properties of water experiments for middle school

37 Water Science Experiments: Fun & Easy

We’ve curated a diverse selection of water related science experiments suitable for all ages, covering topics such as density, surface tension, water purification, and much more.

These hands-on, educational activities will not only deepen your understanding of water’s remarkable properties but also ignite a passion for scientific inquiry.

So, grab your lab coat and let’s dive into the fascinating world of water-based science experiments!

Water Science Experiments

1. walking water science experiment.

This experiment is a simple yet fascinating science experiment that involves observing the capillary action of water. Children can learn a lot from this experiment about the characteristics of water and the capillary action phenomenon. It is also a great approach to promote scientific curiosity and enthusiasm.

Learn more: Walking Water Science Experiment

2. Water Filtration Experiment

A water filtering experiment explains how to purify contaminated water using economical supplies. The experiment’s goal is to educate people about the procedure of water filtration, which is crucial in clearing water of impurities and contaminants so that it is safe to drink.

Learn more: Water Filtration Experiment

3. Water Cycle in a Bag

The water cycle in a bag experiment became to be an enjoyable and useful instructional exercise that helps students understand this idea. Participants in the experiment can observe the many water cycle processes by building a model of the water cycle within a Ziplock bag.

4. Cloud in a Jar

The rain cloud in a jar experiment is a popular instructional project that explains the water cycle and precipitation creation. This experiment is best done as a water experiment since it includes monitoring and understanding how water changes state from a gas (water vapor) to a liquid (rain) and back to a gas.

Learn more: Cloud in a Jar

5. The Rising Water

The rising water using a candle experiment is a wonderful way to teach both adults and children the fundamentals of physics while also giving them an exciting look at the properties of gases and how they interact with liquids.

6. Leak Proof Bag Science Experiment

In the experiment, a plastic bag will be filled with water, and after that, pencils will be inserted through the bag without causing it to leak.

The experiments explain how the plastic bag’s polymer chains stretch and form a barrier that keeps water from dripping through the holes the pencils have produced.

Learn more: Leak Proof Bag Science Experiment

7. Keep Paper Dry Under Water Science Experiment

The experiment is an enjoyable way for demonstrating air pressure and surface tension for both adults and children. It’s an entertaining and engaging technique to increase scientific curiosity and learn about scientific fundamentals.

Learn more: Keep Paper Dry Under Water Science Experiment

8. Frozen Water Science Experiment

The Frozen Water Science Experiment is a fun and engaging project that teaches about the qualities of water and how it behaves when frozen.

You can gain a better knowledge of the science behind the freezing process and investigate how different variables can affect the outcome by carrying out this experiment.

9. Make Ice Stalagmites

10. Bending of Light

A fascinating scientific activity that explores visual principles and how light behaves in different surfaces is the “bending of light” water experiment. This experiment has applications in physics, engineering, and technology in addition to being a fun and interesting method to learn about the characteristics of light.

11. Salt on a Stick

This experiment is an excellent way to catch interest, engage in practical learning, and gain a deeper understanding of the characteristics of water and how they relate to other substances. So the “Salt on Stick” water experiment is definitely worth trying if you’re looking for a fun and educational activity to try!

Learn More: Water Cycle Experiment Salt and Stick

12. Separating Mixture by Evaporation

This method has practical applications in fields like water processing and is employed in a wide range of scientific disciplines, from chemistry to environmental science.

You will better understand the principles determining the behavior of mixtures and the scientific procedures used to separate them by performing this experiment at home.

13. Dancing Spaghetti

Have you ever heard of the dancing spaghetti experiment? It’s a fascinating science experiment that combines simple materials to create a mesmerizing visual display.

The dancing spaghetti experiment is not only entertaining, but it also helps you understand the scientific concepts of chemical reactions, gas production, and acidity levels.

14. Magic Color Changing Potion

The magic color-changing potion experiment with water, vinegar, and baking soda must be tried since it’s an easy home-based scientific experiment that’s entertaining and educational.

This experiment is an excellent way to teach kids about chemical reactions and the characteristics of acids and bases while providing them an interesting and satisfying activity.

15. Traveling Water Experiment

In this experiment, you will use simple objects like straws or strings to make a path for water to pass between two or more containers.

Learn more: Rookie Parenting

16. Dry Erase and Water “Floating Ink” Experiment

The dry-erase and water “floating ink” experiment offers an interesting look at the characteristics of liquids and the laws of buoyancy while also being a great method to educate kids and adults to the fundamentals of science.

Learn more: Dry Erase and Water Floating Ink Experiment

17. Underwater Candle

In this experiment, we will investigate a connection between fire and water and learn about the remarkable factors of an underwater candle.

18. Static Electricity and Water

19. Tornado in a Glass

This captivating experiment will demonstrate how the forces of air and water can combine to create a miniature vortex, resembling a tornado.

Learn more: Tornado in a Glass

20. Make Underwater Magic Sand

Be ready to build a captivating underwater world with the magic sand experiment. This experiment will examine the fascinating characteristics of hydrophobic sand, sometimes referred to as magic sand.

21. Candy Science Experiment

Get ready to taste the rainbow and learn about the science behind it with the Skittles and water experiment! In this fun and colorful experiment, we will explore the concept of solubility and observe how it affects the diffusion of color.

Density Experiments

Density experiments are a useful and instructive approach to learn about the characteristics of matter and the fundamentals of science, and they can serve as a starting point for further exploration into the fascinating world of science.

Density experiments may be carried out with simple materials that can be found in most homes.

This experiment can be a great hands-on learning experience for kids and science lovers of all ages.

22. Super Cool Lava Lamp Experiment

The awesome lava lamp experiment is an entertaining and educational activity that illustrates the concepts of density and chemical reactions. With the help of common household items, this experiment involves making a handmade lava lamp.

Learn more: Lava Lamp Science Experiment

23. Denser Than you Think

Welcome to the fascinating world of density science! The amount of matter in a particular space or volume is known as density, and it is a fundamental concept in science that can be seen everywhere around us.

Understanding density can help us figure out why some objects float while others sink in water, or why certain compounds do not mix.

24. Egg Salt and Water

Learn about the characteristics of water, including its density and buoyancy, and how the addition of salt affects these characteristics through performing this experiment.

25. Hot Water and Cold-Water Density

In this experiment, hot and cold water are put into a container to see how they react to one other’s temperatures and how they interact.

Sound and Water Experiments

Have you ever wondered how sound travels through different mediums? Take a look at these interesting sound and water experiments and learn how sounds and water can affect each other.

26. Home Made Water Xylophone

You can do this simple scientific experiment at home using a few inexpensive ingredients to create a handmade water xylophone.

The experiment demonstrates the science of sound and vibration and demonstrates how changing water concentrations can result in a range of tones and pitches.

Learn more: Home Made Water Xylophone

27. Create Water Forms Using Sound!

A remarkable experiment that exhibits the ability of sound waves to influence and impact the physical world around us is the creation of water formations using sound.

In this experiment, sound waves are used to generate patterns and shapes, resulting in amazing, intricate designs that are fascinating to observe.

28. Sound Makes Water Come Alive 

These experiments consist of using sound waves to create water vibrations, which can result in a variety of dynamic and captivating phenomena.

29. Water Whistle

The water whistle experiment includes blowing air through a straw that is submerged in water to produce a whistle.

This experiment is an excellent way to learn about the characteristics of sound waves and how water can affect them.

Water Surface Tension Experiments

You can observe the effects of surface tension on the behavior of liquids by conducting a surface tension experiment.

By trying these experiments, you can gain a better understanding of the properties of liquids and their behavior and how surface tension affects their behavior.

30. Floating Paperclip

In this experiment, you will put a paper clip on the top of the water and observe it float because of the water’s surface tension.

31. Water Glass Surface Tension

Have you ever noticed how, on some surfaces, water drops may form perfect spheres? The surface tension, which is a characteristic of water and the cohesive force that holds a liquid’s molecules together at its surface, is to blame for this.

32. Camphor Powered Boat

The camphor-powered boat experiment is a fun and fascinating way to explore the principles of chemistry, physics, and fluid mechanics. In this experiment, a miniature boat is used to travel across the water’s surface using camphor tablets.

33. Pepper and Soap Experiment

The pepper in a cloud experiment is a simple and interesting activity that explains the concept of surface tension. This experiment includes adding pepper to a bowl of water and then pouring soap to the mixture, causing the pepper to move away from the soap.

Learn more: Pepper and Soap Experiment

Boiling Water Experiments

Experiments with boiling water are an engaging and informative way to learn about physics, chemistry, and water’s characteristics.

These investigations, which include examining how water behaves when it changes temperature and pressure, can shed light on a variety of scientific phenomena.

It’s important to take the proper safety measures when performing experiments with hot water. Boiling water can produce steam and hot particles that are dangerous to inhale in and can result in severe burns if it comes into contact with skin.

34. Make It Rain

This experiment can be accomplished using basic supplies that can be found in most homes, make it an excellent opportunity for hands-on learning for both kids and science lovers.

Learn more: Make it Rain

35. Fire Water Balloons

Learning about the fundamentals of thermodynamics, the behavior of gases, and the effects of heat on objects are all made possible by this experiment.

36. Boil Water with Ice

The Boiling Water with Ice experiment is an engaging and beneficial approach to learn about temperature and the behavior of water. It can also serve as an introduction for further discovery into the wonderful world of science.

