Chemistry is so much fun, and we have tons of cool chemistry experiments to share with you. Like our awesome physics experiments, we decided we needed to put together a list of fun chemistry projects kids can do at home or in the classroom. Check out these examples of easy chemical reactions below!

Chemistry is cool and we have the coolest chemistry activities for kids to share with you. Just like our awesome physics activities, we decided we needed to put together a chemistry experiments checklist for you. Don't miss a single experiment because each one is totally unique and yes, very cool too. We love homemade science.Pin

Easy Chemistry Projects For Kids

Here you will find over 30 simple chemistry experiments for kindergarten, preschoolers, and elementary kids to enjoy at home or in the classroom. The only difficulty will be deciding which science experiment you want to try.

Below you will find a fun mixture {no pun intended} of chemistry activities that include chemical reactions, mixing saturated solutions, acid and bases, exploring the solubility of both solids and liquids, growing crystals, making slime, and so much more!

Our science experiments are designed with you, the parent or teacher, in mind! Easy to set up, and quick to do, most activities take only 15 to 30 minutes to complete, and are heaps of fun.

Plus, our supply lists usually contain only free or cheap materials you can source from home. Any of these chemistry experiments below would be great for chemistry at home.

Chemistry At Home

Can you do cool chemistry experiments at home? You bet! Is it hard? Nope!

What do you need to get started? Simply get up, walk into the kitchen, and start rummaging through cupboards. You will surely find some or all of the supplies you will need for these chemistry projects below.

Check out our list of must-have simple supplies for a science kit and a slime kit.

These chemistry experiments work well with multiple age groups, from preschool to elementary and beyond. Our activities have also been readily used with special needs groups in high school and young adult programs. Provide more or less adult supervision depending on your kids’ abilities!

Read on to find out our favorite chemistry experiments you can do in the classroom or at home that are totally doable and make sense for kids in grades K-5! You can also review our lists for specific grades below.

Suggestion: Make a lemon battery for older kiddos and explore a lemon volcano with younger kiddos!

Chemistry For Preschoolers

Let’s keep it basic for our younger or junior scientists! Chemistry is all about how different materials are put together and what they are made up of, like atoms and molecules.

What can you do with your youngest scientists? While working 1-1 or in a very small group is ideal, you can explore chemistry in a few fun ways that don’t require a lengthy setup or a lot of directions to follow. Do NOT overcomplicate the ideas!

Take, for example, our very first baking soda science experiment (age 3). So simple to set up, but so lovely to watch the amazement on my son’s face.

Check out these fun ways for preschoolers to explore science…

  • Make liquid mixtures! Mix water and oil in a jar, let it rest, and observe what happens.
  • Make solid mixtures! Mix two solid items and observe the changes!
  • Mix a solid and a liquid! Add ice to a drink and observe the changes!
  • Make a reaction! Set up a tray with baking soda in small cups and colored vinegar in small cups with pipettes. Mix and observe!
  • Make oobleck! Mix cornstarch and water for a weird and messy science activity.
  • Explore characteristics of things! Use new science words to describe how different materials feel. Explore squishy, hard, rough, smooth, wet, etc…

Much of preschool science is about you sharing new experiences with them that are relatable and simple. Ask questions, share new words, and offer verbal prompts to get them to communicate with you about what they see!

Chemistry Science Fair Projects

Science projects are an excellent tool for older kiddos to show what they know about science! Plus, they can be used in all sorts of environments including classrooms, homeschool, and groups.

Kids can take everything they have learned about using the scientific method, stating a hypothesis, choosing variables, and analyzing and presenting data.

Want to turn one of these fun chemistry experiments into a science project? Then you will want to check out these helpful resources.

Bonus: States of Matter Experiments

Explore solids, liquids, and gasses through various simple science experiments. Plus look for a fantastic free printable pack to go along with your states of matter lesson plans.

65 Chemistry Experiments You Want To Try

We have divided our chemistry experiments below into chemical reactions, acids, and bases, chromatography, solutions, polymers, and crystals. You’ll find that some experiments also explore concepts in physics.

Chemical Reactions

A chemical reaction is a process where two or more substances react together to form a new chemical substance. This might look like a gas formed, cooking or baking, milk souring, etc.

Sometimes a physical change occurs, like our popcorn experiment or melting crayons, rather than a chemical change. However, these experiments below are all great examples of chemical change, where a new substance is formed.

