sound experiment ideas

Top 10 Sound Experiments: Fun & Easy

Sound, an intrinsic part of our lives, is more than just a medium for communication and entertainment. It is a fascinating scientific concept, offering insights into how energy travels and interacts with our environment.

This carefully curated selection is designed for learners of all ages, covering fascinating topics like vibration, sound waves, pitch, and resonance. These hands-on, educational experiments will not only amplify your understanding of the science of sound but also strike a chord with your innate curiosity.

We hope you enjoy this compilation of sound experiments and that it inspires you to continue exploring the wonders of science.

1. How to See Sound Experiment

The How to See Sound experiment is a fascinating way to explore the relationship between sound waves and visual patterns.

The How to See Sound experiment is a fun and insightful experience that is likely to pique your interest, whether you’re a scientific enthusiast, an artist, or just someone who enjoys discovering the wonders of the world around you.

2. Glass Bottle Xylophone

Seeking an innovative and entertaining technique to learn more about the science of sound? With the help of the Glass Bottle Xylophone experiment, students can build their own musical instrument and learn about the fundamentals of sound.

3. Singing Spoons

Do you want to learn more about the science of sound in a playful and imaginative way? Using just a few spoons, the Singing Spoons experiment is a fascinating and fun project that you should try.

4. Make a Straw Oboe

Make your own musical instrument by cutting a straw to a specific length and blowing across the top to create different notes. Experiment with different straw lengths to produce different pitches.

5. Create a Thunder Drum!

Creating a thunder drum is a unique and exciting way to explore the properties of sound and can help students understand these concepts in a more tangible way.

6. Musical Wine Glasses

The musical wine glass experiment is a fun and easy way to explore the science of sound and create your own musical instrument. By filling wine glasses with different amounts of water and tapping them with a spoon, you can produce a range of musical notes and create your own melodies.

7. Tuning Fork Resonance Experiment

The tuning fork experiment is an established representation of how resonance and frequency work in the study of sound.

Students can see and measure the effects of resonance and frequency in this experiment by experimenting with various objects and tuning forks of different frequencies.

A hands-on introduction to the fundamental concepts of sound and waves is provided by this simple yet interesting experiment.

8. The Doppler Effect with Sound

Through the use of sound waves generated by a moving sound source, students can investigate the Doppler effect in this experiment.

Students can learn about the Doppler effect and its use in disciplines like astronomy and radar technology through this exercise in an useful and fascinating way.

9. Soundproofing Experiment 

Students can learn about the science of soundproofing and its importance in building pleasant and effective surroundings through this project, which is a practical and hands-on learning experience.

10. Standing Waves

With the help of this experiment, students can learn about the fundamentals of wave interference and resonance as well as how these ideas are used in real-world situations.

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Sound Experiment for Kids to See Sound

I love science! There are so many hands-on science experiments you can do with kids! Right now we are learning all about sound in our classroom. I have personally found that having a sound experiment for kids to demonstrate what they are learning is the best way for children to really understand the material.

So, I came up with a few sound experiments for kids, including my favourite tuning fork sound experiment and vibrating rice.

Keep reading for a few simple, hands-on ways to making learning about sound fun and meaningful.

The experiments work well in the classroom or at home.

Introducing big, but important concepts, such as sound and hearing, to young children may seem early; however, I am always amazed by how much children of all ages learn from hands-on science experiments.

When children are interested in a topic, they absorb and understand a lot of the material.

Slinky Sound Experiments

Kids are naturally drawn to do experiments and play and explore with their hands. I like to do this sound experiment with kids as a way to introduce big science concepts to young minds.

I have done this experiment with kids aged 3-10 and it is a hit with all of them. All you need is a slinky. A large one works best, but any size will work.

Sound Experiments Steps

I started by using a large slinky and having one child and I hold the ends on opposite sides of the carpet. I banged the slinky to send a wave to the other side. We talked about how sound travels in waves.

A big, fast wave equals a loud sound – like someone yelling. A small, slow sound wave may be someone humming. I either hummed or yelled as I banged the slinky to replicate how the volume and sound travels.

Sound Waves

Sound Experiment

The main idea you want to make clear is that sound travels in waves. Also, it is important that children know that sound waves are invisible.

The slinky is just a fun way to show what we can’t otherwise see.

Some students even noticed the slinky bounce back after reaching the student holding the other end of the slinky. This was a great chance to discuss echoes and how sound bounces.

Fork a Sound Experiments

This is perhaps my favorite sound experiment for kids! I love the excitement that it causes and the ‘explosive’ result. Also, kids of all ages are able to get hands-on and do the experiment. You only need a few materials:

• Plastic Wrap
• Uncooked rice or Large Sparkles (I added some food coloring to mine, but the color is just for fun.)
• Tuning Forks

Since I did this experiment with several groups, I had several containers ready to go. I grouped Children into groups. The smaller the groups the better.

Cover each container tightly with plastic wrap. The wrap has to be tight or the experiment will not work.

To start, I introduced the children to tuning forks. Many had not used or seen one before. Some recognized the fork being used in their music class before.

I gently banged one of the forks onto the carpet and held it up. We could hear a bit of a sound coming from the fork.

I had a child beside me gently touch the fork. They were able to feel that it was vibrating, but as soon as they touched the tuning fork the vibrations stopped.

We talked about the fact that when it was vibrating, it was making a sound. When it stopped vibrating, the sound also stopped.

Children then each had a chance to gently try out the tuning forks. They loved the hands-on experience. (I would suggest making sure to tell children not to hit the tuning forks too hard. Just a bit of a bump will work. Also make sure they are not banging it on anything that could break.)

Next, children went to the tables with a small group. Each group got a container with the plastic wrap stretched across it. I then gave each group a small container of rice. You only need a small amount for each group.

Also, the more rice you give each group the more clean up there will be. The rice will go flying!!! (But that’s also the fun of the experiment.)

Children then pour the rice onto the plastic wrap. They make a guess what will happen once they touch the tuning fork to the plastic wrap.

Once they have guessed, they are ready to do the experiment.

When banged, the tuning fork vibrates, which creates a sound. Tap the fork so that it is making a sound, and vibrating.

Next, touch the vibrating fork to the plastic wrap, but be sure not to touch the side of the bowl. You only need to touch it gently to get the result.

As soon as the vibrating fork touches the plastic wrap, it sends vibrations across the wrap and to where the rice is sitting. These vibrations cause the rice to “jump” until the vibrations/sound stops.

The tuning forks are ideal to have on hand when teaching or learning about sound.

There was so much excitement in the room when the rice started bouncing everywhere! The mess is definitely worth the learning that occurred! Since the materials you need are so simple, you can repeat this tuning fork experiment several times.

I really wanted each child to be able to do the hands-on experiment. After each child got the rice to jump, the group worked together to gather the rice and put it back on the plastic wrap for the next child’s turn.

Repeat as many time as you wish!

Sound Experiments Extension Activity

The tuning fork experiment sparked so much interest in my classroom that I wanted to extend our activity for another science lesson. If you have all of the materials for the fork a sound experiment, all you need extra to do another experiment is water!

As an extension, you can remove the plastic wrap and fill the glass bowls with water. I also added a few drops of food coloring just for fun.

Repeat the experiment above by banging the tuning fork and then touch it to the container with water. Make sure to only touch the water, and not the container.

When the fork is touched to the water it makes the water splash out of the bowl. This sound experiment is an easy way to show kids that sound causes vibrations/movement. Happy experimenting!

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7 Cool Sound Science Experiments for Kids

Nov. 19, 2018

When it comes to science experiments, some of the most enjoyable involve the science of sound. If you’re looking to dazzle your little learner with exciting new experiments, look no further than simple sound science experiments that use everyday household items to bring sound to life. Let’s explore 7 riveting ideas to discover the science behind sound! Watch educational videos with scientific experiments and show them to your child.

The Classic Paper Cup and String Phone

A much-loved childhood project, the paper cup phone is much more than a fun and old-fashioned way for kids to communicate throughout the house. This elementary sound science project shows kids how sound waves can travel through a string and be converted back to audible sound at the opposite end. 

Supplies Needed: 

• 2 paper cups
• Long string, like fishing line, kite string
• A sharp pencil or needle to poke holes in the cups

What to Do: 

1. Start by cutting a long piece of string of at least 50 feet. 

2. Poke a small hole at the bottom of each cup. 

3. Using each end of the string, thread it through the bottoms of the cups, tying a large knot so that the string does not fall out of the cup. If you make the holes too large, use a washer or paper clip to hold the string in place so that it does not pull out of the cup. 

4. Move into position and encourage your child to move away from you so that the string is far enough to make it tight. Be sure that the string does not touch any other object and that it remains suspended in air as you complete the experiment. 

5. Taking turns, talk into the cup, while the other person listens by putting the cup to their ear. Tell your child to repeat what he or she hears after you have spoken and do the same in return! 

After the experiment, explain to your child what is happening: sound waves created by talking through the cup travel through the line to the other end, converting back to sound on the opposite side! 

Make Music with a Straw Pan Flute

Perfect for younger children, the following sound waves experiment not only involves creating a fun musical instrument your child could play with, but teaches kids how length can affect the pitch of sound waves. 

Supplies Needed:  

• At least 9 or 10 straws, more if desired! 
• Clear gift wrap tape

1. Take the straws and line them up side-by-side and cut them at an angle at the top. 

2. Tape the straws together to make a pan flute. 

3. Instruct your child to blow through the straws. Which straws make higher and lower pitches? Why? 

Feel free to use more straws and experiment with different lengths to produce different pitches and sounds! Ask your child to explain what happens to the sound the shorter a straw is cut, and create double pan flutes to make harmonies to further explore how length alters the pitch. 

Listen to Sounds Travel Underwater

Sound travels well through air, but it travels even better through water! This easy sound experiment for kids can be done in a jiffy out on the back porch. 

