World Science Day: Easy Science Experiments at Home

World Science Day is on 10 November, a lovely chance to slow down, notice the wonders in everyday life and learn side by side with your little one.

At Kids Planet, we see science as play with a purpose. With a tray, a torch, a few kitchen bits and your encouragement, children build confidence, language and problem-solving skills that sit at the heart of early years education. You do not need fancy kits, just curiosity, time and a splash of creativity.

Before you start these fun science experiements: keep it supervised, protect clothes and surfaces, check for allergies and invite your child to lead the way. Many of these ideas suit different learning styles and can be adapted for SEND needs by reducing noise, offering visual supports or using larger tools for easier grip.

Everyday science at home

The Science of Bubbles

Overview: Mix and blow bubbles of different sizes to explore shape, surface tension and cause and effect.
You’ll need: Washing-up liquid, warm water, sugar or glycerine, cups, straws, different wands.
Try it:

1. Stir a spoon of washing-up liquid into warm water, add a pinch of sugar or glycerine.

2. Test big and small wands, then try two bubbles joining.

3. Ask what happens if you blow slowly or quickly.

What will this teach your little one? Observation, predicting, cause and effect, rich describing words.

Sink or Float with Bath Toys

Overview: Predict, test and sort toys by whether they float.
You’ll need: Bowl or bath of water, a mix of toys.
Try it:

1. Make a “will it float” prediction pile.

2. Test each toy, then sort into float or sink groups.

3. Trap air in a plastic cup and try again.

What will this teach your little one? Early physics ideas, sorting and classifying, new vocabulary like float, sink, heavy, light.

Shadow Play on the Wall

Overview: Discover light and dark and create animals or shapes.
You’ll need: Torch or lamp, clear wall, hands or toys.
Try it:

1. Shine the torch and move hands closer and farther.

2. Trace outlines on paper.

3. Compare shadow size as you move the torch.

What will this teach your little one? Light and shadow, creativity, positional language like near and far.

Magnet Treasure Hunt

Overview: Sort out which items are magnetic.
You’ll need: Magnet, paperclips, coins, wooden pegs, foil, buttons.
Try it:

1. Hunt for “treasure” around the room.

2. Test and sort into “magnet loves” and “magnet leaves”.

3. Wrap a paperclip in paper, test again.

What will this teach your little one? Magnetism, sorting, careful testing, new words like attract and metal.

Kitchen chemistry, safe and simple

Fizz, Pop, Wow!

Overview: A classic tray volcano shows a safe acid-base reaction.
You’ll need: Bicarbonate of soda, vinegar, washing-up liquid, tray, cup.
Try it:

1. Put bicarb and a drip of washing-up liquid in the cup.

2. Pour in vinegar and enjoy the fizz.

3. Compare small and big scoops and agree safety rules.

What will this teach your little one? Reactions, turn-taking, listening to safety instructions.

Rainbow Milk

Overview: Colour swirls reveal changes to surface tension.
You’ll need: Whole milk in a shallow dish, food colouring, cotton bud, washing-up liquid.
Try it:

1. Add colour drops to milk.

2. Touch a soapy cotton bud to the surface.

3. Watch colours race and describe the patterns.

What will this teach your little one? Colour mixing, observing carefully, using descriptive language.

Ice Excavations

Overview: Free small toys in ice, then rescue them.
You’ll need: Small plastic toys, water, freezer, warm water, salt, pipettes or spoons.
Try it:

1. Freeze toys in cups of water.

2. Offer warm water or a sprinkle of salt to melt.

3. Time different methods and compare.

What will this teach your little one? States of matter, perseverance, measuring and comparing.

Nature and outdoor investigations (Udeskole vibes)

Learning outdoors is our happy place. Our Udeskole approach uses real-world experiences in all weathers to grow confident, curious thinkers.

Mini Beast Safari

Overview: Gentle bug spotting and building a simple bug hotel.
You’ll need: Magnifier, small tub with air holes, sticks, leaves, bark.
Try it:

1. Search under stones and leaves and handle with care.

2. Observe and count legs, then return insects.

3. Build a mini hotel with sticks and bark.

What will this teach your little one? Habitats, empathy and care for living things, speaking in full sentences.

Weather Watchers

Overview: Track rain and wind across a week.
You’ll need: DIY rain gauge made from a bottle with a ruler, ribbon windsock, notebook.
Try it:

1. Place the gauge outside and check daily at the same time.

2. Watch the windsock and note breezy or calm.

3. Compare days and talk about routines.

What will this teach your little one? Measurement, recording, noticing patterns over time.

Leaf Lab

Overview: Explore colours, textures and prints.
You’ll need: Leaves, paper, crayons or paint, magnifier.
Try it:

1. Sort leaves by size or colour.

2. Make rubbings or prints.

3. Describe textures and count veins.

What will this teach your little one? Classification, pattern making, sensory language.

Puddle Science

Overview: Investigate depth, reflection and splash size.
You’ll need: Wellies, ruler, stones.
Try it:

1. Estimate depth, then check with a ruler.

2. Notice reflections, take a photo.

3. Test splash size with different stones.

What will this teach your little one? Comparing measurements, vocabulary building, coordination.

Engineering through play

Build a Bridge for a Teddy

Overview: Create a bridge and test stability.
You’ll need: Blocks, cardboard, books, a small teddy.
Try it:

1. Plan together and sketch.

2. Build with loose parts like boxes and tubes.

3. Test with Teddy, then tweak the design.

What will this teach your little one? Problem-solving, teamwork, exploring materials.

