4 Halloween Science Projects for Kids

Giant spiders. Skeletons on horseback. Pumpkins on every stoop! Our favorite spooky holiday is just around the corner. So we’ve got four Halloween science projects to set the mood and keep your little ones entertained as temperatures start to drop.

Halloween is an excellent opportunity to teach your kids about science. Seemingly simple decorations can become engaging projects. Here are the science projects we’ll undertake today:

Project 1: Dry Ice Witch’s Cauldron

Dry Ice Witch’s Cauldron

We’ll start with making a simple foggy witch’s cauldron. This cauldron makes a brilliant decoration, and kids have a lot of fun watching it come to life.

The instructions are straightforward, but you will need a ‘cauldron’ and dry ice.

Supplies you will need:

DRY ICE WITCH’S CAULDRON:

  • 2 Liter Plastic Container
  • Hot Water
  • Dry Ice
  • Towel
  • ‘Cauldron’
  • Hammer
  • Heavy Leather Gloves

Dry ice is so cold it can burn you if you aren’t careful. You will need a pair of heavy leather gloves if you plan to handle the ice with your hands.

Most people can find dry ice in local grocery stores near the front of the store. Some Wal-Mart stores carry it, so you might check there to start.

Once you have your dry ice, you’ll want to lay it out on a towel and bust it up into smaller chunks with a hammer (assuming it didn’t come in small pieces already).

Wearing the leather gloves, place some chunks of dry ice in the bottom of your cauldron.

Use your plastic container to slowly pour hot water over your ice chunks in the cauldron. The dry ice will almost instantly create a fog.

Pro Tip: You can let your kid do the pouring if they’re old enough. They’ll love it!

After a while, the water will start to cool. You can pour the cool water out and replace it with more hot water to keep your fog going.

Project 2: Static Electricity Ghosts

Static Electricity Ghosts

Another Halloween science project that’s always popular with kids is static electricity ghosts. 

Essentially, you inflate a balloon, draw a ghost face, and then use various materials to experiment with static electricity.

Supplies you will need:

STATIC ELECTRICITY GHOSTS:

  • At least 2 white balloons
  • 1 Sweater
  • Markers
  • Tissue paper
  • Cardboard
  • Aluminum foil
  • Yarn
  • Pom Poms
  • Pipe Cleaners
  • Ribbon
  • Cloth
  • Foam

Start by inflating your white balloons. Once they’re blown up, use black markers to give them a face, mouth, and any other ghost parts.

Now rub one of the balloons on the sweater to build up static electricity. 

Next, touch each balloon to the other materials, such as the aluminum foil and pom poms, so your child can discover what happens.

Using ghost balloons can teach your kid about static electricity, conductivity, and how a balloon can hold a negative charge.

Ask your child questions to get them involved and to help them understand what is taking place when items are either attracted to the balloon, repelled by it or when nothing happens at all.

For even more fall STEM projects check out this iCode School article.

Project 3: Germinating Pumpkin

Germinating Pumpkin

Dirt, decay, and pumpkins. What more could a child ask for from a Halloween science project?

Germination is the process of sprouting a seedling. In this case, we’re sprouting pumpkins, and we’ll do it inside another pumpkin. 

It’s kind of like creating Frankenstein when you think about it.

The cool part is you get to teach kids about plant life. Not just the life part but also how to grow and care for that life.

Supplies you will need:

GERMINATING PUMPKIN:

  • Small pumpkins (the tiny ones)
  • Dirt
  • Water
  • Knife (to cut the top of the pumpkin off)

First, an adult should cut the top of the mini pumpkin off with a knife to reveal the pumpkin’s ‘guts’.

Since pumpkins already have seeds, you don’t need to bring any. Some people do use seed starter, but it probably isn’t necessary.

Okay, now you’re going to fill the inside of the pumpkin with dirt (and by *you* we mean your kid). 

Once it’s filled up, you can water it lightly and then sit the pumpkin somewhere it will get sunlight. 

Water it once a day, and within a week or two, you’ll start to see changes!

One of the first changes you’ll notice is that the original pumpkin is rotting. However, as the old pumpkin rots away, a new pumpkin is born and sprouts up out of the dirt!

Amazing!

It’s a bit of a slow burn, but that’s also a lesson in patience, so the wait is kind of a bonus.

If you liked this project and you want to give your child a deeper STEM foundation, take a look at all that iCode School has to offer!

Project 4: Squishy Monster Eyes

Squishy Monster Eyes

For our last Halloween science project, we’ll switch gears and get extra spooky with monster eyes!

