I think looking at it like cooking is a good idea. Chemical reactions are just mixing stuff together and seeing what you get. And the math really shouldn’t go beyond basic addition, subtraction, multiplication & division -- at least there’s no calculus!

On a smaller scale, I’ve always thought it was cool that atoms can be combined to make tangible things. For example, 2 hydrogen atoms + 1 oxygen atom makes water, which you can actually float on even though you’re made of all these little tiny atoms just like it is. Even the chair you’re sitting on is made of atoms!

That’s my little science nerd rant. :-) Good luck!