magic tricks for science experiments

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar

• FREE Experiments
• Kitchen Science
• Climate Change
• Egg Experiments
• Fairy Tale Science
• Edible Science
• Human Health
• Inspirational Women
• Forces and Motion
• Science Fair Projects
• STEM Challenges
• Science Sparks Books
• Contact Science Sparks
• Science Resources for Home and School

Science Magic Tricks for Kids

April 18, 2024 By Emma Vanstone 4 Comments

Here at Science Sparks HQ, we love a bit of magic, whether it be a memory trick, slight of hand or even some science magic . These  10 easy science tricks for kids are great fun and mostly super simple. The density one is a little tricky and potentially messy, but well worth the effort for the incredible end result.

Easy Science Magic Tricks

Skewer through a balloon.

First up is the  skewer through a balloon  trick. Take care with this one, as the skewer will be sharp, and it might be worth having a few spare balloons around until you get the hang of it.

Top Tip – place a little vegetable oil on the parts of the balloon that the skewer will poke through and push the skewer through the thickest parts of the balloon.

Leakproof Bag

Impress your friends with an easy leakproof bag . All you need for this one is a sealable sandwich bag and some super sharp pencils.

Top Tip – use very sharp pencils.

Make a coin disappear

Did you know you can make a coin disappear using just a glass and water?

Remove the shell from an egg without touching it!

Remove the shell from an egg without touching it, and then  bounce the egg . If the egg bounces easily try it on different surfaces to compare the difference.

If, after all that, you STILL have an intact egg membrane, try making the shrinking the egg and then growing it again while learning about osmosis at the same time.

How to Defy Gravity

Did you know you can defy gravity using a magnet and a paper clip? This clever trick is sure to wow an audience!

Top tip – a strong magnet works best for this.

Always supervise children when using magnets

Egg in a Bottle Experiment

Watch an  egg drop magically into a jar   in this fun activity using air pressure ( not magic at all ).

How to make an unbreakable egg

With the shell on the egg this time, find out how to make an unbreakable egg .

Colour Changing Flowers

Bored of plain white petals? Place them in water and food colouring to change the colour !

Top tip – natural food colours don’t work for this.

Water that won’t mix

Do you know why the coloured water isn’t mixing with the non-coloured water in the image below? It’s a little density trick. Add lots of salt to the lower layer ( making it more dense ) so the less dense water on top doesn’t mix with the denser coloured lower layer.

Top tip: This also works with warm and cold water. Warm water is less dense than cold water.

Floating Eggs and Sinking Lemons

Try to make an egg float   or a lemon sink ? It might be trickier than you think.

Top tip – remove the skin to make a lemon sink!

Transforming Milk and Cream

Finally, how about turning milk into glue ? Or cream into butter ?

Cool a Drink in 3 Minutes

Chill a room temperature drink in 3 minutes using ice, salt and water! This is a great trick for a hot day. The same science is used to make ice cream in a bag .

Make an Unpoppable Balloon

Adult Supervision is needed for this trick

Find out how to put a balloon in a candle flame without it popping !

Do you have any more  science tricks for us?

Last Updated on April 18, 2024 by Emma Vanstone

Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

Reader Interactions

March 28, 2013 at 8:35 am

I am intrigued by those egg ones! How cool.

March 30, 2013 at 3:04 pm

Brilliant. I am signing. Up to your blog! 🙂

April 03, 2013 at 4:21 am

I think all of these experiential are so cool and captivating making me want to do some of them. I think the experiments you used are great since it’s fun and quite easy so mostly anyone can attempt making a replica of the project.

August 28, 2021 at 9:57 am

Activities like these can make learning so much fun for kids, it can even spark their enthusiasm towards science. Thanks for sharing these ideas!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• BOREDOM BUSTERS

5 magic science experiments for kids

These tricks will make your children think they have superpowers—but it’s really all about the science.

When Rachel Díaz of Culver City, California, “magically” refilled a soda can for her son, the nine-year-old’s first words were “Cool!” And then: “How’d you do that?”

Science-based magic tricks stand out not just for being fun but for sparking interest in the science that makes the trick happen. “Making science fun is essential to creating the most important aspect of learning: desire,” says Steve Hinkley, president and CEO of the Adventure Science Center in Nashville, Tennessee. “When children find joy in something, they seek more of it.”

