exploding science experiments for preschoolers

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25 Spectacular Explosion Experiments for Kids

July 14, 2022 Mary Malcolm

Do you want to have fun while learning with your kids? Encourage your child’s love of learning with these awesome and fun Science experiments with explosion!

These easy science experiments are great, and often don’t require much more than common household items or simple ingredients. Nor do they require complex science kits or anything of the sort. instead they are just fun science activities and cool science experiments which any kid will gawk at! after all, is there anything better then explosions?

These 25 Spectacular Explosion Experiments for Kids are so much fun that your kids won’t even know they are learning. Between exploding apples and erupting ice, there is enough fun here to last for weeks! Encourage that love of science with these awesome and simple experiments. Enjoy!

25 Bright And Spectacular Science Experiments with Explosions For Kids Of All Ages

1. mind blowing water bottle popper experiment.

In this simple experiment by Housing A Forest, your child will watch a bottle blow its top …just by twisting it! With this simple trick, the kids will be so amazed!

2.Awesome Erupting Dinosaur Eggs Experiment For Science Fair

Your little paleontologists will love hatching these erupting dinosaur eggs by Parenting Chaos. Some of the items needed are baking soda, cup of water, cup of vinegar, coffee grounds, sand and green food dye or Kool-Aide. Your children would love to learn more about prehistoric dinosaurs through this spectacular experiment!

3. Big Bursting Elephant Toothpaste Experiment

Abraca-xplosion! With just a handful of household ingredients like yeast, 3 tablespoon of water, bottle, hydrogen peroxide, dish soap and food colouring, you and your child can make elephant toothpaste by Hallecake. But be careful with the big mess this explosion could make inside the house!

4. Cool Alternative Explosion Experiment

Volcanoes are so yesterday. Today’s kids are all about alternative explosions by Little Bins for Little Hands…like this apple. You won’t believe how far the core flies! This lowkey helps your children learn about rocket science.

5. Colored Vinegar OR Water Explosion Experiments

Instead of a simple vinegar and water explosion, why not add food coloring and make this art by Learn Play Imagine Blog! Just imagine how happy your kids will be with these colorful explosions!

6. Exploding Eggs For Easter Science Experiment

This egg not only bounces, it explodes ! You won’t believe how it’s done, either. This spectacular experiment by Momma’s Fun World will be so fun to do after Easter Egg Hunting. What a blast!

7. Stunning Glow In The Dark Explosions Experiment

With just the right ingredients added to the bag, you can make this unbelievably pretty glow in the dark explosions by Growing a Jeweled Rose! Enjoy with your kids this spectacular sight to see! This makes for an excellent science lesson for the classroom, and can set students on a course to become STEM masters!

8. Colorful Erupting Sidewalk Chalks Experiment

Don’t just draw on sidewalks, use erupting sidewalk chalk by Learn Play Imagine and watch the watercolors come to life. This awesome experiment will leave you wanting for more!

9. Wonderful Color Exploding Gelatin Bombs

The color gelatin bombs by Fun At Home With Kids are gorgeous as they fizz. How many colors will your children want to make?

10. Dropping and Exploding Colorful Paint-Filled Balloons

For a really big bang, add paint to a balloon and drop it by Science Sparks on a hard surface. The splatter is amazingly fun and your kids will love mixing the colors. This mixture of colors makes for a spectacular end result. It’s like a color tornado!

11. Play Exploding Carwashes With Your Kiddos

Washing cars is fun, but exploding carwashes are awesome fun. Give your kids a fizzy day and they won’t forget to use this amazing experiment by What Do We Do All Day Blog. this fun kitchen science experiment is great for demonstrating chemical reactions and other chemistry concepts!

12. Get Excited With These Magnificent Exploding Treasure Chests!

You can hide coins and jewels in these ‘ treasure chests ‘ by Fun-A-Day and your kids will be so excited to discover the hidden secrets.

13. Exploding Colorful Fireworks Experiment

These exploding fireworks by Toddler Approved make gorgeous artwork that you and your children will want to hang in your house. This vinegar experiment makes for a beautiful result, it almost looks like melted skittles or glitter!

14. Dazzling Fizzy Exploding Paint Art

Let the kids draw on the sidewalk with this paint, and instead of washing it away you can use vinegar to make it fizz up. They’ll love this fizzy paint art Kids Activities Blog!

15. Watch These Marvelous Glow In The Dark Explosions Experiments

Glow in the dark explosions by Growing a Jeweled Rose are awesome to watch, especially when they keep going, and going, and going… Close all the lights and let the fun begin! Turn a bowl into a volcano to make an explosion of colored water and bubbles!

16. Microwave Ivory Soap and Make Explosive Fluffy Foam

Do you know when you microwave Ivory soap you get this? This explosion of fluffy foam by Kids Activities Blog is as soft as cloud and it only takes a little soap to make this huge pile of fluff. This fun physics activity is great at demonstrating how density changes

17. Enjoy Playing With These Stunning and Exploding Frozen Ice Volcanoes

Frozen ice volcanoes by Reading Confetti are fun to explode…especially on hot summer days. Those little scientists who love ice will be so excited to make this!

18. The Most Popular Exploding Mentos Candies Geyser Experiment

You’ve probably already seen the classic Mentos geyser , but have you tried it yet? Seriously, you have to try it. This explosion experiment by I Can Teach My Child a blast. Whatch the Coke go from liquids to a bubbly explosion! Just be ready with some paper towels!

19. Unique And Easy To Make Milk Colors First Explode

Your child is going to be amazed when they see milk colors first explode by Mess For Less, then fill up the container. It’s so easy to make, kids of all ages can do this.

20. Stunning And Cool Peep Geyser Experiment

Maybe you’ve microwaved one Peep before, but did you know you can make a Peep geyser by Housing A Forest when you add a bunch of them to a container? It’s so cool to watch with your kids!

