I love helping kids learn about the amazing human body! Teaching the digestive system is always a highlight in my classroom! There’s something about understanding how food makes its way through the body that really captivates students. My students always seem to giggle when learning about how food exits the body! There are so many fun ways to teach this topic that go beyond the textbook. I wanted to give you a few of my favorite digestive system classroom activities. Each of these ideas have kept my students engaged and curious while making learning fun and memorable.

Also, as my gift to you, I’ve included a free sample of my Digestive System Unit that has a a handful of tools I think you’ll find helpful! Be sure to grab it before you go for some ready-to-go activities!

1. Digestive System Simulation with Food

One activity that my students absolutely love is a digestive system simulation with food. This is an easy, yet effective way to show students how food breaks down in the body. We use simple items like crackers (for food) and soda (for stomach acid). Students “chew” the crackers, mix them with soda, and observe how they break down. It’s such a fun way to visualize the process of digestion, and they really get a kick out of seeing the food change form as it would in the digestive system.

2. Digestive System True/False Sort

Another great way to test student understanding is by using a True/False Sort. I give my students a set of statements about the digestive system and have them sort them into true or false categories. For example, “The stomach is responsible for all digestion” (False!) or “Saliva helps break down food” (True!). This activity not only helps reinforce key facts but also encourages class discussions. It’s fun to watch them debate over some of the trickier statements!

3. Interactive Digestive System Notebook Activity

Next up is a Digestive System Interactive Notebook activity. My students love getting creative with their notebooks, and I find that having them create foldables is a great way to reinforce learning. For this activity, they’ll draw and label each part of the digestive system on the outside flaps of a foldable. Inside the flaps, they write descriptions of the functions of each part, from the mouth to the intestines. This interactive activity makes for an excellent study tool and helps students retain the material.

4. Digestive System Comic Strip

Do your kids love comics? My students have always loved comics and graphic novels. So, I like to harness this excitement by having them create a Digestive System Comic Strip. They draw a step-by-step comic of the journey food takes through the body. Students get really creative with their drawings and captions, and it helps them break down the process into manageable chunks. This activity allows them to explain digestion in a fun, visual way—and it’s always a classroom favorite!

5. Digestive System Journey Flip Book

One of the most engaging ways I’ve found to help students understand how food travels through the digestive system is through a Digestive System Journey Flip Book. Each page of the flip book represents a different part of the digestive system—starting with the mouth, then the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. Students can write brief descriptions and add illustrations to show what happens at each stage. It’s a creative, hands-on way to help them visualize the digestive process. In my digestive system unit, I’ve also included a digestive system informational flip book that has all the information included and is ready to print and go!

6. Digestive System Model

Building a Digestive System Model is another activity that I like to use. My students work in small groups to construct 3D models of the digestive system using craft materials. Each group labels the parts of their model and presents how the digestive system works. Not only does this encourage teamwork, but it also gives them a hands-on experience of constructing and understanding the digestive system. It’s a great activity for my kinesthetic learners who thrive on building and creating.

7. Digestive System Animation

For a tech-savvy twist, I encourage my students to create a Digestive System Animation. If your classroom has access to technology, students can use animation tools or stop-motion apps to bring the digestive process to life. They can animate how food moves from the mouth, through the esophagus, and all the way to the intestines. This activity has been a great extension for some of my students and has allowed them to present their learning about the digestive system in a unique and creative way.

8. Digestive System Food Diary

One year during this unit, I asked my students to keep a Digestive System Food Diary for one week. They tracked everything they eat and described how their body digested each type of food—whether it’s a carbohydrate, protein, or fat. This activity helped them understand how different foods are broken down and absorbed in the body. We followed this up with a class discussion about digestion and healthy eating habits, making it a great way to connect science to real life! It was so awesome being able to take advantage of the moment to have some great classroom conversations!

In my classroom, teaching the digestive system is anything but dull. These digestive system classroom activities are just a few to consider trying out in your classroom. I hope they will help you make learning about digestion an interactive and fun experience for your students. Whether it’s creating a flip book or building a 3D model, these hands-on projects will help your students better understand how their bodies process food.

Save These Digestive System Ideas for Later

Before you go, don’t forget to download your FREE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM SAMPLE PACK! It’s the perfect companion to my complete Digestive System Unit, which includes everything you need to make this unit a success in your classroom—from reading passages and graphic organizers to hands-on activities like these. Also, if you’re teaching other human body systems in your classroom this year, be sure to check out my Teaching the Respiratory System post. It’s full of fun ideas and another FREE resource pack for you!

Also, to make your life easier, click on the PIN IMAGE below and pin this post to one of your favorite Pinterest boards. These will make these ideas so easy to find when you are ready to try them out! We wish you the very best year of learning together with your students!