Science at the beach is so fun that your kids won’t even realize how much they’re learning! Here are some quick and easy beach-related science experiments that your kids will love. You can do them when you just need something a little extra in your day. Parents, we all know we need that sometimes—right? These science activities only require a few ingredients and can easily be done in your Indian Rocks Beach vacation rental or right on the beach, depending on which of these you do. Have fun!

Sand slime on a shovel | Plumlee Gulf Beach Vacation Rentals

Gulf Beach Sand Slime

Grab some of that beautiful Indian Rocks Beach sugar sand and make some sand slime with your kids. We haven’t met a kid yet who doesn’t enjoy a good slime session. Let them make it and play with it outside and you won’t have to worry too much about sand cleanup. Put it in a plastic baggy and take it home as a souvenir. Click here for the sand slime recipe.

Seashells and a cup of white vinegar | Plumlee Gulf Beach Vacation Rentals

Disappearing Seashell

How could you make a seashell disappear? Brainstorm a few ways that might happen and then do this experiment which only requires a seashell, white vinegar, and a glass. It needs a couple of days for it to totally disappear. It doesn’t get much easier than that! Your kids will be amazed at the science behind this one. Click here for how to dissolve a seashell.

Gummy worms in white vinegar | Plumlee Gulf Beach Vacation Rentals

DIY Electric Eels

This Electric Eels experiment involves “marinating” gummy worms in a mixture of water and baking soda and then bringing them to life in a glass of vinegar. It’s simple but totally entertaining! You can repeat the process over and over again to see those electric eels squirm. Click here for what you need to make these electric eels come to life.

Plastic bag cut into a jellyfish and put in a container of blue water | Plumlee Gulf Beach Vacation Rentals

Jellyfish in a Bottle

After you go grocery shopping, save one of those clear plastic produce bags for this fun project! You don’t need much more than a clear bottle with a lid, a piece of string, and blue food coloring. The kids will be mesmerized with the real look of this jellyfish in a bottle. It’s like having a mini-aquarium of your own. Click here for the jellyfish in a bottle instructions.

DIY sundial in the sand with shells and a stick

Make Your Own Sundial

Since shadows move the same way each day, they can be used to estimate time. Simple sundials used shadows to tell time in Egypt more than 3,000 years ago—and you can, too. Your kids can make their own right on the beach. This science project can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. Check out the science behind sundials here.

Toy boat in blue water with oil poured in | Plumlee Gulf Beach Vacation Rentals

Oil Spill Cleanup Experiment

Unfortunately the Gulf Coast is familiar with this experiment. This activity is a great way to talk with the little ones about how oil and water certainly don’t mix, especially when there’s wildlife that depend on it for sustenance. Grab a toy boat from your beach toys and let them create a mock oil spill then try to clean it out of the water. Click here for the full oil spill cleanup experiment.

Toy sharks in ice cold water with boiling water poured in to form currents and eddies | Plumlee Gulf Beach Vacation Rentals

Water Current Experiment

This experiment is a wonderful visual for learning about water currents. This requires the use of boiling water, so adult supervision is definitely needed. When you pour the hot water (colored red) into the cold water (colored blue), you can see how currents form and you will even see eddies created right before your eyes. Check out the full water current experiment here.