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25 Halloween Science Experiments

Halloween + science = AWESOME  Halloween science experiments! Easy Halloween experiments using simple supplies make for creative STEM projects for all ages. Make sure to join us for 31 Days of Halloween STEM Countdown .

Amazing Halloween Science Experiments

Themed science like these Halloween experiments should be fun and stress-free for everyone! Click on the links below to read more about how to do each Halloween science experiment.

Looking for ideas for younger kiddos? Make sure to check out these Halloween sensory activities and Halloween activities for toddlers to preschoolers .

Get your FREE printable Halloween science project guide!

Flying Ghost Teabags

Think you have seen flying ghosts? Well maybe you can with this easy flying tea bag experiment . All you need are a few simple supplies for a fun floating tea bag science experiment with a Halloween theme.

• Halloween Slime

Our Halloween slime collection has everything you need for making the BEST Halloween slime recipes including fluffy slime, erupting potions slime, pumpkin guts slime, and even taste safe or borax free slime. The possibilities are endless once we show you how to master slime making!

And yes, slime making even fits into the NGSS standards for grade 2, states of matter!

You will want to make these Halloween slime recipes:

• Pumpkin Slime
• Witch’s Brew Fluffy Slime
• Orange Pumpkin Fluffy Slime
• Bubbling Slime
• Fluffy Zombie Slime
• Halloween Black Glitter Slime

Wizard or Witch’s Brew

Well that’s we call it! This simple Halloween experiment is an exothermic reaction which may sound scary but it’s really a whole lot of foamy fun. A few simple ingredients from the grocery store and you’re exploring some great chemistry for Halloween.

Gelatin Heart Experiment

Gelatin isn’t just for dessert! It’s for Halloween science too with a creepy gelatin heart experiment that will have your kids squealing with grossness and delight.

Frankenstein’s Frozen Brain

Wouldn’t Dr. Frankenstein be proud of your Halloween frozen brain activity which explores the properties of water. Is it a liquid or a solid?

Erupting Jack O’Lantern 

This Halloween science experiment is going to get a bit messy, but it’s super cool! An erupting Jack O’Lantern is a must try at least once!

S pooky Liquid Density Experiment

Explore the density of liquids with an easy to set up spooky Halloween liquid density experiment with items around the house.

Fizzy Ghosts Experiment

Kids love anything that fizzes, so our ghost theme baking soda and vinegar experiment is perfect for little hands!

Halloween Candy Experiments

We all know what happens Halloween night… Our kids get a ton of candy that often goes uneaten or we would wish it would go uneaten. Instead of arguing with the kids over how much candy to eat, encourage them to try candy science experiments instead.

Ghost Bubbles 

Build bubbling ghosts with this simple ghost experiment ever scientist will enjoy!

Spider Oobleck

Spidery Oobleck is cool science to explore and has only 2 basic kitchen ingredients.

Spidery Ice Melt

Ice melt science is a classic experiment. Add a spooky spidery theme with this Spidery Ice Melt  .

Halloween Lava Lamp Experiment

This lava lamp experiment  is a hit all year round but we can make it a bit creepy for Halloween by changing up the colors and adding accessories. Explore liquid density and add in a cool chemical reaction too!

Bubbling Brew Experiment

Mix up fizzy bubbly brew in a cauldron fit for any little wizard or witch this Halloween season. Simple household ingredient create a cool Halloween theme chemical reaction that is just as much fun to play with as it is to learn from!

Halloween Oobleck

Oobleck is a classic science activity that is easy to turn into Halloween science with a few creepy crawly spiders and a favorite theme color!

Frozen Hands

Turn an ice melting science activity into a creepy fun Halloween Melting Ice Experiment  this month! Super simple and super easy, this frozen hands activity is sure to be a big hit with kiddos of all ages!

Halloween Bath Bombs

Kids will have creepy clean fun with these scented googly eyed Halloween Bath Bombs . They are just as fun for kids to make as they are fun to use in the bath!

