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70 Fun and Easy Science Projects for 2nd Graders

   December 21, 2024  Leave a Comment on 70 Fun and Easy Science Projects for 2nd Graders


Kids love science, especially when it involves hands-on experiments. These experiments, activities, and science projects for 2nd graders are guaranteed to bring excitement and enthusiastic vibes into your classroom. Your students will learn basic concepts about physics, chemistry, biology, and more while having a blast!

To make it even easier to find the best science projects for 2nd graders, we’ve given each a rating based on difficulty and the materials you’ll need.

Difficulty:

  • Easy: Low or no-prep experiments you can do pretty much anytime
  • Medium: These take a little more setup or a longer time to complete
  • Advanced: Experiments like these take a fairly big commitment of time and/or effort

Materials:

  • Basic: Simple items you probably already have around the house
  • Medium: Items that you might not already have but are easy to get your hands on
  • Advanced: These require specialized or more expensive supplies to complete

Jump to:

Also, be sure to grab your free printable science experiment recording sheet to use with any of the experiments below.

third grade science experiments
Myranda McDonald for We Are Teachers

Nature and Earth Science Projects for 2nd Graders

Explore animals, ecosystems, geology, plate tectonics, and more with these interesting and interactive science projects for 2nd graders.

Pipe cleaner twisted into bee shape on a child's finger, sitting on a paper flower- science projects for 2nd graders
Around the Kampfire

Pollinate like a bee

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

Use pipe cleaner bees to discover how these pollinators pick up and move cheese powder “pollen” from one juice box flower to the next. Simple, fun, and adorable!

Learn more: Cheese Powder Pollination Activity

Make a rain cloud in a jar

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

Use a jar to show your students how clouds form in the sky. Mix ice cubes, hot water, and hairspray to make it all happen. This demonstrates condensation and evaporation in one simple experiment.

Plastic bottle converted to a homemade rain (easy science experiments)gauge
NurtureStore

Make your own rain gauge

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

Make a rain gauge and compare your collection with local weather reports to see if they are accurate. You might even inspire some future meteorologists with this one!

Learn more: How To Make a Rain Gauge

Turn white flowers into a rainbow of colors

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

Demonstrate the power of flower stems with this beautiful experiment. Fill some mini vases with water mixed with food coloring. Then drop some white carnations in them and watch the magic happen!

Simulate a landslide

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

This NASA video shows you how to create an indoor landslide in a milk carton, showing students the power of weather, erosion, and nature in action.

Sprout house
The STEM Laboratory

Grow a sprout house

Difficulty: Medium / Materials: Medium

This two-part science project first challenges kids to use their engineering skills to construct a miniature house made of sponges. Then, they plant chia, alfalfa, or other quick-sprouting seeds and keep the sponges moist until they start to grow.

Learn more: Sprout House

Plastic bag with clouds and sun drawn on it, with a small amount of blue liquid at the bottom--science projects for 2nd graders
Grade School Giggles

Re-create the water cycle in a bag

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

This simple but effective experiment explores the water cycle. Fill a plastic bag partway with water and set it on a sunny windowsill to see how the water evaporates up and eventually “rains” down.

Learn more: Water Cycle in a Bag

Layered model of the Earth built from playdough- science projects for 2nd graders
The Crafty Classroom
Plastic cup holding sugar cubes and smaller candies- science projects for 2nd graders
The First Grade Roundup

Explore erosion with sugar cubes

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

Simulate the effects of erosion by shaking sugar cubes in a cup with some pebbles to see what happens. Get more ideas for 2nd grade science activities about erosion and weathering at the link.

Learn more: Weathering and Erosion

Four cups of soil, each labeled with a different type of liquid including tap water, bottled water, and soda
Lessons for Little Ones

Find out which liquid is best for growing seeds

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium

As students learn about the life cycle of plants, explore how water supports their growth. Plant seeds and water them with a variety of liquids to see which sprout first and grow best.

