Science Week ideas for OSHC
124 DIY activities for a science week at before and after school care or vacation care, usually run around NAIDOC Week (first full week of July) or October. Pick and mix, or build a balanced day in one click.
Algorithm Sandwich
Children write precise step-by-step instructions to make a sandwich, then an educator follows them literally.
NAIDOC Week · Animal Theme · Aussie Outback Day +3Animal Track Casting
Children press model animal tracks into clay or plaster to make casts, then learn to identify native animal footprints.
Bird Watching Day · Nature Play Day · Outdoor Explorers +3Backyard Bird Count
Children sit quietly outdoors for a set time and count the birds they see and hear, contributing to citizen science.
Balloon Day · Games Day · Wet Weather Day +2Balloon Games Mix
A session of balloon tennis, keepy-uppy and balloon rockets keeps children moving and laughing, with a little science mixed in.
Gardening Day · World Bee Day · Bug Day +3Bee and Butterfly Garden
Children plant pollinator-friendly flowers, then watch and record the bees and butterflies that visit over the term.
World Bee Day · Bug Day · Science Week +1Bee Waggle Dance Game
Children act as bees and communicate the location of hidden 'flowers' to their hive using only a waggle dance.
Science Week · Science Day · After School Quick STEMBending Pencil Illusion
Children place a pencil in a glass of water and see it appear to bend, learning how light changes direction in water.
Science Day · Volcano Day · Science Week +2Bicarb Soda Volcanoes
Children shape a volcano around a bottle and make it erupt with bicarb soda and vinegar, exploring chemical reactions.
Coding Unplugged · Robot Day · Spy School +2Binary Bracelets
Children spell their initials in binary code using two colours of beads to make a coded bracelet.
Bird Watching Day · Nature Play Day · Music and Dance Day +2Bird Call Matching Game
Children listen to recordings of local bird calls and match each one to a picture, tuning their ears to birds in their area.
Mooncake Festival · Full Moon Night · Science and Space +2Biscuit Moon Phases
Children scrape cream from sandwich biscuits to show each phase of the moon, then eat their work.
Junior Chef Challenge · Science Week · Science Day +1Blind Taste Test Survey
Children blind taste-test three versions of one food, vote for a favourite and graph the group's results.
At the Building Site · Science Week · Inventors Day +2Block and Plank Bridges
Children build bridges from blocks and planks and test how much weight they hold, exploring strength and design.
Polar Day · Science Week · Winter Wonderland +2Blubber Glove Experiment
Children put one hand in a shortening-lined bag and dip both hands in icy water to feel how fat keeps polar animals warm. Memorable science.
Gardening Day · Bug Day · Science Week +3Bottle Wormery
Children layer soil and sand in a clear bottle, add worms and watch how they tunnel and mix the layers over a week or two.
Spy School · Science Week · Detective Day +1Box Periscope
Older children build a periscope from a milk carton and two small mirrors to peek over walls like a spy.
Bug Day · Science Week · Science Day +3Caterpillar Growing Habitat
Children care for caterpillars in a habitat and record how they grow and change, watching the life cycle unfold over days or weeks.
Chocolate Day · Science Week · Science Day +2Chocolate Melting Experiment
Children predict and test where chocolate melts fastest, such as in the sun, the shade or in their hands.
Science Week · Weather Watchers · Science DayCloud in a Jar
Older children watch a cloud form inside a jar as warm water meets cold, learning how clouds are made.
Science Week · Science Day · Inventors Day +1Coin Battery LED
Older children stack coins, foil and vinegar-soaked card to build a simple battery that can light a small LED.
Magic Day · Science Day · Milk Day +3Colour-Swirling Milk Magic
Children add drops of food colouring to milk, then touch it with soapy cotton buds and watch the colours burst and swirl like magic.
Bubbles Day · Budding Artists · Art Attack Day +2Coloured Bubble Prints
Children blow coloured bubbles and press paper onto them to capture bubbly prints, combining science and art.
Budding Artists · Winter Wonderland · Polar Day +3Coloured Ice Cube Painting
Younger children paint with frozen coloured ice cubes, watching colours melt and mix on paper.
Detective Day · Spy School · Science Week +1Crime Scene Investigation
Children examine footprints, hair samples and ink tests to work out which suspect is behind a mock crime, practising careful observation and logical reasoning.
After School Quick STEM · Science Week · Science Day +3Cup Tower Book Challenge
Children engineer a tower from cups and card strong enough to hold a book, testing ideas about balance, load and stable bases.
