Earth Science is not just about rocks and minerals. It also includes topics such as space, weather, and learning about the oceans. Cover the big ideas of Earth Science for kids with our best Earth Science lesson ideas! Below you’ll find a variety of hands-on science activities that use simple materials. Plus, free printable information packs to get you started!
Earth Science Topics
What do you learn in earth science? Earth Science topics include the 4 main branches of Earth Science which are:
- Geology – the study of rocks and land.
- Oceanography – the study of oceans.
- Meteorology – the study of weather.
- Astronomy – the study of stars, planets, and space.
Fun Earth Science Questions to Ask
Kids are always curious about the world around them, especially since it feels so big and magical. Plus, they have many questions you can answer with easy-to-set-up earth science activities.
More fun questions to explore…
- What makes a volcano erupt?
- Where does rain come from?
- Why does the beach get smaller or change shape?
- What are fossils?
- How does a tornado form?
- Why causes an earthquake?
Why is the Sky Blue?
Ever wonder how to answer this question? Here’s the super simplest answer you can give your kiddos. Blue (and violet) light has the shortest wavelengths, so it more easily scatters when it hits the air molecules in the sky during the day. Other colors do not scatter as easily.
Quick Toddler or Preschooler Earth Science
You don’t always have to set up an experiment for younger kiddos, especially when attention spans are short. Older pre-k kiddos may enjoy some fun ideas below but adjust your expectations. You really can introduce earth science topics without using worksheets or setting up complicated projects.
Hands-on Earth science activities you can do with young kids include:
- Talk about the weather and mark sunny, cloudy, snowy, or rainy days on a paper calendar.
- Talk about the water cycle and what happens when it rains.
- Set up a rain gauge and check how much rainwater you collect after a storm.
- Collect special rocks, and discuss what they look like.
- Grab a magnifying glass and look at anything up close.
- Lay on the ground and look up at the clouds.
- Dig up a sensory soil bin and look through it (add some water).
- Play in the sand and ocean at the beach.
- Go for a nature walk and talk about the air, the clouds, and the ground.
50 Earth Science Lessons To Explore
We have divided our Earth Science activities into Weather, Space, Geology and Ocean. Click on each activity for step-by-step instructions.
Weather
Make a shaving cream rain cloud model.
Learn how a tornado forms with a simple tornado in a bottle.
Find out how to make a rainbow with a rainbow prism.
Explore where rain comes from.
Set up this seasonal temperature experiment.
Name the clouds you can see with an easy cloud viewer.
Explore how clouds form with a cloud in a jar.
Explore how static electricity in clouds leads to lightning.
Investigate what happens to plants when there is acid rain.
Investigate how different factors affect water evaporation.
Identify the layers of the atmosphere with these printable worksheets.
Make a wind vane to take outdoors.
Explore daily weather changes using a pine cone.
Build a DIY anemometer to measure the speed of the wind.
Make a simple rain gauge to measure rainfall in your local area.
Build a DIY barometer to use changes in atmospheric pressure to predict the weather.
Set up a weather station to track and record local weather.
Learn about the snow water cycle in winter.
Set up a water cycle in a bottle or a water cycle in a bag for weather science.
Space
Learn about the constellations you can see with these easy constellation activities.
Build a fun satellite or even a space shuttle.
Learn about the life cycle of a star.
Make a DIY planetarium from simple supplies.
Make a spectroscope like astronomers use to study stars.
Use Oreo cookies to learn about the phases of the moon.
This moon craft is another fun way to explore the moon phases.
Create a watercolor galaxy painting inspired by our Milky Way galaxy.
Use these day and night worksheets to introduce the Earth’s rotation to younger students.
Build a simple model of the Aquarius Reef base inspired by astronaut John Herrington.
Learn about our amazing solar system with this printable solar system lapbook project.
Color the planets of the solar system.
Make a solar system diorama and grab our printable solar system guide.
Geology
Make your own tasty sedimentary rock to explore geology.
Explore the stages of the rock cycle with a crayon rock cycle or candy rock cycle!
Start a rock collection!
Why not grow sugar crystals, salt crystals or borax crystals!
Explore the layers of soil with simple LEGO bricks.
Make this printable soil layers diorama.
Learn all about volcanos with these volcano facts and even make your own volcano.
Make an easy volcano diorama from our printable paper volcano template.
Find out how fossils are formed and go on your own dinosaur dig.
Make edible geodes from a few simple ingredients, as well as geodes in eggshells.
Build a LEGO layers of the earth model or a playdough layers of the earth model.
Grab some colored sand and glue for this fun layers of the earth activity.
Make an edible tectonic plates model.
Explore storm water runoff and how it affects the land.
Learn about soil erosion for kids with a fun edible model.
You will want to try this shaky earthquake experiment!
Ocean
Put together a sensory beach in a bottle.
Set up this beach erosion demostration.
Explore the layers of the ocean with this easy ocean experiment.
Learn about the oceans with this printable biomes of the world lapbook project.
Learn about ocean currents with a few simple supplies.
Have a go at mapping the ocean floor!
Explore ocean waves in a bottle.
Explore what can remove oil in the ocean with an oil spill experiment.
Investigate what happens to seashells when the oceans become acidic.
Printable Spring Theme Activities
If you’re looking to have all of your printable activities in one convenient place, plus exclusive worksheets with a spring theme, our 300+ page Spring STEM Project Pack is what you need!
Weather, geology, plants, animal life cycles, and more!