21. Breathtaking Rainbow of Explosions

For those especially colorful kiddos, you can make a rainbow of explosions by She Knows. You could mix the colors to make it more fun!

22. Blow Up A Glove By Putting Pop Rocks Into Soda Experiment

When you add pop rocks to a bottle of soda it creates enough of a gas that you can blow up a glove. This experiment by Lemon Lime Adventures could trickle into the imagination of your kids. How fun is that?

23. Show Your Kids These Extravagant Exploding Geysers!

Add some sparkle to your exploding geysers and the glittery fun will look almost like fireworks. It will be so much fun to pop the bubbles formed on top of this spectacular experiment by Preschool Powol Packets. Great for teaching capillary action!

24. Awesome and Cool Erupting Watermelon Using Kool-Aid

This erupting watermelon experiment by Learn Play Imagine is awesome because it doesn’t use any vinegar to make it explode! The sweet smell of Kool-Aid will make your kids enthusiastic!

25. Make this Exploding Slime With Your Children

Normal explosions are tons of fun, but once this one explodes, it becomes slime. Seriously. This Exploding slime by E is for Explore is about taking things to the next level!

More Bright And Fun Experiments From Play Ideas

• Get ready for Halloween with these Halloween science experiments .
• With the help of Mythbusters experiment , kids could learn why we should practice social distancing.
• The Winter is Coming! Have fun with these exciting winter experiments here .
• Edible science experiments are the best just because kids can EAT it!
• Summer could be so hot, the best thing to ease the heat is to let the your little ones have fun playing with ice .
• Preschoolers will have fun with these balloon experiments .
• Who says science experiments can’t be silly? Laugh a lot with these silly and funny science experiments here .
• Here are some fun shaving cream science experiments and activities you can do at home and with the kids.
• Kids will love these imaginative vegetable crafts, experiments and activities . Perfect for toddlers, preschoolers and kindergartners.

Which of these experiments helped your kids learn more?

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Explosive Science Experiments for Kids

March 20, 2023 By Emma Vanstone Leave a Comment

Is there anything more fun than an explosive science experiment ? This collection of explosive, fizzy and sometimes messy science activities is sure to appeal to even the most reluctant little scientist s, and the kids who love science already will REALLY enjoy erupting volcanoes, launching rockets and generally just doing awesome science at home.

Exploding science experiments

Erupting soda geyser.

The most well known explosive experiment is probably the infamous coke and mentos eruption ! This science experiment is a must-try for everyone and always leads to shrieks of joy as the geyser of coke shoots into the air.

My top tip is to add the mentos as quickly as possible. If you’re struggling to get it to work well, try the extreme geyser tube from Steve Spangler.

Exploding watermelon

123 Homeschool 4 Me has a fantastic exploding watermelon , which looks impressive, but do take care, as it will explode with a bang!

Film canister rocket

Film canister rockets are always fun, but they fly quickly, so stand back immediately. Before starting, it’s a good idea to use chalk to mark out a safe observation area on the ground and ask an adult to add the ingredients to the canister and place it on the ground.

Experiment with different combinations of vinegar and baking soda to make this an investigation.

Elephant Toothpaste

Another fun, explosive science experiment to try with kids is making elephant toothpaste . It’s a big reaction that looks amazing! We wouldn’t recommend going for the elephant toothpaste world record , though.

To kick the fun up a notch, instead of a single colour elephant toothpaste, try a rainbow toothpaste explosion ! Talk about an amazing visual effect!

Water bottle popper

If you are short on materials, you can set up an explosive science experiment with a single water bottle to make the bottle cap pop out from the bottle.

Exploding lolly sticks

A popsicle stick chain reaction is one of the best exploding science experiments. All you need are craft sticks or popsicle sticks, and the explosion is incredible, although setting it up does take a bit of patience.

Baking soda potions

Erupting potions in a test tube or beaker made with baking soda and vinegar is always fun! We like to make witchy potions for Halloween , love potions for Valentine’s Day and fairy potions for any time of year.

Splatter patterns

Experiment with water balloons or balloons filled with paint and create different patterns. Watching the splatter patterns change depending on where you drop them from is great fun and a fab science investigation for kids.

Erupting soap

Erupting soap is yet another classic and well known explosive science experiment to add to the list! This is also one of those rare experiments with a single ingredient – ivory soap!

Similar to erupting soap, exploding peep geysers also need a microwave. We love a little twist with ghost peeps, and it would make this experiment perfect for trying around Halloween. If you don’t have peeps where you are, an ordinary marshmallow will work just as well.

Erupting baking soda volcano

A simple tweak can turn an ordinary erupting volcano experiment into a fun multicoloured volcano ! Let kids make their own volcano from scratch to extend the activity further.

Another spin on a classic volcano science experiment is an ice volcano . These are perfect for bringing outside on a hot summer day!

Let us know if you have any ideas for more explosive experiments, we can try!

Don’t forget I have 100s more fun, exciting and FREE science experiments for kids to try too, so if you don’t fancy any of these, do take a look around, and hopefully, one of my other experiments will be what you’re looking for.

Last Updated on June 10, 2024 by Emma Vanstone

Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

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Top 12 Explosive Science Experiments: Ignite Your Curiosity

There’s something thrilling about science experiments that pop, sizzle, and explode. While they must always be conducted with utmost safety, these explosive experiments offer an exhilarating way to explore fundamental principles of chemistry and physics.

Welcome to our list of the top 12, hand-picked exploding science experiments, curated especially for students like you. Brace yourself for mind-blowing chemical reactions, thrilling explosions, and awe-inspiring demonstrations.

These experiments offer an exhilarating blend of entertainment and education, providing an unique opportunity to witness the powerful forces of chemistry in action.

Gear up, embrace the excitement, and let these exploding experiments ignite a lifelong passion for scientific discovery!

Remember, safety is of utmost importance during any scientific experiment.

