It’s the Christmas holiday season again! Time to celebrate the holidays with your loved ones and make unforgettable memories. If you’re wondering how to have fun with your kids and create beautiful memories this Christmas season, why not teach them some fun lessons by doing Christmas science activities together? You might think that children will be bored doing science activities during winter break, but using Christmas themes for the science experiments will make the kids interested and motivated so they’ll be happy to take part in Christmas science activities and learn. So gather your children around and get down to some fun Christmas science experiments. Have a merry Christmas with these thrilling science experiments for kids!
These are the best Christmas science experiments for kids.
1. Snowball Shooter
Starting off with one of the kids’ favorite Christmas science experiments, the Snowball Shooter. This Christmas science experiment has just the right amount of fun and ingenuity with it and the materials you need are common everyday items everyone has, including:
- Balloon
- TP tube
- Glue
- Scissors
- Some ammo (cotton or foam balls)
A Snowball Shooter is basically a slingshot and kids will learn physics while having fun at the same time.
If you’re wondering what STEM toys are and why STEM education is important, you can read about it on our blog.
2. 2-Ingredient Fake Snow
2-Ingredient Fake Snow is one of the easy science experiments that’s aimed at producing artificial snow that can last you throughout Christmas.
Kids learn to work with chemical compounds to make fake snow. You need a hair conditioner, shaving cream or water and baking soda for this activity.
You can use the fake snow for decorations and kids can create a snowy landscape using artificial snow, toys and ornaments.
3. Christmas Magic Milk
Christmas Magic Milk is one of the best Christmas science experiments for kids.
What you’ll need for this experiment is:
- Food coloring
- Dish soap
- Milk
In the Christmas Magic Milk experiment, interesting chemical reactions occur that are fun to watch and kids will love the swirls of color that are created. Christmas Magic Milk is a very educational and entertaining holiday season activity for kids.
You can check our blog for some more Christmas STEM activities.
4. Christmas Baking Soda Science
A beginner-friendly introduction to chemistry with some simple science, the Christmas Baking Soda Science experiment is an experiment using:
- Water
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- Food coloring and cookie cutters
All you have to do is mix baking soda and water to create a paste, put it in a mold, decorate it and then refrigerate it for a couple of hours. After that, add a few drops of vinegar on top and watch the fizz.
5. Ice Ornaments
Ice Ornaments are simple and fun to make. All you need is a plate or bowl of water, a string for hanging the ice ornaments and anything children would like to freeze into a lovely ornament.
These ornaments are usually made using outdoor materials such as twigs but you can use anything you’d like.
Ice ornaments should not be used as Christmas decorations indoors since they will melt.
6. DIY Star Ornaments
There’s a lot of creativity in making your own star ornaments since you can make them by using many different things. Still, in the DIY Star Ornaments Christmas science experiment, children practice their engineering and fine motor skills the most.
DIY Star Ornament is a Christmas science activity suitable for all ages since you can make it easier for younger kids or more challenging for older ones.
7. Snow Fort
There’s nothing better to do during the Christmas season than making a snow fort. Snow forts are absolutely thrilling and can take hours to make, but the result is always worth it.
While building snow forts, children learn about engineering and perfect their fine motor skills along the way.
While immensely fun, you should watch that the fort doesn’t collapse and hurt children.
You can go here for more winter science ideas for kids.
8. Snowstorm In A Jar
Snow Storm In A Jar is an experiment for teaching kids the displacement chemical reaction.
To make a Snowstorm In A Jar, you’ll need the following supplies:
- Jar or cup
- Paint
- Vegetable or baby oil
- Alka Seltzer tablet
To conduct this experiment, kids must first put the paint and oil into the jar or cup. A Snowstorm In A Jar starts once they put the Alka Seltzer tabs in.
9. Dissolving Candy Canes
The Dissolving Candy Canes experiment is an excellent example of an inductive-deductive scientific method. Kids learn about the different stages of experimentation by watching the changes taking place.
What you’ll need for the Dissolving Candy Canes experiment is the following:
- Candy canes
- Water
- Milk
- Juice
- Microwave
Do your best to keep kids interested during this experiment, as it may not be as fun as some other experiments.