Corn Day · Science Week · Science Day +1Dancing Corn Experiment
Children watch corn kernels rise and fall in fizzy water and explore why.
Dinosaur Day · Dinosaur & Unicorn Day · Rock and Gem Day +1Dinosaur Day Fossil Dig
A dinosaur-themed session where children dig for buried fossils in sand with brushes, then move on to dino crafts and games.
Pi Day · Science Week · Challenge Day +1Discovering Pi
Children measure round objects with string and rulers to discover the special number pi. Maths that feels like a detective challenge.
Colour Fun Run · Holi · Science Week +2DIY Colour Powder
Children mix cornflour with food colouring and water to make their own colour powder for a fun run.
Science Day · Inventors Day · Science Week +3Egg Drop Challenge
Older children design a protective package so a raw egg survives a drop from height, testing their engineering ideas.
Rock and Gem Day · Science Day · Science Week +1Eggshell Crystal Geodes
Older children grow sparkling crystals inside cleaned eggshell halves using an educator-made solution, then watch them develop over a few days.
Milk Day · Science Day · Science Week +2Exploding Colour Milk
Children drop dish soap into coloured milk and watch the colours burst outwards in bright patterns.
Spy School · Detective Day · Science Week +1Fingerprint Detectives
Children lift their own fingerprints using pencil graphite and tape, then compare loops, whorls and arches like detectives.
Detective Day · Spy School · Science Week +1Fingerprint Dusting Lab
Children dust surfaces for fingerprints with cocoa powder, lift prints with tape and compare them to solve a mock case.
Halloween · Volcano Day · Science Day +2Fizzing Pumpkin Eruption
Children add vinegar to bicarb soda inside a hollowed pumpkin and watch it foam up and spill over like a spooky volcano.
New Year's Party · Science Day · Science Week +2Fizzing Soda Fountains
Children drop mint lollies into bottles of soft drink and watch foamy fountains erupt, then compare which drinks fizz highest. A loud, splashy way to ring in the new year.
Volcano Day · Science Week · Science Day +2Fizzing Volcano Eruption
Children mix bicarb soda and vinegar inside a model volcano to create a foaming eruption and talk about the reaction that causes it.
Pamper and Zen Day · Science Day · Science Week +1Fizzy Bath Bomb Making
Children mix bicarb soda, citric acid and colour, then press the mix into moulds to make fizzing bath bombs. Part science, part pamper.
Science Day · Rocket and Plane Day · Science Week +2Fizzy Canister Rockets
Older children add a fizzing tablet and water to small snap-lid canisters and watch the gas build up and pop the lids skyward.
Vikings Day · Science Week · Water Play Day +1Floating Longship Challenge
Children build Viking-style longships from foil and pop sticks, then test whether they float and how much cargo they can carry.
Slime Lab Day · Sensory Day · Messy Play Day +2Fluffy Cloud Slime
Children fold shaving foam into PVA slime to make a puffy, cloud-soft slime and compare how it feels with regular slime.
Science Day · Science Week · Volcano Day +1Foam Eruption Experiment
Older children watch yeast break down mild hydrogen peroxide to make a huge, warm foam eruption, learning about catalysts.
Polar Day · Winter Wonderland · Wild Rescue +2Frozen Animal Rescue
Children free toy animals frozen in ice blocks using salt, droppers and warm water. A sensory science rescue mission.
Halloween · Rocket and Plane Day · Science Day +2Ghost Rockets
Children decorate small canisters as ghosts, then launch them with fizzing tablets and water.
Tie Dye Day · Bubbles Day · Water Play Day +1Giant Bubble Games
Children make giant bubbles with homemade wands and play chase-and-pop games, enjoying the science and fun of bubbles outdoors.
Bubbles Day · Science Week · Water Play Day +3Giant String Bubbles
Children dip large string wands into bubble mix and create giant, wobbly bubbles outdoors, exploring surface tension.
Messy Play Day · Sensory Day · Gross and Messy Day +2Goop, Mud and Sand Stations
Children move between stations of cornflour goop, edible chocolate mud and mouldable sand to explore very different textures.
Gardening Day · Nature Play Day · Science Week +1Grow a Grass-Hair Buddy
Children draw a face on a small pot, plant grass seed and watch their buddy grow green hair they can trim over the following weeks.
Healthy Heart Day · Science Day · Science Week +1Heart Rate Check
Children measure their pulse before and after exercise to see how activity changes their heart rate.