1. Watermelon Explosion

Beyond the sheer excitement and thrill, this experiment provides a hands-on lesson in pressure, energy transfer, and the scientific principle of potential energy.

So, grab a watermelon, strap on those rubber bands, and get ready for a blast of scientific discovery!

2. Exploding Baggie Burst

With the simple combination of vinegar and baking soda inside a sealed baggie, students can witness the exhilarating moment when the baggie bursts with a loud pop and releases a cloud of gas.

3. Exploding Sidewalk Chalk

Make colorful explosions with the Exploding Sidewalk Chalk experiment! By combining common household materials like sidewalk chalk and vinegar, they can create a fascinating chemical reaction that results in vibrant bursts of color.

4. Water Bottle Popper

Get ready for a popping sensation with the Water Bottle Popper experiment! By combining the forces of air pressure and a quick release mechanism, they can create an exciting burst of energy that launches the cap off a water bottle with a satisfying pop.

Learn more: Water Bottle Popper

5. Colorful Bubble Bombs

Get ready for a burst of colorful and bubbly fun with the Colorful Bubble Bombs experiment! Students should definitely try this engaging and visually delightful activity.

Learn more: Colorful Bubble Bombs

6. Big Toothpaste Eruption

Get ready for a massive eruption of fun with the Big Toothpaste Eruption experiment! Students should absolutely try this engaging and visually stunning experiment.

It’s a fantastic way to foster a love for science, spark curiosity, and learn about the wonders of chemical reactions in a playful and memorable way.

7. Multi-Colored Volcano

Get ready to unleash a vibrant explosion of colors with the Multi-Colored Volcano experiment! By combining baking soda, vinegar, and a variety of colorful substances like food coloring or powdered paint, they can create an extraordinary eruption that paints the volcano in a mesmerizing array of hues.

Learn more: Multi-Colored Volcano

8. Water Bottle Rockets

Prepare for a thrilling blast-off with the Water Bottle Rockets experiment! Students should absolutely try this exhilarating and hands-on activity. By constructing their own rockets using simple materials like plastic bottles, fins, and a pressurized air source, they can witness their creations soar into the sky.

9. Milk Color Explosion Science

Get ready for a mesmerizing explosion of colors with the Milk Color Explosion experiment! Students should definitely try this captivating and visually stunning activity.

By combining milk, food coloring, and dish soap, they can witness an extraordinary display of swirling, vibrant colors bursting to life right before their eyes.

10. Microwave Ivory Soap

Get ready for a foamy explosion with the Microwave Ivory Soap experiment! Students should definitely try this exciting and hands-on activity.

By placing a bar of Ivory soap in the microwave, they can witness an astonishing transformation as the soap rapidly expands into a fluffy cloud of foam.

11. Exploding Lava Science Bottle

Get ready for an explosive and mesmerizing adventure with the Exploding Lava Science Bottle experiment! Students should absolutely try this captivating and hands-on activity.

Learn more: Exploding Lava Science Bottle

12. Exploding Rainbow Easter Egg

Students can experiment with different colors and proportions to create their own unique bubble bombs. It’s a hands-on and interactive way to learn about the wonders of chemistry while enjoying a playful and colorful experience.

Learn more: Exploding Rainbow Easter Egg

12. Exploding Pumpkin

Get ready for an explosion of colors with the Exploding Rainbow Easter Egg experiment! Students should definitely try this exciting and visually captivating activity.

Learn more: Exploding Pumpkin

Similar Posts:

• 68 Best Chemistry Experiments: Learn About Chemical Reactions
• Top 100 Fine Motor Skills Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers
• 37 Water Science Experiments: Fun & Easy

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Our family couldn’t get enough of the science and exploding colors. I vowed that we were going to do at least one experiment a week. We save these for the boring days when there is no excitement around. Of course, these experiments make the day go super awesome, I love it.

We are in Arizona and have quite a few boring days as we have 3 months of Monsoon season. As long as we choose an experiment that doesn’t shoot up in the air we can do these in the kitchen! I love to see the reaction on my kid’s faces when we start a new project. I love even more that they are learning the entire time. make learning fun again with these science experiments.

Exploding Science Experiments for Kids

Which will you try first? I have round up a great list here for you to start with.

Related:  60 Summer Outdoor Activities for Kids

1.  Lava Science Bottle 2.  Alka Seltzer Rockets 3.  Bubble Bombs 4.  Diet Soda Geyser 5.  Exploding Dinosaur Mud 6.  Erupting Sidewalk Paint 7.  Exploding Fireworks Craft 8.  Elephant Toothpaste 9.  Fizzing Rainbows 10.  Volcano Pumpkin 11.  Exploding Rainbow Easter Eggs

Related:  Galaxy Jar Kids Activity

12.  Baking Soda Volcano 13.  Wizard’s Brew 14.  Homemade Bottle Rocket 15.  Exploding Frozen Stars 16.  Baking Soda Volcano 17.  Exploding Bag Experiment 18.  Balloon Baking Soda and Vinegar Experiment 19.  Erupting Scientist Potion 20. Fizzing Slime 21.  Fizzy Cloud Dough 22.  Chalk Rockets 23.  Fizzing Fossil Dinosaur Eggs

Have more ideas to add to this list? What are your favorite science experiments ? Drop them in the comments below!

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8 Explosive Experiments You’ve Gotta Try With Your Kids

My son had his birthday over the summer. Because of COVID, this meant that he, like many others, celebrated his birthday in quarantine. He wanted to do nothing else but a bunch of science experiments for kids to do at home. Scrolling through Pinterest together, I realized every single experiment he wanted to pin had something in common: explosions.

This might sound daunting, but I assure you, it’s all super safe albeit a little lot messy. It was definitely out of my comfort zone , but once I got my hands in it, I realized it wasn’t as bad as I expected. Plus, the laughter and joy on my son’s face made it all worth it. We also learned a few things on the way! Here are 8 simple explosive experiments you need to try with your kids. For your sanity, I listed the experiments in order from least to most messy. You’re welcome.

