Conducting Science Experiments (Free Spanish Lessons for Kids)

Doing science experiments in Spanish is not only a brilliant way to introduce your kids to STEM but also to reinforce their Spanish knowledge and fluency!

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. STEM learning programs intend to prepare and inspire the students to pursue a career and education in those fields. It involves lessons, practical activities, and experiments that combine traditional teaching methods with online learning. 

While STEM programs are great for kids to learn about scientific topics, they’re also beneficial to reinforce a second language knowledge. 

Read this kid’s guide to have fun learning science while practicing Spanish!

STEM as a Tool to Learn Spanish

STEM programs aim to prepare the next generation with relevant skills and knowledge for the modern world. 

Learning about science in different languages goes beyond language and social barriers. It’s possible to reinforce language knowledge while learning STEM topics.

Thanks to STEM, our kids work together with others to reach a common goal. At the same time, they learn about their different backgrounds, make use of the different abilities that diversity brings to the group and understand science from different points of view. 

STEM and science experiments in Spanish are exceptional conversation starters and an amazing way to peak our kids’ interests in learning another language while practicing science. 

Check out this FREE downloadable content with simple yet engaging questions for your kids to answer while experimenting. 

Explore more FREE SPANISH LESSONS FOR KIDS! ➡️
Enjoy over 70 unique lessons + free activity packets to download.

Let’s Do Experiments in Spanish

One of the coolest parts of STEM is that it makes challenging subjects like math and engineering accessible and understandable for kids of any age. 

Science is a wonderful tool to teach Spanish. Learning is always more meaningful with context, and science classes are perfect for that! They encourage kids to learn while being experimentales, (experimental).

Kids are natural scientists. Their curiosity and hunger for knowledge make them fantastic researchers. That’s why you should teach them Spanish and while they learn about science and natural phenomena.

The Scientific Method (El método científico)

To understand new processes and conduct experiments in Spanish, scientists use a technique known as el método científico (the scientific method) to create and test a scientific hypothesis.

El método científico has three important goals:

• Observe – observar
• Ask questions – hacer preguntas
• Seek answers – buscar respuestas

 The scientific method consists of 6 important steps: 

• Research – investiga
• Create an hypothesis – crear una hipótesis
• Experiment – experimentar
• Recollect information – recolectar información
• Analyze information – analizar información
• Conclusions – conclusiones

5 STEM Experiments in Spanish

It’s time to conduct experiments in Spanish! 

How do you say “experiments” in Spanish? Los experimentos.  

Are you ready to be a científico? Let’s begin! 

1. How Many Red Candies Are In The Bag? (¿Cuántos dulces rojos hay en la bolsa?)

This one is a simple experiment to enjoy with your kids. The idea is to hypothesize how many candies of their favorite color come in the bag, and for them to count, organize, and eat them! You can use any kind of candy with more than one color in it for this experiment.

Practice Spanish with your children by reviewing color names and counting in Spanish while putting their observation skills to test. 

Download our worksheet for this experiment. 

2. Watch a Little Bean Grow (Ve crecer un frijolito)

This classic experiment is perfect for kids to learn about germination and record the changes in their bean plant. 

Talk about the process in Spanish, and have the kids record the changes by both drawing and writing about them. 

Here are a few vocabulary words related to this experiment in Spanish:

Materials 

• 1 frijol pinto o negro – 1 pinto or black bean 
• 1 recipiente de vidrio pequeño – 1 small glass recipient
• Un poco de algodón – A small amount of cotton 
• Botella rociadora – Spray bottle 

Instructions 

Coloca el algodón en el fondo del recipiente y humedécelo un poco.
Place the cotton at the bottom of the glass recipient and dampen it a bit.

Coloca el frijol sobre el algodón.
Place the bean on the cotton.

Cuidadosamente, muévelo a un punto cálido y donde pueda recibir rayos de sol.
Carefully, move it to a warm spot where the bean gets sunlight.

Agrega agua a los días, cuando el algodón se vea seco.
Add water several days later, when the cotton dries out. 

¡Observa que pasa!
Observe what happens! 

3. Butterfly Life Cycle (El Ciclo de la Vida de la Mariposa)

Bring a caterpillar to class and have the kids observe how it changes into a butterfly. Explain it to them in Spanish. 

Have the kids record their observations of the changes in the butterfly with clay. That way they not only learn about the process, but they also work with their fine motor abilities, their observation skills, and their ability to duplicate what they see. 

Here are some vocabulary words for you to review with your students for this experiment in Spanish.

Explore more FREE SPANISH LESSONS FOR KIDS! ➡️
Enjoy over 70 unique lessons + free activity packets to download.

