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35 Science Projects for 1st Graders

35 Science Projects for 1st Graders

Discover first grade science experiments that can spark curiosity! Our carefully selected science projects are designed to teach kids with fun hands-on learning and inspire them to love science!

Parachute Design and Air Resistance
1. Parachute Design and Air Resistance
Build a parachute from a plastic bag and see how trapped air slows a falling toy to a gentle float.
Medium
Moth Camouflage and Predator Evasion
2. Moth Camouflage and Predator Evasion
Color paper moths to match your surroundings and test how long it takes a searcher to spot each one.
Easy
Static Electricity and Jumping Cereal
3. Static Electricity and Jumping Cereal
Rub a plexiglass plate with wool and watch Rice Krispies leap off the table and stick to the charged surface.
Easy
Raisins Rising and Sinking in Fizzy Water
4. Raisins Rising and Sinking in Fizzy Water
Drop raisins into a jar of vinegar and baking soda and watch them rise, float, and sink over and over again.
Easy
Elephant Toothpaste Foam Reaction
5. Elephant Toothpaste Foam Reaction
Pour a yeast mixture into a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and watch a giant column of warm foam erupt.
Easy
Fruit-Sized Planets and Solar System Scale
6. Fruit-Sized Planets and Solar System Scale
Pick a fruit to match each planet's size and line them up to see how the solar system is spaced out.
Easy
Oobleck and Non-Newtonian Fluids
7. Oobleck and Non-Newtonian Fluids
Squeeze a simple mix of cornstarch and water into a solid ball, then open your hand and watch it flow back into a liquid.
Easy
Baking Soda Invisible Ink and Grape Juice
8. Baking Soda Invisible Ink and Grape Juice
Write a secret message with baking soda water and reveal it by painting grape juice over the paper.
Easy
Dish Soap and Milk Color Bursts
9. Dish Soap and Milk Color Bursts
Touch a soap-dipped cotton swab to food coloring in milk and watch the colors burst apart into swirling patterns.
Easy
Household Solar System Model
10. Household Solar System Model
Turn a balloon into the Sun and shape play dough planets to build a tabletop solar system model.
Easy
Lemon Juice Invisible Ink and Heat
11. Lemon Juice Invisible Ink and Heat
Write an invisible message with lemon juice and watch your hidden words appear in brown when you add heat.
Medium
Earth and Sun Size Comparison Model
12. Earth and Sun Size Comparison Model
Build a scale model of the Sun and Earth and count how many Earths fit across its width.
Easy
Erosion by Wind, Water, and Ice
13. Erosion by Wind, Water, and Ice
Blow sand into dunes and drag ice across clay to see how different forces erode the land.
Easy
White Daisies and Food Coloring
14. White Daisies and Food Coloring
Place white daisies in colored water and watch the petals change to blue or red within a single day.
Easy
Reflexes and Reaction Time
15. Reflexes and Reaction Time
Drop a ruler and use a conversion chart to turn the catch distance into your exact reaction time in milliseconds.
Easy
Homemade Sundial from a Paper Cup
16. Homemade Sundial from a Paper Cup
Build a sundial from a paper cup and straw, then see how closely the shadow marks match the real time.
Easy
Taste Without Smell: Candy Flavor Test
17. Taste Without Smell: Candy Flavor Test
Place a Life Saver on someone's tongue while they hold their nose and time how long it takes to name the flavor.
Easy
Smell Recognition and Familiar Scents
18. Smell Recognition and Familiar Scents
Blindfold volunteers and ask them to identify everyday scents from coffee to garlic to discover which smells fool the nose.
Easy
Smell and Flavor Perception
19. Smell and Flavor Perception
Blindfold a volunteer and pinch their nose to see if they can tell an apple slice from a pear.
Easy
Sunlight Shadows on Living Leaves
20. Sunlight Shadows on Living Leaves
Clip cardboard shapes onto living leaves for four days and uncover a visible record of where sunlight was blocked.
Easy
Carbon Dioxide Bubbles and Rising Raisins
21. Carbon Dioxide Bubbles and Rising Raisins
Drop raisins into soda water and watch them rise and sink as carbon dioxide bubbles cling to their wrinkled surface.
Easy
Moon Phases with Cookie Models
22. Moon Phases with Cookie Models
Scrape the filling from sandwich cookies to model all eight Moon phases and see how the sunlit portion changes.
Easy
Vinegar and the Rubbery Egg
23. Vinegar and the Rubbery Egg
Drop a raw egg into vinegar for a few days and discover that the acid dissolves the hard shell, leaving behind a soft, rubbery egg.
Easy
Capillary Action Walking Rainbow
24. Capillary Action Walking Rainbow
Connect cups of colored water with paper towels and watch capillary action build a complete rainbow overnight.
Easy
Galaxy in a Jar with Glitter and Paint
25. Galaxy in a Jar with Glitter and Paint
Swirl glitter and paint in a jar of water to create a miniature galaxy that sparkles when you shake it.
Easy
Cornstarch Oobleck and Shear Thickening
26. Cornstarch Oobleck and Shear Thickening
Punch a bowl of cornstarch and water and discover a liquid that turns solid under force, then flows the moment you stop.
Easy
Candy Models of Rocks and Minerals
27. Candy Models of Rocks and Minerals
Cut open different candies and classify them as rock or mineral models based on what the inside looks like.
Easy
Salt and Oil Density Lava Lamp
28. Salt and Oil Density Lava Lamp
Sprinkle salt onto a layer of oil over colored water and watch oil blobs get dragged down and float back up.
Easy
Frozen Ice Cube Lava Lamp
29. Frozen Ice Cube Lava Lamp
Drop colored ice cubes into oil and watch streams of melting color swirl downward like a slow-motion lava lamp.
Easy
Density-Driven Alka-Seltzer Lava Lamp
30. Density-Driven Alka-Seltzer Lava Lamp
Drop an Alka-Seltzer tablet into oil and colored water and watch gas bubbles carry blobs up and down like a lava lamp.
Easy
Glitter Lava Lamp with Antacid Tablets
31. Glitter Lava Lamp with Antacid Tablets
Drop an antacid tablet into a bottle of oil, water, and glitter to create a sparkling lava lamp that keeps cycling.
Easy
Paper Airplane Folds and Flight Distance
32. Paper Airplane Folds and Flight Distance
Fold paper airplanes with different designs and launch them to discover which shape flies the farthest.
Medium
Baking Soda and Vinegar Lava Lamp
33. Baking Soda and Vinegar Lava Lamp
Drop baking soda and vinegar into a bottle of oil and water and watch colored blobs rise and sink like a real lava lamp.
Easy
Seed Sprouting on a Paper Towel
34. Seed Sprouting on a Paper Towel
Place kitchen seeds on a damp paper towel and watch roots and shoots appear within days as germination unfolds.
Easy
Sun Prints on Construction Paper
35. Sun Prints on Construction Paper
Lay leaves and flowers on construction paper in the sun to reveal sharp, colorful outlines where UV rays cannot reach.
Easy

