Since St. Patrick’s Day is coming up, I thought I would find five easy science activities to enjoy with your children. Each of these activities are quick, use easy to find materials readily available at your local dollar store, and have a simple set up. Science is a great way to engage with your child and help them think outside the box.

Check out these easy St. Patrick Day Activities:

Celery Science Experiment/ Coffee Cups and Crayons

Watch celery turn colors of the rainbow. Super easy to set up. Bonus activity: have your children add food coloring to each jar and predict what other colors they can make. For example: red + yellow= orange

Science words to use: mix, primary color, predict

Magic Leprechaun Rocks/Gift of Curiosity

This one does require a prep a day ahead, but it will be worth it to see the smiles of surprise on your children’s faces. You will be making “rocks” and hiding gold coins inside of them. Once the rocks are finished, hide them in your backyard and have your children go on a scavenger hunt to find them.

How to Make a Rainbow/ Inspiration Laboratories

You probably have everything you need already to do this simple experiment! All it takes is a flashlight, white paper, and a clear jar.

Science words to use: rainbow, reflection

Once you are finished, have your children use the white paper to draw their own rainbow.

Shaving Cream Sensory Tub. / Little Bins for Little Hands

All you’ll need is a large tub, shaving cream, and gold coins. All of these items will probably be found at Dollar Tree.

Science words to use: feel, touch, discover

Easy Candy Science Experiment/Embark on the Journey

Kids will love to learn what will happen to Skittles when water is poured on them. Another twist to place skills in a clear jar and see what happens to the Skittle.

Science words you can use are solid, liquid, dissolve.

After the candy science experiment, have a “blind” taste testing contest. See if your children can guess the color of the Skittle they are eating. For smaller children, use the Skittles to review colors and counting before they enjoy them!

I like to introduce holidays to my children so that they better understand and relate to the world around them. Holidays give parents a chance to discuss similarities and differences between cultures. It also helps children to be open-minded about other cultures, and make them world citizens.

So what will you be doing this weekend? Let me know in the comments below.