Studies show that students in science and math learn best when they participate in the lesson. These simple “magic tricks” help children understand scientific topics by learning how each trick works. Abracadabra … you’ve made fear of science disappear!

Refill an empty can—without any liquid.

You’ll need:   • Sealed soda can • Needle or pin • Drinking glass

What to do:   Have kids stand over the sink and pierce the can’s top half with the needle. Drain about half the soda into a glass. Crush the sides of the can until it looks empty.

Tell kids to hold the can with one finger over the hole—then shake. The can will look like it’s “magically” refilling! (Keep that sink handy—it can get messy.) If they’re performing this for an audience, have them pop the top and take a sip.

Cool science: Of course, the can isn’t refilling with soda—but thanks to carbonation, it’s refilling with gas. Carbonation is the process of dissolving carbon dioxide into a liquid. To do this in things like soda, scientists use pressure to dissolve the carbon dioxide and seal the can to keep the pressure in. Popping the top releases the pressure so the gas escapes. But shaking a sealed soda causes the dissolved carbon dioxide to bubble out of the liquid and become gas once again.

Because there’s no place for the gas to go in a sealed can, the carbon dioxide builds up. That’s why soda will explode in your face if it’s shaken before opening. It’s also why—if half the liquid has been drained and a finger is over the hole when the crushed can is shaken—the gas pushes outward on the crumpled sides of the can so it appears to be filling up.

Put an egg inside a bottle—without touching the egg.

You’ll need:   • Hard-boiled egg (peeled) • Glass bottle with an opening slightly smaller than the egg • Long matches or a long lighter • Candle or strip of thick paper, such as newspaper or construction paper

What to do:   Have kids lower the candle or strip of paper into the bottle, then light it for them. They can then place one end of the peeled egg over the mouth of the bottle. When the flame goes out, the egg should slowly slide into the bottle.

Cool science: Kids aren’t pushing the egg into the bottle—instead, it’s being pulled inside thanks to air density. Air is made up of tiny pieces of matter called molecules. When the molecules are farther apart, the air’s density—the amount of matter in a given space—decreases as the air expands. When the molecules are closer together, the air density increases as the air contracts.

When you light the paper, the air molecules inside the bottle warm up and move around, which expands the air and decreases the air’s density. But when the fire goes out, the air suddenly cools—the molecules slow down and move closer together, increasing the density so the air takes up less space. Usually the air outside the bottle would rush in to fill this space—but now the egg is in the way! Instead, the air pressure outside of the bottle pushes the egg into the bottle.

(For a little extra magic, have kids hold the bottle upside down and—with their mouths sealed over the bottle opening—blow. The egg should fly out.)

Push a straw through a potato—no superstrength needed.

You’ll need:   • A straw (Paper straws won’t work, but plant-based “plastic” straws will.) • A raw potato (You can still cook it later!)

What to do: Have kids hold the straw in one hand and the potato in the other, and try to pierce the potato. (They might nick the skin—but that’s it.) Now have them move their thumb over the straw’s opening and use the other end to stab the potato. This time, it should sink right in.

(Biodegradable plastic straws can be composted. If you used an actual plastic straw in the name of science, upcycle it into an art project or recycle it by placing it in a container made of the same type of plastic before recycling.)

Cool science: The first time the child stabs the potato, air goes in one end of the straw and out the other. But when the opening is covered with the kid’s thumb, the air is trapped with no place to go. So now as the child drives the straw into the potato, they’re compressing —or squeezing in—the air in the straw. As this happens, the air begins to press outward … making the sides of the straw stronger and firmer. And the farther the straw plunges, the more the air is compressed.

Puncture a bag full of water—without any leaks.

You’ll need:   • Sealable plastic bag (Perhaps repurpose one you just used.) • Water • A really sharp pencil

What to do:   Have kids fill the plastic bag with water and seal it. In one motion, firmly poke the pencil into the bag. (Try just one side to start, but if you poke fast enough the pencil should go all the way through without leaks.) See how many pencils kids can add before the bag leaks.