37. Boil Water in a Paper Cup

The “boil water in a cup” experiment is an easier but powerful approach to illustrate the idea of heat transmission by conduction. This experiment is often used in science classes to teach students about thermal conductivity and the physics of heat transfer.

Similar Posts:

• 68 Best Chemistry Experiments: Learn About Chemical Reactions
• Top 100 Fine Motor Skills Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers
• Top 50 Fun Food Science Experiments

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment.

Instant Engagement Activities for Teaching Properties of Water

Properties of water activities are always a hit in the classroom!

Learning about water is ridiculously fascinating and SO MUCH FUN to teach!

I love when students ask what was “added to the water” to make it do these things! 🤣

What makes teaching properties of water so wonderful?

• Properties of water lab activities are CHEAP !
• Materials are easy to find (you probably have everything in your room).
• There are SO many labs you can do either as stations, partners, or demos!

Let me share a few of my favorite activities to help your middle school students love learning about the properties of water!

WANT TO BLOW YOUR STUDENTS’ MINDS???

Get your students hooked right away with this mind blowing activity!

Challenge students to see how many pennies they can fit into a cup of water filled to the brim!

It’s quick and easy to set up!

Fill a cup of water to the brim so the cup can not hold any more water.

Ask students to predict how many pennies can fit in to the “full” glass without it overflowing.

Challenge students to gently place pennies into the cup of water. Drop them in by the thin side.

Students will be amazed to see that they can add an additional 20-30 pennies into a full cup of water!

Bonus : Observe and draw the “dome” at the top of the glass!

IS WATER WET?

Every year during our water unit I get asked this question. I love to have this discussion and then play “ Why water is not wet – with PROOF” video on YouTube.

This makes a great CER too!

ADHESION AND COHESION ACTIVITIES

• On a sheet of wax paper, use a pipette to place a drop of water about the size of a penny. Give students a toothpick and challenge them to stretch the drop as long as they can. Bonus tip: Incorporate measurement by adding a cm ruler!
• Print a maze on paper and place it in a clear plastic sheet protector. Place a drop of water the size of a penny on the sheet protector and challenge students to move it through the maze as fast as they can . Add a stopwatch for extra fun!

EASY SURFACE TENSION ACTIVITIES

• Ask students what will happen when you drop a paper clip in water. Of course they will say sink.
• Give them a fork, paper clip and water and challenge them to make it float.
• Here’s the trick : Place the paperclip on the fork and gently set it on the surface. Then slip the fork under the paperclip and remove from the water.

• Sprinkle black pepper on the top of water. Surface tension will cause the pepper to lay on top. Bonus move: dip a toothpick in detergent and place it in the water. The detergent will cause the surface tension to break and the pepper will disperse and sink.
• This is one of my favorite properties of water activities! It’s a great way to easily investigate surface tension, cohesion, and adhesion at once
• Plus, I love it when the kids ask what I did to the water to make it act like this!!!!
• Check out this QUICK-PREP LESSON !

EASY CAPILLARY ACTION ACTIVITIES AND DEMOS

• Set up : Set up five clear glasses in a row (or circle). Fill glass 1, 3, and 5 halfway with water. Fill glass 1 with red food coloring and water. Fill glass 3 with blue food coloring and water, and fill glass 5 with yellow food coloring and water.
• Place a 2 inch paper towel in an upside down “v” shape connecting each class to its neighboring glass. Have students predict what will happen. Compare predictions to the results the next day.

• Observe a clear drinking straw in water. The water level inside the straw will rise slightly compared to the water level of the straw. Experiment with different size straws to see how the water level is affected.
• Cut the end off of a celery stalk and place it in straight food dye.
• Using concentrated food dye is a huge game changer – results happen quickly and are vibrant !
• ** This is also great to do with white carnations or daisies!

• The paper towel lab is a great way for students to explore capillary action in a meaningful way. In this activity students will explore several brands of paper towels and determine which has the most capillary action. I love to throw in our school paper towels for comparison – it really explains a lot!!!
• Check out this easy prep lab below !

SPECIFIC HEAT DEMO

The balloon demo is always a hit!

Using two balloons, fill one balloon with air and one balloon with water. Hold both over a flame. Kids LOVE this part!

The balloon filled with air will pop quickly, while the balloon with water absorbs the heat energy keeping it from popping.

UNIVERSAL SOLVENT AND DENSITY

I love this four part lab shown below to help students observe properties of water and see how they work together!

Are you looking for super low-prep and engaging activities for your students?

Take a look at the Water Properties Bundle ! It has 7 of my best-selling properties of water resources that are friendly for in-person or distance learning because we know how flexible teachers need to be!

All of the planning is done for you , so you can spend more time on nights and weekends doing the things you love!

Teachers like you said:

This resource was PERFECT! As a VA educator, finding a resource that fits the SOL’s exactly is nearly impossible, until now! My students loved the labs, they were super low prep, and engaging for the students. The language was simple enough for them to understand the content, but appropriately introduced the vocabulary. I will definitely be coming back to this shop!

I used this resource with my Science Bowl team. It did a great job introducing the concepts we needed in order to be successful in our competition. We did very well this year in our competition. Thank you for the resource!

Similar Posts

Teacher Tips for Stress-Free Science Projects

5 Engaging Activities for Teaching Atoms

5 Virtual Moon Phase Activities Your Students Will Love

5 Engaging Formation of the Solar System Activities

The Ultimate Guide to Grade 6 Science Resources in Virginia

6 Proven Moon Phase Activities to Engage your Students

Site Search

Securities / matching gifts / planned giving.

We welcome gifts of stock and securities, can help process any matching gifts, and would be honored to discuss Planned Giving with you. Discover more about Planned Giving Please contact our office by clicking below:

Give by Check

The Water Project PO Box 3353 Concord, NH 03302-3353 1.603.369.3858

Donate Cryptocurrency

Middle/high school school water experiments.

Science Fair Projects: http://www.sciencefairadventure.com/SearchResults.aspx?Term=water

Water Analysis: Ward’s Science

Water Use: http://www.earthsciweek.org/sites/default/files/Activities/water_use.pdf

Water Filter: http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/waterfilter.html

Water Filter II: http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/waterfilterpartii.html

High School age level materials from Project WET

** PLEASE NOTE: All of the links in the "Resources" section of our website are provided for your convenience. The Water Project, Inc. does not endorse any of the linked content. The owners and creators of the content on these third-party sites are solely responsible for that content. If you have concerns about any of these links, please note its URL and contact us here .

STEM Water Projects and Science Experiments For Kids

50+ STEM Water Science Experiments and STEM Projects for Kids in Elementary – play, educate and grow with nature’s favourite drink

Water is one of the greatest mediums for exploring science. It’s easy to work with, it’s readily available, it’s safe and kids love playing with it. It is impossible not to have fun while learning with water. Are you looking for some great ideas for water projects in your class, homeschool or home? Find inspiration on this list of over 50 fun science experiments and water projects for kids!

The Best Water Science Experiments for Kids

What you will discover in this article!

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Influencer I earn from qualifying purchases. Not seeing our videos? Turn off any adblockers to ensure our video feed can be seen. Or visit our YouTube channel to see if the video has been uploaded there. We are slowly uploading our archives. Thanks!

To make navigating this resource easier, I have divided all of our water projects and STEM activities into some general categories.

CHEMISTRY WATER EXPERIMENTS

Bath Bombs or Bath Fizzies are the ultimate in bath time fun! They are also an exceptional chemistry experiment. You can simply make a bath bomb and see how water is the magic ingredient to trigger the reaction, or do a science experiment exploring the effect of water temperature on bath bomb reactions .

Water Lab Exploring Safe Drinking Water is a science experiment that turns students into water testers with an eye for safety. Using water sources around your home or school you can easily set up this activity and in the process learn a valuable lesson about how precious safe water is for families everywhere. For more testing ideas you can check out this article .

What’s the difference between baking soda and baking powder? Learn the answer in this experiment. Take water and add sodium bicarbonate or baking powder. Watch the results to see something spectacular!

Super Simple Chemistry is a kid favourite activity that explores how different substances mix with water. Not everything dissolves, start exploring these ideas with this simple activity.

Learn about pH (acidic and basic) properties with this fun fluids experiment that uses items from your kitchen to create a fascinating lab study.

Elephant Toothpaste might not seem like a water science experiment at first, but this activity is actually really cool because one of the by products of the chemical reaction is water!

WATER PROJECTS EXPLORING DENSITY

Skittles Experiments require only two things – Skittles and Water. It may be simple, but this is one water experiment that is stunningly gorgeous and will have kids begging for more science time! With our study we brought in Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night as a way to see fluid dynamics in action.

The classic oil and water experiment is a fascinating way to introduce students the density, and in this experiment the results are beautiful!

Marble Run Density Project is a simple activity that explores the density of different liquids using marbles. It’s fun and accessible for all ages. Everyone loves a good race!

Does It Float – Pop Can edition is a fascinating activity that demonstrates how the density of different canned drinks affects whether they float or not. The results are fun and this makes for a great activity during camp outs.

Teaching The Scientific Process With Water Balloons – This is a fantastic idea for learning how to create scientific proof by exploring the science behind the “does it float pop can edition” experiment.

