Kids love science, especially when it involves hands-on experiments. These experiments, activities, and science projects for 2nd graders are guaranteed to bring excitement and enthusiastic vibes into your classroom. Your students will learn basic concepts about physics, chemistry, biology, and more while having a blast!
To make it even easier to find the best science projects for 2nd graders, we’ve given each a rating based on difficulty and the materials you’ll need.
Difficulty:
Easy: Low or no-prep experiments you can do pretty much anytime
Medium: These take a little more setup or a longer time to complete
Advanced: Experiments like these take a fairly big commitment of time and/or effort
Materials:
Basic: Simple items you probably already have around the house
Medium: Items that you might not already have but are easy to get your hands on
Advanced: These require specialized or more expensive supplies to complete
Jump to:
Also, be sure to grab your free printable science experiment recording sheet to use with any of the experiments below.
Myranda McDonald for We Are Teachers
Nature and Earth Science Projects for 2nd Graders
Explore animals, ecosystems, geology, plate tectonics, and more with these interesting and interactive science projects for 2nd graders.
Around the Kampfire
Pollinate like a bee
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
Use pipe cleaner bees to discover how these pollinators pick up and move cheese powder “pollen” from one juice box flower to the next. Simple, fun, and adorable!
Learn more: Cheese Powder Pollination Activity
Make a rain cloud in a jar
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
Use a jar to show your students how clouds form in the sky. Mix ice cubes, hot water, and hairspray to make it all happen. This demonstrates condensation and evaporation in one simple experiment.
NurtureStore
Make your own rain gauge
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
Make a rain gauge and compare your collection with local weather reports to see if they are accurate. You might even inspire some future meteorologists with this one!
Learn more: How To Make a Rain Gauge
Turn white flowers into a rainbow of colors
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
Demonstrate the power of flower stems with this beautiful experiment. Fill some mini vases with water mixed with food coloring. Then drop some white carnations in them and watch the magic happen!
Simulate a landslide
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
This NASA video shows you how to create an indoor landslide in a milk carton, showing students the power of weather, erosion, and nature in action.
The STEM Laboratory
Grow a sprout house
Difficulty: Medium / Materials: Medium
This two-part science project first challenges kids to use their engineering skills to construct a miniature house made of sponges. Then, they plant chia, alfalfa, or other quick-sprouting seeds and keep the sponges moist until they start to grow.
Learn more: Sprout House
Grade School Giggles
Re-create the water cycle in a bag
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
This simple but effective experiment explores the water cycle. Fill a plastic bag partway with water and set it on a sunny windowsill to see how the water evaporates up and eventually “rains” down.
Learn more: Water Cycle in a Bag
The Crafty Classroom
The First Grade Roundup
Explore erosion with sugar cubes
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
Simulate the effects of erosion by shaking sugar cubes in a cup with some pebbles to see what happens. Get more ideas for 2nd grade science activities about erosion and weathering at the link.
Learn more: Weathering and Erosion
Lessons for Little Ones
Find out which liquid is best for growing seeds
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium
As students learn about the life cycle of plants, explore how water supports their growth. Plant seeds and water them with a variety of liquids to see which sprout first and grow best.
Learn more: Watering Experiment
The Chaos and the Clutter
Build a folded mountain
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
This clever demonstration helps kids understand how some types of mountains are formed. Use layers of towels to represent rock layers and boxes for continents. Then pu-u-u-sh and see what happens!
Learn more: How Do Folded Mountains Form?
Around the Kampfire
Explode a balloon seed pod
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium
After you learn about pollination, take the next step and explore how plants disperse their seeds far and wide. One way is with exploding seed pods. Use a balloon to see how it works.
Learn more: Seed Dispersal Activity
KC Edventures
Watch a leaf “breathe”
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
Plants “breathe” through transpiration, and you can see the process in action simply by submerging a leaf in water.
