Ideas for Science Week

Updated: November 2025

Science Week (November 9-16th 2025) is a wonderful opportunity for young learners to explore, question, and discover the world around them. Engaging children in hands-on activities and experiments can foster curiosity and a love for learning in science. Here are some simple and quick ideas tailored for both junior and senior primary school teachers, along with resources to help make your Science Week a success!

Activities and Experiments for Junior Classes (Ages 5-8)

Try doing one activity per school day during Science Week: 

1. Dancing Raisins (click here for a video demo)

• Activity
  Fill a clear glass with sparkling water and drop a few raisins in. Watch as they “dance” up and down in the water! The bubbles attach to the raisins, lifting them to the surface, then pop, causing the raisins to sink again.

  Learning Outcome:
  Introduce children to the concepts of gas and density in a fun, visual way.

2. Rainbow Milk Experiment (click here for a video demo)

• Activity: Pour a small amount of milk into a plate and add a few drops of food colouring around the edges. Then dip a cotton swab into dish soap and touch it to the milk’s surface. The colours will swirl around, creating a “rainbow” effect.
• Learning Outcome: Observing how soap breaks down fat molecules in milk, creating movement.

3. Mini Volcanoes (click here for a video demo)

• Activity: Place a spoonful of baking soda in a small container, and add vinegar slowly. Watch as the mixture bubbles up like a mini volcano!
• Learning Outcome: Introducing basic chemical reactions between acids and bases.

4. Shadow Puppets (click here for a video demo)

• Activity: Use a flashlight and cut-out shapes to create shadows on the wall. Experiment with moving the light source closer and further away to see how it changes the shadow size.
• Learning Outcome: Learning about light and shadow.

5. Listening Walks

• Activity: Go on a short walk around the school or playground, asking children to listen to the sounds they hear. Back in the classroom, discuss and categorise the sounds as natural or man-made.
• Learning Outcome: Developing observation and listening skills while connecting to the environment.

Resources for Junior Classes

• Picture Books:

  • Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty
  • What Do You Do with an Idea? by Kobi Yamada
  • The Darkest Dark by Chris Hadfield

• Websites:

  • National Geographic Kids
  • NASA Kids’ Club

• YouTube Channels:

  • SciShow Kids – Perfect for simple science explanations and fun experiments.

• Apps:

  • Marco Polo Ocean – Learn about ocean creatures in an interactive and playful way.
  • PBS KIDS Play & Learn Science – Encourages hands-on science learning through games.

Activities and Experiments for Senior Classes (Ages 9-12)

Try doing one activity each school day during Science Week: 

1. Balloon Rocket Races (click here for a video demo)

• Activity: Thread a piece of string through a straw, tie the ends of the string to chairs, and inflate a balloon but don’t tie it. Attach the balloon to the straw with tape and release to watch it race along the string.
• Learning Outcome: Understanding propulsion and Newton’s Third Law of Motion.

2. Building a Bridge Challenge

• Activity: Provide various materials like straws, paper, tape, and cardboard and challenge children to build a bridge that can hold a small weight (e.g., a toy car).
• Learning Outcome: Encourages engineering skills and teamwork while introducing structural integrity.

3. Exploring pH Levels with Cabbage Juice (click here for a video demo)

• Activity: Create a natural pH indicator by boiling red cabbage leaves in water. Use the purple cabbage water to test the acidity or alkalinity of various household items (like lemon juice, baking soda, and soap).
• Learning Outcome: Introduction to acids, bases, and indicators.

4. Lava Lamp Experiment (click here for a video demo)

• Activity:
  Fill a clear bottle with water and oil, add a few drops of food colouring, and drop in an effervescent tablet (like Alka-Seltzer). Watch as coloured blobs rise and fall, creating a lava lamp effect!
• Learning Outcome:
  Teach children about density and chemical reactions in a fun, visual way.

5. Static Electricity Experiment

• Activity: Rub a balloon on a woollen jumper or hair, then hold it near small pieces of paper or even a can. The static electricity attracts the paper or makes the can move.
• Learning Outcome: Introducing concepts of static electricity and forces.

Resources for Senior Classes

• TV:

  • What’s Next? RTÉ 2 – available on the RTÉ Player. Each episode focuses on a different environmental issue. It would be a great programme to ask the children to watch for homework, or to show in class. Each episode has accompanying teacher notes with discussion questions, further learning activities and worksheets 📝. These are available on rte.ie/learn.

    I was delighted to have been asked to create these teacher resources as it’s a very forward thinking programme which empowers young people in the face of the current climate crisis! 

• Books:

  • The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba
  • Science is Magic by Steve Mould
  • Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World by Rachel Ignotofsky

• Websites:

  • Science Foundation Ireland’s Science Week – Includes many resources and events.
  • Exploratorium – Great for interactive science activities and explanations.

• YouTube Channels:

  • Crash Course Kids – Excellent for primary-level science topics with entertaining visuals.
  • National Geographic Kids – Engaging videos on topics from wildlife to space exploration.

• Apps:

  • SkyView Lite – An app for stargazing and exploring constellations.
  • DIY Human Body – An app that lets children explore human anatomy through interactive games.

Additional Tips for Science Week

• Themed Days: Set up themed days like “Engineering Day” or “Biology Day” with corresponding activities.
• Science Fair: Encourage students to present simple experiments at the end of Science Week, allowing them to showcase what they’ve learned.
• Guest Speakers: Reach out to parents, local scientists, or university students who may be willing to give a short talk or demonstration.

Science Week is a brilliant time to inspire young minds and bring science to life in the classroom. With these activities and resources, your students can experience the excitement of discovery while building their scientific skills and knowledge. Happy experimenting!