Learn more: Watering Experiment

Pile of different colored towels pushed together to create folds like mountains
The Chaos and the Clutter

Build a folded mountain

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

This clever demonstration helps kids understand how some types of mountains are formed. Use layers of towels to represent rock layers and boxes for continents. Then pu-u-u-sh and see what happens!

Learn more: How Do Folded Mountains Form?

Children exploding a balloon with seeds flying out
Around the Kampfire

Explode a balloon seed pod

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium

After you learn about pollination, take the next step and explore how plants disperse their seeds far and wide. One way is with exploding seed pods. Use a balloon to see how it works.

Learn more: Seed Dispersal Activity

Leaf submerged in water with air bubbles
KC Edventures

Watch a leaf “breathe”

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

Plants “breathe” through transpiration, and you can see the process in action simply by submerging a leaf in water.

Learn more: How Do Leaves Breathe? Science Experiment

Small plants growing inside a plastic bottle filled with soil
Carly and Adam

Grow a self-sustaining ecosystem

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium

Plant seeds inside a sealed plastic bottle and observe both the water cycle and the plant life cycle in one simple 2nd grade science experiment.

Learn more: Growing a Self-Sustaining Plant Ecosystem

Pine branches and woodland animal figurines on a tray labeled woodland
KC Edventures

Compare and contrast animal habitats

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium

Build a variety of habitats (woodland, arctic, savanna, etc.). Then have kids compare to see how they are similar (all have water) and how they are different (trees, temperatures, etc.).

Learn more: Comparing Animal Habitats

Two graham crackers overlapping on a bed of whipped cream
Playdough to Plato

Discover plate tectonics with graham crackers

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium

Use graham crackers as the Earth’s crust floating on a bed of whipped topping “mantle” to learn about how tectonic plates interact.

Learn more: Graham Cracker Plate Tectonics

Child peering at a pile of rocks through a magnifying glass
Rhythms of Play

Collect and classify rocks

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium

Take a nature walk to pick up rocks of all kinds. Bring them back and have kids examine them closely and sort them into groups by properties (color, size, shape, texture, and so on). This is a fantastic lead-in to learning about the types of rocks.

Learn more: Sorting and Classifying Rocks

science projects for 2nd graders-- students can demonstrate layers of soil, as seen in this picture of a cup layered with chocolate pudding, Oreo cookie crumbs, and graham crackers.
The Kitchen Is My Playground

Make edible dirt cups

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium

Help your students remember the four types of soil with this tasty 2nd grade science experiment. Layer pudding, graham crackers, and Oreos for a mouthwatering and memorable lesson.

Learn more: Edible Soil Cups

Food Activities and Science Projects for 2nd Graders

Raid the pantry and try these kitchen science experiments and projects for 2nd graders! They all use common food items to explore all sorts of fascinating science concepts.

Power up a lemon battery

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium

Here’s another classic science experiment every kid should try. They’ll be amazed to learn a citrus fruit can generate an electric current!

The Great Cookie Dunk printable worksheet with a blue pen
Around the Kampfire
Slices of bread in plastic bags showing various amounts of mold
Parenting Isn’t Easy

Use bread to learn about handwashing

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

There’s never been a better time for an experiment involving the importance of washing your hands! All you need for this one is bread, plastic bags, and some dirty hands.

Learn more: Moldy Bread Experiment

A root beer float in a clear plastic cup- science projects for 2nd graders
Learning Lab Resources

Drink root beer floats to learn about states of matter

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

What’s easy to make, delicious to eat, and demonstrates all three states of matter at once? Root beer floats! This will easily be your students’ favorite science lesson of the year.

Learn more: Root Beer Float Science

Plastic cups filled with water and different flavors of DumDum lollipops
Fantastic Fun and Learning

Mix flavors in a lollipop lab

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

Candy science experiments are always a hit with kids! In this one, they’ll dissolve sugary lollipops in water, then mix flavors to make something new.