Learn more: How Do Leaves Breathe? Science Experiment
Carly and Adam
Grow a self-sustaining ecosystem
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium
Plant seeds inside a sealed plastic bottle and observe both the water cycle and the plant life cycle in one simple 2nd grade science experiment.
Learn more: Growing a Self-Sustaining Plant Ecosystem
KC Edventures
Compare and contrast animal habitats
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium
Build a variety of habitats (woodland, arctic, savanna, etc.). Then have kids compare to see how they are similar (all have water) and how they are different (trees, temperatures, etc.).
Learn more: Comparing Animal Habitats
Playdough to Plato
Discover plate tectonics with graham crackers
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium
Use graham crackers as the Earth’s crust floating on a bed of whipped topping “mantle” to learn about how tectonic plates interact.
Learn more: Graham Cracker Plate Tectonics
Rhythms of Play
Collect and classify rocks
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium
Take a nature walk to pick up rocks of all kinds. Bring them back and have kids examine them closely and sort them into groups by properties (color, size, shape, texture, and so on). This is a fantastic lead-in to learning about the types of rocks.
Learn more: Sorting and Classifying Rocks
The Kitchen Is My Playground
Make edible dirt cups
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium
Help your students remember the four types of soil with this tasty 2nd grade science experiment. Layer pudding, graham crackers, and Oreos for a mouthwatering and memorable lesson.
Learn more: Edible Soil Cups
Food Activities and Science Projects for 2nd Graders
Raid the pantry and try these kitchen science experiments and projects for 2nd graders! They all use common food items to explore all sorts of fascinating science concepts.
Power up a lemon battery
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium
Here’s another classic science experiment every kid should try. They’ll be amazed to learn a citrus fruit can generate an electric current!
Around the Kampfire
Parenting Isn’t Easy
Use bread to learn about handwashing
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
There’s never been a better time for an experiment involving the importance of washing your hands! All you need for this one is bread, plastic bags, and some dirty hands.
Learn more: Moldy Bread Experiment
Learning Lab Resources
Drink root beer floats to learn about states of matter
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
What’s easy to make, delicious to eat, and demonstrates all three states of matter at once? Root beer floats! This will easily be your students’ favorite science lesson of the year.
Learn more: Root Beer Float Science
Fantastic Fun and Learning
Mix flavors in a lollipop lab
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
Candy science experiments are always a hit with kids! In this one, they’ll dissolve sugary lollipops in water, then mix flavors to make something new.
Learn more: Lollipop Lab
NurtureStore
Learn about osmosis with gummy bears
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium
This is one of those classic experiments your 2nd grade science students will love to see in action. Soak the gummies in water to watch them grow through the power of osmosis.
Learn more: Osmosis Gummy Bears
No Time for Flash Cards
Freeze and observe liquid expansion
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium
As you explore the states of matter, experiment to see if some types of liquid expand more than others when frozen.
Learn more: Freezing Liquids Experiment
Around the Kampfire
Use crackers to learn about properties of matter
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium
Practice sorting, comparing, and classifying using properties of matter in this tasty experiment. All you need is a variety of snack crackers and inquiring minds! (These magnifying glasses would be fun too.)
Learn more: Properties of Matter Cracker Lab
Seesaw
Demonstrate heat energy with chocolate kisses
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium
Give each student two chocolate kiss candies to hold onto for five minutes. Students should keep one palm open, while closing their other around the kiss. See what happens simply from our body heat.
Learn more: Chocolate Kiss Experiment
123 Homeschool 4 Me
Explode a watermelon
Difficulty: Medium / Materials: Medium
How many rubber bands does it take to make a watermelon explode? Find out while observing the concepts of potential and kinetic energy with your students.
Learn more: Exploding Watermelon Science
Conduct an egg drop
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
In this STEM project, your students will create a protective egg holder from simple materials. They will love seeing if their contraption keeps their egg in one piece during the competition.