Of all science experiments for kids to do at home, this is the least messy. It is contained in a glass, but it will have your child mesmerized! Simply fill a glass half-way with water and add food coloring of your choice. Stir it up. Then, fill the rest of the glass with vegetable oil. Have the child drop an Alka-Seltzer tablet into the glass. The Alka-Seltzer reacts with the water droplets to make carbon dioxide, causing them to rise to the top of the glass. When the reaction stops, your child can throw another tablet in and watch it all over again!

Baking Soda and Lemon Juice Tray

Spread baking soda across a tray (we used a cookie sheet). Pour drops of food coloring and soap around the tray. Don’t worry about mixing it up. Let your child squirt lemon juice drops onto the baking soda. The bottled kind of lemon juice works well for this. The citric acid of the lemon juice will react with the baking soda creating carbon dioxide. The soap will trap the gas causing more fizz!

Playdough Volcano

Let your child mold a volcano out of playdough around a small cup or container on a plate. Pour some vinegar through the top of the playdough volcano into the cup along with your child’s food coloring of choice. Pour a tablespoon of baking soda into the volcano. When your child is ready, let him or her pour the colored vinegar into the volcano with the baking soda. The vinegar reacts with the baking soda to produce carbon dioxide and since out the top is the only place for it to go, that’s where all the action happens!

Elephant Toothpaste

There are a few variations of this experiment on the web, but we chose to do the simplest one that is safe for the kids to mess around with. Place an empty water bottle on a tray. Measure half a cup of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide and pour it into the bottle along with a big squirt of dish soap. Swish gently to mix. In a separate bowl, mix a tablespoon of yeast with three tablespoons of warm water until pasty. Pour the yeast mixture into the bottle, quickly remove the funnel, and stand back! The hydrogen peroxide reacts with the yeast, producing a gas that gets trapped by the soap. The result is a foamy reaction that spills out from the top of the bottle! Though it resembles toothpaste, DO NOT attempt to use it as such.

Ivory Soap Explosion

This was the simplest of all the experiments we tried! All you need to do is place a bar of Ivory soap on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for two minutes. Just make sure the plate is large to prevent any spillage. I have never heard my kids squeal with so much delight staring at the microwave! After letting the soap cool off, we let them play with the exploded soap and feel its flakey texture. Though this is technically a clean experiment (it is soap, after all), it is probable that you’ll need to clean your microwave afterward.

Exploding Bags

You’ll want to take this experiment outside . Fill a tissue with a tablespoon of baking soda and fold it so that it’s packaged like an envelope. Fill a zip-lock sandwich baggie with a half cup of water and a fourth of a cup of vinegar. Seal the bag, but leave enough room to drop the tissue in. Drop the tissue into the bag and quickly seal up the rest of the bag. Give it a little shake and step away. The baking soda and vinegar will react and produce carbon dioxide, inflating the bag and, eventually, bursting it!

Bottle Rockets

This is experiment is similar to the last one, but it uses the force of the explosion to propel a rocket up to 20 feet in the air! You’ll need a 2-liter bottle outfitted with a stabilizer. We snapped together markers and used duct tape to secure them to the top of the bottle. Make sure they are all even and leave enough room at the spout so that when it’s upside down, it is stable without the spout touching the ground. You’ll also need something to secure the spout. You will not want to use the original screw-on lid for this experiment. We used a cork that was thick enough to secure the top. Fill your bottle with a few inches of vinegar, take your baking soda-filled tissue and slide it into the bottle, but hold it at the spout. When placing the cork over the spout, secure part of the tissue around the cork so that you’ll have enough time to secure the bottle and turn it over before the reaction starts. Give it a little shake, flip the bottle cork-side down, and step away! The force of the gas will shoot the cork out and propel the bottle up into the air. We went through a whole bottle of vinegar and baking soda doing this again and again!

Diet Coke and Mentos

Have you really lived if you haven’t tried the Diet Coke and Mentos trick? This is one of the classic science experiments for kids to do at home! Just a 2-liter of Diet Coke and a sleeve of Mentos is what you need. Don’t do this one indoors unless you’re up for mopping your ceiling. Just open up the bottle and slide the Mentos out of the packaging and into the bottle of soda. You’ll want them to drop in quickly one after another. Then move away quickly and watch in amazement as the foamy soda shoots out the top!

Do you have any good science experiments for kids to do at home? Share them in the comments! And now that you’re all messy, why not try a “No Rules Night?”

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25 Fizzing Science Experiments for Preschoolers

Get ready for your child to fall in love with STEM and exploding science with these Fizzing Science Experiments. Every single one is big, bold and messy – but in an exciting educational way!

After these Science activities, your child may have a brand new fascination with anything and everything Science. Enjoy easy science experiments with your kids by adding a few of these simple ideas to your day.

Fun and Simple Science Experiments

Fizzing Science Experiments for Preschoolers

Show your preschooler just how fun and engaging learning can be. These experiments are super simple to do but will leave a big impact on their curiosity and their minds.

How do you explain baking soda and vinegar to preschoolers?

Make it fun! Talk to them about the two different ingredients and what they can be used for in everyday life such as baking, cleaning, etc.

Then, once you do that, talk to them about what happens once they are combined. Let them know that they are going to see a change in how it looks and make certain that they get to throw in some of their own hypothesis as well about what they think is going to happen.

Is fizzing a chemical change?

It’s actually a chemical reaction caused by the combination of the baking soda and vinegar. Once they are mixed together, they form carbon dioxide which is what then creates the fizzing.

Science Experiments for Preschoolers

Watermelon volcano science activity.

Valentine’s Day Volcano Science Experiment

Fizzing Rainbow Experiment

Unicorn Science Activities – Easy Science Experiments

Pumpkin Volcano Experiment

affiliate links can be found on this blog at no cost to you.