COLOURFUL WATER PROJECTS

Chromatography Flowers is a super easy activity that even little kids will be able to do with minimal adult help. Watch how water helps colours travel through the coffee filter making pretty designs. For older kids, take the challenge up a level and light up your flowers with a simple circuit building activity.

Walking Rainbow – This was our attempt at the walking rainbow experiment but when things went wrong it became a whole new and exciting water science lesson.

WINTER THEMED WATER PROJECTS FOR KIDS

It’s time to get chilly with this mind bending experiment. In Snow and Ice Simple Science – Melting Magic we ask kids to predict the outcome of a test that will have them saying WOW! when they see the outcome.

Why does salt melt ice? This STEM activity dives into some great winter science as it explores how salt affects ice.

Live somewhere cold? Explore the Mpemba Effect in a spectacular way as you create snow.

Bottle Crush is a project that will have kids asking to go outside on a cold winter day over and over again. Like magic, kids will learn how to crush a plastic bottle without touching it, astounding their friends and family.

Ice Fishing Science Experiment – What is more winter than Ice Fishing? In this fun, hands on science, kids learn how salt and water interact as they go fishing for the big catch! A great challenge for a classroom or summer camp.

SWEET WATER SCIENCE

Slurpee Science Continue exploring the power of salt and water with states of matter changes with this experiment that ends with a tasty treat.

Layered Lollipops is a fascinating study into density. Makes a beautiful experiment that smells amazing!

Lego Gummy Mummies is a project that explores what happens when water is removed, also known as desiccation which is part of the mummification process. It’s also an experiment using candy minifigs, so kids love it!

ENGINEERING WITH WATER PROJECTS

Build A Water Clock and learn a bit about history with this easy STEM project. This project can be scaled for use by kids of all ages.

Ice STEM Projects explore all the amazing things you can do when water enters a solid state, better known as ice! The dinosaur ice sculpture is just too cute and kids will love engineering their own ice creations.

Build a Compass and embrace your inner Einstein! Witness the invisible forces that captured a young Einstein’s imagination and led to a lifetime of incredible discoveries.

Build a Heart Model filled with water (aka blood) and explore how the blood moves around the heart.

Engineer An Ice Lantern , perfect for the holidays.

WATER PROJECTS THAT ARE LIKE MAGIC

Chasing Hearts – This science experiment is like magic as you explore science and physics principles, all while playing a fun game!

Keep it Dry – A slight of hand activity that kids of all ages love to take a turn at. Become a magical scientist!

Why Does Water Rise? is an activity that is like magic! Kids love this STEM Activity that involves a little tech in the investigative process.

Build a Leak Proof Bag that is filled with water and pierced through with tons of pencils? Sounds impossible, but it’s not if you know the science!

ENVIRONMENTAL WATER PROJECTS FOR KIDS

Students get hands on with a major threat to our marine environments in this Oil Spill Cleanup Experiment .

Learn about the Water Cycle in this simple science experiment in a jar. Perfect for students or as a classroom demonstration.

In this experiment, explore how acid rain affects plant life . It is a simple experiment with powerful results.

Next, we explore how water pollution affects plants . This is a simple experiment exploring the effects of water pollution in two different ways. Students learn about osmosis, pH and the scientific method.

The Water Desalinization Project is a interesting activity that explores how to remove the salt from salt water making it safe to drink.

This Fish Diving Activity is a neat way to explore how fish use air to help them move around underwater. A similar activity involves creating a Cartesian Diver .

SENSORY WATER PROJECTS

DIY Play Dough Bubble Bath is not a water project exactly, but it’s an inexpensive way to create some bubble bath play dough. Perfect for doing water projects with kids in the bath tub or at a water table.

Oobleck is a captivating activity to explore the difference in liquids. With the addition of one ingredient to water you create the most bizarre substance. Oobleck projects are an excellent addition to the study of states of matter and the senses. We LOVE playing with Oobleck and have created dozens of fun ways to explore this non-Newtonian Fluid.

DIY Soap Projects , especially Soap Jellies are a fantastic sensory experience that will encourage kids to get clean! They are so much fun, and super easy to make. For an incredible cross study, make our DIY Layers of the Ocean soap and learn about the ocean with this gorgeous and easy soap making project.

More Water Science Experiments

Explore why the Sky Changes Colour in this fascinating and simple science project demonstrating how the skies change colour during sunrise and sunset.

Another great project is the Rainbow Rain Project . Students will create a stunning display of colour in a jar to explore how clouds (made with shaving cream), hold and release moisture, creating rain! This project is GORGEOUS and so simple.

Magic Glitter is a cool experiment that is also a powerful demonstration on how soap works and why it is so important to wash your hands with soap.

Have fun learning with nature’s most valuable liquid – water!

5 Days of Smart STEM Ideas for Kids

Get started in STEM with easy, engaging activities.

Get Your ALL ACCESS Shop Pass here →

30 Easy Water Experiments For Kids

Water experiments aren’t just for summer! Water is easy and budget-friendly for science learning with preschoolers, elementary-age kids, and even middle school science. We love simple science experiments that are a breeze to pull off, simple to set up, and kids love! What’s better than that? Check out our list below of our favorite science experiments with water and look for the free printable water themed science camp week guide!

SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS WITH WATER

What do all these science experiments and STEM projects below have in common? They all use water!

These water experiments are perfect for at home and in the classroom with simple household items like salt. Also, check out our science experiments with baking soda.

Let’s dig in if you want to explore science with water as the main ingredient! While you’re at it, make sure to check out more kid-friendly science experiments.

Our science activities and experiments are designed with you, the parent or teacher, in mind! Easy to set up, and quick to do, most activities will take only 15 to 30 minutes to complete and are heaps of fun!

USING THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD

The scientific method is a process or method of research. A problem is identified, information about the problem is gathered, a hypothesis or question is formulated from the information, and the hypothesis is put to the test with an experiment to prove or disprove its validity. Sounds heavy…

What in the world does that mean?!? The scientific method should be used as a guide to help lead the process.

You don’t need to try and solve the world’s biggest science questions! The scientific method is all about studying and learning things right around you.

As kids develop practices that involve creating, gathering data evaluating, analyzing, and communicating, they can apply these critical thinking skills to any situation. To learn more about the scientific method and how to use it, click here.

Even though the scientific method feels like it is just for big kids…

This method can be used with kids of all ages! Have a casual conversation with younger kiddos or do a more formal notebook entry with older kiddos!

Click here to get your 12 days of science challenge calendar!

WATER EXPERIMENTS FOR KIDS

Click on each link below to explore cool experiments with water! Here you will find easy water experiments for preschoolers through middleschoolers, including the water cycle.

This age group is beginning to learn about core concepts in chemistry , including states of matter, how different substances mix or interact, and the properties of different materials.

ICE IS NICE SCIENCE

Explore the solid form of water and ice. Look at three great ice experiments that highlight the scientific method perfectly!

BENDING WATER

Can you bend water? Yes, you can with static electricity. Grab a balloon and some water to set up this easy experiment.

CANDLE IN WATER EXPERIMENT

Can you make the water rise by burning a candle under a jar? Grab a few simple supplies and find out.

CELERY EXPERIMENT

Here’s a simple explanation of how osmosis works with celery and water and a fun science demonstration!

COFFEE FILTER FLOWERS

Water is the main ingredient in this gorgeous but super easy combined science and art activity. Make a bouquet of colorful, coffee-filter flowers and explore solubility too!

COLOR CHANGING FLOWERS

This engaging color-changing flower experiment explores the concept of capillary action as your flowers magically turn from white to green. Easy to set up and perfect for a group of kiddos to do at the same time or as an interesting water science fair project.

CRUSHED SODA CAN EXPERIMENT

What happens when you heat and cool water inside a soda can?

DISSOLVING CANDY

There are all kinds of fun things you can dissolve in water!

DRY-ERASE MARKER EXPERIMENT

Is it magic or is it science? Create a dry-erase drawing and watch it float in water.

FREEZING WATER EXPERIMENT

Will it freeze? What happens to the freezing point of water when you add salt? Check out this easy water experiment to find out.

GUMMY BEAR OSMOSIS LAB

Learn about the process of osmosis when you try this easy gummy bear osmosis experiment. Watch your gummy bears grow as you investigate what liquid makes them grow the biggest.

HOW DO SHARKS FLOAT?

Explore buoyancy with this simple oil and water experiment.

HOW MANY DROPS OF WATER ON A PENNY?

All you need for this experiment are a few coins, an eyedropper or pipette, and water! How many drops fit on the surface of a penny? What else could you use? A bottle cap turned over, a flat LEGO piece, or another small, smooth surface! Take a guess at how many drops it will take and then test it out.

ICE FISHING

Did you know you can go fishing indoors with salt, string, and ice! Kids will have a blast!

ICE MELT ACTIVITIES

Playful hands on science and learning which is perfect for our preschoolers. Explore water science with one of these fun theme ice melt activities.

LEGO WATER EXPERIMENT

Build a dam from Lego bricks and explore the flow of water.

OCEAN CURRENTS

Build a simple model of the ocean currents with ice and water.

OCEAN LAYERS

Just like layers of the earth, the ocean has layers too! Have you ever wondered how you could see them without going scuba diving in the ocean? Explore the layers of the ocean with a liquid density tower experiment for kids. 