Puking Pumpkin Experiment

Kids will love making their own puking pumpkin for Halloween with a few simple household ingredients.

Halloween Balloon Experiment

Blow up a ghostly Halloween balloon  with a simple chemical reaction.

Ghostly Floating Drawing

Is it magic or is it science? Either way this floating drawing STEM activity is sure to impress! Create a dry erase marker drawing and watch it float in water.

Rotting Pumpkin Jack

Pair a fun pumpkin book with a rotting pumpkin experiment for all things Halloween science.

Bonus Halloween STEM Activities

Skeleton bones bridge.

This Skeleton Bone Bridge Challenge is a fantastic STEM challenge for Halloween using super simple materials and is perfect for one kiddo or a large group!

Halloween Candy Catapult

Newton has nothing on our DIY popsicle stick catapult for Halloween ! Explore the laws of motion while flinging eyeballs or Halloween candy around the room.

Pumpkin Geoboard

A twist on the classic geo board activity when you use a pumpkin instead of a board. A halloween geoboard offers some great fine motor skills practice too!

Ghostly Structures

A Halloween twist on a classic STEM building activity. Challenge your kids to build the tallest ghost with this styrofoam ball project.  We simply grabbed materials to use from the dollar store.

5 Tips For Easy Halloween Science

Halloween-themed science experiments can be a fantastic way to engage kids in learning while having fun. Here are five tips for conducting Halloween experiments with your kids either at home or in the classroom.

TIP 1: Add In Halloween Colors & Accessories

Select experiments with spooky or Halloween-related themes. For example, experiments involving witches’ brew (chemical reactions), ghostly balloons (static electricity), or creepy-crawly critters (biology) can capture kids’ imaginations and enthusiasm.

TIP 2: Ask Questions

Encourage students to actively participate in the experiment by asking questions, making predictions, and recording observations .

TIP 3: Explain the Science

Take the time to explain the scientific principles behind the experiments. Use simple and age-appropriate language to help kids understand the “why” and “how” of each experiment.

TIP 4: Experiment

Encourage creativity by allowing kids to make predictions, create hypotheses, and design their experiments (within safety guidelines). Learn more about using variables in science.

TIP 5: Dress Up

Completely optional of course! Incorporate Halloween-themed props, decorations, or costumes to make the experiments even more festive and engaging.

More Fun Halloween Activities

Make sure to check out our list of easy Halloween art projects and crafts , as well as Halloween LEGO Challenges and Halloween STEM activities . Of course, all things pumpkin science is perfect for Halloween.

Printable Halloween STEM Activities Pack

150+ Pages of Halloween-Themed Materials ! This Halloween project pack is suitable for home, school, and group use for kids in grades Kindergarten through elementary but is scaleable for many ages and abilities.

What’s Included:

• 25+ Halloween theme science and STEM activities with printable sheets, instructions, and useful information all using easy-to-source materials perfect for limited-time needs. Includes a Halloween engineering pack with fun, problem-based challenges for kids to solve!
• The skeleton activity pack includes building a skeleton challenge and a coding challenge! Try a skeleton bones bridge-building STEM challenge!
• Halloween theme brick printable activities for hands-on learning with math that is perfect for early finishers or home fun and reinforces basic math concepts.
• Bonus fun pack includes games and activities to round out your Halloween theme activities such as I Spy, bingo, matching, Would You Rather cards, scavenger hunt, word search, A-Z Halloween hunt, and a coloring page.
• Halloween STEAM Pack includes artist-inspired projects by Warhol, Lichtenstein, and more!

• Pingback: Creepy Frozen Brain Halloween Science Activity for Kids
• Pingback: Halloween Slime Recipes and Ideas For Kids To Make {Videos Too!}
• Pingback: Halloween Science Roundup - Stephenie Peterson - Author

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30 of Our Favorite Halloween Science Experiments

From exploding Peeps to dancing gummy bears!