• A bucket filled with water
• A large plastic water or soda bottle 
• At least 2 kitchen knives
• Scissors or sharp knife to cut the bottle

1. After filling the bucket with water, take a sharp knife or kitchen shears and help your child cut off the bottom of the plastic water bottle. Be sure that the cap is taken off of the bottle. 

2. Instruct your child to place the bottle in the water so that the cut bottom is in the water. Your child will then put his or her ear to the top of the bottle to listen. 

3. Using the kitchen knives, clang them together to make a sound, but do this in the bucket as your child is listening. What does your child hear? 

Your child has probably noted that the sound of the clanging is loud and clear. Water travels faster through water than in the air, and animals that live underwater are able to hear sound clearly. Discuss the results with your child, to teach him or her more about the conduction of sound waves through water. 

See the Sound

Sound vibrations travel through air, water, and even solid objects, but it’s not possible to see the waves. What if we could see the waves in another way? This science of sound experiment makes sound more visible by forcing objects to react to the sound vibrations. 

• Empty clear mixing bowl
• Plastic wrap
• Large rubber band
• Sugar crystals- Sugar in the Raw works great, or make sugar crystals in another science experiment!

1. Wrap a sheet of plastic wrap over the mixing bowl so that it’s taut, and secure with the large rubber band. Be sure that the plastic wrap is tight and does not sag. 

2. Place a few of the sugar crystals on the top of the plastic wrap, placing them in the middle of the wrap. 

3. Instruct your child to get close to the sugar crystal and say something loudly! What happens to the crystals? Do they move? 

4. Experiment with louder and softer words or sentences to watch the sugar crystals react to the sound vibrations! 

While your child might think it’s his or her breath making the crystals jump and move, but it’s actually the sound vibrations. Try different sounds besides ordinary speech and see how the crystals come to life!

Make a Stick Harmonica

Making musical instruments are easy and fun, and they teach kids about sound waves and pitch. This experiment is much like the pan flute above, but kids can alter the pitch by sliding the straws without reassembling the harmonica. 

• 2 large craft sticks
• 1 wide rubber band
• 2 smaller rubber bands 
• 1 plastic drinking straw

1. Using the scissors, cut the straw into 2 one-inch pieces and set aside. 

2. Take the wide rubber band and stretch it length-wise around one of the jumbo craft sticks and place one of the straw pieces under the rubber band, close to the edge on one end.

3. Take the other craft stick and place it directly on top of the craft stick with the rubber band. Secure them together at the ends using the small rubber bands. 

4. Finally, take the last piece of straw and place it in the harmonica between the sticks on the opposite end from the other, but this piece should be fit above the wide rubber band instead of below it. 

5. Encourage your child to play the harmonica by blowing in the center of the harmonica! Explore different pitches by moving the straw pieces!

After playing the harmonica, don’t forget to complete the sound experiment by talking about the mechanics of the harmonica. The vibrating rubber band makes all the noise, and the closer the straw pieces are to the center of the harmonica, the higher the pitch will be due to the shortened length of the band! 

Experimenting with Sound Waves

It might be hard to imagine that sound waves can travel through solid objects as well as through the air. This simple but exciting sound waves science activity will demonstrate for your child how sound can and does indeed travel through solid objects!

• Metal kitchen spoon- a large metal measuring spoon works great! 
• At least 30 inches of kite string

1. Stretch out the string and tie the handle of the spoon in the middle of the string.

2. Take one end of the string and tie around your child’s pointer finger. Do the same using the other end, but tie this string around the pointer finger of your child’s opposite hand. 

3. Instruct your child to put his or her fingers, with the string wrapped around each, into their ears. 

4. Help your child lean over so the spoon dangles and help him or her swing the spoon so it hits a nearby door or wall. 

5. Hit the door or wall again, but this time with more force. What does your child hear? 

Your child should hear a bell-like sound travel up the string from the spoon and into their ears. Discuss with your child how the sound waves created from the spoon hitting the door moves through the string until he or she is able to hear it!  

Xylophone Water Jars

Musical instruments are so much fun to make! This sound activity teaches children how varying levels of water in containers change the pitch of the sound created. 

• 4 empty and clean baby food jars 
• 4 different colors of food coloring

1. Help your child fill each jar with varying amounts of water. 

2. Add a few drops of food coloring to each jar. 

3. Using the mallet, instruct your child to firmly tap the outside of each jar. What sounds are being made? Which jars have the highest or lowest pitch? 

Encourage your child to hypothesize why some jars emit a lower sound, while others are higher. Play around with the water levels in each jar and experiment with pitch! 

Learn Science with Kids Academy Classroom!

Use this interactive Classroom by Kids Academy called Sound is All Around Us to teach first graders the basics of sound science. OPEN THE CLASSROOM . 

After clicking "Next", you'll find a set-up lesson with an educational video, accompanied by practice worksheets and summary quiz to help kids better understand and remember the learned material.

Equipped with our extensive learning resource library, Kids Academy Classroom allows teachers and parents to create lessons and share them with the young smarties in a couple of clicks. 

Go directly to the Classroom page and create a quick classroom on any topic you want! After students complete the lesson, you'll get access to a report about their performance. Check out our  Classroom Guide article  for more information!

Now that you have 7 cool ideas for exciting sound science experiments, it’s time to get started! Your child will love learning all about the science of sound and the endlessly fascinating ways sound waves can travel through air, water, and objects. Don’t forget to check out our science worksheets and activities to supplement your child’s learning in between all your child’s experiments!

Sound Experiments

This science unit is so fun. It’s loaded with my favorite sound experiments, like this one. I first saw this idea in a library book and, to be honest, I didn’t expect it to be that big of a deal (or even work, if I’m still being honest). But to my surprise, it actually delivered. I think I suffer from Pinterest-Fail PTSD.

Singing Spoons  is a fun way to show kids how volume and pitch change depending on whether sound waves are traveling through the air or through a solid, similar to the way a stethoscope works. It’s one of our favorite sound experiments and is pretty easy to set up. Just use tape to connect three metal spoons to a piece of string or yarn. Then, jiggle the string so the spoons swing into one another and observe the sound they make. It should sound dull and tinny. Next, wrap the ends of the string around your fingers as if you were going to floss your teeth. Place only the yarn-wrapped fingers in your ears (again, think of a stethoscope) and swing the spoons again. Notice how the pitch and volume change.

Even the adults in my house thought this was cool. And one of them is fairly hard to impress.😉

This experiment can easily be done without these sheets👇, but I like reading procedural and informational texts with my students and I also like having a place for them to record their own ideas during investigations.

More Sound Experiments

Hands down, the most satisfying part of planning this science unit was finally engineering a harmonica that actually works! I’m not exaggerating when I tell you how much we were geeking out over this one… maybe because it was our third attempt. But I guess that’s the nature of science experiments, right? In the one pictured below, changing the distance between the pink straws changes the pitch of the sound. Shorten the gap and the pitch will rise. Spread them back out and the sound will become lower. It’s all about vibrations and sound waves .

And the bee?🐝 If you swing it like a lasso above your head, it really does buzz! It’s another fun way to teach your students that vibrations cause sound.

I created student recording sheets for these sound experiments, as well as procedural posters (with picture support) and kid-friendly explanation sheets. These explanations help young children understand the science they’re observing, but I also like how they give families an age-appropriate context to build from when they want to talk to their kids about science.

Making a sound wave model takes some time, but the wow factor can’t be denied! You only need three things to make your model: duct tape, wooden skewers, and clay.  NOTE:  To save time, we built ours using jellybeans, but I think the weight of the clay would provide an even better result. If you use clay, roll each ball to roughly the size of a large grape.

Nonfiction Science Text

I have a hard time finding science material my first-graders can actually read, so it has become my habit to just write our own. It’s a win-win really because then I have a paper copy for each of them. By having their own, we can not only read it together, but the kids can practice it independently and even take it home to share with their families. The books serve double-duty during reading and phonics instruction, too. We can highlight key vocabulary words, find and circle word wall words, and even personalize the interactive pages.

This science book, What Is Sound? , introduces children to the concept of sound and how it behaves. Key science vocabulary such as pitch , volume , vibrate , and echo are emphasized in the text.

Key Vocabulary Posters

There are some pretty BIG words for some pretty young kids in this science unit, so I created a set of posters to help the children understand and remember them. Each poster features the key science term, a colorful graphic, and a kid-friendly definition. The set includes 8 different posters for the following vocabulary words:

• communicate

Key Word Game Cards

Mini-versions of the key word posters have been included in the resource. Originally, I just intended to use them as cards in a “Memory” style game, but they’re also good for student-pairing activities and vocabulary review. There are nine pairs of words in the set: sound, waves, vibrate, volume, pitch, echo, ear, communicate, and loud .

Student Worksheets

I also included some additional worksheets to help support science instruction and provide a connection to other subject areas, such as writing and phonics.

You can preview more of this first grade science unit👉   HERE . It includes printable materials for teaching children the science behind light and sound, as well as how we use both to communicate with others.

Science Ideas on Pinterest

Even though I teased about a Pinterest-Fail at the beginning of this post, I do love Pinterest. (I have discovered though, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.😂) If you’re planning a science unit on the study of light and sound, click over to my Pinterest board:  Light and Sound Science . I’ve added pins that lead to great ideas for supporting your instruction. You’ll find science videos, book suggestions, integrated projects, and more.

Recommended Book List

Check your school or local library for titles to support your science instruction. These are some of the books I’ve used for read-alouds and to help build my own background knowledge as I planned the unit.

• Sounds All Around by Wendy Pfeffer
• How Sound Moves by Sharon Coan
• How Does Sound Change? by Robin Johnson
• Oscar and the Bat by Geoff Waring
• The Listening Walk by Paul Showers
• Sending Messages with Light and Sound by Jennifer Boothroyd

CLICK👇TO PREVIEW THE RESOURCE

LIGHT AND SOUND SCIENCE UNIT

Happy teaching!

