Are you prepared for Christmas? We prepped these super fun simple science experiments and created Santa’s Christmas science labs. Plus, kids love to explore the senses for hands-on learning any day. Explore taste, touch, sight, sound, and smell as it relates to the Christmas season and all things associated with it. How many senses do you use when you put up a Christmas tree? We have even more simple Christmas-themed science ideas to keep you busy!

SANTA’S CHRISTMAS SCIENCE LABS FOR KIDS

Christmas Science Labs for Santa's 5 Senses Experiments

CHRISTMAS LABORATORY

This collection of Christmas 5 Senses Experiments goes to show how fun and easy setting up creative and inexpensive science experiments can be. I want to invite you to Santa’s Christmas laboratory filled with cookies, cocoa, candy canes, and more. Everything Santa loves!

ALSO CHECK OUT: The Smells of Christmas Activity

Our Christmas science experiments are perfect for exploring the 5 senses of taste, touch, sight, smell, and sound. Christmas is a treat for the senses, from baking cookies to evergreens to Christmas lights and the lovely sound of bells and carols.

CHRISTMAS 5 SENSES EXPERIMENTS

Holiday science doesn’t get much better than this! We have five fun Santa science activities you can fill an afternoon or 15 minutes with this holiday season. Add some of these to your 25 Days of Christmas Countdown too!

Our Christmas activities are always simple to set up and easy to do. Budget-friendly, they make for a wonderful homemade Christmas with the family. Get your supplies and get ready for Santa’s science lab to begin!

Download the FREE 5 Senses Worksheet here or click on the image below.

THE 5 SENSES CHRISTMAS LABORATORY

These are simple Christmas science activities to use as a quick, fun lesson in the classroom and at home! We also have a variety of neat Santa theme STEM activities you can add to the fun.

1. COOKIE TASTING 5 SENSES EXPERIMENT

Why did we choose cookie tasting? Santa loves cookies, doesn’t he? So let’s pick the best cookies for him. Time to find out which cookie goes well with milk with your own 5 senses experiment.  Your goal is to use your 5 senses to discover which cookie is the best to leave out for Santa!

SUPPLIES:

  • Cookies! We choose three varieties including cream-filled, classic chocolate chip, and gingersnaps.
  • 3 Glasses of Milk
  • Napkins and Tray

1

COOKIE TASTING INSTRUCTIONS

First, we tested out how the cookies work with the milk by resting a cookie in each glass and giving it a minute to soak. Does one cookie soak up milk better than the other? Which one tastes the best after being left in the milk? My son’s answer? Gingersnaps surprisingly.

Which cookie tastes the best as is? The cream-filled! Though, I am pretty certain he enjoyed them all. He went through each cookie and used his 5 senses to look at each cookie. He took in the smell of each cookie. He tested the crunch. He described the cookie’s appearance, and he, of course, taste-tested each cookie.

Don’t forget to grab your FREE set of Christmas STEM challenge cards…

2. HOT COCOA 5 SENSES EXPERIMENT

On to the cocoa tasting! Does hot cocoa taste better made with hot water or hot milk? We had a couple of packets of hot cocoa that did not have directions, so we set up a Christmas science lab to find out. Don’t forget the marshmallows!

SUPPLIES:

  • Hot Cocoa Mix
  • Cups, Spoons
  • Milk and Water
  • Marshmallows

2

HOT COCOA MAKING INSTRUCTIONS

Make hot cocoa! That’s the whole point of this Christmas science lab. Make sure an adult handles the hot liquid. We added hot water to one cup and hot milk to another cup. Stir up each one, add marshmallows, and allow to cool.

While the hot cocoa is cooling observe what each cup looks like. My son noted that one cup of cocoa was darker than the other. When you are ready give each cup of hot cocoa a taste test.

Which one will win? He had a tough time deciding but originally liked the one made with water first . Once the milk one had cooled completely, he liked that better.

3. CANDY CANE EXPERIMENT

We have had some fun dissolving candy canes already as well as making peppermint oobleck and candy cane slime. Can you make a candy cane disappear? This science lab is perfect for the sense of sight. It’s not really magic, but it sure is cool.

SUPPLIES:

  • Candy Canes {any size works}
  • Plate with Water

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HOW TO MAKE CANDY CANE DISAPPEAR

Fill a shallow plate or baking pan with some water. We used two candy canes and placed them facing each other to make a heart. Then we observed it over time to see what happened. It didn’t take too long.

Candy canes are sugar. Sugar dissolves in water. The candy canes disappear. Make sure to use all your 5 senses to explore the candy canes. They taste pretty good too!

4. THE SOUND OF JINGLE BELLS

Our Christmas laboratory wouldn’t be complete without exploring the sense of sound! What better to explore for Christmas than jingle bells. Santa’s reindeer wouldn’t be complete without them!

ALSO CHECK OUT: Reindeer Facts

SUPPLIES:

  • Jingle Bells
  • Variety of Empty Containers {check the recycling bin}

christmas-science-labs-jingle-bell-sounds

WHAT DO JINGLE BELLS SOUND LIKE?

Get shaking and explore what jingle bells sound like in different types of containers. We used a tin can, an oatmeal container, a glass pickle jar, and a water bottle. Compare and contrast the way a jingle bell sounds in the different containers. Explore the sense of sound!

5. MAKE IT SNOW

The North Pole wouldn’t be complete without snow! We don’t have any yet and you might live somewhere without any hint of snow to come. So let’s make our own snow and explore science too. Have you ever used a fake snow kit?

Or make your own snow! See our homemade recipe for fun fake snow here.

SUPPLIES:

  • Fake Snow Kit
  • Water

christmas-science-labs-fake-snow-science

You can usually find these kits in the craft store, toy store, or even the dollar store which is where we got ours. Mix according to the directions and have fun with this simple Christmas science lab.

What’s the science behind this Christmas science? Fake snow is very much like a diaper. It’s made up of a polymer that is super absorbent which is why that little pile of powder grows into a huge mound. But as the water absorbs, your fake snow will be less puffy. Add water.

QUICK CHRISTMAS CHEMICAL REACTIONS

Want to explore chemical reactions too? You might also enjoy setting up a borax crystals growing experiment to make crystal candy canes to hang on the tree! I’ve made these crystal ornaments with a whole classroom! Or try these salt crystal snowflakes (you can easily cut out candy cane shapes instead!)

You can also explore chemistry with baking soda, vinegar, and a handful of Christmas-themed cookie cutters. Check out how we set up a snowflake theme baking soda and vinegar tray here.

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MORE FUN ACTIVITIES FOR CHRISTMAS

SIMPLE CHRISTMAS 5 SENSES EXPERIMENTS FOR KIDS

Click on the links below for more great Christmas Activities to choose from this season.

35+ Christmas activities for kids including Christmas crafts, DIY ornaments, Christmas games, science activities and more!