4. The Water Cycle (El Ciclo del Agua)

This experiment is a really fun activity to learn and understand something as complex as the water cycle. 

See also: A Kid’s Guide to the Water Cycle in Spanish

Materials 

• 1 tazón de vidrio – 1 glass bowl
• 1 recipiente de vidrio más pequeño que el tazón – 1 small glass recipient 
• 1 pedazo de soga para amarrar alrededor del tazón – 1 piece of rope to tie around the bowl
• 1 roca de mediano tamaño – 1 medium sized rock 
• Papel Film o plastico – Film paper or plastic
• Colorante azul – Blue dye
• Agua – Water

Instructions 

Mezcla agua con suficiente colorante azul para teñir el agua.
Mix water with enough water dye to change the color of the water.

Coloca, con cuidado, el recipiente pequeño dentro del tazón de vidrio.
Carefully put the smaller recipient inside the bowl.

Pon agua dentro del tazón de vidrio sin cubrir el recipiente pequeño.
Pour water into the bowl but not into the small recipient.

Cubre el tazón con papel film o plástico y amarra la cuerda alrededor de este para que quede bien cerrado.
Cover the bowl with film paper and tie the rope around it so it is closed properly. 

Coloca la piedra en medio del papel film y pon el tazón donde le dé mucho sol.
Place the rock in the middle of the film paper and put the bowl in direct sunlight.

Observa que sucede.
Observe what happens.

Here’s a Youtube video on this type of experiment in Spanish. 

5. An Edible Cell (Una célula comestible)

In this fun experiment, kids use candy and jello to make a realistic model of a cell.

The cell is an important unit of all living beings and a relevant theme for experiments in Spanish! 

Here is a brief vocabulary list with the most important words in Spanish for this subject. 

Materials

• 4 cucharadas de gelatina sin sabor – 4 tablespoons of unflavored gelatin
• 2 cucharadas de gelatina color rojo – 2 tablespoons of red gelatin
• 2 tazas de agua(Una fría y una caliente) – 2 cups of water (one cold and one hot)
• Dos pecanas peladas – 2 peeled pecans
• Dulces que se asemejen a las partes de las células – Candies that look like the cell parts
• Mondadientes – Toothpicks
• Masking tape – Masking tape

Instructions

Disuelve la gelatina sin sabor y la gelatina roja en el agua caliente.
Dissolve the unflavored gelatine and the red gelatine in the hot water.

Agrega el agua fría y deja que cuaje.
Add the cold water and let it set.

Una vez cuajada la gelatina, agrega los dulces imitando la ubicación de los diferentes organelos en la célula.
Once the gelatine is set, add the candy imitating the location of the organelles in the cell.

Usa los mondadientes y el masking tape para indicar los nombres de los organelos.
Use the toothpicks and the masking tape to indicate the names of the organelles. 

Science and Spanish Are the Perfect Combination!

Taking advantage of the amazing ability of our kids to learn fast and about several topics at the same time, by introducing them to science content and related Spanish vocabulary simultaneously!

Learning Spanish opens your child’s eyes to a world beyond their front door and encourages conversations around diversity, culture, and respecting others. And, did you know that kids who know Spanish learn other Romance languages like Italian, French, and Portuguese more quickly and efficiently than their peers? In the competitive world where our kids are growing up, we have to give them all the tools they need to be successful individuals. 

Sign up your kids today for a free trial class with one of our fun, professional, native-speaking teachers at Homeschool Spanish Academy. They’ll be speaking Spanish from day one! 

Join one of the 40,000 classes that we teach each month and you can experience results like these

“This is the best way for your kid to learn Spanish. It’s one-on-one, taught by native Spanish speakers, and uses a curriculum.”

– Sharon K, Parent of 3

“It’s a great way to learn Spanish, from native Spanish speakers in a 1-on-1 environment. It’s been fairly easy to schedule classes around my daughter’s other classes. The best value for us has been ordering multiple classes at a time. All the instructors have been great!”

– Cindy D, Parent of 3

“HSA offers very affordable, quality, one on one classes with a native speaker. My son has greatly benefited from taking classes. We have seen his confidence increase as well as his pronunciation improve, because he learns from a native Spanish speaker. HSA has quick, personal customer service. Our family has been very pleased with our experience so far!”

– Erica P. Parent of 1

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Carmen Rizzo

Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy

I’m a native Spanish speaker from Guatemala with a B.A. in Psychology. I have a passion for teaching Sunday school in my spare time and for learning and sharing valuable information. I'm a cat lover who gets excited over cartoons, anime, and video games. I dabble in digital illustration and animation. I'm inspired by sharing my culture, traditions, food, and beliefs with others, while learning about theirs in return.

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