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Fun Sound Experiments for Kids to Add to Your Sound Energy Lessons

Written by Jeanne Sager

Did you hear that? We’re pretty sure we heard that you were looking for some new sounds experiments for kids to add to your teacher toolbox.

While most kids are pretty accustomed to the concept of sound itself — ahem, 0 voices , kiddos — teaching kids how the vibrations of objects translate into sound isn’t just a core part of the science curriculum. It’s also a means to connect kids in a very real way to the world around them. So how do you start teaching kids about sound? And what are some sound science experiments you can try in the classroom? Let’s dive in.

Sound Experiments for Kids

Let’s face it — teaching about sound is going to vary depending on the subjects you teach. If you teaching English, you may start with onomatopoeia , working with kids to add words like “pop” and “bang” to their writing to bring the richness of sound into their narratives. And if you’re a music teacher, you’re going to go straight for the instruments.

We can’t cover all the pretty cool ways out there for incorporating the teaching of sound into the classroom, but we can tell you some of the Teach Starter teacher team’s favorite sounds experiments for kids!

For each sound experiment, students can draw a hypothesis about what they think will happen using the scientific method (grab this free poster outlining the steps they’ll need to follow!), collect and record data, then interpret their results and draw conclusions !

Box & Rubber Band Guitar

• Small shoebox or gift box (no lid required)
• Rubber bands of different widths

The Experiment:

• Have students sort through the rubber bands and arrange them so they’re stretched across the box from thinnest to thickest.
• Have students pluck each rubber band one by one like a guitar and record their observations.
• Students can then add a ruler set on its edge like a bridge across the rubber bands and pluck the bands again, recording observations.

This simple sound experiment teaches kids about sound waves as they learn that the thinner rubber bands produce higher pitches and shorter sound waves! The addition of the ruler helps them to understand how a dampener works to affect pitch.

Screaming Balloons

Balloons are a staple of STEM for teaching kids about static energy, but this sound experiment puts these handy party supplies to use to discuss another kind of energy!

• 2 packages of large balloons (at least enough for each of your groups of students and a few spares in case a balloon is popped)
• Hex nuts, pennies, marbles, and other small objects
• Have students place one of the small objects of their own choosing inside the balloon
• One student in the group should blow up the balloon about three-quarters of the way, and tie it off (they may need a bit of help with this)
• Students spin the balloon around in the air and record their observations
• Students then repeat the experiment with each of the small objects in different balloons.

Your students should make their own observations, but — spoiler alert — the hex nut will likely make a “screaming” noise as its six sides cause vibration across the balloon!

Have more balloon sound fun — download our sound science task cards for a buzzing balloons experiment and five more fun investigations. 

Make Stick Harmonicas

Building their own instruments is a fun way to integrate project-based learning into your lessons, and making your own harmonica is a great way to learn more about sound waves.

• Plastic straws and paper straws
• Large popsicle sticks
• Wide rubber bands
• Smaller rubber bands
• Cut 2 1-inch pieces off of the straw.
• Stretch your wide rubber band length-wise around a large popsicle stick.
• Place a straw piece under the rubber band, close to the edge on one end.
• Place a second popsicle stick directly on top of the one that’s already rubber banded.
• Secure the sticks together at each end using the small rubber bands.
• Place the second straw piece in the middle of your new “harmonica” right between the sticks on the opposite end from the other. (Note: This straw piece should sit above the wide rubber band instead of below it.)

Students “play” their new harmonica by blowing into the straw pieces. To experiment with pitch, they can move the straw pieces around their instrument.

If you have paper straws, kids can replace their plastic straw pieces with paper ones, making predictions about whether or not they think the different material will affect the sound and recording their observations.

Some questions to ask:

• How did moving the straw pieces affect the sound?
• How did the different straw materials affect the sound?

Bonus: Have your students design their own musical instruments  and put them together — like this fun coffee can and rubber band contraption!

Looking for more resources to teach about sound?

Teach Starter collaborator and Texas teacher Heather Chambers created these fun science center activities for third through fifth graders to determine different types of energy, including sound energy!

• Forms of Energy Task Cards
• Forms of Energy Sorting Activity

Or check out our full collection of elementary school science teaching resources !

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Science Fun

Light And Sound Science Experiments

Easy light and sound science experiments you can do at home! Click on the experiment image or the view experiment link below for each experiment on this page to see the materials needed and procedure. Have fun trying these experiments at home or use them for SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT IDEAS.

Clucking Chicken In A Cup:

Talking String:

Teach A String To Talk

Trombone Straw:

Noisy Paper:

Bug On A Leash:

Super Easy Pan Flute:

Make Music With This Easy Sound Experiment

Duck In A Cup:

Crazy Kazoo:

Science Experiments with Sound: 8 Fun Activities for Kids

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Sound is all around us, traveling in invisible waves. Since we can’t see it, we often take sound for granted. Today we’re doing some science experiments with sound. We’ll have some fun learning how sounds waves vibrate, how we can affect the vibrations, and how this affects what we hear. Listen up & let’s explore!

Jump to your favorite science experiment with sound: Sound Vibrations on a Flat Surface Drinking Glass Bells Cup and String Phone Big Box Bass Sound Tubes Stretched Strings Pipe Organ with Cardboard Tubes Soundproofing

Sound Vibrations on a Flat Surface

Here’s an easy science activity with sound we can do using items you most likely have in your kitchen. We’re going to see how sound waves cause vibrations and the affect this has on objects. You’ll need a few household items:

The plastic acts in much the same way as your eardrum.  When sound waves hit your eardrum, they cause it to vibrate.  In the case of your eardrum, it’s sending those vibrational signals to your brain instead of bouncing grains of salt like we have on our plastic. We found watching the rice move easier than the salt or sugar.

Experiment with different sounds and volumes and note how the salt moves in relation to the sound. We found putting a bluetooth speaker inside the bowl before covering the top with plastic wrap helped a bit. Play something with a thumpy bass line and watch you grains dance across the plastic.

Drinking Glass Bells

Notice how the amount of water in each glass affects the pitch.  Less water makes a lower pitch, while more water creates a higher pitch.  Why do you think that is?

Cup and String Phone

This is a classic, and can be done with plastic cups or tin cans. It’s a great way to experiment with how sound vibrations can travel. We had some plastic cups, which are easier to punch holes in, so this is what we used. Here’s what you’ll need:

Related Posts: Check out our full posts on plastic cup projects and activities with household objects for some fun things to do with items you probably already have around the house. Great no-prep ideas for you and your child!

Big Box Bass

Plucking the string causes it to vibrate.  The inside of the box is a resonating chamber, and the hold you cut in the top is a sound hole; much like an acoustic guitar.  The tighter the string, the higher the pitch that will be produced.  The more slack, the lower the pitch.

We found the box needed some weight inside the box to hold it down while playing it. Free weights, a few bricks, or whatever you can fit inside the sound hole should do the trick. Push down a bit on the broomstick as you play so it is secure on the bottom. Make sure there is tension on the string as you pluck it. Try plucking it and shifting the broomstick so it’s looser or tighter to get some good twangs out of the string.

Sound Tubes

We got some of these “Pull and Pop” tubes for the kids to play with.  They’re fun on their own, but we discovered a cool sound experiment playing with them.  If you expand a tube all the way and swing it around in a circle, it makes a cool sound.  The corrugated shape lends itself well to sound.  These kids toys are also known as a whirly tube, corrugaphone, or bloogle resonator.

What’s Happening?

Pro Tip: If you’re interested in these, get a larger pack .  Our kids loved these so much they crinkled them to death, to the point where we couldn’t collapse some of them anymore.  They’re great to play with, but will only survive so long.

Stretched Strings

Stringed instruments are capable of producing a wide range of pitches.  We’re going to create a simple exercise with one string to experiment with how this concept works.

The popsicle stick in this case is like the bridge on a guitar or violin.  Adding or removing weight from the bucket is similar to adjusting the tuners.  It changes the tension on the string which results in a change in pitch.  More tension makes the pitch higher, and less tension gives a lower pitch.  This simple principle is what makes stringed instruments work.

What do you think would happen if you tried a thicker fishing line or different string?  How would it affect the sound?

Pipe Organ with Cardboard Tubes

DIY Soundproofing

We’re going to look at two major factors: Materials and Shape. Have you ever noticed how some rooms or spaces echo sound and some do not? The surface materials have much to do with how sound waves travel within that space. Materials like tile or concrete reflect the sound, while softer materials like carpeting or foam absorb the sound.

The sound is dampened by the egg carton and towels.  The materials are soft, and absorb the sound instead of reflecting it.  The surface of the egg carton is uneven and reflects the sound at a number of angles, weakening it. 

Science Experiments with Sound – Wrap Up

More fun activities.

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Sound Experiment – Sound Absorption and Reflection

May 7, 2013 By Emma Vanstone 2 Comments

Today, I am very excited and honoured to have the lovely Maggy Woodley guest posting for us. Maggy blogs at Red Ted Art  and has a great sound science experiment to show us.

Hello! Lovely to be visiting Science Sparks again. I think Science Sparks is doing AMAZING things in getting families and bloggers into science. Everyone is doing it now, be it in Science Hangouts or just having fun with the kids at home. HOORAY for Science Sparks. This makes it even more humbling to be here today with our simple sound experiment!

I usually blog at Red Ted Art and Life At The Zoo. Over on Red Ted Art, we have been making guitars. Which, of course, have a fabulous Science element to them: Acoustics! What is sound, and how does it work?

What is sound?

Let’s recap: Sound is Energy. An energy that is caused by something moving backwards and forward – like the vibration on a guitar’s string.

Sound reflection

For Science Sparks, we explored what happened to sound in different environments – have you ever been in a room with nothing in it? Does it sound echo-y? What is going on?

What is acoustics?

A smooth flat surface – such as brick, metal or wood, reflects sound – it makes it bounce and come back straight at us. Making it often sound louder (as we have lots of sound waves heading our way) and sometimes echo-y (depending on how large the room is and how long it takes for the sound to “come back to us”). This doesn’t happen in a room that has a sofa, carpet and curtains – the soft furnishings absorb the sound.

