Read on to discover fun, easy, and spooky Halloween science experiments for preschool kids and elementary students. Have fun doing Halloween-themed science activities this October!
If you’re looking for chemical reactions and Halloween fun, all of these are a fun way to introduce the scientific method with a fun activity. This Halloween season, make sure to add some spooky science experiments into your fun plans!
I still remember when we lived in Texas and we carved pumpkins for Halloween, making some pretty fun Jack o’ Lanterns.
It’s a pretty normal tradition.
What I didn’t realize is how FAST those pumpkins would mold and rot in the humid, hot Texas “Falls.”
But, it allow us the opportunity to talk to the kids about mold, rotting, humidity, decay, and so on with our kids. (And you can learn more about the science of pumpkin mold from Little Bins for Little Hands).
It was our own real live Halloween science experiment, whether we intended it to be or not.
We also started doing painted pumpkins after that year. ?
As homeschoolers, I love things like this that lend to natural learning. But, sometimes, it’s still fun to specifically set out to conduct and explore various objects in the name of science experiments.
Halloween is a fun time to do some Fall-themed science experiments and explorations. From leaves to acorns to pumpkins and spooky spiders and bats, there’s lots you can talk about this time of year.
I wanted to put together a list of great Halloween science experiments for kids!
As science isn’t really my best subject, I always like seeing what resources are out there for me already. It’s why I put together posts about the best chemistry kits for kids, monthly science kits for kids, and scientific board games.
I hope you enjoy this list and have fun doing some Halloween science with your kids!
Halloween Science Experiments and Activities
There are a ton of ideas out there, but I tried to put together a list of my favorites.
For your convenience, I divided them into Halloween science experiments for preschoolers (ages 2-5+) and Halloween science experiments for elementary students (ages 5-10+), as well as listed some Halloween slime ideas, Halloween candy experiments, and some Steve Spangler Halloween Science experiments too!
Steve Spangler Halloween Science Experiments
Steve Spangler, the new and improved Bill Nye for this generation of kids, has a huge assortment of fun Halloween science experiments, science toys, and other Halloween hands-on activities on his website.
I will share a few of them with you below, but you can find all the Steve Spangler Halloween Science experiments here.
The great thing about his kits is that it he always does a great job explaining the science behind everything and why things work they way they do, rather than just showing your kids how to do cool things. Best of both worlds!
Glow-in-the-Dark Activities
- Atomic Glow Concentrate (make liquids glow green)
- Ghost Science Kit (ghost eggs and alien marbles and explore the science of optics and refraction)
- Atomic Super Slime
- Halloween Decorating Kit (10 different science labs and party tricks)
- Glow-in-the-Dark Squidy Cartesian Diver (learn about pressure)
Spooky Steve Spangler Science Activities
- Spooky Sounds Kit
- Growing Body Parts Jar
Halloween Dry Ice Science Activities from Steve Spangler
- Dry Ice Boo Bubbles
- The Ultimate Dry Ice Science Kit
- Halloween Science Party Kit
Steve Spangler Spooky Halloween Slime
- Glowing, Color-Changing Vampire Veins Slime
- Rainbow String Slime (glow under black light)
- Color-Changing Heat Sensitive String Slime
Preschool Halloween Science Activities
Preschool aged kids love learning and exporing! I found some very easy Halloween experiments for preschoolers that are sure to delight them and be easy enough for them to understand.
Exploring a Pumpkin Science Experiment and Activity from A Dab of Glue. This one is great for learning about the insides of a pumpkin!
Oozing Pumpkins Sensory Experiments from Team Cartwright. This one is messy, but fun!
Halloween Optical Illusion Experiment from KC Edventures. This one may be more for the older preschoolers if you want them to better understand the science behind it, but they can totally make the craft and see the illusion.
Halloween Rock Painting Using Physics from From Engineer to SAHM. This one explores centrifugal force in a fun and colorful way. Add the eyes to make your own Halloween monsters.
Painting Pumpkins with Paintballs from From Engineer to SAHM. She and her son learned a lot about how different material absorbs paint more or less, and who doesn’t love chucking paintballs?
