Fun, Festive Examples of Christmas Science Experiments for Kids

Real Examples of Christmas Science Experiments for Kids You Can Do Today

Let’s skip the theory and go straight to the fun. Here are real examples of Christmas science experiments for kids that you can set up with stuff you probably already have at home or in your classroom.

1. Dissolving Candy Canes: Holiday Chemistry in a Cup

This is a classic example of a Christmas science experiment for kids because it’s simple, colorful, and fast.

Concepts: Dissolving, solutions, temperature, scientific method

What you do:

• Place equal-sized candy cane pieces into clear cups.
• Fill each cup with a different liquid: hot water, cold water, vinegar, and oil.
• Ask kids to predict which one will dissolve the candy cane fastest.
• Watch and time the results.

As the red and white stripes slowly disappear, talk about how the sugar in the candy cane dissolves more quickly in hot water than in cold. You can connect this to basic chemistry ideas about molecules moving faster in warmer liquids.

If you want to lean into real science skills, have kids record their predictions and observations in a simple chart. This is a nice tie-in to the scientific method recommended in many elementary science standards (you can see general guidance on inquiry-based science from organizations like the National Science Teaching Association).

2. Growing Christmas Crystal Ornaments

If your kids love glitter, this is one of the best examples of Christmas science experiments for kids because it looks magical but is really all about crystal formation.

Concepts: Crystals, saturation, evaporation

What you do:

• Shape pipe cleaners into stars, trees, or candy canes.
• Tie them to a string and hang them from a pencil or chopstick.
• In a jar, mix hot water with borax (or table salt if you prefer a gentler option) until no more will dissolve.
• Suspend the pipe cleaner shapes in the solution overnight.

By morning, the pipe cleaners are covered in sparkly crystals. Kids can learn that when the hot saturated solution cools, the dissolved particles come out of the water and attach to the pipe cleaners. This is a great place to talk about how crystals form in nature, like snowflakes and salt.

If you’re working with younger kids or want a safer pantry-only version, use table salt or sugar instead of borax. It may take longer, but the science is the same.

3. Melting Snowmen: STEM with Ice, Salt, and Warmth

This is a playful example of Christmas science experiments for kids that works even if you don’t live somewhere snowy.

Concepts: States of matter, melting, freezing point depression

What you do:

• Freeze water in round molds or small cups to make “snowman” pieces.
• Stack them on a tray, decorate with buttons, beads, or small craft items.
• Give kids tools: salt, warm water in droppers, and maybe a flashlight or small desk lamp.
• Ask: How can you melt your snowman the fastest?

Kids quickly notice that salt makes the ice melt faster. You can explain that salt lowers the freezing point of water, which is why it’s used on winter roads. The National Weather Service has resources explaining how salt helps melt ice that you can adapt into kid-friendly language.

To extend the learning, have older kids test different substances—salt, sugar, baking soda—and compare their melting power.

4. Jingle Bell Pendulums: Physics Meets Christmas Music

This one turns your room into a mini physics lab with a holiday soundtrack.

Concepts: Pendulums, gravity, motion, patterns

What you do:

• Tie jingle bells to strings of different lengths.
• Tape or tie the strings to a broom handle or sturdy rod balanced between two chairs.
• Pull back the bells and release them to swing.

You’ll see that bells on longer strings swing more slowly, while shorter strings swing faster. Ask kids to notice which bells “ring together” and which move out of sync. This is a great way to introduce the idea that pendulum length affects the period (how long it takes to swing back and forth).

If you want a creative twist, challenge kids to adjust the string lengths so that certain bells ring in a simple pattern or rhythm.

5. Hot Chocolate Heat Transfer Test

This is one of the most relatable examples of Christmas science experiments for kids because it answers a very real kid question: “Why does my hot chocolate get cold so fast?”

Concepts: Heat transfer, insulation, fair tests

What you do:

• Make the same hot chocolate mix and pour equal amounts into different types of cups: ceramic mug, metal cup, plastic cup, paper cup.
• Use a kitchen thermometer (with adult supervision) to measure the starting temperature.
• Measure again every 5 minutes and record the data.

Kids can graph the temperatures to see which cup keeps the drink warmest. This is a simple way to talk about insulation and materials. You can also connect it to real-world health and safety—understanding how hot drinks cool relates to burn prevention, a topic organizations like the CDC and Mayo Clinic discuss when talking about child safety around hot liquids.

6. Gingerbread House Engineering Challenge

This is a highly creative example of a Christmas science experiment for kids that leans into engineering and design.

Concepts: Engineering design process, stability, structures

What you do:

• Provide graham crackers or gingerbread pieces, icing, and candy.
• Set a challenge: build a house that can survive a “snowstorm” (shaking tray), a “strong wind” (hair dryer on low), or a “heavy snowfall” (marshmallows dropped from above).
• Have kids plan, build, test, and improve their designs.

You can introduce basic engineering vocabulary: base, support, load, stability. Encourage kids to notice what makes some houses sturdier than others—strong corners, wide bases, and well-placed supports.