Learn more: Egg Drop Challenge Ideas
Drop Mentos in soda and watch it erupt
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium
Here is another 2nd grade science experiment that will make your students explode with excitement. Drop a Mentos candy in different types of soda, and see which one causes the tallest geyser.
Learn more: Mentos and Coke Experiment (How-To Plus Free Worksheet)
The STEM Laboratory
Build marshmallow-and-pretzel structures
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
Get creative while practicing engineering skills by building structures with marshmallows and pretzels. Sweeten the deal by eating them afterwards!
Learn more: Pretzel Marshmallow STEM Challenge
Watch popcorn dance
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
Learn about density and acid-based reactions while watching popcorn kernels dance around! Vinegar and baking soda mix together to create carbon dioxide to make it all happen.
Learn more: Dancing Popcorn (Guide + Printable Reflection Sheet)
Around the Kampfire
Make ice cream in a bag
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! Demonstrate changes in matter while creating everyone’s favorite frozen treat.
Learn more: Make Ice Cream in a Bag
Toucan Box
Create rainbows out of candy
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
Use Skittles to teach your students about diffusion. By simply pouring hot water onto the candy, the colored sugar coating dissolves, creating a tie-dye effect! Groovy!
Learn more: Skittles Candy Rainbow Experiment
Teach Beside Me
Keep apples from turning brown
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but nobody wants to eat apples once they turn brown! This experiment will provide the best method to keep those sliced apples looking nice and appetizing. For even more fun, try out different varieties of apples for a taste test!
Learn more: Apple Science Experiment
More Experiments, Activities, and Science Projects for 2nd Graders
Kids will love these science projects for 2nd graders, from making their own slime to projecting stars on their ceiling, and everything in between!
Make a lava lamp
Difficulty: Medium / Materials: Medium
Your students will love making their own lava lamp! By combining water, oil, and an Alka-Seltzer tablet, students can observe density differences as the oil floats and bubbles move. Plus, it’s just super cool!
Make sidewalk chalk paint
Difficulty: Medium / Materials: Medium
Sidewalk chalk is always fun for kids of all ages. Step things up a notch by creating your own sidewalk chalk paint! It dries and washes away just like the old-fashioned stuff.
Learn more: Make Sidewalk Chalk Paint (Guide + Printable Reflection Sheet)
Watch a bag with holes remain leakproof
Difficulty: Basic/ Materials: Basic
See what happens when you poke a pencil through a sealed baggie of water. This experiment demonstrates the magic of polymers. Your students will be amazed!
Learn more: Leakproof Bag With Holes (Guide + Printable Reflection Sheet)
Mum in the Madhouse
Craft smartphone speakers
Difficulty: Medium / Materials: Basic
Make your own smartphone speakers from simple everyday objects that you already have at home. All you need are paper cups and toilet paper tubes, and then you are ready to jam!
Learn more: DIY Phone Amplifier and Stand
Observe giant fingerprints
Difficulty: Medium / Materials: Medium
We know that every human has a different set of fingerprints, but it is tough to see this with the naked eye. Have your students blow up their fingerprints for a closer look! All you need is a balloon and ink to investigate.
Gally Kids
Clean old coins
Difficulty: Basic / Materials: Basic
We have all seen how dirty pennies can get over time due to oxidation. Test out which solution works best to clean coins using various common household items. Your students will be surprised at the result!
Learn more: Cleaning Coins
I Heart Arts n Crafts
The Applicious Teacher
Dissect a seed
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium
Soak a large seed (beans are ideal) in water, then carefully take it apart to see what’s inside. Draw a diagram to label parts like the seed coat and plant embryo.
Learn more: Seed Dissection
The First Grade Roundup
Use cereal to learn about states of matter
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
Learn how atom arrangements affect the states of matter with this easy 2nd grade science activity that doubles as a snack!