Music and Dance Day · Rock Band Day · Recycle Day +3Homemade Instrument Band
Children make box guitars, shakers and drums from recycled materials, then play them together as a band.
Science Day · Science Week · After School Quick STEM +2Homemade Lava Lamps
Children layer oil and coloured water in a bottle, then drop in a fizzing tablet to make bubbly blobs rise and fall.
Nature Play Day · Science Week · Raw Art Day +3Homemade Natural Paints
Children make paints from kitchen ingredients like turmeric, beetroot and herbs, then test the colours on paper.
Robot Day · Coding Unplugged · After School Quick STEM +2Human Robot Coding
One child is the robot and the others give step-by-step arrow commands to guide them across a grid, learning the basics of coding without screens.
Ice Cream Day · Science Day · Cooking Day +3Ice Cream in a Bag
Children shake cream, sugar and vanilla in a bag surrounded by salted ice until it freezes into ice cream.
Bug Day · Science Week · Science Day +1Insect Body Parts Challenge
Children label the head, thorax and abdomen on insect diagrams and models, then test each other in a quick quiz.
Inventors Day · Maker Day · Show and Tell Day +2Inventor Showcase
Children present their inventions to the group, explaining what problem they solve and how they work.
Spy School · Detective Day · Science Week +1Invisible Ink Letters
Older children write secret messages in lemon juice, then an educator reveals them with gentle heat.
Autumn Leaves · Nature Play Day · Seasons Day +3Leaf Sort and Classify
Younger children collect leaves and sort them by shape, size and colour, building early science and maths skills.
Halloween · Science Day · Science Week +3Lolly Colour Chromatography
Children separate the hidden dyes in coloured lollies using filter paper and water, discovering the colours inside.
Slime Lab Day · Science Day · Science WeekMagnetic Slime Demo
An educator mixes iron oxide powder into slime and children watch it creep towards a strong magnet, sparking big questions about magnetism.
Bug Day · Gardening Day · Nature Play Day +3Magnifying Glass Bug Safari
Children hunt for minibeasts with magnifying glasses and record their finds on a tally sheet, building curiosity about small creatures.
Weather Watchers · Science Week · Seasons Day +2Make a Rain Gauge
Children make a rain gauge from a plastic bottle and a ruler, then check and record rainfall over the following days.
Lost Creatures · Science Day · Polar Day +3Mammoth Ice Melt
Children test which methods melt a block of ice fastest to free a hidden toy mammoth or animal.
Milk Day · Science Week · Science Day +1Milk Plastic Experiment
Children watch warm milk and vinegar turn into curds, then mould the curds into shapes that dry into a hard plastic-like material.
Backwards Day · Opposites Day · Spy School +2Mirror Writing Messages
Older children write names and secret messages backwards, then use mirrors to read them, exploring reflection and letter shapes.
Full Moon Night · Space Explorers · Science and Space +1Moon Crater Experiment
Children drop balls of different sizes into a tray of flour topped with cocoa to see how craters form.
Neon Day · Slime Lab Day · Science Week +3Neon Glue Slime
Children make stretchy slime in neon colours using a borax-free recipe, then explore how it stretches and moves.
Aquatic Adventure · Under the Sea · Science Week +3Ocean Fizz Bath Bombs
Older children mix and mould blue fizzing bath bombs with a small sea creature toy hidden inside, exploring a simple acid and base reaction.
Under the Sea · Science Week · World Oceans Day +2Ocean in a Bottle
Children combine oil and blue-coloured water in a sealed bottle and tip it gently to create rolling waves, exploring why oil and water don't mix.
World Oceans Day · Under the Sea · Science Week +1Ocean Layers Density Jar
Children pour liquids of different densities into a jar to create layers like the zones of the ocean.
Big Kids Club · Inventors Day · Robot Day +2Old Electronics Pull-Apart
Children use screwdrivers to take apart old radios and gadgets, discovering the parts inside. A hands-on look at how everyday technology works.
Messy Play Day · Science Week · Science Day +3Oobleck Exploration
Children mix cornflour and water into a strange goo that feels solid when squeezed but runs like liquid when relaxed.
Big Kids Club · Maker Day · Inventors Day +2Paddle Pop Stick Engineering
Children design and build bridges, boxes and catapults from paddle pop sticks. Test how strong or far their creations go.
Flying High · Science Week · Rocket and Plane Day +2Paper Helicopter Spinners
Children make paper spinners that twirl like falling seeds and test how design changes the drop time.
