DIY Science Experiments to Try Before School Starts

Looking for a fun way to keep your child learning and engaged this summer? PA Virtual’s 2025 Summer Camp brought science to life with exciting, hands-on experiments that are perfect to try at home. These activities are simple, creative, and educational, ideal for sparking curiosity before the school year begins. Check out each one below, and follow along with our PA Virtual teachers in the linked videos!

1. Make Your Own Solar Oven

Learn how to turn a pizza box into a working solar oven using the power of the sun! This eco-friendly experiment is a great way to teach kids about renewable energy while enjoying a sunny day outdoors.
Watch the lesson here.

Materials needed:

- Pizza box                             - Aluminum foil

- Plastic wrap                        - Tape

- Black paper                         - Chocolate

- Marshmallows                     - Graham crackers

2. Grow Crystals at Home

Explore the fascinating world of chemistry by growing your own crystals! This experiment helps students understand how solids form from solutions—and the results are beautiful.
Watch the lesson here.

Materials needed: 

- Black paper                    - Boiling water

- Salt                                  - Borax

- Glass cup or jar              - Wooden skewers

- 6 cups of sugar              - Clothespins

- Chip clips

3. DIY Blobs in a Bottle

This colorful activity explores density and chemical reactions using everyday household ingredients. Kids will love watching the blobs dance in the bottle!
Watch the lesson here.

Materials needed:

- Clear plastic bottle           - Water

- Vegetable oil                      - Food coloring

- Alka-Seltzer tablets

4. Create a Density Tower

Stack different liquids to create a rainbow-like density tower! This experiment teaches students how various substances have different weights—even if they look the same.
Watch the lesson here.

Materials needed: 

- Clear cup                          - Honey

- Corn syrup                       - Whole milk

- Dish soap                          - Water

- Vegetable oil                    - Rubbing alcohol

-  Straw                                - Small items (like an eraser) 

5. Make Elephant Toothpaste

Get ready for a foamy, bubbly reaction! This popular experiment demonstrates the power of chemical reactions and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Watch the lesson here.

Materials needed: 

- Dish Soap                     - Plastic Bottle

- Warm Water                 - Yeast

- Hydrogen Peroxide     - Food Coloring

6. DIY Color Separation

Using simple materials like markers and coffee filters, kids can explore chromatography and see how colors are made up of many different pigments.
Watch the lesson here.

Materials needed: 

- Cup                         - Permanent markers

- Coffee filter            - Straw

7. Magic Milk & Wiggly Worms

This double-feature video explores the colorful swirls of surface tension with magic milk, followed by a fun reaction that makes gummy worms “wiggle”!
Watch the lesson here.

Materials needed: 

- Milk                                    - Food coloring

- Plate                                  - Q-tip

- Washable markers           - Permanent markers

- Tissue or paper towel      - Dish soap

Want More Fun Before School Starts?

These are just a few of the exciting experiments featured in our 2025 PA Virtual Summer Camp! Visit our YouTube channel to explore more creative lessons, crafts, and activities that keep students engaged all summer long.

Our campers had a blast bringing science to life, take a look at their amazing experiments in action!