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What is a Chemical Reaction for Kids?

There are a lot of super fun chemistry experiments that kids of all ages can try, but after the reaction takes place, do your students really understand what happened? Often, kids don’t quite understand how chemical reactions work.

This can create confusion as kids grow up and start learning more about chemistry and chemical reactions on a more detailed level.

If you find yourself in a position where you are looking for the answer to what is a chemical reaction for kids– meaning how to explain it to children- then you’ve come to the right place!

Soon you’ll be able to teach chemical reactions to students in a way that even the youngest children can understand.

For kids, what is a chemical reaction? Learn how to explain chemical reactions to elementary students by reading this chemistry lesson plan!

What is a Chemical Reaction for Kids?

Teaching chemical reactions to kids is a lot of fun, but with a lot of chemistry experiments, kids might not quite get the concept of what is a chemical reaction for kids.

If your students are struggling with the science behind chemistry science experiments, then use this guide to teach the concept of chemistry and chemical reactions in a kid-friendly way.

But first, let’s start at the beginning to find out just what is a chemical reaction for kids.

What is Chemistry?

Chemistry is the study of what everything is made of and how it behaves. Chemistry is also the study of the particles that make up the things we use every day and how they interact with each other.

Here are some basic chemistry definitions that will help kids learn more about chemical reactions.

Chemistry Definitions

Here are some chemistry definitions that you need to know before you can answer what is a chemical reaction for kids.

  • Matter- Anything that has mass and takes up space.
  • Physical Properties- A characteristic you can observe or measure without changing the makeup.
  • Chemical Property- A quality that can be observed in a chemical reaction. 
  • Product- The substance produced by a chemical reaction.
  • Substance- The matter or material that something is made out of.
  • Decomposition- To break down into simpler parts or substances.
  • Inhibitor- A substance that slows or stops activity in a chemical reaction.
  • Catalyst- A substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction.
  • Photon- Bundle of electromagnetic energy, the basic unit that makes up all light.

Once you understand the basics of chemistry, then what is a chemical reaction for kids becomes an easy question to answer.

The Best Resources for Teaching Chemical Reactions to Kids

Here are my favorite teaching resources to teach chemical reactions to kids!

science experiment worksheet

How to Explain Chemical Reactions to Kids

When explaining chemical reactions to kids in a way that answers the question, “What is a chemical reaction for kids?” the simple explanation is the best.

You can explain it to students and children like this.

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A chemical reaction occurs when one or more substances are converted into one or more different substances.

The mass and number of atoms stay the same, but the atoms are rearranged to form new substances with different properties.

Chemical Reaction Experiments for Kids

Here are some fun chemical reaction science experiments for you to try with your students!

Every experiment is a blast!

What are the Different Types of Chemical Reactions?

There are many types of chemical reactions, but the following chemical reactions are the ones that are most common.

  • Synthesis – This is where two substances combine to make a new substance. Example- Baking bread.
  • Single Replacement- (substitute reaction) This is a  reaction where one compound takes a substance from another compound. Example– Adding salt to water to create salt water.
  • Double Displacement- When two compounds trade substances.  Example- Combining vinegar and baking soda to create a volcano.
  • Combustion- Occurs when oxygen combines with another compound to form water and carbon dioxide. Combustion reactions produce energy in the form of heat. Example-Striking a match.
  • Photochemical- Involves photons from lightExample- Photosynthesis.
  • Decomposition- This is where a complex substance breaks down to form two separate substances. Example-Food being digested.
What is a chemical reaction for kids? Read this chemistry teaching plan to discover how to demonstrate chemical reactions to elementary school kids!

Where do chemical reactions take place?

Chemical reactions take place constantly all over the world—inside of plants and animals, with nature, and even in your own body. Chemical reactions occur everywhere, in and out of laboratories: when you digest your food, when metal rusts, when batteries produce electricity, when plants photosynthesize, and when wood burns.

A chemical reaction takes place when you combine ingredients to make slime, playdough, or oobleck.

A glass of milk that has soured has undergone a chemical reaction and even baking bread is a chemical reaction!

science experiment worksheet

How can you tell if a chemical reaction has taken place? 

It’s not always easy to tell when a chemical reaction has taken place, but many reactions do have visible signs.

Often there will be a change in color, heat being given off, changes in property such as two liquids becoming a solid, or gas bubbles being made.

A physical change means that your substance may have changed shape, color, or texture, but nothing new has been created. For example, a melted ice cube has changed shape but is still the same substance.

A chemical change occurs when the type of matter changes, resulting in the formation of at least one new substance with new properties. For example, when you mix vinegar and baking soda to witness the reaction, this creates the new substance of carbon dioxide gas, which did not exist before.

Elementary Science Kits for Kids

Here are some of our favorite science kits to do in the classroom as a group in elementary!

simple lego engineering kit

STEM Kits for 1st Grade

simple lego engineering kit

STEM Kits for 1st Grade

simple lego engineering kit

STEM Kits for 1st Grade

simple lego engineering kit

STEM Kits for 1st Grade

simple lego engineering kit

STEM Kits for 1st Grade

simple lego engineering kit

STEM Kits for 1st Grade

simple lego engineering kit

STEM Kits for 1st Grade

simple lego engineering kit

STEM Kits for 1st Grade

simple lego engineering kit

STEM Kits for 1st Grade

simple lego engineering kit

STEM Kits for 1st Grade

Books about Chemistry for Kids

Supplement your chemical reaction lesson with these chemistry books for kids that answer what is a chemical reaction for kids.

If you love science and STEM but don’t like hunting for supplies, we love the Mel Science kits. They have options for elementary and middle school, and each kit comes with all the supplies needed for each experiment!

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