Learn more: Cereal States of Matter
123 Homeschool 4 Me
Make a bouquet of chromatography flowers
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium
Use chromatography to split secondary paint colors into their original hues. The results are both pretty and fascinating!
Learn more: Chromatography Flowers
Messy Little Monster
Concoct a foaming rainbow
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
Every kid loves the classic baking soda and vinegar chemical reaction experiment. This version makes a foamy rainbow, thanks to some added food coloring.
Learn more: Foamy Rainbow
123 Homeschool 4 Me
Sculpt pipe cleaner constellations
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
Help kids find the constellations in the night sky by making these models from pipe cleaners. The little star beads are such a clever touch!
Learn more: Pipe Cleaner Constellations
Paging Supermom
Tell time with a sundial
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
How did people tell time before clocks and watches? Help 2nd grade science students find out by making their own sundials from paper plates.
Learn more: How To Make a Sundial
The Primary Brain
Race clothespin cars
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
Explore simple machines by building race cars from basic supplies like clothespins and drinking straws. It’s a really fun way to learn about wheels and axles.
Learn more: Clothespin Cars
123 Homeschool 4 Me
Build a body from play dough
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
Play dough activities are always fun to do! Visit the link below for free printable mats to use as you have your 2nd grade science students sculpt the bones, organs, and muscles of the body.
Learn more: Play Dough Body
A Dab of Glue Will Do
Turn pom-poms into crystal balls
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium
Every kid loves making crystals! They’ll learn about supersaturated solutions as they make these cute little crystal pom-pom balls.
Learn more: Crystal Ball Pom-Poms
JDaniel4’s Mom
Test sunscreen for effectiveness
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium
Kids might wonder why they need to wear sunscreen when they’re at the park or playing soccer. This experiment shows them the power of the sun’s rays and the protection sunscreen provides.
Learn more: Sunscreen Experiment
Education to the Core
Design and build an index card tower
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
Challenge your 2nd grade science students to a little early engineering. Given only index cards, how tall and/or strong of a structure can they build?
Learn more: Index Card STEM Challenge
Repel glitter with dish soap
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
Every teacher knows that glitter is just like germs … it gets everywhere and is so hard to get rid of! Use that to your advantage, and show students how soap fights glitter and germs.
Around the Kampfire
Bend objects to test flexibility
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
Explore one of the properties of matter with this easy experiment. Kids plan how to test flexibility, then try it out with a variety of basic objects.
Learn more: Flexibility Science Experiment
The Science Kiddo
Discover density with saltwater solutions
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
This simple experiment covers a lot of 2nd grade science concepts. Learn about solutions, density, and even ocean science as you compare and contrast how objects float in different water mixtures.
Learn more: Saltwater Experiment
Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls
Blast off drinking-straw rockets
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
Engineer rockets from drinking straws and have a blast when you send them flying! Kids can tweak the design to see whose can fly the highest.
Learn more: Straw Rockets
Good to Know
Create a solar system out of play dough
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
This is a perfect culminating project for your space unit. Your students can display their models at home when the project is complete.
Learn more: Play Dough Solar System
Count how many water drops will fit on a penny
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
How many water drops fit on a penny? Find out with this fun and easy experiment that focuses on surface tension. Your students will be amazed by the results!
Learn more: Drops on Coins at Boundless Brilliance
Mystery Science
Project stars on the ceiling
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
Everyone loves visiting a planetarium. Turn your very own 2nd grade science classroom into one with this simple DIY star projector.
Learn more: Star Projector
ThoughtCo.
Write secret messages with invisible ink
Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic
Make your own invisible ink from just baking soda and water, then have your students write messages to one another. Reveal the secret messages with a flashlight once the ink is dry.
Learn more: How To Make Invisible Ink With Baking Soda
Get your free printable science experiment recording sheet!
Myranda McDonald for We Are Teachers
Just fill out the form on this page to get instant access to your free printable experiment recording sheet.
