Turn your home into a science laboratory with these engaging STEM crafts that make learning fun and hands-on!

Chemistry Crafts

Craft Idea Materials Needed Scientific Principle Age Range Instructions
Slime Making White glue, borax solution, water, food coloring Polymers, Chemical Bonds 6+ Mix glue with water, add borax solution slowly while stirring
Baking Soda & Vinegar Volcanoes Baking soda, vinegar, bottle, clay, food coloring Chemical Reactions, Acids & Bases 4+ Build volcano around bottle, add baking soda, pour vinegar
Crystal Growing Sugar or salt, water, jar, string, clothespin Crystallization, Supersaturation 8+ Heat water, dissolve sugar/salt, hang string in solution
Color-Changing Milk Milk, food coloring, cotton swabs, dish soap Surface Tension, Polarity 5+ Drop colors in milk, touch with soapy cotton swab
Invisible Ink Lemon juice, cotton swabs, paper, heat source Oxidation, pH Indicators 7+ Write with lemon juice, heat paper to reveal message
Elephant Toothpaste Hydrogen peroxide, dish soap, food coloring, potassium iodide Catalysts, Decomposition 10+ (Adult supervision) Mix ingredients in tall container, stand back!
pH Indicator Strips Red cabbage, water, various household liquids pH Scale, Acids & Bases 6+ Boil cabbage, strain liquid, test with different substances
Chromatography Art Coffee filters, markers, water, cups Separation Techniques 5+ Draw on filter, dip in water, watch colors separate

Physics Crafts

Craft Idea Materials Needed Scientific Principle Age Range Instructions
Marshmallow Catapults Popsicle sticks, rubber bands, marshmallows, spoon Levers, Stored Energy, Projectile Motion 6+ Build frame, attach spoon, load and launch
Balloon Rockets Balloon, string, straw, tape Newton’s Third Law, Action & Reaction 4+ Thread string through straw, tape balloon to straw
Marble Runs Cardboard tubes, marbles, tape, boxes Gravity, Momentum, Potential Energy 5+ Create pathways for marbles using tubes and ramps
Pendulum Painting String, paint, paper, funnel Pendulum Motion, Gravity 7+ Hang paint-filled funnel, swing over paper
Magnetic Slime Slime, iron oxide powder, magnets Magnetism, Magnetic Fields 8+ Mix iron oxide into slime, explore with magnets
Water Bottle Tornado 2 bottles, water, duct tape, glitter Vortex, Centripetal Force 6+ Connect bottles, fill one with water, spin
Spinning Tops Cardboard, markers, toothpicks Angular Momentum, Gyroscopic Effect 5+ Cut circles, decorate, push toothpick through center
Levitating Balls Hair dryer, ping pong balls Bernoulli’s Principle, Air Pressure 4+ Use hair dryer to suspend balls in air stream

Biology Crafts

Craft Idea Materials Needed Scientific Principle Age Range Instructions
Celery Food Coloring Experiment Celery, food coloring, water, clear containers Capillary Action, Plant Transport 5+ Place celery in colored water, observe color change
Bean Sprouting in a Jar Beans, jar, paper towel, water Germination, Plant Growth 4+ Line jar with wet paper towel, add beans, observe growth
Play-Doh DNA Models Play-Doh in 4 colors, toothpicks Genetics, DNA Structure 8+ Create base pairs, twist into double helix
Butterfly Life Cycle Wheel Paper plates, brad fastener, markers Metamorphosis, Life Cycles 6+ Create rotating wheel showing egg to butterfly stages
Lung Model Plastic bottle, balloons, straws Respiratory System, Air Pressure 7+ Cut bottle, insert balloon and straw, demonstrate breathing
Heart Pump Model Plastic bottles, straws, red water, valves Circulatory System, Pumps 9+ Create working heart model with chambers
Digestive System Craft Clear containers, different foods, labels Digestion, Organ Systems 8+ Model stomach acid breaking down food
Microscope Slides Leaves, flowers, tape, magnifying glass Cell Structure, Observation 6+ Prepare natural specimens for examination

Earth Science Crafts

Craft Idea Materials Needed Scientific Principle Age Range Instructions
Rock Cycle Crayons Old crayons, aluminum foil, heat source Rock Formation, Geological Processes 8+ Melt, cool, and compress crayons to show rock types
Earthquake Simulator Jello, toy buildings, plate Seismic Waves, Plate Tectonics 7+ Shake jello with buildings to demonstrate earthquakes
Weather Station Thermometer, rain gauge, wind vane materials Meteorology, Weather Patterns 9+ Build instruments to measure weather conditions
Fossil Impressions Clay, shells, plaster of Paris Paleontology, Fossilization 6+ Press objects into clay, fill with plaster
Layered Earth Model Different colored clay, plastic knife Earth’s Layers, Geology 8+ Create cross-section showing crust, mantle, core
Water Cycle in a Bag Zip bag, water, blue food coloring, tape Evaporation, Condensation, Precipitation 5+ Seal water in bag, tape to sunny window
Tornado in a Bottle 2 bottles, water, dish soap, glitter Atmospheric Pressure, Vortex Formation 6+ Connect bottles, create swirling motion
Solar System Mobile Styrofoam balls, paint, string, hanger Planetary Science, Scale 7+ Create proportional planets, arrange by distance