Sound experiment

We can test this with our toy guitar!

We did three things and guessed what the sound would be like:

1) our fingers only

2) the container and elastic bands

3) the container, and bands, stuffed with a tea towel.

Fingers 

We have an elastic band on it’s own – we can hear it, but we have to listen really closely. It also sounds “deeper”. The sound is sent in all directions and “lost” in the large room we are in.

We have our empty container with the strings.

The sound is much louder and clear. As expected you can really hear the different notes clearly.

 The container stuffed

He stuffed a tea towel into the container – assuming it would absorb most of the sound. It DID sound a tiny bit quieter, but not as much as expected. I suspect that this is because our strings are wrapped all around the container and that it is still reflecting a sufficient amount of noise energy. Yes, some is absorbed, but we would have to stuff it with more to make more of a difference.

This is the fun of science – thinking about what you expect, observing what is happening and discussing results and finding explanations. I am now on a mission to find some objects that fully muffle our guitar (I suspect placing our duvet all around our container AND stuff it with something REALLY soft, will achieve the desired result!).

Thanks for having us and letting us explore Acoustics with this super simple sound experiment .

Last Updated on January 9, 2023 by Emma Vanstone

Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

Reader Interactions

May 13, 2013 at 8:47 pm

This is fantastic – and what a great idea to explore science of music and how reflection and absorption of the sound can be changed.

Thank you for linking up to Tuesday Tots just to let you know that I will be featuring this over on Rainy Day Mum this week.

July 22, 2013 at 4:16 pm

Thanks for sharing in this in the After School Link Up! I’ve featured Exploring Music with Kids this week including your link as a feature! http://theeducatorsspinonit.blogspot.com/2013/07/music-ideas-for-summer-fun-after-school.html

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5 Sound Wave Experiments for Kids

This post may contain affiliate links.

Teaching little ones about the 5 senses can be so much fun!  Today I want to show you some fun and easy sound wave experiments you can do with your kids!

Sound Wave Experiments for Kids:

Following are five fun sound wave experiments you can make at home with just a few simple supplies. Your kids or students will love them.   If you are teaching about the human body and how ears work, or maybe have a lesson on the five senses, I am sure you will find one of these that will work perfectly for you!

Experiment  #1  The Magic Ear Trick

The first sound wave experiment is this magic ear trick.   This sound trick makes you think the sound is coming from the opposite direction from where it really is coming from. It tricks your brain!  We saw this at a science museum a few years back and my kids had so much fun with it that we wanted to try to recreate it at home.

To make it, you need small tubing (I got this fish tank tubing ), two small plastic funnels and a piece of PVC pipe or paper towel tube.

Attach a funnel to the end of each piece of tubing. We secured ours with duct tape .

Put the tubing through the pipe with each one going in the opposite direction.

Place the end pieces in each ear.

Have someone talk into the different funnels. You could move it up behind their head so they don’t know which one you are talking into. Then let them guess which side you are talking on. It will be the opposite ear from where you are making it like a magic trick!

It’s really funny to watch kids faces when they hear it. I love his confused look in that picture above!  It got my son laughing so hard that he could not tell where the noise was coming from!

What’s Happening?

The sound is traveling through the tubes, Your brain thinks the one on the right will be heard in the right ear, but it is the opposite!  It tricks your mind and confuses you!

Sound Wave Experiment #2 The Ringing Fork on a String

For this simple sound wave experiment you just need a fork or a spoon tied onto a piece of yarn.  Make sure the yarn is long enough to hang down from your ears to around your chest or stomach.  Tie the fork right in the center of the piece of yarn or string.

Now, tuck the ends of the yarn into your ears and tap the fork on an object. You will hear a large gonging sound or a ringing in your ears!  The funny thing about this is that nobody else hears it like you do.  And everyone is shocked at how loud the sound is!

The Science Behind It:

When the fork hits another surface it will vibrate.  These vibrations make the air around it move, too.  These are sound waves! The vibrations, or sound waves, move up the string and allow your ears to hear it. Sound travels best through a solid object, no the air.

Sound Wave Experiment #3 Make a Cup and String Phone

This is a great classic experiment that’s been around as long as I can remember. But it is still so much fun to do with young kids!   You need two plastic or paper cups and a long piece of string or yarn.

Poke a small hole in the bottom of each cup.  Put the string through the holes and tie knots on the inside to keep the string in place.  Do this with both cups.

Now pull the string tight- it needs to be tight for the phone to work and the sound waves to be able to travel through the string. On person puts the phone to his or her ear and the other to their mouth. Whisper or talk quietly into the cup and the other person will hear the sound of your voice in the cup!

My kids like to make two to use at once, then they can both talk and listen without switching the cups back and forth.

When we talk, our vocal cords vibrate beginning the motion of the sound waves.  Our ears have tiny hairs inside that pick up those sound wave vibrations and send them to our brain to translate.  When you talk through the phone, the string carries those waves from one cup to the other allowing us to hear each other!

Experiment #4 Make a Buzzing Bug Noisemaker

This is a fun experiment!  You can find all of the instructions to make it here:  Sound Experiment: Buzzing Bug Noisemaker Toy

This buzzing bug noisemaker simulates the sound of insect wings that bus when they fly.  It’s simple to make and kids love playing with them! You just spin them around and listen to them buzz.

Sound Wave Experiment #5  Seeing Sound Waves~ Dancing Sugar

This is an easy experiment to put together and a great visual for seeing how sound waves work!

Put a phone in a glass.  Turn on some loud music with a lot of great bass.  Cover the glass with plastic wrap and sprinkle some  grains of sugar on top of the plastic wrap.  You will be able to see the sugar dance!  It is really cool.

Now explain to the kids how this works!  The vibrations from the sound waves are making the sugar move.

Expand this lesson on ears and sound  by reading The Ear Book by Al Perkins with your kids. It’s such a fun one!

Want more sensory activities for the 5 senses? Check these ones out:

• Try this Guess the Spice Activity for the sense of smell.
• Try this Tapioca Pearl Sensory Play activity for the sense of touch.
• Try a Cake Chemistry Experiment for the sense of taste.
• Try Color Mixing with Light for the sense of sight.
• Five Senses Activities for Kids

Former school teacher turned homeschool mom of 4 kids. Loves creating awesome hands-on creative learning ideas to make learning engaging and memorable for all kids!

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Want to add FUN to your Math block?

Light & Sound Activities & Lesson Plans for First Grade

Teaching Science has definitely  not been my favorite subject to teach…even in first grade! It always seemed so challenging to explain such difficult concepts to kids! I’m hopeful these ideas for teaching light & sound worksheets and activities will be as helpful for you as they were for me. 👇

I’m not gonna lie…I often pushed Science off in my plan book because I wouldn’t want to face the questions from first graders {lame, I know!} When my school district decided to move over to the Next Generation Science Standards, I knew I had to get ahead of this curve and dive in deep. I set out to create easy to understand and do science lessons!

I am SO excited for my first unit in the 1st Grade Standards, Sound & Light ! You guys, this labor of love was created so that ALL of us can easily teach the NGSS and actually understand it!

This unit is chock-full of step-by-step lessons, experiments, anchor charts, book suggestions, YouTube videos , response sheets and more to make sure your students understand Sound & Light through hands-on experiments and investigations.

Each lesson includes a learning target, background information, talking points, a book suggestion, and

Background Info for the Teacher & Prepping for Lessons

When I taught from our Science curriculum, I was always so overwhelmed by how much background info was provided! Was I going to be tested at the end? Eeeek!

In this Sound & Light Investigations unit  I’ve shared  just the right   amount of information to totally “get” what you’re teaching! There are also easy-to-understand vocabulary posters to help your students understand these big ideas!

Each of the investigations uses super simple materials that you have around your classroom or can easily get from parents.  I’ve included a Materials List to make gathering these goodies easy!

I’ve also included a Family Letter to inform your students’ families about what they’re learning about!

What is a Scientist? Activity

Kick off the unit by chatting about what being a scientist actually means!

Kids L•O•V•E science! Get them thinking about just what a Scientist does! It’s fun to gauge their thinking and start meaningful conversations about science.  The bonus is that your students will start to see themselves as scientists!

I had SO much fun doing these experiments when I was making this unit, so I am certain you will, too! The best part – your students will  definitely have fun and learn about light & sound along the way!

Sound Activities & Lesson Plan Ideas for 1st Grade

You’ll start this set of sound explorations by taking your kiddos outside for a sound hunt.  Give them a while to explore and record the sounds they hear using their senses.  They’ll fill out a mini book and add their sounds to a poster.

Once your students have an awareness that sound is  everywhere , you’ll move into lessons to get them making sounds and understanding sound waves.

This kazoo is SURE to be a hit in that exploration!

In the following lessons, students will continue to explore how sound moves and how they can change the sound things make.  Simple supplies from around your classroom will give students a chance to make their very own instruments!

Thankfully I had this cutie to help me test out this hanger instrument! This lesson helps students see how sound moves through different materials.

The final lesson in the sound exploration gives students a chance to see how sound moves through solids, liquids & gases.

By the end of these experiments, students will have a good understanding of sound! I’ve included book suggestions, YouTube links, and additional ways to extend the lessons!

Light Activities & Lesson Plans for 1st Grade

Here’s a peek at all the lessons for sound.

To start, your students will explore why light is needed! Without light, we can’t see anything!

Then, you’ll move into a discussion about Natural vs. Artificial light.

The students will follow up the discussion with this PowerPoint game.  Check out a sneak peek below!

After understanding that light is necessary to see and that there are various ways to see light, you’ll move into a bit meatier ideas.  In the next lesson, kids will investigate different materials to see how light reacts.

Grab some cheap flashlights from the dollar store and a few different cups and you’re all set to go!

