Whether you’re a parent of a teacher, you’ll enjoy this collection of awesome electricity science projects and experiments that introduce kids to the power of electricity!
Kids will learn about how static electricity works, how current electricity flows, and what is actually happening when they flip a switch. Science is so cool!
Many of these ideas would make great science fair projects. You can easily add a variable component to the project to make it a true experiment. For example, kids can test whether there is as much static electricity on a dry day as on a humid day. Kids can test different materials to see what conducts electricity, etc.
Static Electricity
Learn about positive and negative electrical charges with these simple static electricity science experiments.
Here are Two Static Electricity Experiments to do with Balloons. First, explore how negative charges repel each other. It’s really fun to watch balloons push each other away! Then build an electroscope with simple supplies from around the house. This is a simple device that detects electrical charges.
“Magically” Separate Pepper from Salt: Kids will lift the pepper from the salt without touching it! The static electricity will do the lifting.
Make Water Bend: Did you know that you can keep water from flowing straight down? Make a stream of water bend through the power of positive and negative electrical charges.
Make the Butterfly’s Wings Move from I Heart Crafty Things. Use an electrically charged balloon to raise and lower the wings.
Jumping Goop! Static Electricity Demonstration: Kids will make a mixture of cornstarch and water “jump” from the spoon through the power of positive and negative electrical charges. Then try it again with oil and see why water is easily charged.
Circuits and Current Electricity
Build a Circuit – It’s so easy to build a complete circuit, and kids will love it. Find out which materials conduct electricity. Demonstrate how a switch works too.
Build Play Dough Circuits from Science Sparks. Did you know that play dough can conduct electricity? It’s the salt content that enables it to do so. How cool is that!
What Conducts Electricity? from Carrots are Orange. Test different materials to see if they conduct a charge in this electricity science experiment.
Electricity and Magnetism
Build an Electromagnet – Use copper wire and a battery to turn a nail into a magnet. Everyone should try this at least once! Kids will be impressed that they can turn the magnet on and off.
Build a Homopolar Motor – This simple motor really spins. The post has an idea for making it into an optical illusion.
Build a Simple Electromagnetic “Train” – pictured below. This is a pretty neat contraption! Build a train engine out of a battery and some neodymium magnets. Makes a great science fair project.
Have fun exploring electricity!
