Turn “How does that work?” into something you can try together.
Choose a topic, take turns changing a control, and ask your child to explain what happened. Aim for a 10–15 minute exploration, with room for more questions.
For curious minds. For future makers.
Be curious.
Open things up.
See how they work.
Ever wonder how a rocket flies, a car moves, or sunlight becomes electricity?
About SimpleSci
SimpleSci turns big science and engineering questions into hands-on explorations. See the parts move, change something, and figure out why. Find what interests you. See where it could take you.
01
See it.
Look inside. Watch the parts move.
02
Try it.
Change an input. See what happens.
03
Understand it.
Connect the pieces. Explain the why.
A new lesson. A new “Wait—how?”
Be the first to hear when there’s something new to explore. Get an email when a new SimpleSci lesson is available.
Your curiosity. Our next lesson.
What should we explore next?
A machine, a mystery, or something you see every day. Tell us what you’d love to understand.
No email or account needed. Your idea could inspire a future SimpleSci lesson.
What will you figure out today?
Five labs to explore now. Seventeen more everyday mysteries are coming soon.
Machines & TransportationNot started
INTERACTIVE LABHow does a car work?
Fuel becomes motion through a controlled explosion that powers the wheels.
Interactive lab · 10-question quiz · Car racing gameMachines & TransportationNot started
INTERACTIVE LABHow does an airplane work?
Move the wing. Change the airflow. See how lift helps an airplane stay in the sky.
Interactive lab · 10-question quiz · Flight gameEnergy & EnvironmentNot started
INTERACTIVE LABHow does a solar panel work?
Follow sunlight into a solar cell and see how it becomes electricity.
Interactive lab · 10-question quizSpace & TransportationNot started
INTERACTIVE LABHow does a rocket work?
Follow the propellants, watch the exhaust, and discover the push that lifts a rocket.
Interactive lab · 10-question quiz · Rocket launch gameMachines & TransportationNot started
INTERACTIVE LABHow does an electric vehicle work?
Follow electricity from the battery to the motor, then see how magnetism turns the wheels.
Interactive lab · 10-question quiz · Solar EV racing gameComputers & ElectronicsComing soon
How does an iPad work?
Tap the screen and follow the signal from your finger to the pixels.
Future explorationBuildings & InfrastructureComing soon
How does a house work?
A house is a set of systems that hold loads, move water and electricity, control temperature, and keep weather outside.
Future explorationElectricity & EnergyComing soon
How does a light bulb work?
A light bulb converts electrical energy into visible light, usually by making a semiconductor emit photons.
Future explorationEnergy & EnvironmentComing soon
How does wind energy work?
Wind pushes blades, a rotating shaft drives a generator, and electronics turn variable power into useful electricity.
Future explorationHome MachinesComing soon
How does a refrigerator work?
A refrigerator does not create cold; it moves heat from inside the cabinet to the room.
Future explorationBuildings & InfrastructureComing soon
How does a toilet work?
Gravity, water pressure, and a siphon move waste through a trap and into the sewer system.
Future explorationComputers & ElectronicsComing soon
How does Wi-Fi work?
Wi-Fi turns digital data into radio signals that travel between your device and a router.
Future explorationHome MachinesComing soon
How does a microwave oven work?
A microwave oven uses electromagnetic waves to make molecules in food move, producing heat.
Future explorationBuildings & InfrastructureComing soon
How does an elevator work?
A motor, cables or hydraulics, counterweights, brakes, sensors, and controls move people safely between floors.
Future explorationEnergy & InfrastructureComing soon
How does the power grid work?
Power plants, transformers, high-voltage lines, substations, and controls move electricity from generators to millions of users.
Future explorationSpace & ElectronicsComing soon
How does GPS work?
Your device measures radio-signal travel times from multiple satellites to calculate where it is on Earth.
Future explorationHome MachinesComing soon
How does a washing machine work?
Valves, a motor, sensors, detergent, and spinning water work together to remove dirt from fabric.
Future explorationBuildings & InfrastructureComing soon
How does air conditioning work?
Air conditioning moves heat from indoor air to the outdoors using a refrigerant loop.
Future explorationCities & InfrastructureComing soon
How does a traffic light work?
Signals use timers, sensors, controllers, and coordinated rules to move conflicting traffic safely.
Future explorationManufacturing & DesignComing soon
How does a 3D printer work?
A 3D printer turns a digital model into a physical object by building it one thin layer at a time.
Future explorationMachines & TransportationComing soon
How does a bicycle work?
Pedaling creates torque, gears trade speed for force, steering balances the bike, and brakes turn motion into heat.
Future explorationMedicine & TechnologyComing soon
How does an X-ray work?
An X-ray machine sends high-energy electromagnetic waves through the body and measures how much different tissues absorb.
Future explorationNo topics match your search and filters. Try another search or choose All topics.
Your SimpleSci progress
0 of 5 lessons completed
Your next discovery starts here. Pick a lesson and give it a try.
0Mastered
Saved automatically in this browser. Progress does not sync to other devices; clearing site data removes it.
-
Gasoline car
Not startedStart lesson →- Latest quiz
- —
- Best quiz
- —
Explore the simulation, then try the quiz.
-
Electric vehicle
Not startedStart lesson →- Latest quiz
- —
- Best quiz
- —
Explore the simulation, then try the quiz.
-
Solar panel
Not startedStart lesson →- Latest quiz
- —
- Best quiz
- —
Explore the simulation, then try the quiz.
-
Airplane
Not startedStart lesson →- Latest quiz
- —
- Best quiz
- —
Explore the simulation, then try the quiz.
-
Rocket
Not startedStart lesson →- Latest quiz
- —
- Best quiz
- —
Explore the simulation, then try the quiz.
Completed: answer all 10 questions and check your answers. Mastered: reach 10/10.
Your latest and best quiz scores stay saved. On each return, answers reset and adventures stay locked until you finish that visit’s quiz. Earned game upgrades stay separate from your quiz scores.Pick a challenge for your next visit →
Earlier completions and game upgrades are kept. Finish a quiz again to record its latest and best score here.
Why SimpleSci?
The world gets more interesting
when it starts to make sense.
You don’t need to know the science words before you start. Bring a question. We’ll show you the moving parts, give you something to try, and help you connect cause and effect.
SimpleSci is built for curious middle-school learners—and the parents and teachers cheering them on. We start with things you recognize and end with something you can explain.
Someone figured out how to build it.
Maybe the next idea will be yours.
For the grown-ups who encourage the questions
A little screen time.
A lot to talk about.
Free, hands-on science and engineering explorations for grades 5–8. Start with a question, leave with a conversation.
A ready-to-run engineering explainer. No student signup.
Use the step-by-step view to introduce a mechanism, then let learners experiment with the simulation and answer a short quiz. No special equipment—just a browser.
No student account or email required. Lesson and quiz progress is saved only in the current browser; it does not sync between devices.
For parents & gift-givers
Take the adventure off screen.
Keep the curiosity going with Maya & Max and the Sunset Signal. A Moon Buggy mission brings engines, solar power, batteries, flight and rockets into one illustrated engineering story.
Paperback · 32 pages · Written for ages 8–12
See the paperback on Amazon ↗ (opens in a new tab)Amazon shows the current price and delivery options. Prefer to print? The free PDF remains available. All online missions are free.