Through exploration, the students will see that light affects transparent, opaque, and translucent materials differently!

By far, my favorite lesson is #4 – Eye Tricks!

Students will do a light experiment to see just how refraction works! I bet this will be a crowd pleaser in your classroom!

Check it out in action!

Have you ever met a kid who  doesn’t love a mirror? Well, turn that fun and curiosity into some learning with these explorations. 

Students will explore with mirrors, toys, and lights to see what happens with light!

To wrap up your light study, you’ll give students a chance to head outside and explore shadows!

Lesson Ideas to Better Understand Sound & Light

To show their learning, students will wrap up the unit combining their knowledge of sound and light!

First up, they’ll create a telephone using string and cups. Don’t you remember doing this when you were a kid? Now, you can do it again…and share the science behind it!

And the final project will be creating a way to communicate with a friend…without speaking! Your students are sure to get creative with this activity!

Recap of Sound & Light Activities and Lesson Plans for 1st Grade

I promise this entire Sound & Light Investigations unit is TEACHER friendly! The kids will have so much fun learning and exploring that they won’t even realize they’re learning those new Next Generation Science Standards!

Go find it in The Lucky Shop here!

Want to check out some Sound & Light books for teaching this unit? This post has my favorite light and sound books!

• Published: September 4, 2017
• Updated on: February 13, 2024
• Filed Under: Science

One Response

Hi, Thank you for the great FOSS info. We are also teaching Sound and Light for the first time. Can you share what your report card grades for this unit?

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Science Experiments

How to See Sound Science Experiment

What does sound look like? This fun 5-item science experiment helps kids “see” sound waves and have fun while doing it.

In this article, we include a demonstration video, a supplies list, detailed printable instructions, experiment variations, and an easy to understand scientific explanation of how it works.

Bonus: Kids love this experiment because not only are they allowed to make loud drumming noises, it’s required!

JUMP TO SECTION:   Instructions  |  Video Tutorial  |  How it Works

Supplies Needed

• Plastic Wrap
• 1 teaspoon Uncooked Rice
• Metal Pan (Cookie Sheets or Pans are good options, but they must be metal)
• Metal Spoon

How to See Sound Lab Kit – Only $5

Use our easy How to See Sound Science Lab Kit to grab your students’ attention without the stress of planning!

It’s everything you need to  make science easy for teachers and fun for students  — using inexpensive materials you probably already have in your storage closet!

How to See Sound Science Experiment Instructions

Step 1 – Tear off a piece of plastic wrap big enough to cover the top of the bowl.

Step 2 – Secure the plastic wrap over the bowl. Make sure that the plastic wrap is very tight.

Step 3 – Pour 1 teaspoon of uncooked rice on the top of the plastic wrap.

Step 4 – Hold the metal pan in the air and position it next to the bowl. What do you think will happen if you hit the pan with the spoon?

Helpful Tip: Remember, the pan must be metal or the experiment won’t work.

Step 5 – Take the metal spoon and bang on the metal pan like a drum and watch what happens to the rice. Write down your observations. Do you know the why the rice moved? Find out the answer in the how does this experiment work section below.

Video Tutorial

How to See Sound Science Experiment Step by Step Instructional Video

How Does the Experiment Work?

Sound is a disturbance that travels through a medium as a wave. In this experiment, when you hit the metal pan with the spoon, you disturb the particles of the pan causing them to vibrate. The vibrations in the pan are transferred to the air surrounding the pan, creating a sound wave.

When these sound waves reach the plastic wrap it disturbs the particles of the plastic wrap causing them to vibrate. These vibrations in the plastic wrap cause the rice to move. Sound waves traveling through the air are also what allow us to hear the noise of the spoon hitting the pan.

Other Ideas to Try

Try this experiment again, but change the distance of the pan from the bowl. As you move the pan farther away from the bowl, do the sound waves have the same effect on the rice grains?

I hope you enjoyed the experiment. Here are some printable instructions:

Instructions

• Tear off a piece of plastic wrap big enough to cover the top of the bowl.
• Secure the plastic wrap over the bowl. Make sure that the plastic wrap is very tight.
• Pour 1 teaspoon of uncooked rice on the top of the plastic wrap.
• Hold the metal pan in the air and position it next to the bowl
• Take the metal spoon and bang on the metal pan like a drum and watch what happens to the rice.

Reader Interactions

September 27, 2016 at 2:29 pm

I am trying to see the answer for the “Why can’t we see sound?” but I xan’t find it here. Can you help me, please?

February 2, 2017 at 11:37 pm

Invisible sound waves

May 21, 2019 at 9:57 pm

Sound is a vibration

March 12, 2017 at 10:15 pm

Because when you hit the tin it makes a hard and loud noise.

December 7, 2017 at 2:44 pm

This was an amazing experiment ever

January 31, 2018 at 5:08 pm

It is because the rice is having potential energy while it is on the wrap. Than and only then when you hit the pan is when it turns to kinetic energy.

October 31, 2018 at 8:56 pm

The sound waves bounce off the pan and travel to the drum. The drum vibrates and the rice jumps.

January 26, 2019 at 5:32 pm

Why can’t I get this to work

does the type of plastic wrap matter?

March 9, 2020 at 8:21 pm

it doesn’t work for me too 🙁

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The Science of Waves: Awesome Sound Experiment for Kids

By: Author Jacquie Fisher

Posted on Published: April 16, 2019

Categories Kids Activities & Crafts , Science Experiments

One of the coolest sound wave experiments your kids will ever try!

We love doing simple science experiments and every once in a while, we find a GEM.

It’s a simple, easy and pretty awesome experiment that explores the science of sound waves and how they travel .

Sound Experiment for Kids

So many of the science activities we do are ones that I’ve experienced before but are new to our kids. 

And honestly, as they approach Middle School age, it’s getting harder and harder to impress them 😉

But THIS ONE! 

This is one of those really cool experiments that they thought was super cool and even I was impressed with ( and as my husband will tell you, I’m not easily impressed 😉

I should have titled this “ Make Your Own Gong Using a Spoon and Fork ” — because that’s exactly what you’ll get to do!

Like our How does a Leaf Breathe? experiment , this sound wave project also explores the invisible side of science.

As you begin this vibration experiment, explain to your kids that you are going to test how sound travels. 

They may not realize that when a ‘noise’ is made, it creates sound waves (which are not visible) that travel through the air and to our ears. 

As with any of our experiments, we always start with a good book to help explain the science concepts!

Books about the Science of Sound Waves

Here are a few great books to pair with this activity along with affiliate links so you can easily learn more about each one:

Sounds All Around (Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science 1) is part of an amazing science book series that cover all the topics under the sun!  This book explains how sound waves travel, how your ear receives sound and answers for more of the questions kids will ask.

And another fun book, What’s That Sound (Science Solves It! ) has facts & activities related to sound – perfect for kids ages 6 – 10 years old.

Sound Experiments for Kids

You’ll need a few items that I’m sure you can easily find around the house — the affiliate links in our list will give you a quick description of each item:

• A ruler (we found a wooden or heavy plastic ruler worked best)
• Two different size spoons (try using a teaspoon and a serving spoon )
• About 4 feet of string or yarn (this will depend on how tall you are as you can see below)

First, create a loop in the middle of the yarn/string and insert the handle of the spoon. 

Pull tightly so that the spoon hangs in the center of the yarn/string and you have two long pieces of approximately equal length.

Then make a face at your Mom when she asks to take your photo ( this is an optional step, of course ) 🙂

Take each string and wrap them around your pointer finger on each hand. 

Then push the string against each ear (not into the ear but just outside like you are going to plug your ears because you don’t want to hear your Mom ask you to do your chores 🙂 

You’ll want the spoon to hang just below the waist once both ends of the yarn are placed near the ears.

You can see in this photo that you don’t have to use the end of each piece of yarn/string — in fact, as you do the experiment, change how high or low the spoon hangs to see if it changes the sound.

Ok, here’s the big moment …

Once the string in pushed against the ears, have someone GENTLY hit the ruler against the round part of the spoon — and watch the look on your child’s face (priceless!)

Warning : Kids often think that the HARDER they hit the spoon, the louder the sound — be sure to test out this theory too!

If you are using a small spoon, you should hear a distinct bell sound — with a larger spoon, it will sound more like a gong.

Pretty cool!

The Science Behind Sound Wave Experiments

Here’s what’s really happening during the activity — I’ve highlighted some of the science terms that you can introduce to kids when discussing this experiment:

When the ruler hits the spoon, it creates vibrations which make sound waves.  These sound waves travel up the yarn/string and to the ear instead of just spreading out into the air around you.

The yarn acts as a conductor — an object that allows sound waves to travel.

Depending on the size of the spoon and the length of yarn, the sound will appear higher (like a church bell) or deeper (like a gong).

And because the yarn allows the sound waves to continue to travel, the sound of the spoon will resonate or reverberate — meaning they will continue for a while after you have hit the spoon.

Another thing we found was that the only one who can hear the bell or gong sound will be the person with the string near their ears — which we thought was also pretty cool. 

Everyone else in the room will just hear a faint ‘tink’ when the ruler hits the spoon.

More Ideas for Sound Experiments

Ok, we wanted to play around with the experiment a little more — so we also used a serving fork (which is larger than a regular fork).

Do this too and you’ll see that the tines on the fork create a totally different sound.

You can also try different types of yarn/string — you’ll find that the more dense the string, the better the sound will travel.

For more sound wave experiments, try

• the Geeker Speaker Lab Kit which shows you how to make sound waves visible with 5 different experiments!
• the Science of Sound box from Steve Spangler includes up to 10 sound experiments kids can do !

And don’t forget to see all of our simple science experiments!

If you’re looking for more ideas that explore sound waves, try these items:

More Human Body Science Experiments

Fingerprint Science for Kids

How Long are Your Small Intestines?

Looking for more Easy Science Experiments?  Try these!

How do Leaves Breathe?

How much Water is in Snow?