CHECK OUT: Examples Of Physical Change and Chemical Change Examples

Can chemical reactions happen safely at home or in the classroom? Absolutely! This is one of the most fun parts of chemistry for kids, and you will find lots of ideas below for safe chemical reactions you can do with your junior scientists.

Why Do Apples Turn Brown?

Acid Rain Experiment

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Alka Seltzer Rockets

Baking Soda Vinegar Bottle Rocket

Lava Lamp Experiment

Egg In Vinegar Experiment

Tie Dye Art

Green Penny Experiment

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Milk and Vinegar

Seashells With Vinegar

Bread In A Bag

Photosynthesis

Yeast and Hydrogen Perioxide

Invisible Ink

Elephant Toothpaste

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Acids And Bases

Acids and bases are important for many chemical processes in everyday life. An acid has hydrogen ions and can donate protons. Acids taste sour and have a pH from 0 to 7. Vinegar and citric acid are examples of acids.

Bases are molecules that can accept hydrogen ions. They have a pH higher than seven and can taste bitter. Sodium bicarbonate or baking soda and ammonia are examples of bases. Learn more about the pH scale.

Vinegar and baking soda experiments are classic acid-base reactions. You’ll also find experiments that use an acid such as vinegar or lemon juice. We have so many fun variations that your kids will love to try! Check out these acid-base chemistry experiments below.

Citric Acid and Baking Soda

Baking Powder Reaction

Bottle Rocket

Lemon Volcano Experiment

Egg in Vinegar Experiment

Dancing Corn

Invisible Ink

Balloon Experiment

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Cabbage pH Experiment

Fizzy Lemonade

Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano

Salt Dough Volcano

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Salt Dough Volcano

Watermelon Volcano

Snow Volcano

Lego Volcano

Fizzing Slime Volcano

Dying Eggs With Vinegar

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Chromatography

Chromatography is a technique that involves the separation of a mixture into its parts so you can see each one individually.

This marker and paper chromatography lab uses chromatography to separate the pigments in a black marker.

Or set up a leaf chromatography experiment to find the hidden pigments in the leaves in your backyard!

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Solutions

A solution is a mixture of 2 or more solutes dissolved in a solvent up to its solubility limit. It most often refers to liquids, but solutions, gases, and solids are also possible.

A solution will have its components evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

Chemistry experiments involving solutions are great for kids. Gather liquids you commonly find in your kitchen, oil, water, detergent, etc., and explore what dissolves.

What dissolves in water?

Gummy Bear Experiment

Skittles Experiment

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Dissolving Candy Canes

Dissolving Candy Fish

Dissolving Candy Hearts

Paper Towel Art

Paper Towel Art for Summer STEAM ProjectsPin

Floating M Experiment

Fireworks In A Jar

Homemade Salad Dressing

Magic Milk Experiment

Ice Cream In A Bag

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Polymers

A polymer is a huge molecule made up of many smaller molecules layered together in repeating patterns called monomers. Putty, slime, and cornstarch are all examples of polymers. Learn more about the science of slime polymers.

Making slime is great for at-home chemistry and is also tons of hands-on fun! It’s also a classic middle school science demonstration for the classroom. Here are a few of our favorite slime recipes to get you started.

Putty Slime

Fluffy Slime

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Borax Slime

Slime with Liquid Starch

Galaxy Slime

Cornstarch Slime

Cloud Slime

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Slime with Clay

Clear Glue Slime

Magnetic Slime

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Explore polymers with a simple cornstarch and water mixture. Check out these fun variations of oobleck below.

Rainbow Oobleck

Dr Seuss Oobleck

Snowflake Oobleck

Candy Heart Oobleck

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Crystals

A crystal is a solid material with a highly ordered internal structure of atoms, molecules, or ions held together by chemical bonds.

Grow crystals and observe them by mixing up a super-saturated solution and leaving it for several days to let the crystals form.

Simple to grow and taste-safe, a sugar crystals experiment is more accessible for younger kids, but you can also try growing borax crystals for older kids.

Check out our fun theme variations of growing crystals too!

Sugar Crystal Experiment

Grow Borax Crystals

Crystal Snowflakes

Rainbow Crystals

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Grow Salt Crystals

Crystal Seashells

Crystal Leaves

Crystal Flowers

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Crystal Hearts

Edible Geodes

Egg Shell Geodes

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More Helpful Science Resources

Here are a few resources that will help you introduce science more effectively to your kiddos or students and feel confident yourself when presenting materials. You’ll find helpful free printables throughout.

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
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