Cool science: Polymers are large molecules made of repeating chains of small, simple chemicals. The polymers in plastic bags are human-made and have been developed to be weak but flexible. Because they’re weak, the polymers separate when the bag is stabbed with the pencil. But because they’re flexible, the polymers quickly form new chains and create a seal around the pencil, preventing water from escaping.

Make an empty can roll—without ever touching it.

You’ll need:   • Empty soda can • Blown-up balloon • A person with hair

What to do: On a smooth surface, have kids place the empty can on its side, then let them rub the balloon through someone’s hair. When they hold the balloon near the can, the can will start to move toward the balloon.

Cool science: Most things emit small electric charges, both positive and negative. Rubbing a balloon across your hair causes tiny, negatively charged particles called electrons   to move from your head to the balloon. The metal can is made of particles that have both negative and positive charges. Because negative and positive charges attract each other, when a kid places the negatively charged balloon near the can, it attracts the can’s positively charged particles, called protons. That’s why the can will roll toward the balloon.

Related Topics

• SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

You May Also Like

Science experiments that will make your kids’ curiosity bloom

How slimes and squishies soothe children in times of stress

Art is good for your kids—and here’s the science why

5 science experiments kids can do on themselves

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Your US State Privacy Rights
• Children's Online Privacy Policy
• Interest-Based Ads
• About Nielsen Measurement
• Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
• Nat Geo Home
• Attend a Live Event
• Book a Trip
• Inspire Your Kids
• Shop Nat Geo
• Visit the D.C. Museum
• Learn About Our Impact
• Support Our Mission
• Advertise With Us
• Customer Service
• Renew Subscription
• Manage Your Subscription
• Work at Nat Geo
• Sign Up for Our Newsletters
• Contribute to Protect the Planet

Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society Copyright © 2015-2024 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved

13 Magical Science Experiments for Kids

We’re jazzed about these magical  science experiments we’ve been seeing all around and we know you’ll love them too. Use up all your senses as you explore each of these experiments made of magic ! They are all about diving in and getting seriously silly about science. There’s mixing, growing, shaking, and swirling!

1. Rainbow Marker Coffee Filters : It’s so amazing to watch the colors travel up the coffee filters! Find the tutorial over at Make and Takes .

2.  Frozen Silly Putty : You won’t find putty more sparkly than this! Find the tutorial over at Paging Fun Mums .

3. Dancing Raisins : Did you know that raisins can dance? This experiment is guaranteed to amaze your kids! Find the tutorial over at Buggy and Buddy .

4. Making Butter and Whipped Cream : Every kid should try making their own butter! This is a fun project to do in the kitchen together. Find the tutorial over at Make and Takes .

5.  Glitter Sensory Bottle : These glittery sensory bottles are relaxing for kids and adults alike! Find the tutorial over at See Vanessa Craft .

6. Fizzy Sidewalk Paint : Why play with regular chalk when you could play with fizzy sidewalk paint? Find the tutorial over at Make and Takes .

7. Lemon Juice Mystery Messages : This invisible ink is so mysterious- and you can make it at home with lemon juice! Find the tutorial over at Make and Takes .

8. Make GIANT Bubbles : Bubbles so big, a kid can fit inside! These are the perfect activity for a hot summer day. Find the tutorial over at  Make and Takes .

9.  Crystal Snowflakes :It’s so amazing to watch as the crystals appear! Find the tutorial over at Little Bins for Little Hands .

10.  Celery Science Experiment : How do plants drink? Do this experiment with your kids to find out! Find the tutorial over at Coffee Cups and Crayons .

11. Erupting Play Dough Volcano : This play dough volcano actually erupts! Find the tutorial over at Make and Takes .

12. Make Frozen Bubbles : You can actually hold these frozen bubbles in your hand!  Find the tutorial over at Housing a Forest .

13. Ice Block Sculptures : Turn a block of ice into a piece of art! These are so gorgeous! Find the tutorial over at The Artful Parent .

More cool science for kids:

Science experiments kids can make in the kitchen

50+ Sensory activities for kids  to make

Have fun getting silly with science!

Marie is a mom of 3 living in Seattle, WA. She's been the founder and managing editor of Make and Takes for the last 16 years, sharing DIY tutorials for home, family, and fun. Author of Make and Takes for Kids , Early Childhood and Elementary graduate, and currently teaching 2nd grade in Seattle!