Rocket and Plane Day · Flying High · Paper Crafts Day +3Paper Plane Challenge
Children fold and test paper planes, adjusting their designs to fly furthest, stay up longest or loop the loop.
Planes, Trains and Automobiles · Rocket and Plane Day · Flying High +2Paper Plane Distance Contest
Children fold different paper plane designs and test them for distance. Simple science of flight.
Volcano Day · Science Week · Long Projects Day +2Papier-Mâché Volcano Build
Children build volcanoes over a bottle frame using papier-mâché, then paint them ready for an eruption experiment.
Park Day · Bug Day · Nature Play Day +3Park Bug Hunt
Children search under logs and leaves with magnifiers and tally the creatures they find. Hands-on science in a local park.
Bug Day · Science Week · Gardening Day +2Pasta Butterfly Life Cycle
Younger children glue pasta shapes onto card to show the stages of a butterfly's life cycle, from egg to butterfly.
Science Week · At the Building Site · Teamwork Day +2Peg and Pop Stick Tower
Children build the tallest tower they can using wooden pegs and pop sticks, testing balance and structure.
Photography Day · Science Day · Science Week +1Pinhole Viewer
Children make a simple box viewer that projects an upside-down image through a tiny hole. A hands-on look at how cameras work.
Space Explorers · Science and Space · Science Week +1Planet Mobile
Children paint foam balls as planets and hang them from a frame to make a solar system mobile.
Dinosaur Day · Rock and Gem Day · Science Week +1Plaster Fossil Excavation
Children chip and brush toy bones out of plaster blocks like real palaeontologists, then piece their skeleton together.
Medieval Times · Science Week · Science Day +3Pop Stick Catapults
Children build simple catapults from pop sticks, rubber bands and plastic spoons, then test and improve how far they can launch a soft missile.
Corn Day · Science Week · Movie Day +1Popcorn Science
Children watch kernels pop and measure how much volume they gain.
Weather Watchers · Science Week · Wet Weather Day +1Rain Cloud in a Jar
Children drip coloured water onto a shaving foam cloud floating on water in a jar and watch it 'rain' through.
Recycle Day · Sustainable Superstars · Science Week +3Recycled Paper Making
Older children turn scrap paper into pulp and press it into new sheets of handmade paper, seeing the recycling process up close.
Rock and Gem Day · Outdoor Explorers · Nature Play Day +2Rock Scavenger Hunt
Children search the outdoor area for rocks that are smooth, rough, sparkly, striped or tiny, then sort and compare their finds.
Art Attack Day · Budding Artists · Rainbow Day +2Salad Spinner Spin Art
Children drop paint onto paper circles inside a salad spinner and spin it to create swirling, colourful patterns.
Science Day · Rock and Gem Day · Science Week +1Salt Crystal Pipe Cleaners
Older children make pipe cleaner shapes and hang them in a strong salt solution to grow crystals overnight.
Ancient Egypt · Science Week · Science Day +2Salt Mummy Apple Experiment
Children preserve apple slices in salt and compare them with uncovered slices over several days, discovering how drying helped ancient mummification.
Robot Day · Inventors Day · Maker Day +2Scribble Bots
Older children build a wobbly drawing machine from a cup, a small motor and markers, then watch it scribble patterns across paper.
Sustainable Superstars · Gardening Day · Recycle Day +2Self-Watering Bottle Planters
Children turn plastic bottles into self-watering planters, sow seeds and watch them grow over the following weeks.
Puppet Day · Science Week · Dramatic Play Day +2Shadow Puppet Theatre
Children cut card shadow puppets and perform with torches against a wall or sheet. Simple science and storytelling.
Down on the Farm · Farm to Table Day · Milk Day +2Shake-Your-Own Butter
Children take turns shaking cream in jars until it turns into butter, then taste it on crackers and talk about where food comes from.
Water Play Day · Science Week · Science Day +1Sink or Float
Children predict whether everyday objects will sink or float, test them in tubs of water and sort them by result.
Science Day · Slime Lab Day · Volcano Day +2Slime and Volcano Lab
Children rotate between a slime station and a bicarb volcano station, experimenting with two very different science reactions.
Winter Wonderland · Paper Crafts Day · Christmas in July +2Snowflake Symmetry
Children fold and cut paper snowflakes, exploring lines of symmetry and how repeating patterns form.
Desert Day · Survival Challenge Day · Science Week +2Solar Still Survival Challenge
Children build a solar still with a bowl and plastic wrap, discovering how the sun can help collect drinkable water.