1st Grade Science Project FAQ

What are some easy first grade science experiments?

Each one of these first grade science experiments are easy to set up and do, plus first graders will have tons of fun while learning about science. These easy first grade science experiments are a great way to introduce the wonders of science to kids!

  • Make a Parachute

  • Mixing Colors of Light

  • Camouflage and Hide

  • Baking Soda Volcano

  • The Invincible Soap Bubble

  • Jumping Rice Krispies

  • Balloon-Powered Rocket Car

  • Exploring Air

  • Swimming Raisins

  • Light and Dark on Seed Germination

Details of these science fair projects right above the FAQ!

What is the best 1st grade science project ever?

The Magic Milk Experiment is our top pick among all the 1st grade science projects! It's magical for first graders to see that without stirring, the different colors of food coloring are in perpetual motion. It's also a simple chemical reaction experiment to set up with milk, dish soap, and food coloring.

If you're looking for more 1st grade science projects, check out the 1st grade science fair projects at the top of this page! 

Check out more Best Science Fair Projects →

What are some cool 1st grade science fair projects?

Get ready to be amazed by these super cool science projects for 1st graders! With just a few simple things, first graders will be fascinated by rice krispies jumping up and down with static electricity, a chemical reaction making raisins bobbing up and down or rock candy that they made themselves! These first grade science projects put the cool into science!

