50+ Science Experiments for 1-2 Year Olds (Toddlers)

Can you imagine! Teaching little babies’ science has become easy now.

Yes, with the help of science experiments.

I created this page to list down all Science Experiments for Toddlers (in the age group of 1-2).

I know that toddlers crave for attention and their mind is curious to explore everything they come across. Be assured, these are golden period for any kid as 80% of brain development happens below 3 years of growth. This is the right age to introduce science.

Yes, I am not joking and I have done it with my two daughters. We have collected several experiments suitable for kids of age 1 and 2. Here in this article, you will find a brief intro for the experiment and the link where you can find the detailed steps to do the activity.

Spend quality time with kids from their young age, as tender age is the right age for them to grasp things quickly.

We have crafted our toddler section having this in mind. Our activities help develop their motor skills and kindle curiosity about science. We strongly believe some of these activities will be well suited to try at your home with your little buds.

Science Activities for 1-2 year olds

Science Activities for Toddlers (1-2 Year Olds)

Looking for Even More Science Activities for Toddlers?

Here is a collection of toddler-friendly ideas that we have collected from across the web:

  • Sink or Float – Let us start with a very simple experiment presented by Happy hooligans. Kids can now understand the physics concept of sinking and floating. They will guess by putting different items in water to know if they will sink or float.
  • Magnetism – Next comes another fun and easy physics experiment. Busy toddlers site explains this experiment in detail. All you need is a bin with dust and a magnet. Yes, hold the magnet and see which all the magnetic things are.
  • Fine motor skills – This experiment will help your toddler work with fine motor skills. Mama Papa Bubba site has explained it in detail. The summary is you need to cut some self-adhesive tapes of different size and stick them on a plate or any surface. Ask kids to remove them. This will improve their fine motor skills. You can also teach them about colors by using different colored tapes.
  • Build up a tower – Kids spot has nicely demonstrated the tower building experiment. This can be done with the empty toilet roll at home. You can ask them to build a tower using them. Also, teach them counting with this activity. This will improve their focus as they look at making the tower stand erect.
  • Smell and Identify – Mamas happy hive has posted the right way to help kids learn about the smell. They have used a few food items to let kids smell and identify. However, be careful when doing this as the smell should not suffocate small kids. Choose wisely the items and have fun.
  • The Penguin Ice Play – A simple exercise to introduce states of matter and how temperature affects it. This play activity provides an opportunity to explore ice and how it melts; thus – helps the kids to learn more about Antarctic and Arctic animals and habitats. Source: Messy Little Monster.
  • Dinosaur Ice Melt Experiments – Learn about how to melt ice faster.  This could be a follow up experiment or an add on to the previous activity. Best for preschoolers and toddlers. Source: Living Montessori Now.
  • Shadow Box – Kids can now learn to color and know about this shadow box from teaching preschool.
  • Lunch menu and alphabet – Choose one alphabet and make a lunch using ingredients starting with that alphabet. This will help kids know letters. You can start with the letter in which their name starts. Easy way to teach them letters and food recipes. Source: PBS
  • Paint with yogurt – Teach color to kids and a safe way to paint. Yes, no chemicals and with yogurt different flavors your kids can become an artist today. No time for flashcards has demonstrated this well and check them out for details.
  • Bubble Experiment – This may be a huge concept for toddlers, but they will love bubbles and you can try this as given in science kids. Note: this can only be seen by kids but do not allow them to touch as the dry ice will affect their skin.
  • Color Game – The game posted on the education website will make kids identify colors. Simply collect the things posted in the instruction and get ready to make kids know the rainbow color at the age of 2.
  • How to create a Water Bottle Fountain? The experiment teaches preschoolers about how air takes up room even though it is not visible to our eyes.  Source: Learn With Play at Home.
  • Hands-on Sink or Float Science Activity – Buggy and Buddy’s one of the fun filled activity for below two year olds. If you are looking for an easy to do experiment that shows immediate result, this one would be best fit. Encourage your kid to make predictions so you can play along to see if your kid is correct.
  • Octopus Craft – My bored toddler has presented this creative craft just with empty toilet rolls. You can take help for kids for painting and yes they will mess but will look great to spend such a great time with them.
  • Water paint – When you think that kids are too small to deal with toxic colors, then there is an idea posted in my mundane and miraculous life. Here, simply using a paint brush, water, and chalkboard you can make kids paint. Safe but makes little ones creative.
  • Ball Drop for toddlers – The motor skills of kids can be enhanced with this activity. Do you know, toddlers love to throw things? But do not worry, as this activity will pave the way to do that without any difficulty. They need a huge tub and ping pong balls. Preferably a watering can help which has a small opening. Source: kitchenfloorcrafts
  • Velcro and Pompom – This activity will teach a kid about colors and also help them develop their motor skills by sticking and removing the pompom on the Velcro. Source: teach-me-mommy
  • Buggy and Bundy fun paperclip experiment – Kids can have fun with this activity and they can count the clips. Make sure you are around and supervise them so that they don’t put any clip in the mouth.
  • Floating egg experiment – Let your kids explore why eggs are floating in water. Teach them about density of things (water and egg) and how it affects floating. Source: There’s Just One Mommy.