Does Your Food Sink or Float?

27 Simple Science Experiments  

 You might also like:

20 Science Experiments in a Jar

My Mundane and Miraculous Life

Sound Science Experiments for Preschoolers

September 2, 2015 By Julie 5 Comments

We’ve been studying music in our home preschool . The natural thing to explore during science time??? SOUND!

Three bowls of varying sizes

Three jars of the same size

Metal Spoon

Plastic Cling Wrap

Directions:

Start by covering the three bowls with cling wrap. My son immediately started drumming on them. We discussed the different tones coming from each drum and way that might be the case.

Discover the MOST  

​ {EFFECTIVE SENSORY ACTIVITY}  

​ at Preventing Meltdowns

When you take this quiz, you'll receive a free report that outlines what your child's sensory needs are and what sensory activity will help them thrive, based on your unique situation.

I wanted my son to visual how sound is really a wave vibrating. So first I tried placing rice on the top of the drum. The rice certainly danced when we drummed on it, but it didn’t move when we just used our voices.

So I switched to sugar.

Oh man did those little guys hop when my son and I hummed! It was so exciting to see the concept click in my son’s head!

After that, we switched to the jars. Loopy was very surprised to observe that the jars, though the same size, made different noises because of various water levels! I let him take the lead in this as he poured and emptied jars, trying to get the sound he was looking for.

Looking for a group of like-minded parents that are educating their preschoolers at home? Join our exclusive, private Facebook Group and let’s learn from each other!!! 

Julie is a frazzled mom of three tornadoes. As a dorky second-generation homeschooler, she writes about learning and play, natural living, special needs parenting and matters of the heart. She serves an astounding God that radically saved her.

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Abby Connors says

July 20, 2017 at 1:42 pm

Never tried this with SUGAR! Great idea! Can’t wait to try it in my music classes!

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How to Make a DIY Instrument with Simple Materials + Sound Science Experiments

February 3, 2021 by Ana Dziengel Leave a Comment

In today’s engineering challenge for kids, we are going to do 4 sound experiments and then use what we learn to make DIY instruments out of simple materials.

This project is sponsored by SAE International’s A World In Motion® (AWIM) STEM program. 

My youngest son is a musical fanatic. He has always been sensitive to sounds and music and asked us at age 5 to start taking piano lessons. His holiday wish list included a snare drum (which my neighbors may still be bemoaning) and cymbal. We have been happy to oblige his fascination with musical instruments because of the benefits of being able to read and play music, and because it’s just plain fun to hear him perform!

If you have a musical child at home today’s challenge is for them.  On second thought,  ALL children will love this challenge but it will be especially well received by kids with a love of music. Case in point: My son has been walking around the house with a tuning fork all week!

Psst…AWIM is giving away one of their Making Music complete kits! Scroll down to enter!

Today’s sound science experiments and project are adapted from  SAE International’s A World In Motion® (AWIM) Making Music  Classroom Kit and the associated online module.    I am very excited to be partnering up again with SAE AWIM on this fourth and final engineering challenge. You can see the three previous challenges here:

• Skimmer Engineering Challenge
• Make a Paper Parachute Toy Based on Nature
• Easy {and offline} Coding Games for Kids    

AWIM developed a special at-home module to accompany this project. It’s called  A World of Sounds  and you can see it  here .  The module includes games, videos, and interactive online sound experiments that kids will love!  I suggest using it alongside and in addition to today’s project.

AWIM has been providing hands-on STEM experiences in classrooms around the globe for over 30 years, enabling students to develop the 21st century skills needed to succeed in real-world work environments and connect classroom learning with real-life application. Supported by the generous donors of the SAE Foundation, they have reached more than 6 million students worldwide and engaged more than 30,000 STEM industry professionals as volunteers.

For Parents:  As we continue hybrid and distance learning, SAE has been generously sharing their educational resources online for families at home. The program is called SAE STEM@Home and the resources include digital storybooks, a curated selection of engineering projects, and learning modules to go further in your at-home explorations.  See the resources here.

For Educators:  It’s been a big challenge to incorporate enrichment activities into hybrid and distance learning school days. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be done! Consider using a challenge like today’s DIY instruments project as an optional engineering activity students can try at home.  You can learn more about their classroom based programs here .

The Challenge:

Like earlier challenges, today’s project is presented as an engineering problem. To start, your kids will read the letter below (included in the printable) from a fictitious toy company:

Dear Students:

We need your help! The mission of EarthToy Designs, Inc., is to develop and promote toys that are fun and exciting. EarthToyDesigns is creating a new music makers kit. We want to create a kit that will allow young people to make a musical instrument. The goal of the instrument is to:

• Create music with 3 different sounds
• Have a way to tune or change the sound
• Make noise that is loud enough to be heard from across a room.

Our EarthToy engineers are seeking fresh ideas from kids like you. That’s why we need your help! We need you to investigate how sounds of different things are made and how sound can be made louder. We suggest that your teams take the following steps to help us :

• Learn how sound travels.
• Conduct experiments to figure out how different sounds are made.
• Design a musical instrument that meets all of our needs.

This project is presented in 2 parts:

First we will conduct 4 simple sound science experiments to understand how sound travels and how to amplify it. Then we will use that knowledge to design DIY instruments using simple materials.

PART 1: Simple Sound Science Experiments

To help us design our own DIY instruments, let’s experiment with how sounds travel and how to make it louder. First let’s learn what sound is. 

Sound  is an audible vibration that moves in waves through a medium such as air or water. The following 4 experiments will explore different aspects of sound.

NOTE: For 2 of the 4 experiments you will need a tuning fork. You can find them fairly inexpensive online  here  and they are worth having! 

• A tuning fork/small mallet 
• Plastic wrap
• Rubber Bands
• Geoboards OR plastic cups
• Styrofoam Cup

Experiment # 1: How Does Sound Move?

In this experiment kids will “see” sound as it moves through a thick medium of water.

Materials:  Tuning fork/mallet, bowl, water

Instructions: 

• Add water to a bowl on a waterproof surface (trust me!)
• Hit the tuning fork with a mallet. Place it near your ear to hear the sound it makes. Hit it again and touch your fingers to the fork to feel the sound vibrations.
• Hit the tuning fork with the mallet and gently lower it into the bowl of water. The sound waves will be transferred to the water and make it splatter!

What is happening:   Sound is a vibration that travels in waves. The waves cannot be seen but they can be detected by our ears. Sound is transmitted through air, water, and solids. When you hit the tuning fork with the mallet, invisible sound waves move out from the fork. When you lower the fork into the water the sound waves are transferred to the water, causing it to splatter!

Experiment # 2: There’s a Drum in My Ear?

In this experiment kids will learn how our ears hear by making a replica of an eardrum. 

Materials:  Tuning fork/mallet, bowl, plastic wrap, rubber band, dry rice

• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or cling film. If it’s not sticking to the rim of the bowl, secure it in place with a rubber band. It must be taut.
• Sprinkle some grains of rice on top of the plastic wrap.
• Hit the tuning fork with the plastic mallet. Hold it on its side and gently touch it to the plastic wrap. The rice will jump up!

What is happening:  

When sound enters our ears it is funneled down the ear canal to the eardrum. The eardrum vibrates and causes bones in the inner ear to move, stimulating receptor cells which then stimulate the brain.

Sound is a type of energy that causes air particles to vibrate and bump into each other. As the air particles collide, the sound moves through the air. When you hold the vibrating tuning fork to your homemade “drum,” the energy of the sound waves is transferred to the top of the drum, causing the surface to vibrate which in turn causes the lightweight rice to jump up in the air!

Experiment # 3: Stringing it Along!

In this experiment kids will learn about frequency and pitch by plucking different lengths of stretched rubber bands.

Materials:  Geoboards or plastic cups, rubber bands,  toy xylophone (optional) 

• If you have a toy xylophone, start by demonstrating what pitch is by playing the notes up and down the xylophone. Note that the length of the bar determines the pitch of the sound.
• String a rubber band on the geoboard in a shape with unequal edges. 
• Pluck each side of the shape and listen carefully to the sound it makes. How does the length of the rubber bands change the way it sounds?
• Make a drawing of your shape on the template and note which sides have low, medium, and high pitch.

ALTERNATIVE:  If you don’t have a geoboard you may use plastic cups as follows: Take 3 small plastic cups and stretch a different sized rubber band over each cup. Pluck each rubber band and listen to the different pitches based on how taut the rubber band is across the cup.

What is happening:  Strings of different lengths, widths, and tightness vibrate at different frequencies.  Frequency  is the number of times per second that sound waves repeat themselves.  Pitch  is our ears’ response to the frequency of a sound. High frequency sounds are high in pitch and low frequency sounds are low in pitch. As you change the length and tightness of each string it produces a different pitch.

Experiment # 4: Make It Louder!

In this experiment kids will learn how sound is amplified.

Materials:  Styrofoam cup, slinky

• Place the bottom of the Styrofoam cup into the Slinky as far as it can go.
• Hold the open end of the cup up to your ear.
• Stretch out the Slinky and gently move it up and down. Listen to how much louder the sound is as it moves through the cup.

What is happening:  Sound is  amplified  (made louder) in many different ways. One way to do this is by funneling sound through a smaller area. Another is to use a material that vibrates well. The Styrofoam cup both funnels the sound through its round cylindrical shape and is made from a lightweight material that really channels sound vibrations. When you place the Slinky on the bottom of the cup, move it, and hold the cup up to your ear, the sound of the metal coil moving is greatly amplified.

PART 2: Make Your Own DIY Instrument 

Now we are going to take all the information we learned from the experiments above and use it to design a musical instrument that meets the following parameters as outlined in the letter from EarthToy Designs.

• Have a way to tune or change the sound.

Age Appropriateness: 6+

Gather a variety of materials from around the house to make the instruments.  We used the materials included in the  Making Music Educational Kits  and a few extras.