Learn more: Lollipop Lab

Two regular-sized gummy bears next to two large bears that have been soaked in water - science projects for 2nd graders
NurtureStore

Learn about osmosis with gummy bears

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium

This is one of those classic experiments your 2nd grade science students will love to see in action. Soak the gummies in water to watch them grow through the power of osmosis.

Learn more: Osmosis Gummy Bears

Kitchen science projects for 2nd graders experiment with different liquids in an ice tray
No Time for Flash Cards

Freeze and observe liquid expansion

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium

As you explore the states of matter, experiment to see if some types of liquid expand more than others when frozen.

Learn more: Freezing Liquids Experiment

Child's hand holding magnifying glass over a cracker, with worksheet labeled Cracker Lab in the background-science projects for 2nd graders
Around the Kampfire

Use crackers to learn about properties of matter

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium

Practice sorting, comparing, and classifying using properties of matter in this tasty experiment. All you need is a variety of snack crackers and inquiring minds! (These magnifying glasses would be fun too.)

Learn more: Properties of Matter Cracker Lab

Open hand for chocolate kiss science projects for 2nd graders
Seesaw

Demonstrate heat energy with chocolate kisses

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium

Give each student two chocolate kiss candies to hold onto for five minutes. Students should keep one palm open, while closing their other around the kiss. See what happens simply from our body heat.

Learn more: Chocolate Kiss Experiment

Watermelon with 50 rubber bands wrapped around it to demonstrate science projects for 2nd graders
123 Homeschool 4 Me

Explode a watermelon

Difficulty: Medium / Materials: Medium

How many rubber bands does it take to make a watermelon explode? Find out while observing the concepts of potential and kinetic energy with your students.

Learn more: Exploding Watermelon Science

Conduct an egg drop

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

In this STEM project, your students will create a protective egg holder from simple materials. They will love seeing if their contraption keeps their egg in one piece during the competition.

Learn more: Egg Drop Challenge Ideas

Drop Mentos in soda and watch it erupt

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium

Here is another 2nd grade science experiment that will make your students explode with excitement. Drop a Mentos candy in different types of soda, and see which one causes the tallest geyser.

Learn more: Mentos and Coke Experiment (How-To Plus Free Worksheet)

science projects for 2nd graders-STEM project of structures built by combining marshmallows and pretzels.
The STEM Laboratory

Build marshmallow-and-pretzel structures

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

Get creative while practicing engineering skills by building structures with marshmallows and pretzels. Sweeten the deal by eating them afterwards!

Learn more: Pretzel Marshmallow STEM Challenge

Watch popcorn dance

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

Learn about density and acid-based reactions while watching popcorn kernels dance around! Vinegar and baking soda mix together to create carbon dioxide to make it all happen.

Learn more: Dancing Popcorn (Guide + Printable Reflection Sheet)

Ice cream in a bag- science projects for 2nd graders
Around the Kampfire

Make ice cream in a bag

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! Demonstrate changes in matter while creating everyone’s favorite frozen treat.

Learn more: Make Ice Cream in a Bag

Make rainbows out of skittles candies as a second grade science experiment
Toucan Box

Create rainbows out of candy

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

Use Skittles to teach your students about diffusion. By simply pouring hot water onto the candy, the colored sugar coating dissolves, creating a tie-dye effect! Groovy!

Learn more: Skittles Candy Rainbow Experiment

Slices of green apples in condiment sized cups soaking in different, labeled substances, including milk, baking soda, lemon juice, and vinegar.
Teach Beside Me

Keep apples from turning brown

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but nobody wants to eat apples once they turn brown! This experiment will provide the best method to keep those sliced apples looking nice and appetizing. For even more fun, try out different varieties of apples for a taste test!

Learn more: Apple Science Experiment

More Experiments, Activities, and Science Projects for 2nd Graders

Kids will love these science projects for 2nd graders, from making their own slime to projecting stars on their ceiling, and everything in between!

