Slippered Feet

Drag slippered or socked feet across a carpet and then touch something metal. If it's dark, you and your preschooler may actually see the shock of static electricity. Be cautious about teaching your preschooler about this though, they may learn to shock you when you least expect it.

The Balloon Test

Take a balloon and rub it across your preschooler's head. Their hair will stick up. Take pictures so your preschooler can show their new hair style to their friends.

Comb and Wool

Take a comb and run it through your hair or against a wool sweater. Put a few rice kernels into a plastic bag. Hold the comb close to the bag and watch the rice kernels jump around the bag. You also may be able to pick up small, light objects such as tissue paper or plastic with this comb.

More Fun with Balloons

Rub that balloon against your preschooler's hair and then try to get it to stick to a wall.

Bend Water (really!)

Turn on a faucet so the water is slowly moving out of it, but is not dripping. Run a comb through your hair or rub it on a wool sweater. Hold the comb next to the water and watch the water try to move toward the comb.

The Super Sparker

Try this easy experiment with static electricity for a dramatic spark from the Exploratorium. The Super Sparker.

Hi! I'm Theresa Halvorsen, the preschool science and nature writer for Preschoolrock.com. I have twin boys and am blown away by their fascination with preschool science and how the world works around them. I am always looking for fun and simple science activities so preschoolers can learn about science and the natural world. Please contact me with any suggestions, ideas or questions you have about this site.

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.

• Safety first: always supervise, taste-test nothing, wash hands after experiments. Model good safety habits — goggles, careful pouring, cleanup. Safety habits built in preschool persist.

• Always ask "What do you think will happen?" before running an experiment. Prediction is the core of scientific thinking, and preschoolers' predictions are always worth hearing.

• Repeat experiments multiple times. Reliability — the same result happening consistently — is a key scientific concept, and repetition gives preschoolers the proof they find satisfying.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make science experiments safe for preschoolers?

Keep experiments to food-safe or food-grade materials whenever possible: vinegar, baking soda, cornstarch, salt, food coloring, and dish soap cover most preschool science. Always supervise hands-on experiments. Establish and enforce the rule: "We only put things in our mouth that adults say are safe." Keep experiments away from eyes — vinegar and salt water sting. Wash hands after all experiments. A pair of toy safety goggles adds a "scientist" identity bonus while providing real protection from splashes.

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.

Related reading: See also our nature walks guide and our color mixing science for more ideas on this topic.

🎓 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.
• 📏 Early Math & Measurement — Measuring ingredients, comparing quantities, and observing size changes connects science directly to mathematical thinking — making science experiments some of the richest early math experiences available.
• 🏗️ Engineering Thinking — Testing structures, materials, and designs to see what works develops engineering intuition — the practical understanding of forces, materials, and design that underlies all physical construction and problem solving.
• 📝 Recording & Documentation — Drawing what they observe, recording measurements, and noting results gives children their first experience of scientific documentation — and connects science to literacy and numeracy in an authentic context.

Is your preschooler getting a shock when you touch something metal or notice that your clothing sticks together when it comes out of the dryer? This is static electricity and it's easy to do some preschool physics experiments to explain all about static electricity to your preschooler.

Static electricity happens with the movement of pieces of atoms, called electrons between different objects. While your preschooler may not understand this concept, you can have lots of fun with static electricity and your preschooler.