• Plastic bowls
• Paper Clips
• String/Yarn
• Craft Sticks
• Paper Plates
• Aluminum containers + lids
• Plastic cups
• Plastic lids
• Duct Tape 

Make a DIY Instrument Instructions 

Place the materials on a large work surface. After discussing the challenge with your children it’s time to start experimenting! Have your children begin testing the materials and start designing an instrument that satisfies the design requirements. Give them plenty of room to experiment and play.

Here are a few combinations we tried:

• Paper Plate + Rice + Paper Clips + Bells
• Plastic Bowl + Rubber Bands + Craft Sticks + Duct Tape
• Aluminum Bowl + Rice + Lid
• Plastic Lids + Ride + Crafts Sticks + Duct Tape
• Craft Sticks + Plastic Cups + Rubber Bands + String
• Plastic Bowl + Paper Plate + Bells
• Plastic Cups + Balloons + Rubber bands + Crafts Sticks

Test your design

Once your children have started working, make sure they periodically test their design. It should meet all the criteria set forth in the letter from EarthToy Designs. 

Note:  Not all of our designs met the criteria. That’s okay! Encourage mistakes! Designers often come up with wonderful designs that don’t quite meet the criteria. If your child’s design doesn’t meet all the criteria, ask if they can modify it. If they can’t, ask them to use what they learned to make a new design.

When your child has a final design, have someone stand across the room and make sure that the instrument can be heard.

Add some color!

Not only do musical instruments make sounds, many of them have beautiful designs. Add some decorative elements to your instrument and make it fun!

Let’s Talk STEAM

While designing a musical instrument kids will be learning about the related processes taht scientist and engineers use to understand phenomena and solve problems.

Science 

Scientists use a process called scientific inquiry when they work. Here are the steps a scientist takes:

• Observation
• Data collection
• Experimentation
• Communication of findings

Engineering

Engineers use a similar set of steps (called the design process) when they work with one key difference. They use the knowledge gained through their experiments to solve a problem. In this case the problem is to make a musical instrument  that meets the 3 criteria in the letter. 

Here are the design process steps broken down:

• Define the problem 
• Conduct Research   
• Design and Prototyping:  Prototyping is the process by which engineers build different models or samples to test their design.
• Refinement 
• Final Product

Take it further

If your kids enjoyed this I highly recommend you check out the AWIM module  A World of Sounds here .  There are more games and experiments featuring sound that your kids will love!

I hope your kids enjoy experimenting with sound and making instruments as much as my kids did!  I have loved working with SAE/AWIM on the 4 design challenges over the past 6 months and I hope you check out all the other wonderful resources for parents and educators they have here on   AWIM’s SAE STEM@Home . 

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Posted on Last updated: November 24, 2020 By: Author Kim

Categories STEM Activities

How Did You Hear That? Simple Sound Science for Kids

Simple Sound Science Activities for Kids

Let’s talk about sound.  My children are very familiar with it, at least they are quite good at volume.  Kids are really great at producing sound, and most of them enjoy being loud.

So why not take advantage of that interest and talk about how sound works.  How do we hear sounds? What are sound waves?  Can we see sound?  Give your children an excuse to be loud for an afternoon.  Here are 4 easy and fun sound science experiments for toddlers and preschoolers.

What's In This Post?

What are Sound Waves?

How does sound work.

Before we get into the fun activities, let’s learn a bit about how sound works.

What is sound?  Sound is carried by waves, not unlike the waves we looked at when we learned about color .  These waves require a medium to travel through, which on earth is the atmosphere that surrounds us.

We can’t see them, but there are millions of molecules floating around everywhere.  These molecules transfer energy, which is how a wave moves.

This is the same way colors move as waves through the atmosphere.  The difference between sound and color is that color comes from light waves and sound waves come from vibration.

Sounds originate through some sort of vibration.  Think of hitting a gong.  When you strike it, it vibrates.  These vibrations are energy waves that travel through the air.

Only unlike color, which is perceived with the eye, these waves interact with our eardrums.  Our eardrums vibrate and pass on the waves to our inner ear, where our brain can perceive it as sound.

(There is more to the anatomical part of hearing, but our focus right now is on the sound waves outside of the ear.)

Want more wave science? Learn how colors work!

Properties of Sound Waves

There are two big properties that describe sound waves: frequency and amplitude .

Frequency is how quickly the wave is moving.  Is it a quick vibration that created the sound, or a slow one?

Frequency impacts pitch.  A fast frequency will create a higher pitch.  A slower frequency has a lower pitch.

This is a great time to explain pitch to little ones too.  It’s easy to demonstrate.  Speak in a high voice (like you just had some helium), this is a high pitch.  Have your child try it.  Then have them speak in a very low voice (I told Ben to talk like Daddy), this is a low pitch.

Amplitude is how big the wave is, and this affects volume.  (This is where the word amplifier comes from.) A big wave will have a loud sound.  A small wave will have a quiet sound.

Here is an example to help visualize these.  Think of a great big gong.  When you hit it big slow vibrations are created.  It makes a deep, loud sound.  This is because it has big waves that are moving slowly.

Now think of a tiny gong.  When you hit it you create small fast vibrations.  It makes a high sound and is quieter than the big gong.  This is because it has small waves moving quickly.

See waves in action with science by the pool.

Sound Wave Activities

Now that we know a bit about how sound waves work, let’s explore them in action!

Balloon Amplifier

Want to make the world’s easiest amplifier?

Blow up a balloon, hold it up, and tap on it.  It doesn’t make a super loud sound.  Next, hold the balloon up to your child’s ear and lightly tap on it.  It sounds pretty loud!

Why does this happen?  When you blow up a balloon you are packing it with air molecules.  They are very close together and transmit sound waves super well compared to the air just around us normally.

When we tapped the balloon while we were just holding it those waves had to move through the less compressed ambient air to get to our ears, and the sound is softer.

When we hold the balloon up to our ears the sound just has to get through the tightly packed molecules in the balloon and we hear a louder sound.  It is amplified.

Can you see sound?  Well, we can’t see the sound waves as they move through the air.  (Though picture the waves you see when you drop a rock into water. They look a lot like that!) But we can see the vibrations that create sound transmitted between surfaces with a little help.

• Plastic Wrap
• Uncooked Rice
• Metal Spoon

Put the plastic wrap tightly over the bowl.  (One sheet, as tight as you can get it.) Put about 1 teaspoon of rice on the plastic.

Then hold the metal pan close to the bowl and have your child hit it with the spoon.  The harder they hit it the better.  The rice will dance!

What is happening is that the pan vibrates, creating a sound wave.  This wave is transmitted through the air molecules and cause the plastic wrap to start vibrating as well, making the rice dance!

You are seeing the result of the sound waves in the rice.  Are any patterns formed? Try hitting the pan harder and then more gently.  How does the behavior of the rice change?

If you want to be a cool mom see if your child can hit the pan hard enough to bounce the rice right off the plastic!

Transmit Sound Through String

Remember making telephones with your friends using cans and string? Yeah, me neither.  I’m not that old.  (And how did kids drill holes in the cans anyway?)  But we can use this idea to show kids how sound travels through a medium.

• A Long Piece of Yarn
• 2 Spoons of Different Sizes

Take the yarn and tie it around the spoon so the spoon is in the middle of the piece.  Take the two long pieces on either side and have your child hold them up to their ears.

You want to bunch up the string loosely and have them put it in their ears.  Not too far (safety!), more like you are just trying to block out other sounds.  Then tap on the spoon with the pencil.  And watch their faces.

Hitting the spoon with the pencil causes the spoon to vibrate.   Remember, sound needs a medium to travel through, and in this case, the yarn is that medium.  It transmits the sound directly to your ears.

What makes it so much louder?  In an open room, sound waves transmit in all directions.  So what you hear is not everything that is being produced.  Air molecules are not very tightly packed, which also makes the sound less intense.

With the yarn most of the wave is being sent right to your sound receptors, making it more distinct and louder.

Have your child try the other spoon.  How do the sounds compare?  Try different lengths of string. What does that do to the sounds?

Want to make more music? Here are 5 easy DIY instruments to make at home!

How Do Echos Work?

How do echoes work? What makes you hear a sound a second and third time like that?

• 2 Paper Towel Tubes

Prop the pie pan up on a table so it is vertical.  Take one paper towel tube and place it on the table, angled a bit but aimed at the pie plate.  Take the other paper towel and have it angled the opposite way, also aimed at the pie plate.

Have your child put his ear to one of the tubes while you talk softly into the other.  You can hear what is said through the other tube!

The sound waves you create by speaking travel through the tube.  They are directed through the tubes, hit the pie plate, and bounce off, traveling back through the other tube.  You are hearing the echo.

An echo is when a sound wave bounces off of a surface.  Some surfaces are better for echoes than others.  For example, bathrooms are often very good at creating echoes.  This is because they are usually full of hard surfaces like tile that bounce back sound waves effectively.  A fun bath time activity is to explore your echo with your child.

These are simple and fun ways to demonstrate how sound waves work with kids.  And you don’t have to stop with these.  Make some musical instruments and see what other vibrations you can create.  (This is also a great sensory activity.  Learn why those are so important: The Big Benefits of Sensory Play )

Take a nature walk and tap on things with sticks.  Try making high pitches and low pitches.  Explore echoes.  Sounds are all around us.  Encourage your kids to take a listen and explore the science behind the sound.

Find your next fun activity!

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Sunday 24th of March 2019

My son absolutely loved these activities! We had a spoon on a string for days. Thank you so much for the ideas, it made our preschool time fun.

I'm so glad he liked it! We love the spoon one too. It's so exciting when our kids get into STEM!

Monday 9th of July 2018

These are wonderful activities! My girls are going to love learning about sound!

Saturday 23rd of June 2018

These are such fun and easy sound experiments! Great ideas.

kimcartwright

They were fun! It's cool to look at something we experience every day in a new light.