OIL AND WATER EXPERIMENT

Do the oil and water mix? Explore the densities of liquids with this simple oil and water experiment.

POTATO OSMOSIS LAB

Explore what happens to potato when you put them in concentration salt water and then pure water. Learn about osmosis when you try this fun potato osmosis experiment with the kids.

RAINBOW IN A JAR

Can you make a rainbow in a jar? This neat rainbow water experiment explores water density with just a few materials. Instead of salt we use sugar and food coloring to stack the colors of the rainbow.

PENNY BOAT CHALLENGE

Design a simple tin foil boat, and see how many pennies it can hold before it sinks in the water. How many pennies will it take to make your boat sink?

MAKE A PADDLE BOAT

Fill the kiddie pool or tun with water and make this DIY paddle boat for fun physics!

SALT LAVA LAMP EXPERIMENT

Explore what happens when you add salt to oil and water.

SALTWATER DENSITY EXPERIMENT

Can you make an egg float? Will different items sink in freshwater but float in saltwater? Compare saltwater to freshwater with a fun experiment with salt and water. Make your predictions and test your results.

SINK OR FLOAT EXPERIMENT

Check out what you have in the kitchen for an easy science experiment with water   with some very interesting results!

SKITTLES EXPERIMENT

A super simple water science experiment with everyone’s favorite candy! Did you know you can try it with M&Ms too? You can also you those red and white mints, old candy canes, and even jelly beans!

SOAP POWERED BOAT EXPERIMENT

Explore surface tension as kids observe firsthand how soap influences the movement of a small boat on the water’s surface.

SOLID LIQUID GAS EXPERIMENT

Learn about the properties of solids, liquids and gases with this simple water experiment. Have fun observing how water changes from a solid to a liquid to a gas.

STRAW BOATS

Design a boat made from nothing but straws and tape, and see how many items it can hold before it sinks in the water. Explore buoyancy while you test out your engineering skills.

TOOTHPICK STARS

Make a star out of broken toothpicks by only adding water. Learn about capillary action with a totally do-able water experiment.

WALKING WATER EXPERIMENT

Can water walk? Make a colorful rainbow with a little color theory mixed in too! This walking water experiment is super easy and fun to set up! Mason jars, plastic cups, or bowls will also work just fine for this experiment.

WATER CYCLE IN A BOTTLE

Make a discovery bottle all about the water cycle. One of the best water science activities is one where we can learn more about one of the most important and necessary cycles on Earth, the water cycle!

WATER CYCLE IN A BAG

The water cycle is important because it’s how water gets to all the plants, animals and even us!! Learn about the water cycle with this easy water cycle in a bag experiment.

WATER DISPLACEMENT EXPERIMENT

Add this simple water displacement experiment to your science lesson plans this season. Learn about water displacement and what it measures.

WATER REFRACTION EXPERIMENT

Why do objects look different in water? A simple water experiment that shows how light bends or refracts as it moves through water.

WATER XYLOPHONE

A homemade water xylophone is perfect for exploring physics and sound science!

WATER ABSORBTION EXPERIMENT

This is a very simple and fun water experiment which is great for preschoolers. My son had a blast exploring what materials absorb water and what don’t.

WHAT DISSOLVES IN WATER

This is super simple chemistry using common items around the house to explore mixtures and discover which items dissolve in water !

Compare how fast different everyday items melt in the sun, including ice cubes. A fun experiment to do in the summer!

WATER WHEEL

Hop on this engineering project and design a water wheel that moves! Use our idea as a springboard to create your own or follow the step-by-step directions.

WATER CLOCK

Find out how to use water to tell the time with this water clock project .

Plan a Water Summer Science Camp

Grab this free guide and plan a day or two of water theme science camp activities . We have 12 free guides, each with a different theme! Use them all year long.

ALSO TRY THESE EASY SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS

• States of Matter Experiments
• Surface Tension of Water Experiments
• Chemistry Experiments
• Physics Experiments
• Fizzing Experiments
• Physical Changes
• All About Atoms

MORE HELPFUL SCIENCE RESOURCES

Science vocabulary.

It is never too early to introduce some fantastic science words to kids. Get them started with a printable science vocabulary word list . You will want to incorporate these simple science terms into your next science lesson!

WHAT IS A SCIENTIST

Think like a scientist! Act like a scientist! Scientists like you and me are also curious about the world around them. Learn about the different types of scientists and what they do to increase their understanding of their specific areas of interest. Read What Is A Scientist

SCIENCE BOOKS FOR KIDS

Sometimes the best way to introduce science concepts is through a colorfully illustrated book with characters your kids can relate to! Check out this fantastic list of science books that are teacher approved and get ready to spark curiosity and exploration!

SCIENCE PRACTICES

A new approach to teaching science is called the Best Science Practices. These eight science and engineering practices are less structured and allow for a more free**-**flowing approach to problem-solving and finding answers to questions. These skills are critical to developing future engineers, inventors, and scientists!

Printable Science Projects Pack

If you’re looking to grab all of our printable science projects in one convenient place plus exclusive worksheets and bonuses like a STEAM Project pack, our Science Project Pack is what you need! Over 300+ Pages!

• 90+ classic science activities  with journal pages, supply lists, set up and process, and science information.  NEW! Activity-specific observation pages!
• Best science practices posters  and our original science method process folders for extra alternatives!
• Be a Collector activities pack  introduces kids to the world of making collections through the eyes of a scientist. What will they collect first?
• Know the Words Science vocabulary pack  includes flashcards, crosswords, and word searches that illuminate keywords in the experiments!
• My science journal writing prompts  explore what it means to be a scientist!!
• Bonus STEAM Project Pack:  Art meets science with doable projects!
• Bonus Quick Grab Packs for Biology, Earth Science, Chemistry, and Physics
• Science Fair Project Pack with experiments to try!

this site is the best i got an A on my assignment

• Pingback: Salt Water Density Experiment For Kids | Little Bins for Little Hands
• Pingback: Summer Science Camp Ideas And Activities | Little Bins for Little Hands
• Pingback: The BEST Very Simple Science Experiments for Kids to Try Anywhere

Comments are closed.

Subscribe to receive a free 5-Day STEM Challenge Guide

~ projects to try now ~.

5 Creative Ways to Teach Properties of Water Without Lecturing

Water, aptly referred to as the ‘elixir of life’, is the primary reason why life exists on our blue planet. It is a key constituent of every living cell, performing multiple roles. From being a medium for essential biochemical reactions, regulating our body temperature, to facilitating the transportation of nutrients within organisms.

However, beyond its apparent physical simplicity, water’s rich chemical properties have intrigued scientists for centuries. This complexity can make water a challenging topic to teach, particularly when explained with reference to chemical properties. For instance, its internal polarity, cohesion and adhesion forces, and surface tension are some abstract nature concepts. They aren’t straightforward for students to comprehend with simple lecturing methods.

This article aims to guide educators and students alike in overcoming these challenges. Our list of five inventive ways will enable learners to appreciate not only the vital role of water in our lives but also the intriguing scientific principles it embodies.

1. Engage Students with Interactive Models

We encounter water in various forms every day, from the morning dew on the grass to the glass of water we drink at dinner. Its physical properties, such as its liquid state at room temperature or the fact it freezes into ice in the winter, are quite familiar to us. However, the internal structure of water, which governs its chemical properties, is often a more complex and abstract concept to grasp.

To elucidate these complexities, engaging and tangible teaching methods are needed. One such method is the use of interactive models. They are a powerful tool for visualizing complex concepts as they enable learners to observe and manipulate the models, offering a multi-sensory learning experience that improves understanding. 

One such example is the Labster Properties of Water Virtual Lab , where students construct their own water molecule on the Holo table. They play around with the molecules, observe the attraction between them, and discover the complex networks formed through hydrogen bonding. 

2. Inject Fun with Games and Activities

In addition to interactive models, games and activities are another compelling way to make learning enjoyable. Fun learning strategies stimulate curiosity, foster active participation, and promote a positive attitude toward the subject matter, thereby enhancing retention and understanding.

Some interesting activities to foster engagement and participation are:

• Water Molecule Model Building: Ask students to build a model of water molecules using physical objects like marshmallows and toothpicks. They can learn about the two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom in a water molecule, and how these molecules interact with each other.
• Ice Floats Experiment: In a container of water, place an ice cube, and observe it floating. This simple experiment demonstrates water’s unique property of being less dense as a solid than as a liquid.
• Water Solubility Test: Provide students with a variety of substances (like salt, sugar, oil, and sand) to mix with water and observe which dissolve and which do not. This experiment illustrates water’s property as a universal solvent.
• Water Trivia: Conduct a quiz game where students answer questions related to the properties of water. You can include questions about the chemical structure of water, its states, its role in living organisms, its role in the environment, and more facts about water.

3. Integrate Technology into Lessons

In the 21st-century classroom, technology plays a pivotal role in revolutionizing the way we learn and teach. With the proliferation of digital tools and resources, educators now have new ways to make complex concepts more engaging, accessible, and comprehensive.

Digital simulations and animations provide dynamic, three-dimensional visualizations that allow students to explore and manipulate water molecules in ways not possible with traditional teaching methods.  