Challenge Day · Science Week · Science Day +3Spaghetti and Marshmallow Tower
Teams race the clock to build the tallest freestanding tower from dry spaghetti and marshmallows, testing engineering ideas.
After School Quick STEM · Science Week · Science Day +3Spaghetti and Tape Tower
Small teams build the tallest free-standing tower they can from dry spaghetti and tape, learning about triangles, bracing and teamwork.
Inventors Day · Challenge Day · Teamwork Day +3Spaghetti Marshmallow Tower
Teams build the tallest freestanding tower from dry spaghetti and tape that can hold a marshmallow on top.
Full Moon Night · Space Explorers · Science and Space +2Star Chart Constellation Viewers
Children learn star patterns from charts and make constellation viewers by poking holes in cups to shine a torch through.
Rocket and Plane Day · Space Explorers · Science Week +3Stomp Rockets
Children stomp on an empty bottle to send a paper rocket flying through a tube, then experiment with rocket shapes to go further.
Challenge Day · Science Week · At the Building Site +3Straw Bridge and Tower Challenge
Teams build the strongest bridge or tallest tower using only straws and tape, then test it to see how it holds up.
Space Explorers · Rocket and Plane Day · Science Week +2Straw Rockets
Children make paper rockets that slide over a straw and launch them with a puff, measuring how far each one flies.
Science Day · Slime Lab Day · Science Week +1Stretchy Slime Lab
Children make slime with different recipes and test which stretches the longest, measuring results like scientists.
Balloon Day · Science Week · Rocket and Plane Day +3String Balloon Rockets
Children tape a balloon to a straw on a string line and let it go, watching it zoom along and exploring how air pushes it forward.
Superhero Day · Science Day · Messy Play Day +3Super Goop
Children mix cornflour and water into a strange goop that feels solid when punched and runs like liquid when held.
Science Week · Science Day · After School Quick STEM +1Surface Tension Coin Drops
Children predict and count how many water drops fit on a coin before it spills, discovering how water holds together.
Bug Day · Spring Fair · Art Attack Day +2Symmetry Butterfly Painting
Children paint one half of a butterfly, fold the paper and press to reveal matching wings, discovering symmetry in a fun, surprising way.
Fairy Tale Day · At the Building Site · Science Week +1Three Little Pigs Build
Children build houses from straws, sticks and blocks and test which one survives the big bad wolf's fan.
Space Explorers · Science and Space · Full Moon Night +2Torch Constellation Cups
Children pierce star patterns into cups and shine a torch through to project constellations onto the ceiling.
Camp Out Day · Puppet Day · Full Moon Night +3Torchlight Shadow Stories
Children use torches and their hands to create shadow puppets and tell stories in a darkened room.
Wheels Day · Science Week · Planes, Trains and Automobiles +1Toy Car Ramp Science
Children test how ramp height and surface change how far toy cars travel, measuring and recording their results.
At the Building Site · Science Week · Weather Watchers +2Toy Shadow Tracing
Children trace the shadows of toys onto paper outdoors and watch how the shadows change, linking art with simple science.
National Tree Day · Science Week · Outdoor Explorers +2Tree Measuring Investigation
Children measure the girth of trees and estimate height using simple methods, recording and comparing their results.
After School Quick STEM · Science Week · Science Day +2Twisted Paper Loop Magic
Children make a twisted paper loop, predict what will happen when they cut it, then discover the surprising one-sided shape that results.
Science Week · Rainbow Day · Science Day +1Walking Rainbow
Children watch coloured water climb up paper towel bridges between cups and mix into new colours over time.
Rainbow Day · Science Week · After School Quick STEM +1Walking Water Rainbow
Children watch coloured water travel along paper towels between cups and mix into new colours. Simple science with wow factor.
Clean Up Australia Day · World Oceans Day · Environmental Day +3Waterways Pollution Demo
Children use a simple model to see how litter on the ground travels through drains into waterways.
Science Day · Science Week · After School Quick STEMWeekly Science Session
A regular hands-on experiment session where children try safe kitchen-cupboard science and talk about what they discover.
Flying High · Rocket and Plane Day · Planes, Trains and Automobiles +2Wing Design Challenge
Children design and test paper wings and gliders to see which shape flies the furthest.
Bug Day · Gardening Day · Sustainable Superstars +3Worm Farm Study
Children observe worms in a worm farm with magnifiers, learning how worms turn food scraps into rich soil.