conservation efforts.
- Healthy Living: Kids learn about nutrition, exercise, and how their bodies work.
- Encouraging Curiosity: Biology inspires kids to ask questions and explore the world around them.
- Environmental Awareness: It introduces important topics like climate change and sustainability.
Biology Experiments & Activities
Look through the selection of hands-on biology experiments, investigations, and activities below. Many have free printables available for download.
💡 Join us in the STEM club for easy access to all our printables, including exclusive ones!
Recomended Grade Level: These biology experiments are great for elementary to middle school students (Grades K-8), with simpler activities for younger kids and more in-depth investigations for older students.
Download and save this handy biology experiments guide and science process pack for your next science lesson!
Plant Biology Experiments
- Explore Plant Growth – Investigate what plants need to grow.
- Seed Germination Jar – Observe how seeds sprout and grow roots inside a clear jar.
- Color Celery Experiment – See how water travels through plants.
- Flower Dissection – Identify flower parts with a printable diagram.
- Leaf Chromatography – Discover hidden pigments in leaves.
- Make a Mini Greenhouse – Watch plant life cycles unfold in plastic bottles.
- Test for Starch – Use iodine to detect stored energy in plants.
- Investigate Osmosis – Investigate how water moves through cells. Set up a potato lab, gummy bear experiment, or an egg osmosis investigation.
- Playdough Plant Cell Model – Create a fun and interactive model of a plant cell using playdough.
- Photosynthesis Chlorophyll Prints – Learn about photosynthesis and chlorophyll with this STEAM project.
- Observe Transpiration: Set up a simple experiment to see how plants lose water through their leaves.
💡Explore all of our plant experiments for kids here.
Human Body & Health Science
- Make a Heart Model – Show how the heart pumps blood.
- Test Your Heart Rate – Measure pulse before and after exercise.
- Build a Lung Model – Demonstrate how we breathe using balloons and straws.
- Reaction Time Experiment – Test how quickly your brain and muscles respond to stimuli.
- Stroop Test – Explore how the brain processes conflicting information in a fun cognitive challenge.
- Wingspan Investigation – Measure and compare wingspans to study proportional relationships in biology.
- Color Affect Taste Test – Discover how color influences our perception of flavor and taste.
- Five Senses Exploration – Engage in hands-on activities to explore sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch.
DNA & Microbiology
- Extract DNA from Strawberries – A fun genetics experiment.
- Build a Candy DNA Model – Visualize the double helix with candy.
- Grow Mold on Bread – Test the effects of handwashing on germs.
- Sugar and Yeast Experiment – Observe how yeast consumes sugar and produces carbon dioxide, demonstrating fermentation.
- Baking Bread Experiment – Explore how yeast and fermentation contribute to the rising of bread, demonstrating microbiology in action.
🔎 Take a look at our Microbiology Science Fair Experiments here.
Animal Science & Ecology
- Create an Animal Habitat Diorama – Explore different environments.
- Animal Classification Activity – Sort animals by traits.
- Test Animal Adaptations – Investigate camouflage and hibernation.
- Dissect an Owl Pellet – Identify the remains of small prey animals.
- Edible Butterfly Life Cycle – Create a delicious model of a butterfly’s life cycle using snacks.
- How Fish Breathe – Explore how gills help fish extract oxygen from water.
- How Squid Move – Investigate jet propulsion and how squid propel themselves through water.
- Animal Classification Activity – Sort animals by traits.
💡Explore all of our Animal Activities for kids here, including more life cycles worksheets.
Printable Biology Worksheets
- Animal Adaptations – Learn how animals develop traits to survive in their environments.
- Animal Classification – Sort animals into categories based on their characteristics.
- Migration – Explore how and why animals travel across different regions.
- Hibernation – Learn about animals that hibernate and how they survive the winter.
- Animal and Plant Needs – Discover what all living things require to grow and thrive.
- Diurnal and Nocturnal Animals – Compare animals that are active during the day vs. the night.