Hands on Science Experiments

Click on the links below for more preschool science ideas.

• Fizzing Ice Science Experiment from lifeovercs.com
• Exploding Paint Rockets Steam Activity from schoolingamonkey.com
• Spooky Pop Rocks And Soda Experiment from lemonlimeadventures.com
• Fizzy Cloud Dough Experiment from powerfulmothering.com
• Exploding Baggie Science Experiment from coffeecupsandcrayons.com
• Baking Soda And Vinegar Experiment from handsonaswegrow.com
• Science Activity Fizzing Fairy Potions! from theimaginationtree.com
• Magic Fizzy “Sand” from pinkstripeysocks.com
• 3 Easy Chemical Reaction Experiments from happyhooligans.ca
• Exploding Paint Bombs Activity from kidsactivitiesblog.com
• Fizzy Science Experiment For Kids from laughingkidslearn.com
• Erupting Apple Science from littlebinsforlittlehands.com
• Exploding Rainbow Easter Eggs from schoolingamonkey.com
• Play Dough Volcano from lifeovercs.com
• Ivory Soap Microwave Experiment from happyhooligans.ca
• Mentos & Soda Classic Experiment from lemonlimeadventures.com
• Baking Soda And Vinegar Science Experiment from buggyandbuddy.com
• Fizzing Hearts Fine Motor Science Activity from powerfulmothering.com

Make certain that you let them get their hands into creating and making science experiments so that they’re part of every process as well.

Fun Science Experiments for Preschoolers

Best Science Experiments for Kids

Studies have shown that if you like this, you will also love the following articles. I have pulled them together for you right here:

Slime Science Experiments

30+ Kitchen Science Experiments

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Hands On As We Grow®

Hands on kids activities for hands on moms. Focusing on kids activities perfect for toddlers and preschoolers.

35 Exploding Baking Soda and Vinegar Experiments for Kids of All Ages

Science Toddlers Grade School Kindergartners Preschoolers Experiment Kitchen Resources 3 Comments

Try one of these 35 science experiments that you can do with two simple ingredients you probably already have at home – baking soda and vinegar.

Simple science experiments are great for all ages.

They don’t always go as planned.

But that’s part of experimenting and learning.

Adjust accordingly and try again.

I am more likely to do science experiments that use basic household supplies.

After all, who wants to wait to go shopping before doing a science experiment?

Don’t let the excitement of doing an experiment fizzle away.

Mixing baking soda and vinegar is a blast, so you are sure to enjoy these 35 science experiments for kids.

Before even starting, figure out the best baking soda to vinegar ratio.

We did it and discovered that using 12 parts vinegar to 1 part baking soda resulted in the biggest fizziest explosions.

See the details here: Mega Baking Soda to Vinegar Ratio Experiment

Erupting Volcanoes with Baking Soda and Vinegar

Go with the flow with these erupting baking soda and vinegar volcano experiments.

I hope you lava them as much as I do!

Keep the mess to a minimum by going outside or keeping the volcanoes contained in a baking dish.

• Create an erupting apple volcano as seen on Little Bins for Little Hands. Then check out these 40 easy apple activities for kids to experiment, create, and learn for more apple themed learning.
• Scoop out the insides of a watermelon for a watermelon volcano shown on Natural Beach Living. And then enjoy a yummy snack when done.
• Fill a tray with plastic egg volcanoes found on Little Bins for Little Hands.
• Repurpose a salt shaker for a salt shaker volcano as seen on Science Kiddo. Wrap the baking soda in tissue paper, toss it in the vinegar, and quickly put the lid on to create a geyser of baking soda and vinegar.
• Practice colors with a color changing volcano shown on Preschool Inspirations. A video is available to watch this active volcano.
• Use small containers for a rainbow volcano found on Messy Little Monster. Pair this activity with a frozen rainbow science experiment for kids .
• Be wowed with a colorful volcano as seen on Hello Wonderful. Making a sensory bin with this erupting volcano is a hands-on creative idea.
• Build a homemade volcano shown on Fun With Mama. A plastic or glass bottle and some sand work great.
• Construct a ketchup volcano found on Kindergarten Worksheets and Games. Ketchup has vinegar in it, so technically, this is another vinegar and baking soda experiment. Plus it’s red like lava!

Dancing with Baking Soda and Vinegar Experiments

You put a little boogie in a tissue to make it dance.

But how do you make apple seeds , popcorn seeds, raisins, rice, gummy worms, and candy dance?

Try these baking soda and vinegar experiments! What else can you make dance?

• Use the apple seeds from the erupting apple volcano experiment for dancing apple seeds as seen on J Daniel 4’s Mom.
• Become a magician with dancing popcorn seeds found on Little Bins for Little Hands. Abracadabra!
• Experiment with dancing raisins shown on Science Sparks. Do raisins sink or float?
• Add color to a dancing rice experiment as seen on Green Kid Crafts. Do all kinds of rice dance?
• Cut gummy worms in quarters and soak them in baking soda for this dancing worms experiment as seen on Playdough to Plato. Does it matter how long you soak the worms in baking soda?
• Start a conversation with these dancing candy hearts found on Kindergarten Worksheets and Games. What other candy can you make dance?

FREE Science Experiments Download!

Creating Art with Baking Soda and Vinegar

Don’t draw the line with baking soda and vinegar experiments just yet. Create some fizzy, popping art work!

• Mix together some baking soda paint as seen on Housing a Forest. Spread this thick, goopy paint on to cardboard or thick paper with a spatula.
• Create some fizzy art found on Typically Simple. No pipette, no problem! Try using a medicine syringe or a turkey baster.
• Explore space with fizzy galaxy art shown on The Pinterested Parent. It’s a beautiful out-of-this world creation.
• Play with a fizzy painting as seen on Rainy Day Mum. Messy but fun!
• Make rainbow art found on The Best Ideas for Kids. The colors might all mix together in the process, but that’s okay!
• Build a textured fizzling volcano as seen on The Craft at Home Family. A free template is available.