For instance, Labster’s Properties of Water simulation is a tech tool that brings the properties of water to life. This simulation helps students visually comprehend abstract concepts such as surface tension. Through strong 3D visuals and interactive models, students can see how water molecules at the surface create a kind of ‘elastic sheet’ due to their cohesive forces, resulting in surface tension. 

Discover Labster's Properties of Water virtual lab today!

4. Inspire Students Through Career References

When educators link classroom lessons to their real-life applications, this provides students with a broader perspective and fosters a deeper interest in the subject. 

One way to do this is by connecting the properties of water to career exploration.  This approach not only helps students understand the relevance of what they are learning but also exposes them to potential career paths they may not have considered before.

Educators can highlight the importance of this knowledge in various professions. For example, environmental scientists and hydrologists rely heavily on understanding the properties of water as they study water bodies. Similarly, chemical engineers and biochemists often work on manipulating the properties of water in industrial processes or biochemical reactions.

Meteorologists study the role of water in weather patterns and climate change. Moreover, careers in marine biology and oceanography require a deep understanding of water's properties.

5. Relate to Real-World; Cite Applications

Highlighting how the properties of water are used in real-world situations is instrumental in grounding theoretical knowledge with practical reality. This connection demonstrates how concepts learned in the classroom are not isolated, but rather integral to understanding and interacting with our world.

For instance, you can mention how ‘ surface tension’ , one of water’s properties, allows certain insects to walk on water, facilitates capillary action in plants, and is vital for the process of cleaning in detergents. 

Similarly, the polarity of water molecules also has a role in numerous biological processes. For example, it allows proteins and other biological molecules to create specific shapes necessary for their function. Polarity also makes water an excellent solvent, leading to its nickname, the ‘universal solvent’. This property is vital in our bodies where water dissolves nutrients and carries them to cells.

Final Thoughts

Teaching the properties of water involves more than just presenting facts. It requires engaging students with interactive models, infusing lessons with technology, and connecting theoretical knowledge to real-world applications and careers. Through these strategies, you can make learning an exciting journey of discovery.

Labster helps universities and high schools enhance student success in STEM.

Explore More

Introducing Labster’s Back-to-School Physics Collection, Here to Make Teaching Easier

Introducing Labster’s Back-to-School Biology Collection, Here to Make Teaching Easier

Introducing Labster’s Back-to-School Chemistry Collection, Here to Make Teaching Easier

Discover The Most Immersive Digital Learning Platform.

Request a demo to discover how Labster helps high schools and universities enhance student success.

Teach Starter, part of Tes Teach Starter, part of Tes

Search  everything  in all resources

Water Experiments for Kids That Are a Big Hit in the Classroom

Written by Cassie (Teach Starter)

Are you teaching your students about water in your science classes? It’s time to pull out the water activities for kids that will wow them … while also helping your students learn about density, salinity, mass, and a whole lot more.

The teachers on the Teach Starter team have put together some water experiments for kids that can easily be done in a classroom with little prep — and without a ton of expensive items to buy. These water science activities are also easy for kids to recreate at home if they want to show off their newfound knowledge.

Water Experiments for Kids

Let me add, it’s always a great idea to try these experiments at home before you do them with your class for the first time. Just to make sure you know any little tweaks that are needed to illustrate the concepts you are exploring!

Understanding the Effects of Water Temperature

Use this water experiment for kids to explore the concept of temperature and its effect on the speed that molecules move. This science experiment for kids will quickly illustrate how molecules move faster in hot temperatures and slower in cold temperatures.

You will need:

• Room temperature water
• 3 stopwatches (or phones)

How to do this water science activity:

• Fill one glass with cold water, one with room temperature water, and one with hot water. (It is best to prepare the cold water and room temperature water earlier. Leave one glass in the refrigerator for at least an hour prior to the experiment. Leave another glass sitting out for at least an hour too, as if the water in your pipes is a bit cold this will reduce the efficacy of the experiment.)
• Place a stopwatch in front of each glass.
• Fill the dropper with food dye.
• Drop 2-3 drops of food dye in each of the glasses and observe how the food dye behaves in each different water temperature.
• Start the stopwatches when the food dye is dropped.
• Stop each watch as the food dye has mixed completely with the water.

Your students will be able to see how the food dye mixes quickly with the hot water because the molecules are moving quickly. It takes longer to mix in the room temperature water as the molecules move slower, and in the cold water, the food dye will take the longest to mix as the molecules move at the slowest speed of all three samples.

Eventually, the food dye will mix through the water in all three glasses. Students can predict how long each will take and then record the final times on each of the stopwatches.

Salt Water Density Experiments

Use this experiment to introduce the concepts of density, mass, salinity, and buoyancy.

In this experiment, you and your students will use one bowl of fresh water and one bowl of salt water to explore how salinity affects the buoyancy of different foods. For example, what happens when you put eggs in a bowl of fresh water and a bowl of salt water?

To get started, download and print the Salt Water Density Experiment resource , and prepare the materials described.

Challenge your students to guess whether they will have the same or different results if they try this same experiment using potatoes in place of the eggs.

This experiment also uses food dye to explore how liquid molecules behave differently in fresh water and saltwater.

When your students understand how water behaves differently depending on its density, they can begin to understand more about topics such as:

• the effects of freshwater runoff from melted sea ice in the Antarctic
• how different parts of the ocean have different levels of salinity
• why objects that would normally sink (like people) can float in bodies of water with high salinity like the Dead Sea in the Middle East and the Great Salt Lake in the United States
• how salinity affects the different layers of the ocean and the types of marine life that can live in each layer.

Refraction of Light Science Activity

This water experiment for kids is incredibly simple to set up, and it will help your students better understand refraction, the change of direction of light waves, when they hit water.

All you need is:

• A Glass of water

Draw something on a piece of paper. An arrow is a great visual to start this science activity as it is obvious what happens when you put the glass of water in front of the drawn arrow. But you don’t have to limit it to arrows. Get creative and draw anything you would like to see through the glass.

When the light is passing through the glass of water, it refracts or bends. The glass of water acts as a cylindrical convex lens and produces an inverted image.

Create a fair test by changing one variable. What happens if you change the size of the glass? Or what if you change the liquid variable? Does it change the result?

Teach your students more about reflection and refraction with these resources:

[resource:4701421][resource:2674282]

Create a Lava Lamp Science Activity

No need to head out to buy a lava lamp. You can make your own “lamp” with this fun water activity for kids that teaches about the changes of density as gas is added to or taken away from the water.

• Two glasses
• Vegetable oil
• Food coloring
• Alka-Seltzer tablets

Firstly, mix half a cup of water with some drops of food coloring. You can make two different batches with different colors if you wish to make more than one lava lamp.

Then, fill a glass with vegetable oil (3/4 full). Pour some of the colored mixture into the oil, being careful not to fill the glass too much.

Add one Alka-Seltzer tablet, and watch the chemical reaction…

The Alka-seltzer tablets react with the water to produce carbon dioxide gas bubbles in this fun water activity! These stick to the water droplets. The water/gas combo is less dense than the oil, so they rise to the top of the glass!

Make this a fair test by changing the amount of Alka-seltzer added. In one glass you can add one tablet, another can have two tablets, and another can have three. What happens when you change up the water experiment?

For more water density fun, try these resources:

[resource:1872818][resource:640196][resource:4680428]

Moving Water Experiment

This water activity for kids explores water movement and helps kids understand capillary action. It does take a couple of hours for the results to finalize, so it’s best an experiment that you set and forget, checking back in throughout the day with your class. Perhaps take a picture every half hour to monitor your progress!

Aim: To investigate the movement of water when it has paper towel placed in it.

• A measuring cup
• 4 pieces of paper towel
• Red, blue and yellow food dye
• 5  clear drinking cups/glasses (jars work well too!)
• water – enough to pour equal amounts into 3 of the cups
• 3  mixing spoons
• Line up 5 cups. Fill cups number 1, 3, and 5 with equal amounts of water.
• Place equal drops of food dye into each cup of water – place blue into one cup, red into another, and yellow into the final cup. Mix each cup thoroughly with a new spoon to prevent cross-contamination.
• Place a scrunched piece of paper towel so that it creates a bridge between each cup in the line. The paper towel must be quite deep in the water in each cup.
• Watch what happens over the next few hours and record your results!

This is similar to the way that the roots of a tree pull water up and out of the ground. You can observe the movement and direction of the water by watching the water move up the paper towel, and observing the empty cups filling with a ‘new’ colored water as the two primary colors on either side mix together.

Possible questions to ask:

• What will the food dye from one cup do when it mixes with the dye from another cup?
• Why do you think the water didn’t move backward once the empty cups started to fill up?
• Why do you think the water stopped moving once the cups leveled out?

Check out this fun capillary action water activity for kids using flowers or this one using paper towels and capillary action to make roses that the kids can bring home to gift to someone they love.

For more science experiments for kids and more ways to teach science to elementary schoolers, check out our full array of science teaching resources !

30 Buzzing Facts About Bees to Excite Kids About Nature

Everyone benefits from the busyness of bees which is why these bee facts will help inspire your students to appreciate and protect them!

21 Epic Last Day of School Activities to Kick Off Summer Break

Looking for easy last day of school ideas for elementary or middle school? These quick and fun end of year classroom activities will help you finish off your year just right!