- Biomes – Learn about different habitats and the species that live there.
- Nitrogen Cycle – Study how nitrogen moves through ecosystems.
- Carbon Cycle – Understand the process of carbon transfer in nature.
- DNA – Explore the double helix structure with a fun coloring activity.
- Food Chains – Learn how energy moves through an ecosystem.
- Living and Non-Living – Sort and classify objects based on their characteristics.
- 3D Plant Cell Diorama – Build a three-dimensional model of a plant cell to explore its structures and functions. Also try our Plant Cell STEAM project.
- 3D Animal Cell Diorama – Create a 3D representation of an animal cell to learn about its organelles and their roles. Also try our Animal Cell STEAM project.
- Photosynthesis – Discover how plants convert sunlight into energy.
- Pollinators – Explore the role of insects in plant reproduction.
- Reptiles – Learn about cold-blooded animals and their unique traits.
- Vertebrates and Invertebrates – Differentiate between animals with and without backbones.
- Why Do Leaves Change Color? – Investigate the seasonal changes in plants.
How to Set Up a Biology Project
🔎 Want to turn one of these fun biology activities into a science fair project? Follow these simple steps:
- Choose a Topic – Pick an interesting biology question.
- Research & Make a Hypothesis – Predict what will happen.
- Experiment & Collect Data – Perform the activity and observe results.
- Make a Science Fair Board – Present findings with graphs and pictures.
- Present Your Findings – Explain what you learned!
Fun Biology Questions to Explore
- What are the 5 senses, and how do they work?
- How do plants make their own food?
- How do animals adapt to their environment?
- What does the heart do in our body?
- How do bees help plants grow?
- How do animals communicate with each other?
More Biology Topics for Kids
Plants & Photosynthesis
- Learn about plant parts and functions.
- Discover how plants use sunlight for food.
- Investigate how leaves change color in the fall.
Animals & Adaptations
- Study how animals survive in different habitats.
- Explore camouflage, hibernation, and migration.
- Investigate the role of enzymes in digestion.
Human Body & Organ Systems
- Investigate how organs work together.
- Learn about bones, muscles, and the five senses.
- Explore the function of the lungs and how they help us breathe.
Life Cycles of Living Things
- Observe how insects, amphibians, and plants grow.
- Explore metamorphosis and seed germination.
- Study the butterfly life cycle.
Habitats & Ecosystems
- Understand how living things depend on each other.
- Explore food chains and food webs.
- Investigate different ecosystems and their role in nature.
Microscopic Life & Cells
- Discover bacteria and other tiny organisms.
- Learn about plant and animal cells.
- Study mitosis and how cells divide.
- Observe microbes using agar plates and petri dishes.
Biology Life Cycle Activities
- Life Cycle Bug Play Dough Mats
- Ladybug Life Cycle
- Frog Life Cycle
- Butterfly Life Cycle
- Penguin Life Cycle
- Bean Sprout Life Cycle
- Plant Life Cycle
- Bee Life Cycle
- Earthworm Life Cycle
- Pine Tree Life Cycle
- Reindeer Life Cycle and Facts
Printable Science Projects For Kids
If you’re looking to grab all of our printable science projects in one convenient place plus exclusive worksheets and bonuses like a STEAM Project pack, our Science Project Pack is what you need! Over 300+ Pages!
- 90+ classic science activities with journal pages, supply lists, set up and process, and science information. NEW! Activity-specific observation pages!
- Best science practices posters and our original science method process folders for extra alternatives!
- Be a Collector activities pack introduces kids to the world of making collections through the eyes of a scientist. What will they collect first?
- Know the Words Science vocabulary pack includes flashcards, crosswords, and word searches that illuminate keywords in the experiments!
- My science journal writing prompts explore what it means to be a scientist!!
- Bonus STEAM Project Pack: Art meets science with doable projects!
- Bonus Quick Grab Packs for Biology, Earth Science, Chemistry, and Physics.