Ramp Races

Overview: Which ramp makes the car go fastest.
You’ll need: Books, planks or cardboard, toy cars, timer.
Try it:

1. Set ramps at different heights.

2. Release cars and time each run.

3. Talk about fair tests, start from the same point.

What will this teach your little one? Forces and friction, measuring time, fairness and turn-taking.

Tower Challenge

Overview: Build the tallest safe tower.
You’ll need: Cups, boxes or bricks, tape measure.
Try it:

1. Predict how tall it will be.

2. Build, count layers, measure height.

3. Review what made it wobble.

What will this teach your little one? Balance and stability, counting, resilience.

Sensory science

Sink-Safe Sensory Bottles

Overview: Calm, mesmerising bottles that show density.
You’ll need: Clear bottles, water, oil, glitter, beads, tape.
Try it:

1. Half-fill with water and top with oil.

2. Add glitter or beads.

3. Seal well and tilt slowly, notice layers.

What will this teach your little one? Density, focus and self-regulation, new describing words.

Oobleck (Cornflour Goo)

Overview: A mixture that behaves like both solid and liquid.
You’ll need: Cornflour, water, tray, spoons.
Try it:

1. Mix two parts cornflour to one part water.

2. Squeeze hard, then let it drip.

3. Describe the feel and notice changes.

What will this teach your little one? Properties of materials, fine motor control, expressive language.

Sound Explorers

Overview: Make simple shakers and compare pitch.
You’ll need: Pots, pans, wooden spoons, rice in tubs.
Try it:

1. Tap gently, then loudly, agree a quiet signal.

2. Fill shakers with different amounts of rice.

3. Sort sounds from low to high.

What will this teach your little one? Rhythm and pitch, listening skills, cooperation.

Maths is science too

Sorting the Snack Plate

Overview: Sort a healthy snack by colour, shape and size.
You’ll need: Fruit, veg sticks, crackers.
Try it:

1. Sort into groups and then count pieces.

2. Make simple tally marks on paper.

3. Talk about textures and tastes.

What will this teach your little one? Classification, number sense, positive food talk and nutrition awareness.

Pattern Play

Overview: Build repeating patterns with natural or household items.
You’ll need: Leaves, beads or bricks.
Try it:

1. Create a two-colour pattern, then three.

2. Ask your child to continue it.

3. Take a photo and try again with new items.

What will this teach your little one? Pattern spotting, memory, sequencing.

Measure It

Overview: Use non-standard units to compare length.
You’ll need: Spoons, blocks or ribbons.
Try it:

1. Measure a table with spoons.

2. Compare with blocks and talk about shorter and longer.

3. Record results with simple marks.

What will this teach your little one? Estimating, comparing, recording ideas.

Story-led STEM

“Three Little Pigs” Building Test

Overview: Which house stands up to the “wolf”.
You’ll need: Straw or shredded paper, sticks, blocks, a hairdryer on cool.
Try it:

1. Build three small houses.

2. Test with gentle puffs from the hairdryer.

3. Discuss materials and fair tests.

What will this teach your little one? Materials and strength, following rules, speaking and listening.

Floating a Boat for “Mr Gumpy’s Outing”

Overview: Make foil boats and test cargo.
You’ll need: Foil, bowl of water, coins or buttons.
Try it:

1. Shape a boat and predict how many coins it holds.

2. Add cargo one by one.

3. Redesign and try again.

What will this teach your little one? Buoyancy, estimation, resilience after a splash.

Moon Craters with “Whatever Next!”

Overview: Make craters in a flour Moon.
You’ll need: Tray, flour, small pebbles.
Try it:

1. Smooth flour in a tray.

2. Drop pebbles from different heights.

3. Compare crater sizes and patterns.

What will this teach your little one? Impact and cause, comparing sizes, storytelling language.

Caring for our planet

Tiny Recycling Station

Overview: Sort clean packaging and talk about recycling.
You’ll need: Clean pots, paper, card, small bins.
Try it:

1. Sort by material.

2. Match to labels you draw together.

3. Plan where the bins will live at home.
   What will this teach your little one? Sustainability, responsibility, everyday problem-solving.

Plant a Seed, Watch it Grow

Overview: See roots and shoots in a clear cup.
You’ll need: Clear cup, soil or cotton wool, seeds, water.
Try it:

1. Plant seeds at the side so roots are visible.

2. Water lightly and place in light.

3. Keep a simple growth diary with photos.
   What will this teach your little one? Lifecycles, patience, noticing change over time.

Light Switch Detectives

Overview: Save energy with good habits.
You’ll need: Sticky notes, a checklist.
Try it:

1. Hunt for lights and appliances to switch off.

2. Add a smiley sticker when you remember.

3. Celebrate small wins each day.
   What will this teach your little one? Cause and effect, habit building, caring for our world.

Making science inclusive and meaningful

Every child is different. You can lower noise levels, offer ear defenders, swap touch-heavy tasks for visual ones or use larger tools. Our colleagues model rich vocabulary, support turn-taking and extend language, which is especially powerful for children with SEND. Outdoors, our approach to Udeskole brings science to life through hands-on experiences in all seasons. Indoors, loose parts play gives children open-ended, safe materials that spark invention. Together, we build confident thinkers who ask brilliant questions.

Pick one idea, set out a simple invitation to play and follow your child’s lead. You are doing the most important bit, being present and curious together. On World Science Day, and every day, we will be right there cheering you on as your little one discovers, tests and talks about our planet.

Talk to us

Want more play-and-learn ideas or to see how our early years education and care supports curiosity, communication and confidence? Book a visit to your local Kids Planet and chat with our team about our nurturing approach, SEND support, outdoor learning and funded childcare options.

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