70 1st Grade Books to Add to Your Classroom Reading Corner This Year

Wondering which 1st grade books you should add to your classroom library? Look no further! We have a list of 70 that are teacher (and student) approved!

22 Fun Groundhog Facts to Share With Your Class on Groundhog Day

Need fun groundhog facts to share with your students this Groundhog Day? Find out what groundhogs eat, where they live and why we let them predict the weather!

How to Teach 1st Grade — The Ultimate Guide to What to Do, What to Buy and What to Teach

Looking for tips on teaching first grade? Our comprehensive 1st grade teacher guide will answer all your questions from what to buy to how to prepare for the first day of school and what to do throughout the school year.

10 Best Pencil Sharpeners for the Classroom — Recommended by Teachers

Need new pencil sharpeners in your classroom? We've rounded up 10 best pencil sharpeners recommended by teachers to get you started.

Get more inspiration delivered to your inbox!

Sign up for a free membership and receive tips, news and resources directly to your email!

• Number of visits 161
• Number of saves 3

Exploring the Properties & Effects of Water

• Report this resource

Description

Wyoming Science Content and Performance Standards

Learning Domain: Earth's Systems

Standard: Plan and conduct an investigation of the properties of water and its effects on Earth materials and surface processes.

Degree of Alignment: Not Rated (0 users)

Next Generation Science Standards

Science Domain: Earth and Space Sciences

Topic: Earth's Systems

Standard: Plan and conduct an investigation of the properties of water and its effects on Earth materials and surface processes. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on mechanical and chemical investigations with water and a variety of solid materials to provide the evidence for connections between the hydrologic cycle and system interactions commonly known as the rock cycle. Examples of mechanical investigations include stream transportation and deposition using a stream table, erosion using variations in soil moisture content, or frost wedging by the expansion of water as it freezes. Examples of chemical investigations include chemical weathering and recrystallization (by testing the solubility of different materials) or melt generation (by examining how water lowers the melting temperature of most solids).]

Evaluations

No evaluations yet.

• Properties of Water

Review Criteria

Properties of Water Lesson Plans – Fun Science Activities

Looking for properties of water lesson plans? A few simple activities can drive home important science concepts like evaporation, cohesion, adhesion, water as a solvent, and capillary action. Read on for ideas for your classroom.

Ms. Sneed’s Properties of Water Lesson Plans

Our favorite fourth grade teacher glanced at her properties of water lesson plans. With a variety of simple activities, her kids would understand some complex concepts. Furthermore, they’d make connections between earth and physical science .

She opened her science cabinet and gathered  a variety of simple materials for a week of water science experiments .

“I’ll just need to grab a pie plate from home,” Ms. Sneed said to herself. “Otherwise, we’re ready to explore properties of water.”

Begin with an Evaporation Experiment

On Monday, Ms. Sneed’s students set up an evaporation lab.

“To ensure a fair test while using the scientific method,” she said, “you’ll control all but one variable.”

Each group measured 50 ml of water into two plastic cups. The first two science lab groups placed one of their cups in a sunny location and another in a dark place. The second two groups added salt to one cup but not the other. Finally, the third set of groups covered one cup but not the other.

“We’ll check these later in the week to see how much water has evaporated.”

Properties of Water Lesson Plans for Cohesion and Adhesion

On Tuesday morning, the students ran to their evaporation experiments to see what had happened. Unfortunately, they couldn’t see any changes.

“Give it time,” said Ms. Sneed. “Today and tomorrow we’ll take a look at two properties of water: cohesion and adhesion.”

“Huh?” one girl blurted out.

“I know,” Ms. Sneed replied. “New vocabulary. But really we’re just exploring water’s stickiness.”

The first set of activities in the properties of water lesson plans involved cohesion.

First, Ms. Sneed did a demonstration. “How many of you think this paper clip will float?” A few hands raised tentatively. The rest of the class shook their heads.

Then their teacher slowly laid the paper clip on top of the water – and it floated!

“Why does this paper clip float?” she asked. After a bit of discussion, the class landed on the idea that the surface of the water somehow held it up.

“You’re right. Water molecules stick to one another. We call this cohesion . Because of cohesion, surface tension occurs. Just think about what happens when someone jumps flat-out into a swimming pool…”

“Belly flop!” a few kids called out.

“Next,” Ms. Sneed said, “you will play with some water.” She quickly distributed wax paper, small containers of water, eyedroppers, toothpicks, and pennies. Following their lab sheets , the students placed drops of water onto the wax paper.

First, they used their toothpicks to split the drops into smaller and smaller and smaller droplets. Next, they pulled drops of water close to other drops.

“Ms. Sneed! These drops are magnetic,” one student said. “When I put them near one another, they attract and pull together.”

The teacher smiled. “Simple hands-on science activities can drive home complicated concepts,” she said to herself.

For the second activity, kids used the eyedropper to place drops of water on a penny. As Ms. Sneed walked around the room, she heard lots of discussion:

“Twenty-six, twenty-seven, awww!”

“How many did you get?”

“Let’s try it again!”

The following day, Ms. Sneed’s class worked on adhesion. First, they simply looked at the surface of water in a glass graduated cylinder.

The first child to try it peered through his glasses. “Oh wow, it’s curved.”

Second, they bent five toothpicks in half and organized them in the shape of a star. As they dropped water into the center of the star, it filled in, but surprisingly the tips stayed together.

As kids completed their lab sheets , they drew conclusions about adhesion (water sticking to other surfaces).

Ms. Sneed saw one girl dip her finger into a container of water, hold it up, and watch as two drops slowly dripped off. “My finger is still wet,” she said.

“Yep. Adhesion,” her teacher responded.

Properties of Water Lesson Plans That Examine Water as a Solvent

On Thursday, Ms. Sneed set up another demonstration. After pouring about an inch of water into a pie pan, she set it under the document camera so everyone could see. Then she dropped in four colored candies.

“Whoa! Look at that!” In no time at all, the candies had begun to dissolve.

Next, Ms. Sneed asked the science groups to measure 50 ml of water into a cup. Then they poured in 10 cc of salt and stirred.

“I can’t really see the salt anymore,” one child remarked.

After the salt had dissolved, kids measured the salt water. “Hmm,” said a boy with curly hair, “this water is less than 60 ml. How can that be?”

Once her students had completed their lab sheets, Ms. Sneed debriefed them. “When a substance dissolves, it becomes evenly distributed. Therefore, it may fill in spaces between water molecules.”

“Yeah, but how do we know that the salt is still there?” asked a girl at a back table.

Ms. Sneed looked around the room. “Well, if you taste the water, you can taste the salt,” a student suggested.

Their teacher took one cup of salt water and poured it into a pie pan. “We’ll let this set for a few days. Once the water’s evaporated, we’ll see what remains.”

Have Some Fun with Capillary Action

On Friday, Ms. Sneed stood in front of her class holding a stalk of celery. “What will happen if I put this celery into that cup of colored water?” she asked.

“Everybody knows that,” mumbled a girl in the front row. “We’ve done that experiment every year since first grade.”

“I figured,” Ms. Sneed replied. “But just for fun, let’s do it again.” She plopped the celery into the water.

“So, since you’ve already done it, what happens?”

“The veins suck up the colored water,” offered the girl in the front row.

“Anyone know how?” She looked around the room. No takers. “Okay, today we’ll set up a few more labs to explore capillary action . As you complete the activity on your  lab sheets , I’ll set up anther demonstration.”

More Capillary Action

While her students set up a chromatography activity, Ms. Sneed placed three cups of water near one another. She put yellow food coloring in the cup on the left. Then she put blue food coloring in the cup on the right.

“Okay, everyone, stop what you’re doing for a minute,” she said. As they watched, she rolled up two paper towels. She put one end of the first paper towel into the yellow water and the other into the clear. Then she placed one end of the second paper towel in the clear and the other end in the red. “As you observe your coffee filters,” she said, you can also come over here and see what’s happening.”

For the next 20 minutes, kids moved back and forth between their lab groups and the paper towel set-up.

At first, students made simple observations like “Look, the paper towels are absorbing the water.”

Then things became more exciting. “Oh my goodness! The dot of ink on the coffee filter is separating into different colors!”

And even more exciting. “What? The water in the middle cup has turned green! Hey, how did that happen?”

Once the excitement cleared up and everything was cleaned up, once again, the class debriefed. “The forces of adhesion and cohesion,” summarized Ms. Sneed, “allow water to defy gravity and move into porous materials. While we know this as absorbing, scientists call it capillary action .”

Expanding the Study of Water

Over the years, Ms. Sneed added more water science activities to her curriculum. In addition to properties of water lesson plans, she also taught about the hydrosphere , the water cycle , waves , currents , and water pollution . Each facet of hydrology helped her kids conceptualize science concepts. And they had a lot of fun along the way!

Properties of Water for Kids

I love when I can take science activities for kids that I’ve done in older grades and bring them into kindergarten and it be equally well received.  In our science class, we have been talking about the properties of water.

My students have been learning about how water molecules move differently depending on the temperature of the water. Although hot and cold water look the same, they behave differently.

Although I had told the children about this difference in the water, it is even better to show them!

This experiment is easy to do and requires very few materials. As with all science experiments make sure to supervise children during the experiment and for this experiment, make sure that an adult carefully handles the warm water.