Experimenting More with Baking Soda and Vinegar

Who knew you could do so many experiments with baking soda and vinegar? Here are even more simple baking soda and vinegar experiments to try at home with kids.

• Assemble a fizzy sensory bin found on Wild Flower Ramblings. Add shells, little rocks, and toy underwater creatures for an ocean theme.
• Experiment with color reaction using baking soda and vinegar! What color does blue and yellow make? Green!
• Learn what ratio of vinegar and baking soda creates the best chemical reaction with a ratio experiment . Chart your results.
• Become a mad scientist in a fizzy potion lab found on Little Passports. Any cup should work.
• Blow up a balloon without using your mouth. Will the filled balloons fall to the ground or rise in the air once they are tied shut?
• Uncover a magic treasure rock shown on Growing a Jeweled Rose. What treasure will you find?
• Compare frozen vinegar with frozen baking soda as seen on Play of the Wild. This is a great hands-on chemistry experiment.
• Build a chemical reaction car found on Left Brain Craft Brain. Does the amount of baking soda and vinegar affect the speed?
• Blast off with a launching rocket as seen on Babble Dabble Do. Does the weight of the rocket affect the distance it travels?
• Play in water with a STEAM boat shown on Tiny Beans. Anchors away!
• Decorate a STEAM sailboat found on 123 Homeschool 4 Me. Does the design of the boat matter?
• Investigate clean and green pennies as seen on Mom Brite. Make pennies sparkle and turn them green with this experiment.
• See a disappearing egg shell shown on Premeditated Leftovers. Simply put an egg in a jar of vinegar and wait a couple of days.
• Watch all of the bubbles form with this disappearing sea shells activity found on Little Bins for Little Hands. A shell in vinegar for a little bit is a clean shell. But left in vinegar for too long, it may disappear!

What is your favorite baking soda and vinegar activity?

About Brigitte Brulz

Brigitte Brulz is a homeschooling mom of two daughters, wife of her high school sweetheart, and author of Jobs of a Preschooler and Pickles, Pickles, I Like Pickles. She offers free coloring pages and activity ideas on her website at BrigitteBrulz.com .

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Categories STEM Activities

Exploding Bag Experiment for Kids

Exploding bag experiment for kids.

Ages: Preschool , PreK , Kindergarten Difficulty: Easy Learning: Cause and Effect, Chemical Reactions, STEM

Let’s just cut to the chase. Explosions (safe, no one getting hurt, and nothing getting destroyed) are cool. Even cooler is seeing two items that, on their own, are very safe (and edible!) come together to create an explosion.

So yes, we are going to make an explosion with kids. Don’t worry, it is safer than it sounds. But it is so much fun.

Grab a baggie, we’re doing the exploding bag experiment.

What's In This Post?

Supplies for the Exploding Bag Science Experiment

The science of the exploding bag experiment, the baking soda and vinegar reaction, limiting reagents, additional experiments and activities.

• Exploding Baggie Science Experiments

This is another one of those experiments that are so easy to do, but really draws kids in. And, despite being an explosion of sorts, is safe and is made from materials you already have in your home.

(And if you like this experiment, make sure you check out the Leak-Proof Bag Experiment . Same type of baggie, just add pencils!)

Head to your kitchen, you should find almost everything you need for this science challenge. Here is what to grab.

• Plastic Re-sealable Baggies (like a sandwich baggie)
• Baking Soda
• Tissue or Toilet Paper

How To Make an Exploding Bag

This experiment is pretty simple, and it actually doesn’t make too much of a mess.

Step 1: Take 1/2 cup of vinegar and put it in your re-sealable baggie. Seal up the bag.

Step 2: Take a square of toilet paper or a tissue. If it is more than one-ply, carefully separate the layers and use only one. You will need to work with it carefully, but the thinner the better. Put 3 teaspoons of baking soda in the middle of the tissue, then wrap it up like a little bundle.

Step 3: Unseal one side of the bag. Quickly drop in your bundle and seal the bag. Then place it down. It will start to puff up and eventually pop open!

This is a great experiment to do outside. It is unlikely that your explosion will cause a big mess, but the liquid can leak out once it explodes.

If you don’t want to do this outside, you can use a large bowl or plastic container. You can also do this in your sink or bathtub as another option.

If you want to add some extra science fun, put a few drops of food coloring in with the vinegar step for a colorful exploding sandwich bag.

This, despite being called an explosion, is actually a reasonably safe activity. Avoid getting any of the materials in your eyes. And, despite being food-safe ingredients, I don’t recommend ingesting anything involved with this experiment.

It is a good idea to have your child stand back the first few times until you get a feel for how big your explosion will be. Safety glasses or other eye protection is recommended.

This is pretty simple to clean up. If your bag has burst open at the seal, you can rinse it out and use it again. If it breaks the integrity of the bag you can simply throw the whole thing away.

Any leftover supplies (baking soda or vinegar) can be rinsed down the drain.

You have got to try these fun activities too!

How Does the Bag Explode?

This is a fun activity, but what makes it a STEM activity is if we dive into the explanation of what is happening.

This experiment uses one of my favorite kitchen chemical reactions. It is tried and true and a total classic. Yep, it’s the vinegar and baking soda reaction.

Some might think this reaction is overdone, but I strongly disagree. It is amazing for the toddler, preschool, prek, and kindergarten ages too. Why? It’s simple, safe, and uses easily accessible materials. In addition to that, it works consistently and produces obvious results. These all make this worthwhile.

The short answer for why the bag explodes is that a chemical reaction takes place that creates a gas. This gas fills the bag until the bag explodes.

We can explain a bit more than that though.