Halloween Shooter Toys from Red Ted Art. This very simple Halloween science experiment is a great way to shoot ghosts and goblins through the air instead of spitballs. ? Your child will learn about pressure, force, and more.
Bubbling Witch’s Brew Cauldron from Little Bins for Little Hands. A simple vinegar and baking soda reaction, I love how adding the right color, and putting it in a cauldron with eyeball transforms it into a fun Halloween experiment.
Vanishing Ghosts Activity from There’s Just One Mommy. I totally didn’t realize that packing peanuts could dissolve in water! This one looks easy and fun.
Dancing Ghosts Halloween Science Activity from Inspiration Laboratories. I know my kids are going to love this one and it’s so simple and easy. Teach about static electricity with this one and enjoy.
Spooky Expanding Ghost from Bitz N Giggles. Another easy Halloween science experiment for preschoolers, this basic chemical reaction puts off quite the bit of gas, enough to fill up a ghost!
Ghost Rockets Halloween Activity from Growing a Jeweled Rose. I remember doing this activity with my kids several years ago, but I love the simple way to make it a ghost-experiment. The hard part will be finding old film canisters!
Halloween Science Experiments for Elementary Students
Older kids are able to explore some concepts easier than preschoolers and are better able to handle various materials better. The following are great science Halloween experiments for them.
How Many Rubberbands Does It Take to Explode a Pumpkin? from A Heart Full of Joy. Seeing a pumpkin explode in half has got to be a joy! Plus, you can really encourage them to make guesses as to how many bands it will take.
Finding the Tensile Strength of Spider Webs from From Engineer to SAHM. I LOVE this one!! She uses various materials – yard, spaghetti, and decorative spider webs – to test out their tensile strength, using the painted Halloween rocks I showed you earlier. You could even do a few other materials too, like tape, rubber bands, or strings.
Creepy Frozen Brain Halloween Science Activity from From Engineer to SAHM. I like this one mostly because it’s a gross brain. But, learning about melting points, and the brain is fun too.
Spooky Mirror Writing from Science Sparks. This is a great one, easy enough for any child who can write words (you may have to help with spelling). It also helps them learn more about mirrors and how their eyes work.
Scented Halloween Crystals from STEAM Powered Family. I love how this transforms crystal growing into decorative Halloween science creations.
Halloween Lava Lamp Experiment from Little Bins for Little Hands. She has SO many amazing science and STEM and Halloween ideas (many listed in this post but there’s dozens more on her site) but this one is really fun. Learning about buoyancy and density via lava lamps with a spooky twist.
Shrunken Apple Heads Halloween Science Activity from Pink Stripey Socks. This one is a little creepy, and a little gross, but also kinda awesome. Kids get to carve apples, then watch natural decaying processes happen, and then decorate their dried shrunken apple heads.
How to Make Fake Blood from Science-Sparks. This one not only is creepy yet cool, but it also teaches your child how blood actually works to clot. We are studying the Human Body this year in our homeschool, so I’ll be doing this one for sure!
Halloween Candy Science Experiments
Everyone like to make delicious fall treats, so I thought I’d include some great Halloween candy science experiments!
Learn more about the science of Caramelization (perfect for caramel apples) from Home Cooking Memories. This is a super detailed science experiment for kids who are into cooking and baking.
Candy Halloween Potions from Housing a Forest. Rather than making candy, here’s a great way to use up some of that Halloween candy and learn how candies dissolve and what the layers underneath look like.
Halloween Slime Experiments
Glow-in-the-Dark Taste-Safe Slime (perfect for black-light!) from The Soccer Mom Blog.
Visit Little Bins for Little Hands for 17 more Halloween Slime recipes like:
I hope you have fun doing Halloween science experiments and activities with your kids this year!
If you need Halloween costumes, here is where to get used Halloween costumes. And here are some cheap DIY Halloween decorations for outside.
Any young scientist will be happy to do any simple experiment from this list! You can create a spooky STEM challenge for the kids or just pick a few to make them your favorite Halloween science activities. All of them have a spooky or Halloween twist and are a great time for all to do. They’re also great for sensory play, and make the best Halloween STEM activities for the kids to do. Spooky science activities are the best!
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