Halloween is the perfect occasion to try some spooky, creepy, candy-centered Halloween science experiments! We’ve rounded up 30 hands-on Halloween science experiments that explore concepts such as the scientific method, osmosis, exothermic reactions, and more.

You’ll only need simple supplies for most of these Halloween science experiments, so any teacher or family can head out to learn about chemistry, biology, physics, and more. To make it even easier to find the right science activities, we’ve rated each of our Halloween science experiments for difficulty:

• Easy: Simple, short activities you can do with little or no prep needed.
• Medium: These activities take a little longer or require a few extra supplies but are still fairly simple.
• Advanced: Activities that require more unusual supplies or complex skills.

30 Frightening Halloween Science Experiments

1. Brew up your own slime

Chances are good your students already love making and playing with slime. Turn the fun into an experiment by changing the ingredients to create slime with a variety of properties—from magnetic to glow-in-the-dark!

(Difficulty: Medium)

Try it: How To Make Slime

2. Experiment with this haunted Halloween hand melt

This fun activity will teach your students about the effect of salt on frozen water. They will make observations as the creepy hands melt and colorful Halloween toys emerge from the slush.

(Difficulty: Easy)

Try it: Haunted Halloween Hand Melt

3. Build a spooky hand

Using paper, straws, yarn, and tape, create a moveable hand that replicates the movement of a human hand. Add a spooky touch by making the tips of the fingers pointy.

(Difficulty: Advanced)

4. Test sinking & floating

Determine if a pumpkin sinks or floats in water by conducting an experiment. Test other elements of the pumpkin separately, such as the stem, seeds, and pulp.

Try it: Pumpkin Experiment

5. Brew up some candy potions

Let your little scientists loose as they play Mad Scientist … mixing, dumping, shaking, pouring, and experimenting to create their own magic potions from Halloween candy.

Try it: Candy Potions

6. Monitor a decomposing pumpkin

Decomposition, or rotting, is the process by which organic substances are broken down after death. Eventually, decomposition breaks organic matter down so that it becomes part of the soil again. And what better tool for this lesson than an old jack-o’-lantern?

Try it: Pumpkin Decomposition Experiment

7. Code robots to create a jack-o’-lantern

Print different pictures of jack-o’-lantern faces individually on cards. Code a moveable robot to collect pieces that will complete the jack-o’-lantern face.

Try it: Jack-o’-Lantern Robot

8. Explore the math inside a candy bar

By using the scientific method, determine the density, volume, and mass inside different candy bars.

Try it: Candy Bar Density Lab

9. Launch a flying Bat

Create a paper tube that fits around a straw and close off one of the ends. Draw or print out a bat template and attach it to the paper tube. Blow through the straw and watch the bat fly!

Try it: Flying Bat Straw Rockets

10. Create an exploding Peeps ghost geyser

Exploding? Say no more! Your students will be enthralled as they watch ghost-shaped Peeps transform when they’re placed in the microwave.

Try it: Exploding Peep Geysers

11. Remove the “M” from M&Ms

Observe how M&M’s have different chemical structures that make the colors dissolve in water, but the letters stay intact.

Try it: Floating M M&M Candy Science Experiment

12. Test candy acidity 

A simple experiment to test whether candy has acid in it. All you need are sour Skittles, water, and baking soda. If the candy has acid, the mixture will bubble and fizz when the baking soda is added.

Try it: Candy pH Science Activity

13. Make your own candy vending machine 

There are a lot of variations of this project on YouTube from Hack Room, but it’s sure to challenge students’ engineering and planning skills.

14. Dance with gummy worms

This simple activity is perfect for little scientists who want to see creatures come to life before their eyes.

Try it: Dancing Frankenworms Kids’ Science Experiment

15. Make an oozing monster

Create a monster face on the outside of a plastic water bottle. Mix together glue, borax, baking soda, vinegar, and food coloring and add to the bottle. Watch how the foaming mixture leaks out of the monster’s head.

Try it: Oozing Monster Heads

16. Inflate pumpkin balloons 

Using a permanent marker, draw a face on an orange balloon. Fill the balloon with baking soda and attach to a water bottle filled with vinegar. Watch the pumpkin grow bigger!

