If your kids love creative STEM activities and simple science experiments, they will love these glow in the dark science experiments.
Kids from preschool through middle school will have a blast learning about the science of glow in the dark materials with these hands-on science fair projects.
Keep reading to learn a bit about glow in the dark science and find a list of fun glow in the dark STEM activities!
Why Try Glow in the Dark Experiments?
In elementary school and middle school, the goal of science education is twofold.
First, children should be encouraged to have an interest in science. That’s where the fun stuff comes in, and why I like to do science experiments that are bright, colorful, and fun.
Secondly, the point of STEM education for kids is to encourage creativity, innovation, and increase problem-solving skills.
Children are much more likely to want to explore and learn if they find the subject interesting. While some kids may be interested in traditional science explorations, far more children will love the flashy, colorful experiments.
That’s why I encourage parents and educators to do a mix of experiment types, so that kids are hooked with the fun stuff, but stay for the life lessons.
:-)
How does glow in the dark science work?
Glow in the dark science is quite interesting!
Most things that glow in the dark have phosphorescence. They contain a substance known as phosphors. Phosphors give off visible light once they have energy (or have been exposed to light).
That’s why you have to “charge” your glow in the dark substances before they will glow!
You can make your phosphorescent items glow brighter with targeted UV light, like a black light. Black light is invisible light, but it has a high energy. That’s why things glow stronger in black light.
Glow in the Dark Dark Science Supplies and Kits
Most essential to glow in the dark experiments are:
- Black light
- Vitamin B6 or
- Tonic water
- Phospherescent items (we like natural rocks)
- Glow sticks
How to turn these science experiments into glow in the dark STEM activities
If you want to transform a science experiment into a STEM activity, you just need to ensure that the elements of science, technology, engineering, and math are envolved.
Most science experiments already have strong STEM ties, so it’s not difficult to add in these elements.
Additionally, STEM activities should focus on problem solving, or exploring the world in some way.
For glow in the dark STEM activities, you can talk about the pratical uses for glow in the dark products, or use it to explore the evolution of plants and animals on earth for adaptation and habitats.
Glow in the Dark Science Fair Projects Kids will Love
Try these glow in the dark experiments at your next science fair. It won’t be boring any more!
If you don’t mind a bit of mess, make this glow in the dark oobleck and learn all about non-Newtonian fluids.
Kids can learn about how light works and travels when they make this light-up slime.
With a simple addition of tonic water, you can transform this lava lamp experiment into a glowing lava lamp!
Add some glow in the dark powder to this boiling blood slime recipe!
Transform any slime recipe (one of our favorites is our magnesium flake slime recipe) into glow in the dark slime by switching out the water for tonic water, or by adding vitamin B12 to the slime!
Make this eyeball slime even spookier when you add tonic water to the slime and make it glow in the dark!
In The Mason Jar Scientist, kids can learn about phosphorescent rocks and why some rocks glow in the dark!
Kids will have fun exploring glow sticks with this glow in the dark chemistry lab.
Learn how to make glow in the dark fireworks with this science experiment!
Kids will love this glow in the dark twist on the classic baking soda and vinegar volcano.
Young kids will love learning the science of bubbles and surface tension when they make glow in the dark bubbles!
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