This activity lines up nicely with engineering practices described in frameworks like the Next Generation Science Standards, which many U.S. schools use (you can explore them at nextgenscience.org).

7. Christmas Density Jars: Layered Holiday Liquids

If you want a visually stunning example of Christmas science experiments for kids, this is it.

Concepts: Density, layering, observation

What you do:

• In a clear jar, carefully layer liquids with different densities: honey or corn syrup (tinted green), dish soap, colored water, and vegetable oil.
• Add small Christmas-themed objects: beads, sequins, tiny plastic ornaments.

Kids will see the liquids form layers and the objects float or sink to different levels. Explain that density is like “how tightly packed” the particles are. Heavier (denser) liquids sink, lighter ones float on top.

You can turn this into a guessing game: ask kids to predict where each object will end up, then test and see.

8. “Magic” Color-Changing Christmas Lights with pH

For older kids, this is one of the best examples of Christmas science experiments for kids who are ready for a bit more chemistry.

Concepts: Acids, bases, pH indicators

What you do:

• Make red cabbage indicator by chopping red cabbage and soaking it in hot water until the water turns deep purple. Strain out the cabbage.
• Pour the purple liquid into clear cups.
• Add household acids and bases: vinegar, lemon juice, baking soda solution, soapy water.

The color will shift from pink to blue to green depending on the pH. To give it a Christmas twist, call the pink cups “Santa red,” the blue ones “winter night,” and the green ones “Christmas tree.”

You can explain that red cabbage contains a natural pH indicator, which changes color when it reacts with acids or bases. This connects nicely to real-world chemistry, like how scientists test soil pH for farming and gardening.

How to Turn These Ideas into a Christmas Science Day

If you’re planning a full event, you can set up stations with different examples of Christmas science experiments for kids and have children rotate through them.

One station might be the dissolving candy canes, another the jingle bell pendulums, and another the melting snowmen. Label each station with the main science concept—"Chemistry,” “Physics,” “Engineering"—so kids start to see that science is not one big scary thing, but lots of different ways of understanding the world.

For younger kids (ages 4–7), keep the experiments short, highly visual, and very hands-on. Focus more on noticing and describing: “What do you see? What changed?”

For older kids (ages 8–12), add prediction, measurement, and recording. Graph the hot chocolate temperatures, time the candy cane dissolving, or measure how far the jingle bells swing.

Safety Tips for Christmas Science Experiments

Even the best examples of Christmas science experiments for kids need a safety plan.

• Always supervise when using hot water, hot chocolate, or anything plugged in (like a hair dryer).
• Use child-safe scissors and age-appropriate tools.
• Remind kids that science materials are not snacks, even if they look tasty. Decide ahead which activities are “no eating” zones.
• If you’re using small beads, bells, or candy pieces, keep them away from toddlers and children who still mouth objects.

For general child safety guidelines—especially around burns and choking hazards—resources from organizations like the CDC and Mayo Clinic can help you think through precautions.

Why These Christmas Experiments Matter More Than Perfect Crafts

Here’s the honest truth: kids rarely remember the perfect craft that took you an hour to prep. They remember the candy cane that “magically” disappeared, the snowman that melted faster when they sprinkled salt, and the gingerbread house that survived the “blizzard” because they redesigned the roof.

These hands-on activities are more than cute holiday fillers. They’re real examples of Christmas science experiments for kids that build curiosity, problem-solving, and confidence. When a child predicts, tests, and explains what they see, they’re practicing the same habits scientists use in real labs.

And you don’t need fancy kits or a science degree to make it happen. A few basic supplies, a bit of patience, and a willingness to get messy are enough.

FAQ: Examples of Christmas Science Experiments for Kids

What are some easy examples of Christmas science experiments for kids at home?

Some of the easiest examples include dissolving candy canes in different liquids, melting ice snowmen with salt, and testing which cup keeps hot chocolate warm the longest. All three use common kitchen items and can be done in under 30 minutes.

What is one simple example of a Christmas science experiment for preschoolers?

A great example of a Christmas science experiment for preschoolers is the jingle bell pendulum. Hang bells on strings of different lengths and let children gently push them. They can observe how some swing faster and some slower, without needing to measure or write anything down.

How can I turn gingerbread houses into real science experiments?

Treat gingerbread houses as an engineering challenge. Set a goal—like building a house that can withstand shaking or a “wind test”—and let kids design, build, test, and improve their structures. This turns decorating into a real engineering experiment about strength and stability.

Are there Christmas science experiments that work for older kids too?

Yes. The crystal ornaments, density jars, and pH color-changing “Christmas lights” are all examples of Christmas science experiments for kids that scale well for tweens. You can add more math, more precise measurements, and deeper explanations about molecules, density, and pH.

How do I make sure these experiments are safe?

Choose age-appropriate activities, supervise closely when using heat or small objects, and clearly label what can and cannot be eaten. When in doubt, simplify the setup or swap in safer materials. Checking general safety advice from reputable health sources like the CDC or Mayo Clinic can help you think ahead about risks.

If you try even two or three of these examples of Christmas science experiments for kids, you’ll turn an ordinary December afternoon into something kids will talk about long after the decorations are packed away.