How to Make Science Toys

Make Your Own Science and Educational Toys

By
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Chemistry Expert
  • Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
  • B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College
Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels.
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Updated on January 29, 2020

You don't have to go to a store to get science and educational toys. Some of the best science toys are the ones you can make yourself using common household materials. Here are some easy and fun science toys to try.

Lava Lamp

You can make your own lava lamp using safe household ingredients.
You can make your own lava lamp using safe household ingredients. Anne Helmenstine

This is the safe, non-toxic version of a lava lamp. It's a toy, not a lamp. You can recharge the 'lava' to activate the lava flow again and again.

Smoke Ring Cannon

Here is the smoke cannon in action.
Here is the smoke cannon in action. You can make smoke rings in the air or you can fill the cannon with colored water and make colored rings in water. Anne Helmenstine

Despite having the word 'cannon' in the name, this is a very safe science toy. Smoke ring cannons shoots smoke rings or colored water rings, depending on whether you use them in air or water.

A mentos in a soda liter bottle
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By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

Bouncy Ball

Polymer balls can be quite beautiful.
Polymer balls can be quite beautiful. Anne Helmenstine

Make your own polymer bouncy ball. You can vary the proportions of the ingredients to change the properties of the ball.

Make Slime

Slime looks nasty when it's on your hand, but it doesn't stick or stain so you can remove it easily.
Slime looks and feels gross when it's on your hand, but it doesn't stick or stain so you can remove it easily. Anne Helmenstine

Slime is a fun science toy. Make slime to gain hands-on experience with polymer or just hands-on experience with gooey ooze.

Flubber

Flubber is a non-sticky and non-toxic type of slime.
Flubber is a non-sticky and non-toxic type of slime. Anne Helmenstine

Flubber is similar to slime except it is less sticky and fluid. This is a fun science toy you can make that you can store in a baggie to use again and again.

Wave Tank

You can make your own wave tank to explore liquids, density, and motion.
You can make your own wave tank to explore liquids, density, and motion. Anne Helmenstine

You can examine how fluids behave by building your own wave tank. All you need are common household ingredients.

Ketchup Packet Cartesian Diver

Squeezing and releasing the bottle changes the size of the air bubble inside the ketchup packet.
Squeezing and releasing the bottle changes the size of the air bubble inside the ketchup packet. This alters the density of the packet, causing it to sink or float. Anne Helmenstine

The ketchup packet diver is a fun toy that can be used to illustrate density, buoyancy, and some of the principles of liquids and gases.

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Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "How to Make Science Toys." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/how-to-make-science-toys-604179. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2023, April 5). How to Make Science Toys. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-make-science-toys-604179 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "How to Make Science Toys." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-make-science-toys-604179 (accessed April 27, 2024).