  • Oobleck 2 ingredient sensory play – Fun little play game for small kids that teaches sensory (touch) for your little ones. This is another activity that explain properties of liquid and solid. Try this cool activity from Messy Little Monster. Optional – add some penguins to make the role-play interesting.
  • DIY Frog Pond – Learn how to make a frog pond with this Kiwico step by step instruction. Teach a bit of biology
  • Can balloons lift bag? – The mess of less educates you and your little ones that balloon can lift bag. Count the number and blow them
  • Ice grows – Ice grow and yes it is possible with this teach preschool frozen ice experiment.
  • Flower Science – Teach some botany with these flower science activities. Happily ever mom makes you a happy mom.
  • Rainbow and Color – Kids can know the color and activate their sensory brain by following this fun day activity.
  • Oral Motor Experiment with Straw – Give exercise to tongue, cheeks and lips and improve oral motor skills of little kids with just house hold items. The experiment is all about lifting light and heavy objects using straw in fun filling way. Source: Mom Explores the Smokies.
  • Make Your Own Straw Rockets –  A fun and easy kid’s activity that teaches kids to make their own block straw rockets.  Little help from adult is needed to stick the straws together.
  • Chewing Gum for toddlers? I agree that kids cannot chew gum but they can do this experiment with gums and be around don’t leave them unattended. Get details from meet penny.
  • Milk science – Laughing science kids know the kid’s mentality and attracted them with this milk science experiment.
  • Colors and melting ice – Artful parent teaches you to be artful too. Try this melting ice experiment.
  • Friction Lesson with carrots – Carrots are orange presents you with an easy experiment that will even allow a toddler to know about friction.
  • Toothpaste for elephants – Fun home with kids is really fun allowing babies to make toothpaste for elephants.
  • Sensory Activity using Magnetic Discovery Bottles – Preschool Inspirations came out with a detailed post on using discovery bottles and its wide variety of uses for kids. The post also can help teach your kids about magnetism and its principles. (We prefer using big sized magnets).
  • Explore what melts in the sun? Perfect experiment for a lazy day on summer. Try out with different products and see. Source: Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls.
  • Colored Ants – Life with Moore babies makes ants colorful.
  • Sensory activities for babies – 5 simple experiments for toddlers all about sensory activities.
  • Leaf rubbing science – Sixth bloom explains in detail about the leaf rubbing science. STEAM experiment.
  • Seed science – Pinky Stripey Socks explains very clearly about this STEM activity and its all about seeds.
  • Experiment with Straw – Learn about oral motor science from the Mom Explores the Smokies.
  • Explore what melts in the sun – Sun produces heat and do you know there are certain things that melt at that temperature. Show them to kids following Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls steps.
  • Eggs float too Messy Little Moms do not make any mess but teach toddlers about the egg and its properties.
  • Ice melts faster than you think – Living Montessori Now explains about the properties of ice and when they melt faster.
  • Magnetism with bottles – Bottles can help you understand magnetism. Preschool inspirations teach you the tactics.
  • Fizzy lemonade – Lemonade foaming experiment makes kids enjoy with the fizzing sound. Source: Learn with Play at Home
  • Straw Rockets – Housing A Forest launches a rocket with straw.
  • Sensory activity for kids –Messy Little Monster makes penguins dance and you can teach a kid about the sensory activity.
  • Water Bottle Fountain – We had seen magnetism with a water bottle and its time to make a fountain with a water bottle. Source: Learn With Play at Home.
  • Ice cream recipe – Making ice cream in a plastic bag is simple and easy with Science bob experiment.
  • Water Science – Water walks and that’s a wow experiment for kids presented by coffee cups and crayons.
  • Crystallization made simple with kids– Follow Wiki to grow rock candy just in a glass at home.
  • Microwave Ivory soap – Source: Stevespanglerscience. Cook soap in the microwave to see what happens.
  • Bean in a cup – Now bean can be grown at home to show the roots to kids and this great activity is explained in Science Sparks.
  • Freezing bubbles – Bubbles freeze kids can touch and feel. Best winter experiment. Source: Mommy Poppins
  • Ink made invisible – Just use lemon and make ink that goes invisible. Science Kids experiment.
  • Balls, shapes, and bounce – Make your own ball in any shape and see them how they bounce. Source: Come together, kids.
  • The parachute that flies high – With a plastic bag it is now possible to make a parachute.
  • Coin and Surface tension – Put water droplets on coins to explain surface tension to kids. Do it in the science kiddo way.
  • Make your own fizzy lemonade – Another fun filled science activity for a hot summer day. Cool yourself with your own lemonade. This is Taste-safe activity that your kids will enjoy making and drinking. Source: Learn with Play at Home.

I am glad to give you so many science experiments that you can teach toddlers. Don’t think these are a high standard for kids. You will be amazed to see their grasping power at this young age. Try and share your experience.

Well, if you are in activity spree and looking for more science ideas for toddlers?

Most of the activities we try are taste-safe (non toxic and no hazards). If you have a grown up kid – try our Science for 3-4 Year Olds page for ideas on experiments that doesn’t have any mouthing things. We keep our experiments open-ended; that means you can create variations of these activities to suit your kid’s age or personal favorite.

Which one of the above activities are your favorite? Have you tried any one – do you like them? Let us know – what else would you want us to do?

 

 

 

Please Note ...

Though we encourage kids to try these activities independently, we request you to have a constant supervision i.e. be with the kid when they try these activities. Only parents will know what activity will suit their kids (based on age group or interest). Check for more information here.