• 2 Clear, Heat Safe Jars
• Food Coloring
• Pipette (Optional)

You will need to use water as warm as you can get. An adult needs to do this experiment for children to watch because of the warm water. Make sure that children do not come in contact with the hot/warm water.

Properties of Water Experiment

Start with 2 large clear (heat safe) containers. Add ice cold water to one container. Initially, I typically leave a few ice cubes in the water to show kids how cold it is.

To the other container, add the really warm water.

Remove the ice cubes and ask children if they notice any difference in the waters. They are both clear and look the same. However, depending on how cold and hot your water is, some children may notice a bit of steam in the warm water jar.

They may also notice a bit of frost or condensation on the jars. This is a great observation if any children notice it.

Next, ask children what they think will happen if you add a drop of food coloring to each jar.

The first answers, were of course, that the water would change color. I asked if they thought there would be any difference between the two jars with the color in it.

Generally, kids predicted that since they were both just water, that the temperature wouldn’t make a difference. This properties of water experiment for kids shows children the difference with their own eyes.

The Steps for our Properties of Water Experiment

To start, add a drop of food coloring to each jar. I used a pipette to carefully add only one drop. Make sure to watch carefully because the reaction is immediate.

Within seconds, you will notice that the coloring in the warm water disperses and mixed in with the water very quickly. The whole jar becomes colored.

The drop of color in the ice cold water, however, does not react the same. It slowly falls to the bottom, but does not mix in with the water immediately. It takes a long time to fully mix in.

Children can clearly see that there is something different happening in each of the jars. The only difference between the jars is the temperature of the water.

The children enjoyed watching the drop of color fall into the two jars. So, we added another color to each of the jars. The same reaction happened. It was interesting to see how fast the color in the warm water mixed with the new color.

In the hot water, the drop of food coloring spread out quickly and changed the color of the water at a much faster speed than the cold water.

There is something mesmerizing about watching food coloring mix into water.  So it is always interesting to watch.

The experiment also led to great discussion as to why there was the difference between the waters that otherwise look identical.

The experiment very clearly demonstrates that the water molecules are behaving differently in the 2 jars. This is where the science comes in!

The Science for Kids

Understanding why the water and food coloring behave in the way they do, can be a challenging concept for children. However, it can be explained in a simplified, but still scientific way.

I explained to my students that the water is made up of tiny molecules. When these molecules are heated they move around very quickly and bounce off of each other. We can’t see this with our eyes, but we can see what happens to the food coloring.

When you add the food coloring to the warm water, the molecules bang into and move the food coloring around fast with them. Which we see as the color mixing quickly in the jar.

In the cold water, however, the molecules are don’t move as fast. They fall to the bottom of the jar and do not mix.

Therefore, when you add the food coloring, it moves slowly along with the water molecules in the cold water. The colder, the slower the food coloring will move.

To further the idea, the molecules in ice barely move at all.

I always have children show me with their hands and bodies how the different water molecules behave. For hot water, they move their bodies quickly and move their arms around. For cool water, they slow down and when they turn to ice, they stand still and barely move at all.

Having children move their bodies like the molecules is a great gross motor activity too!

Understanding that the water is doing something that our eyes can’t see is a tricky concept for children, however, seeing the difference with how the food coloring behaves proves that the waters are different.

Extension Activity

Since the group of children that I did this experiment with were also learning about colors and color mixing, I ended up adding different colors to the two jars and we watched as the colors mixed together.

You could also try this experiment using many heat safe jars. You could have waters with varying temperatures and test putting a drop of food coloring in each. You could also time how long each jar takes for the food coloring to mix in.

Join Hands-On Teaching Ideas

Join Hands-On Teaching Ideas to gain access to my Free Resource Library filled with lots of printable learning resources, from a choice board full of STEM activities for kids to escape room games, you can download anything that interests you for your classroom or home.  Subscribe here.

For your convenience, this post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases and I may earn a small commission at no cost to you.

Galison Pumpkin Patch – 1000 Piece Michael Storrings Jigsaw Puzzle Featuring Beautiful Artwork of A Pumpkin Patch D…

Elmer’s Disappearing Purple School Glue Sticks, Washable, 6 Grams, 12 Count

SRUOLOC Watercolor Paint Set 50 Colors, Travel Watercolor Set with Portable Carrying Case, Papers, Brushes and Acce…

More hands-on teaching ideas.

Looking for more learning activities? Below is a collection of my favourite and most popular activities.

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Look! We're Learning!

Early Learning. Happy Teaching.

40 Simple Water Science Experiments for Kids

April 16, 2018 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Sharing is caring!

Warmer weather means lots of water play and, for us, that means plenty of  simple water science experiments to try with the kids!

Since we’ve been homeschooling, I’ve learned that science doesn’t have to be a complicated subject to teach.

Many scientific concepts sound complicated (and really are amazingly intricate), but showing kids how they work doesn’t have to be complex.

Turns out that you can use a few household supplies and demonstrate how scientific principles work in a kid-friendly way!

And that’s why I’ve rounded up 40 easy water science experiments that would be great to share with kids – either indoors or outdoors!

Don’t miss our list of science experiments that you can do in just 15 minutes too!

1. Simple Light In Water Refraction Experiment – Look! We’re Learning!

2. Milk Jug Water Wheel Experiment – J Daniel 4’s Mom

3. Float Vs Sink Experiment – Teach Me Mommy

4. Leak-Proof Bag Science Experiment – Fun Learning for Kids

5. How to Make a Lava Lamp – Coffee Cups and Crayons

6. Measuring Water Beads – Blue Bear Wood

7. Water Balloon Parachute – Fantastic Fun and Learning

8. Food Coloring Fluid Mechanics Experiment – Mama Smiles

9. Measuring Buoyancy Experiment – KC Edventures

10. Color Mixing Experiment – Science Sparks

11. Tide Pool Science Experiment – Buggy and Buddy

12. Floating Peep Boats – Sixth Bloom

13. Traveling Water Experiment – The Wise Owl Factory

14. Simple Water Displacement Experiment – Life with Moore Babies

15. Ripple Water Experiment – J Daniel 4’s Mom

16. Why Does Water Rise STEM Experiment – STEAM Powered Family

17. Make a Rain Cloud In a Jar – Coffee Cups and Crayons

18. Water Xylophone Sound Experiment – Little Bins for Little Hands

19. Growing Mint in Water – Sloely

20. Sticky Ice Experiment – Capri Plus 3

See more of these awesome simple water science experiments on page 2!

Properties of Water Lesson Plan - A Complete Science Lesson Using the 5E Method of Instruction

At the end of this properties of water lesson plan, students will be able to identify physical and chemical properties of water and describe how properties of water are important to the planet’s dynamic. Each lesson is designed using the 5E method of instruction to ensure maximum comprehension by the students.

The following post will walk you through each of the steps and activities from the properties of water lesson plan.

Objective Introduction

At the beginning of the lesson, the class will do a Think-Pair-Share to discuss the objective.

Class Activity

• Physical Properties
• Chemical Properties
• Explain to students they will be making a chart/table/picture note (their choice) of the properties of water after they have viewed the video.
• Show Video – Properties of Water

Student Activity

• Have them break up into small groups (your choice on size).
• In each group brainstorm what needs to be in their chart.
• Construct their chart/table/picture notes.
• Have one or two groups present their final product.

The teacher will help to clear any misconceptions about properties of water. Some major misconceptions are students think objects float in water because they are lighter than water. Not always – think surface tension. Also, students think ice molecules are colder than water molecules. Really ice molecules have less kinetic energy than water molecules.

Estimated Class Time for the Engagement: 20-30 minutes

EXPLORATION

This student-centered station lab is set up so students can begin to explore the properties of water. Four of the stations are considered input stations where students are learning new information about the properties of water and four of the stations are output stations where students will be demonstrating their mastery of the input stations.  Each of the stations is differentiated to challenge students using a different learning style.  You can read more about   how I set up the station labs here .

EXPLORE IT!

Students will be working in pairs to better understand what it means when water is described as having surface tension. Students will follow the directions on the task cards as they conduct a mini lab about surface tension with a water dropper and a penny.

WATCH IT!

At this station, students will be watching a seven-minute video explaining the properties of water. Students will then answer questions related to the video and record their answers on their lab station sheet. For example: Describe what a hydrogen bond is. What is surface tension? List two examples from the video of how the properties of water are important to life on Earth.

RESEARCH IT!

The research station will allow students to interact with a simulation that allows them to create water molecules. It will teach the students about polarity and how molecules can be fused by chemical bonding. Students will then be directed to answer a few questions based on the research they conducted.

READ IT!

This station will provide students with a one page reading about capillary action. In the reading, students will discover what capillary action is and why it is important in our everyday lives. There are 4 follow-up questions that the students will answer to show reading comprehension of the subject.

ASSESS IT!

The assess it station is where students will go to prove mastery over the concepts they learned in the lab.  The questions are set up in a standardized format with multiple choice answers.  Some questions include: Which best illustrates the electrical charge of a water molecule? Which property of water is responsible for capillary action? Why is a good example of the property of water called surface tension? Which answer best describes cohesion?

WRITE IT!

Students who can answer open-ended questions about the lab truly understand the concepts that are being taught.  At this station the students will be answering three task cards: Describe what polarity means in terms of being a property of water. What is evaporation and how does it contribute to the survival of species? What properties of water allows the organisms to survive underneath the ice?

