Fun with Physics: Simple Everyday Experiments for Young Scientists

Physics is all around us—from the way a ball bounces to how we hear sound or see light. For young students, the best way to understand physics isn’t through textbooks alone—it’s through hands-on experiments that turn everyday materials into exciting learning tools.

In this blog, we’ve gathered a list of simple and safe experiments that parents and teachers can try at home or in the classroom. Each one teaches an important concept in physics, while encouraging children to ask questions, observe closely, and think critically.

1. Balloon and Static Electricity

What You Need:

• A balloon
• Dry hair or a woolen cloth

What to Do:
Rub the balloon on your hair or cloth and try to stick it to a wall.
You can also try picking up small bits of paper using the balloon.

What It Teaches:
This shows static electricity—how electric charges build up and attract other objects.

2. Make a Simple Pendulum

What You Need:

• String
• Small weight (like a metal washer or a key)
• Tape or a stand

What to Do:
Hang the string from a surface and swing the weight.
Try changing the length of the string and see what happens.

What It Teaches:
This demonstrates oscillation and how pendulum motion depends on string length.

3. Water Refraction Trick

What You Need:

• A clear glass of water
• A piece of paper with an arrow drawn on it

What to Do:
Place the paper behind the glass. Slowly move it back.
You’ll see the arrow reverse direction!

What It Teaches:
This shows light refraction—how light bends when it passes through different materials.

4. Sound Through a String Telephone

What You Need:

• Two paper cups
• Long string
• Toothpicks or tape

What to Do:
Poke a hole in the bottom of each cup, insert the string, and tie it.
Stretch the string tight and talk into one cup—listen on the other.

What It Teaches:
Sound travels through vibrations in solid materials like string!

5. Floating Egg in Salt Water

What You Need:

• Two glasses
• Water
• Salt
• Eggs

What to Do:
Fill both glasses with water. Add salt to one. Place an egg in both.

What It Teaches:
The egg floats in salty water due to increased density and buoyancy.

6. Magnets and Paper Clips

What You Need:

• A magnet
• Paper clips
• A ruler or pencil

What to Do:
See how far away the magnet can attract the paper clip. Try hanging clips in a chain.

What It Teaches:
Magnetism and magnetic fields can pull objects without direct contact.

7. Spinning Tops and Balance

What You Need:

• A top (or make one from a pencil and cardboard)

What to Do:
Spin the top and watch how it stays upright, then slowly wobbles and falls.

What It Teaches:
This demonstrates gyroscopic motion and center of gravity.

8. Lava Lamp Experiment

What You Need:

• A clear plastic bottle
• Oil
• Water
• Food coloring
• Effervescent tablet (like Eno or Alka-Seltzer)

What to Do:
Fill the bottle with oil, then water. Add food coloring, then the tablet.

What It Teaches:
Demonstrates density differences and gas formation in a closed system.

How These Experiments Help Children

• Boost scientific thinking
• Encourage questioning and curiosity
• Make abstract concepts visible
• Build confidence in learning through doing

These activities are ideal for children ages 6–12 and can be done with adult supervision using materials found at home.

Feeling Overwhelmed? Let’s Talk! Join Our Parent Forum and Get Expert Advice & Support!

Want More Hands-On Learning?

Science is best understood through curiosity and experience. Encouraging children to explore, ask questions, and try simple experiments nurtures both creativity and critical thinking. Whether at home or in the classroom, hands-on learning turns abstract concepts into memorable discoveries. If your child enjoys these hands-on experiments, they’ll love testing their science knowledge with fun quizzes. Check out these science quiz questions for kids to reinforce what they’ve learned through interactive play.

Create a space where young minds feel free to explore—and don’t be afraid to get a little messy in the name of science. All it takes is a little curiosity, a few everyday materials, and a willingness to learn through doing.