We started our experiment with vinegar in our bag. Then we added the baking soda wrapped up in a tissue. The tissue is very thin, so it quickly gets soaked through with the vinegar, enabling the vinegar to come in contact with the baking soda.

When vinegar and baking soda mix there is a chemical reaction. The result of this is carbon dioxide, water, and other dissolved ions.

The carbon dioxide fills the bag until it can’t hold anymore and it pops open! A science explosion!

This experiment is a great way to introduce the concept of limiting reagents with your children.

What is a limiting reagent? Well, first we need to know that reagents are the chemicals we are mixing. In this case, our reagents are baking soda and vinegar.

These reagents react to make products (the carbon dioxide and water), but the reaction can’t continue forever. Eventually, we will run out of one of the reagents. The reagent you run out of first is the limiting reagent .

You can liken it to baking. When you are baking a cake you need a certain amount of sugar, flour, baking powder, etc. But you can’t bake an infinite amount of cakes. Once you run out of flour, you are done baking cakes. That is a limiting reagent.

What Is the Limiting Reagent?

So what is the limiting reagent in this reaction? Well, that is up to you!

Encourage your child to see what happens if they add more vinegar to the reaction. Then try with more baking soda. Does it impact the reaction time at all?

Here is a keyword to note from this experiment.

Limiting Reagent: The limiting reagent in a chemical reaction is the reactant that is totally consumed in the reaction.

This is a fun science activity to try over and over. And we can change it up to explore even more. Here are some additional experiments to try.

• What happens if you add more vinegar and baking soda to the bag? Does it explode faster? Bigger?
• What if you add more of just one ingredient? Try it then switch to more of the other ingredient and see if the results change at all.
• Try using a double layer of tissue. Again, how do the results change from this adjustment?
• What happens if you leave the bag open a little? Does it still explode like when it is closed?
• Try pouring the baking soda directly into the bag. Does the rate of the reaction change at all?
• What happens if you add warm water or cool water to the baggie too?

These are just a few suggestions. Let your child explore and be creative!

Exploding Baggie Science Experiment s

This is a great experiment. It’s exciting, it’s fun, and you are exploding things. Yet it is pretty safe (a huge win for caregivers). There are so many factors you can change up and experiment with. This gives children the chance to really be scientists.

So when are you going to start?

Let’s find your next fun activity!!

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Exploding Pop Rockets

This 4th of July twist on those classic Alka-Seltzer pop rockets is a must-try kids’ science experiment your kids will beg to repeat over and over again. The easy kids’ science project is perfect for the 4th of July, New Year’s Eve or just because!

Follow the simple step-by-step below and then grab 30 Science Experiments kids will beg to repeat in our shop!

This kids’ science experiment uses antacids which can contain aspirin so make sure to inform your kids that it is a medicine and should not normally be played with. Also, make sure to clean up any remaining bits of antacid tablets – especially if you have toddlers in your home.

Getting Ready

To prep, I gathered together a few supplies:

• Mini M&M tubes
• Antacid tablets
• Cardboard (cereal boxes work great)
• Glue gun (not pictured)
• Decorations (stickers, washi tape, painters tape)
• Bottle of water
• Small ball of clay (optional)

It was time to start this American-themed kids’ science experiment!  To build the rockets, I first emptied and peeled the label off the M&M tubes.  Next, I cut the tab that holds the cap on the tube so the cap could be completely removed.  Then, I used an empty cereal box and my hot glue gun to make mini cones to top off the rockets

I called A over and handed her the stickers and tape so she could decorate her rockets.  While she was busy happily peeling stickers, I covered the cones with aluminum foil to finish off the tops and to provide them with a little more protection. When A was done, I hot glued the cones to the bottom (the side opposite the cap) of the M&M tubes and we were ready to make the rockets fly.

We gathered our rockets, the antacid tablets, and a bottle of water and headed outside.  This activity can get pretty messy, especially if you are like us and launch your rocket dozens of times.  I placed the small ball of clay in the lid to hold the antacid tablet in place so that A could close the lid without starting the fizz until the rocket was flipped right side up.

Next, I poured about a teaspoon of water into the rocket and handed the rocket and lid to a nervous A.  She placed the lid snugly on the rocket, flipped the rocket onto the wooden board I had placed on the grass and ran for cover.

The first reactions happened quickly giving A only a few seconds to run away before it popped and shot up about 3 feet in the air.

As the tablet disintegrated, it took longer for the pressure to build, giving her more time to hop away. Initially, my daughter was nervous about exploding rockets until she realized how harmless it really was.  Now, she can’t wait to show her grandparents and cousins how to make popping rockets when we visit them for July 4th.

The Science Behind It

When water and antacid mix, carbon dioxide gas is produced. By placing the lid on the rocket, you are trapping those gas bubbles inside. As more and more bubbles are produced, the pressure inside the rocket builds, creating enough force to break the seal on the lid.  There is so much force from the built up pressure that it launches the rocket into the air.

30 More Kids’ Science Experiments

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Fun Science for a Space Theme | Fizzing Planets

Shared by Mary Catherine 34 Comments

These fizzing planets are such a fun science activity for a preschool space theme! Be sure to add them to your list of preschool science activities. My son actually helped me come up with the fizzing planets activity, so I know first hand that it is certainly kid-approved!

Are you following Fun-A-Day’s SPACE THEME board ?

Related: Glowing Galaxy Water Bin Space Activity

Table of Contents

fun science with “exploding” jupiters

I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Materials Baking soda Liquid watercolors Water Vinegar Eye droppers

Related: Space Messy Play Ideas

Prep Engineer and I checked out some pictures of Jupiter online, then decided on what colors to incorporate into our experiment. We settled on white, red, and orange even though that might not be 100% scientifically correct. 😉

We made baking soda paste to create mini “explodable” Jupiters. For each color, we mixed a cup of baking soda with about 1/4 cup water. We left the white batch alone, of course, but added liquid watercolors to the other two. The paste was thick enough to be patted together into shapes. If yours is too runny, add a little more baking soda. If it’s too crumbly to hold together, add a little more water.