Technology & Engineering Crafts

Craft Idea Materials Needed Scientific Principle Age Range Instructions
Simple Circuits LEDs, batteries, wire, tape Electrical Circuits, Conductivity 8+ Connect components to light up LED
Electromagnets Iron nail, wire, battery Electromagnetism, Magnetic Fields 9+ Wrap wire around nail, connect to battery
Bridge Building Popsicle sticks, glue, weights Engineering, Structural Load 10+ Design and test bridge strength
Pulley Systems String, spools, small objects Mechanical Advantage, Simple Machines 7+ Create systems to lift objects with less force
Rubber Band Car Cardboard, rubber bands, wheels Stored Energy, Motion 8+ Build car powered by rubber band tension
Hydraulic Lift Syringes, tubing, water, platform Hydraulics, Pascal’s Principle 10+ Create lift using water pressure
Spinning Motor Battery, wire, magnet, paper clips Electromagnetic Induction 11+ Build simple motor using electromagnetic principles
LED Greeting Cards LEDs, batteries, copper tape, cards Circuits, Conductivity 9+ Create cards with working LED circuits

Astronomy Crafts

Craft Idea Materials Needed Scientific Principle Age Range Instructions
Constellation Viewers Cardboard tubes, star charts, pins Astronomy, Light Patterns 6+ Punch holes in tube ends to show constellations
Moon Phase Cookies Oreo cookies, plastic knife Lunar Cycles, Astronomy 5+ Scrape cream to show different moon phases
Solar System Scale Long paper strip, markers, ruler Astronomical Distances, Scale 8+ Mark planetary distances on strip
Sundial Construction Paper plate, pencil, markers Solar Motion, Time Measurement 7+ Create working sundial using shadow movement
Rocket Launchers Film canisters, Alka-Seltzer, water Chemical Propulsion, Newton’s Laws 9+ Create pressure-powered rockets
Galaxy Jars Jars, cotton, glitter, LED lights Stellar Formation, Galaxy Structure 6+ Layer materials to create galaxy appearance
Telescope Craft Cardboard tubes, lenses, decoration Optics, Light Refraction 10+ Build simple refracting telescope
Comet Models Dry ice, dirt, ice cubes Comet Composition, Sublimation 12+ (Adult supervision) Mix ingredients to model comet behavior

Environmental Science Crafts

Craft Idea Materials Needed Scientific Principle Age Range Instructions
Water Filtration System Bottles, sand, gravel, cotton, dirty water Water Treatment, Filtration 8+ Layer materials to clean dirty water
Acid Rain Experiment Vinegar, chalk, containers Environmental Chemistry, pH 7+ Show effects of acid rain on limestone
Pollution Indicators White cloth, petroleum jelly, locations Air Quality, Environmental Monitoring 6+ Collect air particles over time
Composting Jar Clear jar, organic waste, soil Decomposition, Nutrient Cycling 5+ Layer materials, observe breakdown
Oil Spill Cleanup Water, oil, cotton, dish soap Environmental Remediation 7+ Test cleanup methods for oil spills
Greenhouse Effect Model 2 jars, thermometers, plastic wrap Climate Science, Greenhouse Gases 9+ Compare temperatures in covered vs. uncovered jars
Seed Bomb Making Clay, compost, seeds, water Habitat Restoration, Ecology 6+ Create seed balls for planting
Wind Power Generator Cork, toothpicks, paper, LED Renewable Energy, Generators 10+ Build wind-powered electrical generator

Safety Guidelines

Age Group Safety Considerations
4-6 years Adult supervision required, avoid small parts, use non-toxic materials
7-9 years Supervised use of scissors, basic chemical safety, proper ventilation
10-12 years Safety goggles for experiments, careful chemical handling, first aid knowledge
13+ years Advanced safety protocols, understanding of chemical properties, emergency procedures

Scientific Method Integration

Step Activity Integration
Question What will happen when we mix these materials?
Hypothesis Predict the outcome before starting
Experiment Follow craft instructions carefully
Observation Record what happens during the process
Conclusion Discuss why the results occurred
Extension Modify variables and repeat

Learning Extensions

Category Extension Activities
Math Connections Measure, graph results, calculate ratios
Reading Research scientific concepts, read related books
Writing Keep science journals, write explanations
Art Draw scientific diagrams, create science posters
Technology Record experiments, research online, use apps

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Problem Solution
Experiment doesn’t work Check measurements, review instructions, try again
Materials unavailable Suggest household substitutions
Safety concerns Emphasize proper supervision and safety equipment
Messy results Prepare workspace, have cleanup materials ready
Limited attention span Break into smaller steps, use timers