Science Fair Ideas and Help

By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D., About.com Guide

Make this your one-stop center for all of your science fair project needs. You'll find step-by-step instructions for designing and performing an experiment or demonstration and lots of project ideas.

Science Fair Basics
Project Ideas by Grade Level
Steps of a Science Fair Project
Project Ideas by Subject

Reader-Submitted Project Ideas
What Science Fair Judges Look For
Free Science Fair Projects

Science Fair Basics

Science fair projects can help you understand concepts and win awards.

Do you have to do a science fair project or are you considering doing one for fun or prizes? Here's what you need to know about science fairs and science fair projects.

Project Ideas by Grade Level

There are great science projects that you can do at any age.

The hardest part of doing a science fair project is probably finding an idea and turning it into an experiment. It can also be challenging to find age-appropriate and grade-appropriate ideas. Never fear, help is here!

Steps of a Science Fair Project

Your poster should present your project clearly.

Science fair projects don't magically appear in the science fair, all completed. Once you get an idea you need to design an experiment, carry it out, and report on it or prepare a poster.

Project Ideas by Subject

Do you like crystals? Make a science fair project out of them!

Your best bet for a great science fair project is to choose a topic that interests you.

Reader-Submitted Project Ideas

Are you taking chemistry? A little strategy can help you pass chemistry class with flying colors.

This is a collection of science fair project ideas, grouped according to subject or grade level, that have been submitted by students, teachers and parents. You can find a great idea here or you can share your own ideas.

What Science Fair Judges Look For

Science fair judging can be fun and rewarding.

Find out what science fair judges are looking for or learn how you can become a science fair judge yourself.

Free Science Fair Projects

Save your money! Find a science fair project idea that won't cost you anything.

Find a science fair project idea for a project that won't cost you anything to do! Whether the project is free or not will depend on the materials you have on hand. Remember, you can conduct research using books or the internet to gather information. Excellent experiments may be designed simply by finding new ways to analyze data that already exists.