17. Instigate a fizzy eruption

This experiment is a crowd-pleasing classic! Your students will love creating geysers from Diet Coke and Mentos as they learn about chemical reactions. Definitely an outdoor activity!

18. Supersize some gummy bears

Little ones will love this Alice in Wonderland– style experiment. Using water, salt, and gummy bears, your students will learn about the process of osmosis.

Try it: Growing Gummy Bear Science

19. Play magician with disappearing candies

What makes these candies dissolve the fastest—and why? Your students will get a taste of the scientific method as they experiment with different liquids and leftover Halloween candy.

Try it: Dissolving Peeps

20. Wanna know what’s really in candy?

Who knew candy had more than just sugar in it? This experiment using Starbursts and heat is eye-opening.

Try it: Candy Oil Test

21. Make a slimy egg

Observe what happens to an egg after it’s been sitting in vinegar for a long amount of time. After losing its shell, the egg will transform into the consistency of an eyeball! Check out this video and experiment we put together here .

22. Build a haunted house

Using recycled materials and a simple circuit, build a haunted house that lights up from the inside.

Try it: Spooky Circuits

23. Make a vanishing ghost

Gather packing peanuts and use a permanent marker to draw ghost faces on them. Grab a bowl of water and watch the ghost disappear right before your eyes!

Try it: Amazing Vanishing Ghosts

24. Craft a skeleton

Using Q-tips, scissors, and glue, craft a model of a skeleton. Kids can position their skeletons in fun poses!

Try it: Q-Tip Skeleton Halloween Craft

25. Create a ghost sound

On a white balloon, draw a ghost face with a permanent marker. Insert a small metal hex nut before blowing up the balloon and tying it off. When the balloon is swirled around, the hex nut will spin around on the inside, creating a spooky sound.

Try it: Spooky Ghost Sounds STEM Activity

26. Build an edible haunted house

Who says a haunted house can’t be tasty? Using candy, graham crackers, and frosting, build a haunted house that’s actually delicious! 

Try it: Haunted Halloween Gingerbread House

27. Observe a melting pumpkin

Using orange Skittles, create an outline of a pumpkin in a plate. Slowly pour warm water on top and observe the colors melting into the liquid.

(Difficulty: Easy) 

Try it: Pumpkin Skittles Experiment

28. Use static electricity to fly ghosts

Cut out tissue paper ghosts and draw faces on them. Rub a balloon on your hair to create static electricity, then float it on top of the ghosts to make them fly!

Try it: Static Electricity Ghosts

29. Light up a pool noodle pumpkin

Carefully cut out a face design in an orange pool noodle. Then, create a play dough circuit that will light up the pumpkin from the inside.

Try it: Halloween Pumpkin Squishy Circuits

30. Make the spider go up the web

Attach a spider ring to a pencil using yarn. Then, build with LEGO bricks a device that can hold the pencil and have the spider move up the web by rolling the pencil.

Try it: Spider Pulley STEM Activity

For more Halloween fun like these Halloween science experiments, check out our frightfully fun Halloween activities, crafts, and games for the classroom .

Plus, get our free halloween writing paper plus 20 spooky writing prompts ..

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Great Halloween Science Experiments for Kids

October 5, 2023 By Emma Vanstone 4 Comments

I’ve added a few new Halloween Science Experiments to our collection this year, so I thought I’d put them in one big round-up with lots of great ideas from other bloggers, too. Here at Science Sparks, we love making science spooky! We’ve got fizzy witchy potions, creepy chia seed slime, a spooky noise maker, a pumpkin optical illusion, spiders hidden in fizzy rocks and lots more creepy ideas.

If you try any of my Halloween Science Experiments , don’t forget to share a photo!

Halloween Science Experiments

Potions and slime.

Set up a witchy laboratory and try one of our spooky witchy potions . We’ve got potions that change colour, fizz, and potions that look and feel icky.