ILLUSTRATE IT!

Your visual students will love this station. Students will need to have completed the research station portion first because students will need to draw a model showing 4 water molecules bonded together. Students may use a computer device for reference.

ORGANIZE IT!

The organize it station allows your students to place cards containing the definitions to the correct vocabulary word that it is describing.

Estimated Class Time for the Exploration: 1-2, 45 minute class periods

EXPLANATION

The explanation activities will become much more engaging for the class once they have completed the exploration station lab.  During the explanation piece, the teacher will be clearing up any misconceptions about the properties of water with an interactive PowerPoint, anchor charts, and interactive notebook activities. The properties of water lesson includes a PowerPoint with activities scattered throughout to keep the students engaged.

The students will also be interacting with their journals using INB templates for properties of water.  Each INB activity is designed to help students compartmentalize information for a greater understanding of the concept.  The properties of water INB template allow students to focus their notes on learning the vocabulary and their definitions.

Estimated Class Time for the Exploration: 2-3, 45 minute class periods

ELABORATION

The elaboration section of the 5E method of instruction is intended to give students choice on how they can prove mastery of the concept.  When students are given choice the ‘buy-in’ is much greater than when the teacher tells them the project they will have to create.  The elaboration project will allow students to create a presentation to teach about the properties of water.

Estimated Class Time for the Elaboration: 2-3, 45 minute class periods (can also be used as an at-home project)

The final piece of the 5E model is to evaluate student comprehension.  Included in every 5E lesson is a homework assignment, assessment, and modified assessment.  Research has shown that homework needs to be meaningful and applicable to real-world activities in order to be effective.  When possible, I like to give open-ended assessments to truly gauge the student’s comprehension.

Estimated Class Time for the Elaboration: 1, 45 minute class period

DOWNLOAD THE FULL LESSON NOW

The full lesson is available for   download from my TpT store .  Save yourself a ton of time and grab it now.

Download Over $100 in FREE Resources For Middle School Science

Simply create a login below and gain immediate access to a selection of our Kesler Science product line worth $100 - for FREE.  There's a full version of every product type! You'll also join tens of thousands of middle school science teachers who receive timely tips and strategies straight to their inbox.

Life Science Lessons Ecosystems & Ecology, Structure of Life, and Body Systems

Earth Science Lessons Earth Science, Space Science, and Weather

Physical Science Lessons Chemistry, Energy, and Force & Motion

Teaching Strategies & Ideas Middle School Science Strategies & Ideas

Remember Me

Shop Experiment Physical Properties of Water Experiments​

Physical properties of water.

Experiment #1 from Investigating Chemistry through Inquiry

Introduction

Physical properties of a substance are characteristics that can be observed without altering the identity of the substance. Color, density, hardness, freezing point, melting point, boiling point, and electrical conductivity are examples of physical properties.

In the Preliminary Activity, you will gain experience using a Temperature Probe and data-collection software—experience that will be helpful later as you investigate a physical property of water. You will measure temperature continuously before, during, and after warming a Temperature Probe in your hand. You will then gain experience selecting data ranges, determining statistics, and determining linear fits of selected data using data-collection software.

After completing the Preliminary Activity, you will first use reference sources to learn more about physical properties of substances and the physical properties of water in particular before you choose and investigate a researchable question dealing with a physical property of water.

Sensors and Equipment

This experiment features the following sensors and equipment. Additional equipment may be required.

Correlations

Teaching to an educational standard? This experiment supports the standards below.

Ready to Experiment?

Ask an expert.

Get answers to your questions about how to teach this experiment with our support team.

• Call toll-free: 888-837-6437
• Chat with Us
• Email [email protected]

Purchase the Lab Book

This experiment is #1 of Investigating Chemistry through Inquiry . The experiment in the book includes student instructions as well as instructor information for set up, helpful hints, and sample graphs and data.

Best Science Experiments with Water

Water plays a crucial role in life. There are very few substances on Earth more important than water. All plants and animals cannot survive without it. If there was no water on Earth, there would be no life. In addition to its own intrinsic value, water also has an amazing range of properties and uses.

Here is a collection of simple but incredibly fun water experiments for you to explore water properties and to learn about their use.

Refraction is the bending of light as it passes from one transparent medium into another. 

You can do some really good magic tricks using this water refraction property.

Water Density

Density is the key to the floating property of water. Buoyancy and density are interrelated and they can be used in interesting experiments.

Surface Tension

Surface tension exists in water because water molecules (the little pieces of water) tend to stick to one another (cohesion). You can come up with endless interesting projects using water’s surface tension property.

Water Cycle Experiments

The water cycle can affect the Earth’s weather and climate. Clouds, rivers and ground water are all part of it. When one element in the cycle is disrupted, the environment and landscape can be affected significantly. Create this mini water cycle in a bag to see the water cycle in action.

Evaporation is a vital stage in the water cycle. Water on the ground or in the ocean are evaporated to create vapor and vapors condense to become clouds that make rain.

Capillary Action

Capillary action is one of the most amazing water properties. This experiment illustrates how plants absorb nutrients and stay alive through capillary action.

This is another experiment that uses capillary action in wooden toothpicks. You will see an expanding star forming right in front of you.

Water Pressure Experiments

As you submerge in water, you will feel a force pushing at you from all sides. That is water pressure. It is a force that pushes water from a high pressure area to a low pressure area. Take a look at this  simple water pressure experiment.

These experiments explore the solubility property of water. They are very entertaining to do and to look at, especially this Candy Science experiment.

Freezing Point

Besides the freezing point, the boiling point is also a very special property of water. See why salts are used to melt ice after a winter storm.

Can you come up with an interesting boiling point experiment for the next science fair?

That’s it? These are all the water properties experiments?

Of course not!

There are basically countless science projects you can come up with exploring one water characteristic or another.

Water is fun!

The Biology Corner

Biology Teaching Resources

Investigation: Properties of Water with Lab Stations

In AP Biology, early units focus on the chemistry of life which includes the topic of water properties. Water properties that are essential to life include cohesion and adhesion, water’s polarity, water as a solvent, and its high heat capacity. I usually provide students with a short introductory lecture before students head to the lab.

In this activity, students move through stations where they perform tasks that demonstrate these water properties. They answer questions as they go on the student handout and conduct a final inquiry activity on factors that affect evaporation.

The student handout includes instructions for each station. You could also print cards for stations that have instructions on them and give students a more streamlined handout to write their answers.

Most of the materials required are simple and available in most science labs. This document outlines all the materials needed and includes photos of the lab stations for simple reference.

Quick Overview of Stations:

• Surface tension using pennies, soap, and water
• Surface tension using whole milk, water and food coloring (creating swirls)
• Density vs surface tension using aluminum foil
• Create a mini lava lamp using food coloring, Alka seltzer tablets, water and oil.
• Warm water versus cold water (submerged test tubes)
• Solubility of sugar and salt in water and in ethanol

Resource Collection:

• Properties of Water Lab (student handout)
• Properties of Water Lab (short handout, no instructions)
• Properties of Water Lab Station instruction Cards
• Properties of Water Materials and Set Up Guide
• Lecture Slides: Water Properties

Answer key and entire bundle of resources available at Teachers Pay Teachers.

Shannan Muskopf

Properties of Water Activities & Experiments - Hands-on Physical Science

• Google Apps™ ,
• Easel Activity Frequently assigned

Also included in

Description

Kids explore properties of water through a series of hands-on science experiments: evaporation, cohesion, adhesion, solvency, and capillary action. The simple (and fun) activities engage fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students like never before - and allow them to achieve deeper conceptualization.

Open the preview to take a closer look at these seriously fun science activities.

Evaporation – Kids use fair tests to compare evaporation in sunny and dark locations, in uncovered and covered containers, and salt versus fresh water.

Cohesion – First, the teacher launches the concept by floating a paperclip on the surface. Then they break the tension with a bit of dishwashing soap. Second, kids play with drops of water on a sheet of wax paper. They break them apart and put them back together. Additionally, they drop water onto a penny.

Adhesion – To introduce the concept, the teacher places an index card over a full cup of water. When they turn it upside down, it doesn’t spill! Next, kids explore with a “star” of toothpicks. As they add drops of water, the star doesn’t break apart. Instead, it expands.

Solvent – The teacher launches the concept by dissolving candy (like M& Ms). They introduce terminology: solute, solvent, and solution. Then kids dissolve salt in water.

Capillary Action – To get kids thinking, the teacher sets a stalk of celery in a cup of colored water and/or sets up a system of three cups with colored water and connects them with paper towels. Next, kids explore the concept with a chromatography activity.

What’s Included?

• Lesson plans and directions
• Five demonstrations
• Five hands-on experiments
• Five supporting links

Print and digital options are available:

• Easel Activities
• Google Slides

Your students will love it – and you will too!

• The hands-on activities are fun (and, at times, surprising.)
• Kids learn about properties of water with simple labs.
• Activities address the intent of your standards, such as NGSS 5-PS1-3, Florida SC.4.P.8.2, Virginia SOL 6.6.a and 6.6.b.

Enjoy teaching science!

Brenda Kovich

Questions & answers.

• We're hiring
• Help & FAQ
• Privacy policy
• Student privacy
• Terms of service
• Tell us what you think