Preschool Science Experiment – Mother's Day Perfume

🎓 Skills Your Child Will Develop

• 💬 Science Vocabulary — Science introduces children to precise vocabulary — observe, predict, hypothesis, dissolve, absorb, transparent — that dramatically expands language range and supports the academic vocabulary children need in school.
• 🔬 Scientific Method — Even a simple experiment teaches the predict-test-observe cycle that is the foundation of scientific thinking — and preschoolers who internalize this process approach problems with genuine scientific confidence.
• 🌍 Nature Literacy — Learning the names, habits, and relationships of plants, animals, and natural phenomena builds the nature literacy that connects children to the living world and lays the groundwork for environmental stewardship.
• 🔄 Flexible Thinking — When an experiment produces an unexpected result, children practice adapting their thinking — a form of cognitive flexibility that makes them more resilient learners across all subjects.

Have your preschooler create their own perfume fragrance with this easy and fun preschool science experiment. Using products around your own home, you and your preschooler can make a fun mother’s day gift for a mother or grandmother and learn something about science. 

 

What your Preschooler will Learn from this Preschool Science Experiment:

 

How to extract scents from plant material

That scents can be transferred from one object to another

Patience; this experiment takes some time

 

What you’ll Need for this Preschool Science Experiment:

1. A container for mixing with some sort of cover. In a pinch, use a paper towel over a small mixing bowl. 
2. Water
3. Smelly plant material. Examples include lavender, rose petals, rosemary, mint etc. Anything that smells is worth trying. 
4. Something to grind up the plant material such as a food processor or an herb cutter. In a pinch, a knife will work if you’re patient. 
5. A timer
6. Coffee filter or cheesecloth

What to do:

 

Step one: Pick your plant material. Have your preschooler smell it.

 

Step two: Grind up your plant material using your food processor. If you cut up the plant material using a knife, make sure you also smash it or grind it up using a rolling pin or something heavy. You want to extract the smell from inside the leaves and flowers. Have your preschooler smell the plant material now. It should smell a lot stronger. 

 

Step three: Put your plant material into your container.

 

Step four: Add enough water to cover the plant material.

 

Step five: Let the entire mixture sit for no less than half an hour, shaking or stirring the mixture every couple of minutes. If you want, set your timer for every five minutes and have your preschooler help you. The longer you let it sit, the stronger smelling your product will be.

 

Step six: Using your coffee filter or cheesecloth, strain the plant material out of the perfume. Make sure you squeeze the liquid out of the cloth—this is going to be the strongest smelling liquid. Strain it two or three times to get all the plant material out. Have your preschooler smell the coffee filter or cheesecloth. Discard the coffee filter or cheesecloth when you’re done with it.

 

Step seven: Put the liquid into a small decorated bottle and give as a Mother’s Day Gift. 

Variations:

 

Feel free to experiment with this preschool science experiment. See what scent is created when you mix rose petals and lavender. Try this experiment mixing rosemary and mint leaves. Ask your preschooler what scent they like the best. 

 

For a slightly more effective perfume, try adding a little bit of alcohol (such as vodka) to the water.

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Helpful Tips for Parents

• Use correct scientific vocabulary from the start: observe, predict, experiment, hypothesis, result, evidence. Children absorb vocabulary in context without explicit teaching.
• Document seasonal science observations over months and years. A child who tracks the same tree across four seasons has done longitudinal observational science — genuinely impressive.
• Record results with drawings or photographs. Scientists document — preschooler scientists should too. A simple science journal develops both literacy and scientific habit.
• Science is everywhere: the kitchen, the garden, the bathroom, the driveway. Narrating daily life as science keeps curiosity active between formal experiments.

Frequently Asked Questions

What everyday household materials are best for preschool science?

The essential preschool science pantry: baking soda, white vinegar, cornstarch, salt, sugar, food coloring, dish soap, and water. These materials enable: acid-base chemistry (baking soda + vinegar), non-Newtonian fluids (cornstarch + water = oobleck), color mixing (food coloring), surface tension (dish soap), crystal growing (salt and sugar), and density experiments (sugar solutions). Beyond kitchen supplies: magnets, a flashlight, a magnifying glass, and ice are the other essentials. The best science lab is an accessible kitchen shelf.

Should I explain the science behind experiments, or let children discover it?

Sequence matters enormously: always let children observe and wonder before explaining. "What do you notice?" and "Why do you think that happened?" should precede any explanation. If children ask why, give a simple, accurate answer — never give incorrect explanations to protect the mystery. After the child has observed and hypothesized, confirming or expanding their theory with correct information is appropriate and satisfying. Explaining first removes the inquiry that makes science learning durable.

Related reading: See also our science experiments at home and our nature walks guide for more ideas on this topic.