Many of you made these as kids, but even if you didn’t, you can still experience the joy of doing it now with your kids.

For this one, hand your child a raw egg. 

Ask them if they can remove the eggshell without making a mess. 

Naturally, they’ll say you’re out of your mind (and that’s where the fun begins).

Supplies you will need:

SQUISHY MONSTER EYES:

  • Eggs
  • Vinegar
  • Mason Jars
  • Food Coloring (Halloween colors)
  • Large bowl
  • Tablespoon
  • Towel (to clean up messes)

First, set the egg down in your mason jar or cup. 

Next, pour vinegar over the top to fill the container enough that the egg submerges (if the egg floats, that’s okay).

Now add your food coloring. Gently mix it in with a spoon or stirrer if you like to ensure it evenly distributes. 

Almost immediately, carbon dioxide bubbles will start to form on the egg’s shell as a chemical reaction begins.

Let the egg sit in the vinegar for 24 hours, and then replace the liquid with fresh vinegar. Now let the egg sit for an additional 24 hours. 

It is important that you allow the egg to sit in the vinegar for 24 hours each time so the process can reach completion.

After 48 hours have passed, remove the egg from the vinegar, and rinse it off. 

It’s ready! 

Let your kids squish it, bounce it, and play with it (until it inevitably falls from a table and breaks on the floor)!

After Halloween Science

Even when Halloween is over, you can still get your kids involved in fun science projects. 

iCode School was explicitly designed for that purpose. 

Our instructors work with kids daily on unique science, technology, engineering, and mathematics projects to help them learn and grow. 

Kids learn from hands-on experience and alongside other children just as interested in science projects as they are!

To learn more about what iCode School can do for your child, click here to explore our site now.

Recommended Blogs
Coding (AKA computer programming) is wildly popular for kids today. Society relies on technology for virtually everything. Entire industries are falling away due to automation. But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s time to think about how to set your young child up for these new opportunities and success in the future by teaching kids coding and the basics of computer science.As technological advancements continue to evolve over the decades to come, coding will become a critical skill.Kids who learn basic coding skills today will have less to fear from artificial intelligence (AI) and automation because they will code the next AI programs instead of being replaced by them.But what exactly is coding and how can you teach it to your kids? That’s what we’ll cover in this article.  What is Coding for Kids? Coding refers to computer programming. Some people call this “writing code.”  Computer programs are created from many lines of text and numbers (code). When code is written in the proper order in the appropriate software program, the software can execute whatever command the code represents. For instance, in a software program that accepts HyperText Markup Language (HTML) writing <br> is like hitting the enter key when typing…
Coding presents many amazing opportunities for younger kids as they develop their understanding of computer science. Whether you’re looking for coding games for 10 year olds or early teens, there’s an activity for every age range and level of expertise. Today, we’ll share some coding activities and learning resources for kids based on their individual needs. These resources offer great instruction as kids start to enhance their coding language skills.  Types of Coding Activities for Kids So, what is coding for kids, and what are the best ways for them to learn? Let’s start by talking about some of the different types of coding activities for kids that you might run into. It always helps to know your options before making a decision.Generally speaking, kids’ coding games fall into three categories:IntroductoryIntermediateAdvancedIntroductory activities are for kids who are just starting out. They have little to no experience with coding, and they need to learn simple, fundamental coding concepts that they can build upon.Intermediate activities are for kids who have some experience and are ready to step up to the next level. These activities help expand and grow a child’s coding skills as they move toward becoming fluent in coding.Advanced activities are…
Black Friday is one of those isn’t a holiday but sorta is holidays that people in the U.S. just can’t get enough of. This year, we’ve come up with the best Black Friday STEM toy deals you can find online so you can avoid the chaos of in-store shopping! Our choices cover a variety of categories, so there’s something for everyone. We chose deals based on several factors including: The discount percentage Overall price Fun factor for kids Ability to spark STEM-relevant conversations/interest You’ve only got a few days to prepare so get these deals loaded and ready so you can take advantage of them before they’re gone! Best Black Friday STEM Toy Deal for Toddlers - Pixelated Animals It’s easy to buy toddlers gifts. Give them a stuffed animal and they’re happy. This year, you can make their gift more special by giving them a stuffed animal that’s relevant to their favorite (or soon-to-be favorite) STEM game. Minecraft is hugely popular with younger generations, and most kids are familiar with the pixelated style of the animals in the game. These pixelated animals are the perfect accent for a game most children know and love. The best part is the game is STEM-relevant. Engineering is…
graphic of a blue and yellow blob
graphic of a yellow blob