  • Magic Milk Painting

  • Mixing Colors of Light

  • Camouflage and Hide

  • Baking Soda Volcano

  • Sparkling Rainbow Crystal

  • The Invincible Soap Bubble

  • Jumping Rice Krispies

  • Balloon-Powered Rocket Car

  • Swimming Raisins

  • Rock Candy: Sweet Science

More details on these science fair projects right above the FAQ!

What are 5 testable questions for 1st grade?

A testable question is a question that we can answer through a science experiment. To do this, we do a control science experiment, then we change one thing in the experiment to see how it affects what happens. This is how we can discover the answer to our question!

  • What makes a cloud form?

  • Can drink and food taste different just by changing its color?

  • Does the color of light affect photosynthesis?

  • Does temperature affect seed sprouting?

  • What makes popcorn pop?

Here are more testable questions along with their science projects →

What are the top 10 science projects for 1st grade?

These are our top 10 science projects for 1st grade, with projects from Biology, Chemistry and Earth Science. These projects can be used as science fair project ideas or as a fun experiment to explore different areas of science!

  • Make a Parachute

  • Mixing Colors of Light

  • Camouflage and Hide

  • Baking Soda Volcano

  • The Invincible Soap Bubble

  • Jumping Rice Krispies

  • Balloon-Powered Rocket Car

  • Exploring Air

  • Swimming Raisins

  • Light and Dark on Seed Germination

Check out the science project details above the FAQ!

Can I do a 1st grade science fair project in a day?

Yes! Quick experiments can be a great option for a science fair project! We have a variety of quick science project ideas to get you started.

  • Swimming Raisins

  • Camouflage and Hide

  • Baking Soda Volcano

  • Exploring Air

  • Balloon-Powered Rocket Car

  • Make a Parachute

  • Mixing Colors of Light

  • Colors of Skittles Experiment

  • The Invincible Soap Bubble

  • Jumping Rice Krispies

Check out the science fair project details above the FAQ!

What are some hands-on ways to find inspiration for my science fair project?

Science museums are great places to explore if you're looking for inspiration for your next science fair project or just want to learn more about science. Science museums, natural history museums, space museums, and discovery museums are all great places to do that! You can discover all sorts of interesting things about science and find cool project ideas for science fairs.

There may be free admission days or free passes to a science museum near you! Check your local library for free museum passes, nearby science museums for free entrance days and your credit card for offers.

Find a science museum near you and prepare to be awed by all that you can learn there! I always learn something new and am inspired whenever I go to a science museum!

How do I start a science fair project?

Science fair projects are a fun and unique way to discover science by asking a question and doing a science project. We'll help you find a science fair project idea and guide you through the process of doing and presenting your science fair project with Science Fair Coach's Science Fair Project Guide.

What should I do after I have a science fair project idea?

If you have a science fair project idea, Science Fair Coach can help you turn it into a full science fair project! Starting at Introduction to Science Fairs, we'll guide you through how to do a science fair project, from designing and conducting your experiment to collecting and analyzing your findings. Then, we'll help you showcase your results on a science fair board with our Guide to Science Fair Posters.

How do I make a science fair board?

Your science fair board is where you show off your science fair project for everyone to see and learn from. With our Guide to Science Fair Posters, you can make sure your science fair board stands out and impresses at the science fair!

What is the scientific method?

The 7 steps of the scientific method helps us understand how nature works. Learn how the scientific method is used in a science fair project example, and how it's evolved through history as scientists used different ways to learn about nature with our Guide to the Scientific Method!

What is the engineering design process?

The 6 steps of the engineering design process helps us design an effective solution to a problem. Learn how to use the engineering design process with the example of the egg drop challenge in our Guide to the Engineering Design Process!

Where can I find a science fair competition?

Science fair competitions are an excellent opportunity to explore science. One of the of the premier science advocacy organizations, the Society for Science, is associated with more than 400 science fair competitions in almost every US state, as well as over 70 other countries, regions, and territories. You can find out if there's a Society of Science affiliated science fair near you!

The www Virtual Library: Science Fairs website also has a collection of science fairs from all over the world, as well as national, state, regional, local, and virtual competitions!

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