Make a lava lamp

Difficulty: Medium / Materials: Medium

Your students will love making their own lava lamp! By combining water, oil, and an Alka-Seltzer tablet, students can observe density differences as the oil floats and bubbles move. Plus, it’s just super cool!

Make sidewalk chalk paint

Difficulty: Medium / Materials: Medium

Sidewalk chalk is always fun for kids of all ages. Step things up a notch by creating your own sidewalk chalk paint! It dries and washes away just like the old-fashioned stuff. 

Learn more: Make Sidewalk Chalk Paint (Guide + Printable Reflection Sheet)

Watch a bag with holes remain leakproof

Difficulty: Basic/ Materials: Basic

See what happens when you poke a pencil through a sealed baggie of water. This experiment demonstrates the magic of polymers. Your students will be amazed!

Learn more: Leakproof Bag With Holes (Guide + Printable Reflection Sheet)

DIY smartphone amplifier made from paper cups- science projects for 2nd graders
Mum in the Madhouse

Craft smartphone speakers

Difficulty: Medium / Materials: Basic

Make your own smartphone speakers from simple everyday objects that you already have at home. All you need are paper cups and toilet paper tubes, and then you are ready to jam!

Learn more: DIY Phone Amplifier and Stand

Observe giant fingerprints

Difficulty: Medium / Materials: Medium

We know that every human has a different set of fingerprints, but it is tough to see this with the naked eye. Have your students blow up their fingerprints for a closer look! All you need is a balloon and ink to investigate.

cleaning-coins science projects for 2nd graders
Gally Kids

Clean old coins

Difficulty: Basic / Materials: Basic

We have all seen how dirty pennies can get over time due to oxidation. Test out which solution works best to clean coins using various common household items. Your students will be surprised at the result!

Learn more: Cleaning Coins

Student playing with neon colored slime
I Heart Arts n Crafts
Child dissecting a large seed, with parts like plant embryo, seed coat, and leaf labaled
The Applicious Teacher

Dissect a seed

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium

Soak a large seed (beans are ideal) in water, then carefully take it apart to see what’s inside. Draw a diagram to label parts like the seed coat and plant embryo.

Learn more: Seed Dissection

ATOMS Matter worksheet with cereal arranged to represent atoms in solids, liquids, and gases
The First Grade Roundup

Use cereal to learn about states of matter

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

Learn how atom arrangements affect the states of matter with this easy 2nd grade science activity that doubles as a snack!

Learn more: Cereal States of Matter

Colorful tissue paper flowers with pipe cleaner stems
123 Homeschool 4 Me

Make a bouquet of chromatography flowers

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium

Use chromatography to split secondary paint colors into their original hues. The results are both pretty and fascinating!

Learn more: Chromatography Flowers

Small paper cups filled with colorful foam with a box of baking soda
Messy Little Monster

Concoct a foaming rainbow

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

Every kid loves the classic baking soda and vinegar chemical reaction experiment. This version makes a foamy rainbow, thanks to some added food coloring.

Learn more: Foamy Rainbow

Pipe cleaners and beads bent to form constellations
123 Homeschool 4 Me

Sculpt pipe cleaner constellations

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

Help kids find the constellations in the night sky by making these models from pipe cleaners. The little star beads are such a clever touch!

Learn more: Pipe Cleaner Constellations

DIY sundial made from a paper plate and a pencil
Paging Supermom

Tell time with a sundial

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

How did people tell time before clocks and watches? Help 2nd grade science students find out by making their own sundials from paper plates.

Learn more: How To Make a Sundial

Simple cars made from clothespins and drinking straws
The Primary Brain

Race clothespin cars

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

Explore simple machines by building race cars from basic supplies like clothespins and drinking straws. It’s a really fun way to learn about wheels and axles.