I set this activity up with food colouring, water, vinegar and baking soda and let the kids create their own concoctions.

Try making some bubbly witchy drinks while investigating which makes the best bubbles. These are also great for a Halloween party .

We love the look of this glow in the dark slime from Left Brain Craft Brain. This would be a great activity alongside my  glow in the dark oobleck !

Stretch and squish our Halloween slime . This would be great to give out in small tubs to trick or treaters as an alternative to candy.

Spider and Bug Experiments

Make creepy frozen hands and time how long they take to melt ( thanks to Happy Hooligans for the idea ) Can you speed up the melting? Try adding salt or warm water and watch what happens.

How about some  dancing worms like Playdough to Plato?

Watch a spider disappear as water is poured into a glass.

If you’re feeling creative, these spider drawing robots are great for learning about circuits and motors. You’ll need a small motor, wires and battery pack,k but these can be reused for lots of different science activities, so they are worth the investment.

Our spider paper plate marble run and magnet maze are lovely Halloween crafts that also double up as a science project!

A spider lollystick catapult is a great way to give friends and family a trick at Halloween!

Have some fizzy fun with fizzy rocks made from baking soda with hidden bugs inside. This is a great activity for kids who love baking soda eruptions.

Pumpkin Experiments

My pumpkin lava lamps make a great alternative to carving a pumpkin. The best thing is you can use them over and over again! Just add an effervescent vitamin tablet or Alka Seltzer when you want them to erupt. You can even save the empty jar for next year!

Make erupting pumpkin s like these from Growing a Jewelled Rose .

Inspiration Laboratories has some great pumpkin oobleck that’s perfect for kids who like a messy activity.

Coffee Cups and Crayons has some brilliant pumpkin pie play dough , which is great for sensory fun or learning about forces.

Learn about chemical reactions by blowing up a pumpkin balloon without touching it!

Or, how about making a drip art pumpkin like The Imagination Tree ? This would be great to use as a viscosity investigation .

Learn about push and pull forces with my pumpkin push and pull puppets .

How about a  Guess What’s in the Pumpkin game? These cute pumpkins hide slimy spaghetti, sticky slime and other disgusting substances.

Make a face appear on a pumpkin with this fun optical illusion . Optical illusions are fantastic science activities as they are inexpensive and very easy to make.

We’ve got some great ideas for learning as you carve a pumpkin .

Red Ted Art has some cute lanterns . These would be great for a science investigation covered in different types of paper to investigate which let through the most light.

Ghost Experiments

Try a dancing ghost like Inspiration Laboratories or jumping ghosts to learn about static electricity .

Our magnetic ghost is a super spooky way to learn about magnetism.

Scary Experiments

Scare your friends with some creepy mirror writing and a super spooky noise maker . Try experimenting with different types of cups and ribbons to investigate how the noise changes.

Add some extra realism to a Halloween costume with some fake blood !

More Spooky Halloween Science Experiments

Keep the whole family entertained with a spooky science quiz .

Make a model of a brain with playdough.

Create a Halloween house and add some light! As an extension activity, you could make a whole street and add switches to turn the lights on and off.

Design and build a vegetable monster !

How about a spooky volcano? We used this great volcano from Learning Resources and spooked it up with some pretend cobwebs.

We had great fun with this chia seed slime ( thanks to Fun at Home with Kids for the idea ). The consistency is just perfect, and it’s completely non-toxic. We made this with chia seeds soaked in cornflour and a little water.

Once all the Halloween fun is over, why not try some of these easy ideas to help use up spare pumpkins ?

Gross Science

My book, GROSS SCIENCE , is perfect for this spooky time of year. Make fake blood, red blood cell cupcakes, fake poo, bendy bones and lots more deliciously gruesome science for kids!

Happy Halloween

Last Updated on October 8, 2024 by Emma Vanstone

Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

Reader Interactions

October 07, 2014 at 6:58 pm

What fabulously spooky ideas, i will definitely be trying some of these out with my girls

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