10. Crystal Snowflake Ornaments
Despite not being actual crystal ornaments, Crystal Snowflake Ornaments can look like them and are easy and fun to make. All you need is the following:
- White pipe cleaners
- Borax
- Strings or fishing lines (for hanging the ornaments)
- Dowel
See here for other easy STEM activities we reviewed.
11. Melting Snow Experiment
The Melting Snow Experiment can be a great activity for young children that will help them develop critical thinking. The Melting Snow Experiment is simple:
- Fill two plates with snow.
- Pour salt on one of the piles.
- Watch and compare results.
Melting Snow is an easy science activity and is excellent for early learning.
If you have younger kids, find the best STEM toys for 5 year olds and see here for the STEM toys for 4 year olds to spark their interest in science and technology.
12. DIY Stained Glass Ornaments
DIY Stained Glass Ornaments are so much fun to make and children will be amused with the ornaments. Stained Glass Ornaments is a science experiment in which kids demonstrate their creativity.
All the materials you’ll need for DIY Stained Glass Ornaments are available anywhere from Home Depot to a school supplies store.
No real glass is involved, so you don’t have to be concerned about kids’ safety during this activity.
13. Magnetic Christmas Tree
The Magnetic Christmas Tree experiment helps kids find out how magnets work. What you’ll need is the following:
- Brown and green paper (for the tree)
- Small decorations
- Small magnets
- Metal sheet
- Glue and scissors
After gluing magnets to decorations and placing the tree on a metal sheet, magnets stick together easily and you’ve got yourself a Christmas tree. Read a detailed explanation about how magnetic toys work by clicking the link.
14. Evergreen Science
Evergreen Science is all about nature science exploration and why Christmas trees stay green during the winter season.
Evergreen Science activity is an exercise in research aimed at stimulating children to use their intellect and increasing their knowledge.
Since there’s teaching involved, Evergreen Science is also an excellent activity for a classroom.
15. Spinning Christmas Tree
Spinning Christmas Trees is an activity which is focused on the topic of magnetism.
All you need for Spinning Christmas Trees are the following supplies:
- Copper wires
- AA batteries
- Paper (for the tiny tree)
- Sprinkles and small ornaments for decorations
Twist the copper wire around a battery, with the tip of the wire touching the tip (+) and the wire will begin rotating. If you glue a little tree at the top of the wire, you’ll get a spinning tree.
You can click here to find the best magnetic toys for kids.
16. Crystal Candy Canes
This is not a Christmas candy science experiment; it only looks like one. Crystal Candy Canes are made using the following:
- Borax
- Red and white pipe cleaners
- Nylon thread or dental floss
Twist the red and white pipe cleaners around each other in the shape of a cane, then soak them in Borax and you’ll get a beautiful crystal ornament.
17. Gingerbread Ornaments
Gingerbread Ornaments Christmas candy science experiment is aimed at getting kids to use their creativity.
Gingerbread Ornaments can be made to be actual gingerbread cookies or just wooden ornaments; either way, it’s an excellent creative and educational activity for kids.
18. DIY Reindeer Toothpaste
DIY Reindeer Toothpaste is super fun and quite a complex experiment, perfect for older kids. The goal is to make a foamy and colorful liquid that resembles toothpaste.
Since DIY Reindeer Toothpaste is a more complex experiment, you will have to provide kids with assistance and guidance to successfully produce the desired result.
19. Marshmallow Snowmen
Making Marshmallow Snowmen is a fun way to have your cake and eat it too. The things you need for Marshmallow Snowmen are:
- Cold Marshmallows (from the fridge)
- Skewer
- Edible decorations
Kids create a snowman out of marshmallows. They can use chocolate for buttons and pretzel sticks for hands to make a snowman as realistic as possible.
20. Christmas Tree Slime
Christmas Tree Slime is one of those Christmas science experiments in which kids create a material that can be used as a fun toy, making it a win-win experience for children.
You don’t need a lot for this experiment:
- Bottle of PVA glue (green for the Christmas tree slime)
- Water
- Baking soda
- Contact lens solution
- Decoration (optional)
This isn’t necessarily a winter STEM activity since you can make any other shape with slime so this is also a great idea for spring STEM activities for kids.