Learn more: Clothespin Cars

Bones made out of playdough sitting on a mat showing the human body
123 Homeschool 4 Me

Build a body from play dough

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

Play dough activities are always fun to do! Visit the link below for free printable mats to use as you have your 2nd grade science students sculpt the bones, organs, and muscles of the body.

Learn more: Play Dough Body

Child's hand holding crystal-covered pom pom balls (2nd Grade Science)
A Dab of Glue Will Do

Turn pom-poms into crystal balls

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium

Every kid loves making crystals! They’ll learn about supersaturated solutions as they make these cute little crystal pom-pom balls.

Learn more: Crystal Ball Pom-Poms

Black construction paper with gingerbread man outlines covered in sunscreen, showing paper has faded except where protected by sunscreen
JDaniel4’s Mom

Test sunscreen for effectiveness

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium

Kids might wonder why they need to wear sunscreen when they’re at the park or playing soccer. This experiment shows them the power of the sun’s rays and the protection sunscreen provides.

Learn more: Sunscreen Experiment

Tower built from index cards in stacks and columns
Education to the Core

Design and build an index card tower

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

Challenge your 2nd grade science students to a little early engineering. Given only index cards, how tall and/or strong of a structure can they build?

Learn more: Index Card STEM Challenge

Repel glitter with dish soap

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

Every teacher knows that glitter is just like germs … it gets everywhere and is so hard to get rid of! Use that to your advantage, and show students how soap fights glitter and germs.

Child's hands bending a blue plastic ruler
Around the Kampfire

Bend objects to test flexibility

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

Explore one of the properties of matter with this easy experiment. Kids plan how to test flexibility, then try it out with a variety of basic objects.

Learn more: Flexibility Science Experiment

Glasses of liquid labeled baking soda water, sugar water, control plain water, and salt water
The Science Kiddo

Discover density with saltwater solutions

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

This simple experiment covers a lot of 2nd grade science concepts. Learn about solutions, density, and even ocean science as you compare and contrast how objects float in different water mixtures.

Learn more: Saltwater Experiment

Student blowing on a drinking straw to launch a tiny rocket
Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls

Blast off drinking-straw rockets

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

Engineer rockets from drinking straws and have a blast when you send them flying! Kids can tweak the design to see whose can fly the highest.

Learn more: Straw Rockets

Second grade science project modeling the planets in the solar system using play dough.
Good to Know

Create a solar system out of play dough

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

This is a perfect culminating project for your space unit. Your students can display their models at home when the project is complete.

Learn more: Play Dough Solar System

Count how many water drops will fit on a penny

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

How many water drops fit on a penny? Find out with this fun and easy experiment that focuses on surface tension. Your students will be amazed by the results!

Learn more: Drops on Coins at Boundless Brilliance

DIY star projector for a second grade science experiment, constructed of an upside-down paper cup with seven holes punched on the bottom of it, a blue circle the size of a quarter, and a bigger white circle surrounded by dashes.
Mystery Science

Project stars on the ceiling

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

Everyone loves visiting a planetarium. Turn your very own 2nd grade science classroom into one with this simple DIY star projector.

Learn more: Star Projector

In this second grade science experiment, students write a letter with invisible ink, as shown in the photo. The secret message is visible when a flashlight is shined onto it.
ThoughtCo.

Write secret messages with invisible ink

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Basic

Make your own invisible ink from just baking soda and water, then have your students write messages to one another. Reveal the secret messages with a flashlight once the ink is dry.

Learn more: How To Make Invisible Ink With Baking Soda

Get your free printable science experiment recording sheet!

third grade science experiments
Myranda McDonald for We Are Teachers

Just fill out the form on this page to get instant access to your free printable experiment recording sheet.

Looking for more science projects for 2nd graders? Try these 2nd Grade STEM Challenges To Help Kids Think Creatively.

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These science projects for 2nd graders include making foaming rainbows, tie-dye slime, crystal pom-poms, and so much more! Have fun learning!

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