Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Dancing Raisins Science Experiment
- StageEarly Years
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Dancing Raisins Science Experiment is a free printable science activity for primary aged children. It was made for British Science Week 2022. Children act as young scientists and test for themselves whether raisins can be made to dance. Page 2 gives the grown up notes on using the sheet, help ideas and a stretch idea.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
This sheet invites children to be young scientists. They carry out their own experiment to try to make raisins dance. The idea can sound unlikely, so the sheet asks children to test it rather than take anyone's word for it. It suits a hands on session at home or in class. It works well for talking about what children expect, what they see and what they think is happening.
Setting up a good experiment
Make a prediction
Before starting, ask your child what they think will happen to the raisins. Say it out loud or write it down. A wrong guess is still useful, because it gives something to compare with the result.
Watch closely
Give the experiment time. Some changes are slow and small. Ask your child to keep their eyes on one raisin and describe exactly what it does.
Record what you see
Draw a quick picture or write a few words. Scientists keep records so they can look back later and share what they found.
Try it again
Repeat the experiment to see if the same thing happens. A result that happens more than once is more convincing than one that happens only once.
Why use a simple experiment like this?
Raisins are dried grapes. They are small, wrinkly and light enough for little hands to handle, which makes them a good choice for a simple investigation. Children can see changes in a clear glass without any special equipment. A visible result helps them link what they see with ideas about materials, floating and sinking, and the difference between a gas and a liquid.
British Science Week is a yearly celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths across the UK, run by the British Science Association. Schools, families and clubs join in with simple activities. A surprising result is a good way in, because children want to know why it happens. That curiosity is the start of scientific thinking: ask a question, test it, then look at the evidence.
Adults should set up the experiment and handle any glass. Raisins can be a choking risk for young children, so supervise closely. Check for allergies before anyone handles the materials. Treat everything used in the experiment as part of the experiment, not as a snack, and wash hands afterwards.
Did you know?
- Raisins are grapes that have been dried.
- Scientists test their ideas with experiments instead of just guessing.
- A bubble is a pocket of gas inside a liquid.
- Some things float and some sink, and size alone does not decide which.
- Scientists often repeat an experiment to check that the result is reliable.
Skills and curriculum link
- Observing closely
- Making predictions
- Asking questions
- Recording results
- Explaining ideas
- Fair testing
Science ideas to talk about
- Floating and sinkingSome things float and some sink. A small heavy thing can sink while a big light thing floats, so size alone does not tell you what will happen.
- Gas and liquidA bubble is a pocket of gas inside a liquid. Children can talk about where bubbles appear and where they go.
- PredictionsA prediction is a sensible guess made before a test. It does not have to be right. Comparing it with the result is where the learning happens.
- EvidenceEvidence is what you actually see, measure or record. Good scientists base their ideas on evidence, not on what they hoped would happen.
Key words
- ExperimentA test you carry out to find something out.
- PredictSay what you think will happen before you try it.
- ObserveLook carefully and notice what is happening.
- FloatStay on or near the top of a liquid.
- SinkMove down towards the bottom of a liquid.
- BubbleA ball of gas inside a liquid.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has notes and ideas for you.
- Read the introduction on page 1 together. Ask your child whether they think raisins can really dance.
- An adult gathers and sets up the materials the sheet asks for. Let your child say what they think will happen before they begin.
- Watch carefully together. Ask, "What can you see? What is moving?" Let your child describe it in their own words.
- Talk about the result. Ask why they think it happened, and whether they would like to try it again.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Do the experiment together. Ask one question at a time, such as "What can you see?" or "What is moving?" Encourage words like up, down, float and sink. Take turns watching so your child does not feel rushed, and point at one raisin to follow.
To stretch confident children
Change one thing and test again, such as the number of raisins or the type of glass. Keep everything else the same so the test is fair. Draw or write what happened, and explain why you think the result changed.
Make it a game
Play Predict and Check. Before the test, each player writes down one prediction. After watching, read the predictions aloud. Award a point for each prediction that matches what happened. Then change one thing and play again.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child changes several things at once, so they cannot tell what caused a different result.
Try thisChange only one thing each time. Say it out loud: "This time we are only changing one thing."
Watch forA child loses interest because the result is not instant.
Try thisAgree a time to watch closely, then look away and look back. Ask them to say what has changed since they last looked.
Watch forA child says what they hoped to see, not what actually happened.
Try thisAsk them to point and describe. "Show me which raisin you mean." Focus on what they can see, not what they expected.
Talk about it
- What do you think will happen to the raisins? Why?
- What did you see happen first?
- Was anything different from your prediction?
- Why do you think the raisins moved the way they did?
- What would you change if you did the experiment again?
- Where else have you seen bubbles?
Take it off the page
Float or sink hunt
Fill a washing up bowl or bath with water. An adult chooses safe items such as a plastic spoon, a cork or a coin. Your child predicts float or sink for each one, then tests it.
Science diary
Make a small booklet. Each page has a title, a prediction, a drawing and a sentence about what happened. Use it for this and other experiments.
Grape and raisin comparison
An adult provides a grape and a raisin. Look at both closely. Talk about colour, size and texture, and how they are different. Draw what you see.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first look at the experiment, then let them lead. Ask questions more than you give answers. If the result surprises you both, that is a good moment to talk about why.
Teachers
Use it during British Science Week, as a starter for a topic on materials, or as a short practical task. It supports the working scientifically strand across Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2: asking questions, observing, recording and explaining. Pairs work well, with one observer and one recorder.
Home educators
A simple experiment is a good way to show that science happens at home. Use ordinary kitchen items, let your child run the investigation, and keep a record in a notebook. Repeating it on another day shows how scientists check results.
Where this fits in science learning
Before this, children usually explore everyday materials and notice how things look, feel and behave. They learn to ask simple questions and to look closely. Floating and sinking are often met through play in water.
After this, children can move on to fair tests, where they change one thing and keep the rest the same. They can learn to record results in tables, and later to explain results using ideas about materials and the states of matter.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What is the Dancing Raisins Science Experiment?
It is a free printable science activity from Jaques of London. Children act as young scientists and carry out their own experiment to see whether raisins can be made to dance. It was made for British Science Week 2022.
- What age is it suitable for?
It suits primary aged children. Younger children can watch, point and describe with an adult. Older children can predict, record and explain what they see. Adjust the amount of talking and writing to suit your child.
- How long does it take?
Allow as long as your child wants to watch and talk. Setting up and tidying away take a little extra. Use the sheet itself to guide you, and stop when your child's interest runs out.
- What do we need?
Use the materials the sheet asks for. An adult should gather and set everything up. A clear glass makes it easier to see what is happening, and a notebook is useful for recording results.
- Is it safe for young children?
It is safe with adult supervision. Raisins can be a choking risk for young children, so watch closely. Check for allergies first, and do not let children treat the materials as a snack.
- Does the sheet need printing in colour?
No. Black and white printing works well. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2, which has notes, help ideas and a stretch idea for the adult.
- How does it link to the National Curriculum?
It supports the working scientifically strand in England, which covers asking questions, observing, recording and explaining. It also connects to work on everyday materials and the properties of materials, depending on your child's year group.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.