21. Grinch’s Heart Experiment
The Grinch’s Heart Experiment focuses on the chemistry and components of air. You’ll need the following:
- A plate
- Plastic bottle
- Balloon
- Vinegar
- Baking soda
- And rubber band
The goal of the Grinch’s Heart Experiment is to blow the balloon up by creating a chemical reaction inside the bottle from which dioxide, a chemical heavier than air, is released. Since dioxide is heavier than air, air travels upward filling the balloon up.
22. Hot Chocolate Science
Hot Chocolate Science is a fascinating candy science experiment that teaches kids the inductive-deductive scientific method.
The goal is to heat the same amount of marshmallows in identical mugs of hot chocolate at different intervals of time and at different temperatures, which yields different results.
The goal of Hot Chocolate Science is for the kids to compare results and make observations.
23. Bubbling Christmas Lights Science Experiment
The Bubbling Christmas Lights Science Experiment is easy and kids can make some amazing ornaments. What you’ll need are the following supplies:
- Plastic Christmas light ornaments
- Mineral oil
- Food coloring
- Alka Seltzer tablets
- String
To run this experiment, put all ingredients into the light ornaments except the Alka tabs. When the mixture is ready, put in the Alka tabs slowly, which will then cause the bubbling inside.
24. Bubbling Snow Globe Science Experiment
The Bubbling Snow Globe Science Experiment is quite similar to the previous activity on our list. You’ll need the following:
- Empty snow globe
- Mineral oil
- Blue coloring
- Alka Seltzer tablets
- Glue
- Decorations (optional)
Mix everything in the open globe and then close the globe, and, voila, you’ve got a Christmas desk ornament.
25. Flying Reindeer
Flying Reindeer is a physics-based Christmas science experiment focused on the blowing force causing acceleration.
To make your Flying Reindeer, you’ll need the following:
- Glue
- Paper/Plastic straw
- Transfer pipette
- Scissors
- Measuring tape
You can make the Flying Reindeer more engaging for kids by getting kids to compete in whose reindeer flies the longest distance.
Check our blog for easy STEM activities with paper.
Why Kids Should Do Christmas Science Activities
Kids should do Christmas science activities because they promote learning and allow children to practice their skills. Some of the benefits of Christmas science activities are listed below:
- They facilitate learning and stimulate critical thinking.
- Children express creativity and have fun on a relatively low budget.
- Christmas-themed science makes kids more interested in learning.
- They foster teamwork and collaboration and children develop their communication skills.
- Children develop their research and problem-solving skills.
- They can be used to start yearly family traditions.
Top Christmas Science Experiment Tips
Here are our best tips for carrying out Christmas science experiments.
Question
Help your kid question everything they do and explore why things go the way they do.
Hypothesis
Let them hypothesize before giving them a detailed explanation.
Experiment
Let them search for solutions independently unless it’s a complex experiment.
Analysis And Recording
Make sure the information they write down is correct.
Retesting
Make sure they’re retesting in the same settings.
Supplies For Christmas Holiday Science Activities
View and download a list of supplies required for these Christmas Science Experiments here.
The Full List Of Christmas Science Experiments
Download and print the full list of 25 Christmas Science Experiments here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Experiments Can You Do With Snow?
You can do many experiments with snow, such as:
- Melting Snow Experiment
- Snow Fort
- Banana Hammer
- Measuring Water In The Snow
- Snow Volcano Experiment
- Ice Cream Bag
- Snowflake Science
- How Color Travels Through The Snow
- How To Make It Snow
- Snow Sink Or Float Experiment.
You can find many more winter activities on our blog.
What Dissolves A Candy Cane The Quickest?
Warm water dissolves a candy cane the quickest. Water doesn’t dissolve candy canes more quickly if additives like sugar or salt are added to it. Milk and juice dissolve candy slower than water. Water temperature affects how quickly candy canes melt because warm water has faster molecules that melt the candy cane more quickly.
How Do You Make Magic Snow?
To make Magic Snow, you’ll need the following supplies:
- Cold water
- Cold baking soda
- Vinegar
- Bowl or container.
Pour four cups of baking soda into the bowl and add a bit of vinegar. Then slowly pour cold water into the bowl and mix until you get the desired snow-like texture.
Conclusion
Now you know what some of the best Christmas science experiments to do with your kids are. We hope you’ll try one of these and have an amazing time with your family. Make some unforgettable memories with your kids this Christmas with these exciting activities and teach them some valuable lessons while they’re still young. Happy holidays and merry Christmas!
