Halloween is the perfect excuse to turn your kitchen into a science lab. Add in a bit of spooky spirit and you’ve got the ingredients for a brilliant afternoon of hands-on learning. From glowing monster slime to screechy sound surprises, here are some fun Halloween science experiments for kids to try this year.
Science is brilliant for kids because it mixes imagination with creativity and helps build problem-solving and critical thinking skills — though most kids just want to see something ooze, glow or go bang! These Halloween-themed experiments deliver plenty of gooey, gross excitement while sneaking in some real learning along the way.
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Glowing Monster Slime
This is easily one of our favourite Halloween experiments — it’s satisfyingly gross, glows under UV light, and keeps kids entertained for ages.
You will need:
- Two small bowls or cups
- One large bowl
- PVA glue (white or clear, if you can get it)
- Fluorescent paint (non-toxic craft paint is available from most craft shops)
- Food colouring (optional)
- Something to stir with
- Borax powder (available from your local pharmacy)
Method:
1. In the first cup, mix half a cup of fluorescent paint with half a cup of PVA glue until well combined.
2. In the second cup, dissolve half a teaspoon of borax powder into one cup of water, stirring until it’s fully mixed in.
3. Pour the glue mixture into the large bowl, then add the borax solution while stirring continuously. Once it starts to come together, use your hands to knead and mould it into one big lump of slime.
4. Store your slime in a ziplock bag or clean jar. It will last a long time as long as you don’t let it dry out.
5. If you have a UV (black) light, turn off the room lights and watch your slime