School • Things To Do

3 Fun and Easy Sound Experiments for Kids

May 15, 2022

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How do you explain ‘sound’? Why do we have two ears? Can you hear in space? Dr Naomi Lavelle from Dr How’s Science Wows explains and explores the science of sound with 3 fun and easy sound experiments for kids to try.

Science is all around us, from the air we breathe to everything we can see, smell, touch, taste and hear around us. Encouraging a love of science can start at a young age, and you can do plenty of easy science experiments at home using normal household items.

With these three simple sound experiments, your child can learn all about sound – perhaps something we don’t really think about too much?

YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY: Download Your FREE Fun Sound Scavenger Hunt for Kids

What is Sound?

Sound is a type of energy made by vibrations. These sound vibrations move through the air (or other matter) to our ear and our brain can then work out what we are hearing.

Sound vibrations travel as a type of wave that we cannot see. These sound waves need something containing molecules (particles) to travel through. Sound waves can travel through solids, liquids and gases (air), because they are made up of molecules. The molecules carry sound waves by bumping into each other, just like dominoes knocking each other over.

Did you know? Sound waves travel in water at a speed of nearly one mile (1.6 km) a second, which is more than four times faster than sound travels through air!

Why Do We Need Two Ears?

We need two ears to work out exactly where a noise is coming from. Our brain can compare the level of noise reaching each ear and calculate the position of the source of the noise.

Did you know? During the making of the film Jurassic Park , Stephen Spielberg wanted a dramatic effect to signal the arrival of the T. rex.

Inspiration finally came while he was driving home listening to Earth, Wind and Fire and noticed the vibration effect of the base rhythm.

In the film we see ripples in a glass of water, caused by the T. rex‛s footsteps. This special effect was achieved by someone plucking guitar strings under the dashboard.

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Can We Hear in Space?

Sound waves need molecules to travel through so, as there are no molecules in space (or very little), there is no sound in space.

Did you know? Thunder is the sound made by lightning? Sound travels in air at a speed of about one mile in five seconds.

If you count the seconds between seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder you can work out the distance from the source of the thunder.

For example, if you count ten seconds between the lightning and the thunder then you can tell the storm is about two miles away.

What is Echolocation?

An echo is made when sound waves you make bounce off a solid object and travel back to your ear. Some mammals use echoes to help to navigate and to find food – this is called echolocation.

Bats use echolocation to fly and hunt at night. They send out high pitched squeaks and clicks almost constantly. These sounds are called ultrasonic, they are too high for humans to hear. A bat can tell from the echoes bouncing back to it, where an object is, its size and shape and whether it is moving or not.

Whales and dolphins use echolocation just like bats, but the ultrasonic sounds they make travel through water instead of air.

Did you know? A bat can detect an object as small as a human hair using echolocation!

YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY: How to Make an Easy Homemade Lava Lamp

Download our 50 fun outdoor activities checklist for lots of great ideas to enjoy in the fresh air!

3 Fun Sound Experiments to Try at Home

#1. can you feel sound waves.

You Will Need:

What to Do: Blow up the balloon and tie it closed. Turn on the radio to a song with low base music. Hold the balloon between your two hands and hold it very near the speaker of the radio. What can you feel? Change to a different radio station and see if the vibrations change.

What is Happening? The sound coming from the radio makes the air near it vibrate. The air molecules in the balloon are squeezed more tightly together making them vibrate more strongly. We feel these vibrations in our hands.

#2. Can You Make Sound with Bottles?

• two identical bottles

What to Do: Fill one of the bottles two-thirds full with water and the other bottle one-third full. First, blow across the top of each of the bottles – which one makes a higher sound? Next, tap each of the bottles with the spoon – now which one makes the higher sound?

What is Happening? Blowing across the top of the bottles makes the air inside vibrate. The bottle with less air will make the higher sound. When you tap the bottles it is the water that vibrates. The bottle with less water will make the higher sound. Small amounts of air or water vibrate more quickly, making a higher sound.

Next Step: If you want to make this even more fun, you can use a lot of bottles with different amounts of water in each and see how many different sounds you can get!

#3. Can You Watch Sound Waves Travel?

• a small plastic drinking bottle (empty)
• a small piece of plastic (i.e. a plastic bag)
• an elastic band
• a tea-light candle

What to Do: Use the scissors to carefully cut the end off the plastic bottle (ask an adult to do it for you). Stretch the piece of plastic over the open end of the bottle and secure it using the elastic band. Ask an adult to light the tea-light for you, and remove the bottle cap. Hold the narrow end of the bottle near the flame and then tap on the plastic at the other end of the bottle. What happens to the flame?

What is Happening? When you tap the plastic it acts like a drum. The sound waves it creates make the air molecules vibrate. These vibrating molecules then make the molecules beside them vibrate. The vibrations travel through the air in the bottle and blow out the flame.

You can see these sound experiments demonstrated here:

Visit Science Wows for more fun science facts and experiments and follow Dr How on Facebook  and Twitter .

YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY: 18 Easy Science Experiments Perfect for Preschoolers

About the Author: Jill Holtz

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25 Python Projects for Beginners – Easy Ideas to Get Started Coding Python

Python is an incredibly versatile programming language used for web development, data analysis, artificial intelligence, and more. One of the best ways for beginners to learn Python is by building projects. Through hands-on coding, you‘ll grasp key programming concepts like variables, loops, conditionals, and functions.

Below are 25 beginner-friendly Python project ideas to help you get started coding in Python. The best approach is to watch the provided tutorial, re-build the project on your own, experiment by adding new features, and break things along the way! This will test whether you have truly understood the concepts.

1. Mad Libs

In this Kylie Ying tutorial , you‘ll learn string concatenation in Python by building a classic Mad Libs word game. You‘ll practice getting user input and working with f-strings to print dynamic results to the console.

2. Guess the Number (Computer)

This Kylie Ying tutorial teaches you to build a guess the number game where the computer randomly selects the number. You‘ll use Python‘s random module, build functions, use loops and conditionals, and get user input.

3. Guess the Number (User)

In this guess the number tutorial , the computer has to guess the user‘s number. You‘ll utilize Python‘s random module, build functions, use loops and conditionals, and get user input.

4. Rock, Paper, Scissors

This Kylie Ying tutorial teaches how to code the classic rock, paper, scissors game in Python. You‘ll use random choice, conditional statements, user input, and other core programming concepts.

In this Kylie Ying tutorial , you‘ll create the classic hangman guessing game with Python. You‘ll learn about nested conditionals, lists, string manipulation, and integrating with Python‘s random module.

6. Countdown Timer

This countdown timer tutorial teaches you to build a simple countdown timer with Python‘s time module. You‘ll get experience using while loops to execute code repeatedly.

7. Password Generator

Learn how to generate random secure passwords in this Python password generator tutorial . You‘ll take user input on the number and length of passwords to generate using Python‘s random module and loops.

8. QR Code Encoder/Decoder

This QR code tutorial shows how to generate QR codes that encode custom data and decode data from existing QR codes using the qrcode Python library.

9. Tic-Tac-Toe

Build a complete tic-tac-toe board game in this Python tic-tac-toe tutorial . Learn concepts like nested conditionals, Python‘s time module, and more.

10. Tic-Tac-Toe AI

In this tic-tac-toe AI tutorial , you‘ll build an unbeatable AI opponent using the minimax algorithm and recursion.

11. Binary Search

Learn how to implement the binary search algorithm for efficient searching in this binary search tutorial . Binary search is a common algorithm that comes up in interviews.

12. Minesweeper

Code the classic minesweeper game in this Python tutorial focusing on recursion and object-oriented programming.

13. Sudoku Solver

This sudoku solver tutorial teaches you to code a backtracking algorithm that can solve any Sudoku puzzle.

14. Photo Manipulation

Learn image processing by building your own photo editor in Python. Alter brightness, contrast, blur, and more.

15. Markov Chain Text Generator

Analyze song lyrics with Markov chains in this Python Markov chain tutorial . Explore basics of AI and natural language processing.

Code the classic pong game in Python with game development concepts like collision detection, key press events, game loops, and drawing graphics.

Learn OOP in Python by coding the classic snake game . Utilizes Pygame for graphics and game logic.

18. Connect Four

Build the classic connect four game with Python. Uses key concepts like Numpy, Pygame, and complex game logic.

Code your own Tetris game from scratch in Python. Learn about game loops, graphics, collision detection, and more with Pygame.

20. Online Multiplayer Game

Build an online multiplayer game you can play live with friends around the world. Uses networking and sockets.

21. Web Scraping Program

Collect data from web pages with Python by building a GitHub web scraper . Takes user input and outputs scraped data.

22. Bulk File Rename

Automate renaming files in bulk with this Python file renaming program . Traverse folders and use string manipulation to alter file names.

23. Weather App

Build a Python weather app that takes a location input and displays live weather data from a weather API.

24. Discord Chatbot

Code a Discord bot in Python and host it for free in the cloud. Integrate with Discord‘s API.

25. Space Invaders

Recreate the retro Space Invaders game with Python and Pygame.

I hope this list of projects gives you some fun ideas to get started coding Python! Let me know in the comments if you want me to make a tutorial on any of these projects. Happy coding!

Dr. Alex Mitchell is a dedicated coding instructor with a deep passion for teaching and a wealth of experience in computer science education. As a university professor, Dr. Mitchell has played a pivotal role in shaping the coding skills of countless students, helping them navigate the intricate world of programming languages and software development.

Beyond the classroom, Dr. Mitchell is an active contributor to the freeCodeCamp community, where he regularly shares his expertise through tutorials, code examples, and practical insights. His teaching repertoire includes a wide range of languages and frameworks, such as Python, JavaScript, Next.js, and React, which he presents in an accessible and engaging manner.

Dr. Mitchell’s approach to teaching blends academic rigor with real-world applications, ensuring that his students not only understand the theory but also how to apply it effectively. His commitment to education and his ability to simplify complex topics have made him a respected figure in both the university and online learning communities.

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