Related: Fizzy Stars

Making & “exploding” Jupiters! To make Jupiter, we grabbed bits of all three colors and mixed them together into a small ball. To make the uniform spherical shape, we used our new Handy Scoopers . We could have just used our hands, but Engineer and I were itching for an excuse to use our new toys.  In case you’re wondering, we’re aware that Jupiter’s colors are more in a striped formation. We weren’t able to get the stripes right, even though we tried!

After we had a few Jupiters done, it was time for some fizzing planet fun! Engineer called it “exploding Jupiter!” We drip-dropped vinegar on the planets and watched them bubble and dissolve. I had such a blast listening to all of his observations and questions about the chemical reaction! Needless to say, lots and lots of fun science ensued! We ended up making and “exploding” about seven planets before it was time for dinner. The kiddo asked if we could make other planets too, so I have a feeling we’ll be doing just that soon!

Related: Fun Science Experiment with Fizzy Stars

What kind of fun science experiments do your children/students enjoy the most? I’d love to hear about them over at Fun-A-Day’s Facebook page !

This fun science activity is a part of the A-Z Science Experiments series. Be sure to pop over there and see the rest of the experiments running through the alphabet this month!

Done-for-You Preschool Resources

Planning meaningful lessons for students week after week, all while balancing other teaching responsibilities and a personal life, can be a daunting task. That’s where  Preschool Teacher 101  comes in to save you time!

Preschool Teacher 101 is excited to share with you some amazing lesson plans, activity packs, and much more! We offer a wide variety of themes that are frequently used in preschool classrooms, as well as some less common (but super interesting) themes. Click on the images below to learn more about our space-themed product offerings!

Join  The Pack from Preschool Teacher 101  today for exclusive access to our amazing products. And we even have three different membership options to suit your needs!

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April 11, 2015 at 9:46 am

This is AWESOME!!

April 12, 2015 at 1:00 pm

You’re too sweet, Jaime! Thank you!! 🙂

April 13, 2015 at 3:05 pm

LOVE LOVE LOVE! These look awesome. Totally making some planets this week.

April 15, 2015 at 1:59 pm

Thanks so much, Anne! 🙂

April 14, 2015 at 1:27 pm

This something I know my three-year old will LOVE!

Great post that’s easy to follow and well written! 🙂

April 14, 2015 at 4:54 pm

So happy to hear that, Katie! Let me know how it goes if you try it with your three-year old!! Thanks so much for the sweet words! 🙂

April 15, 2015 at 2:01 pm

I started out just sharing with family and friends in the summer of 2012. Fun-A-Day became a “real” blog in February 2012, so that’s over 2 years now!! 🙂

May 26, 2015 at 5:30 pm

Why is Jupiter an exploding planet? My son is asking!

August 18, 2015 at 7:54 am

I’m so sorry, but I didn’t see this comment until now! Basically, the kiddos wanted to pretend that they were bad guys exploding planets. Not the best answer, but it’s true! Tell your son I say hello. 🙂

July 14, 2015 at 2:13 pm

What is the science behind this?

August 18, 2015 at 7:51 am

Hi Merryl! When baking soda and vinegar interact, a chemical reaction occurs – specifically, an endothermic reaction (heat-absorbing). Baking soda is a base, and vinegar is an acid. When they combine, a product of the reaction is carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide escaping causes the fizzing!

June 27, 2016 at 6:34 pm

Thank you so much for this explanation. Super helpful. Presenting this to Girl Scouts at their space camp!

July 23, 2016 at 5:26 pm

Well, that’s awesome! So happy to hear that! 🙂

May 29, 2017 at 5:58 pm

About how many jupiters did you end up making using this recipe?

May 30, 2017 at 1:58 pm

We ended up making about 5. 🙂

February 28, 2018 at 11:48 am

Hey Mary! Can we have the exact recipe for this fun activity? We’re planning to do this at a children’s astrochemistry event, and it would be great if we had exact amounts to make this work. Thank you!

February 28, 2018 at 12:34 pm

Hi Abby, I am so excited to hear that! The exact amounts used are in the “prep” section of the post. I’ll see if I get the chance to come back and add a printable recipe to it in the near future. 🙂

April 5, 2018 at 11:38 am

Hey Mary, me again! We’ve been putting together our version of this project, and we were just wondering why you decided to pick Jupiter! Is there a science behind the chemical makeup of the planet that deals with “exploding”? Thank you!

April 5, 2018 at 6:29 pm

Hi again! 🙂 I wish I could tell you we had a real scientific reason for choosing Jupiter. Alas, we didn’t. We just happened to choose that planet first. We’ve since made a variety of other fizzing planets from our solar system, too. How is your version going?!

December 3, 2018 at 10:06 am

This is so cool.

December 9, 2018 at 8:30 am

February 25, 2019 at 3:55 pm

Can you leave these to dry overnight?

February 25, 2019 at 8:21 pm

I didn’t leave them out overnight, but you could try. Or perhaps freeze them overnight. Let me know if you try that out before I do so we can compare results. 🙂

July 25, 2019 at 5:02 am

Hi, did you try leaving them out overnight? And if so, how did they work out? We’re wrapping up a space unit in our homeschool co-op and wanted to end with some fun experiments but would ideally prep the “planets” the night before. Thanks!

August 9, 2019 at 9:33 pm

Will try it for Science week

August 12, 2019 at 12:39 pm

Wonderful! Let me know how it goes. 🙂

October 3, 2019 at 2:18 pm

How many planets can you make with the 1 cup of baking soda?

October 4, 2019 at 11:37 am

Oh that really depends on how big you make the planets. We made about 3 or 4 using that fun round scooper.

March 18, 2020 at 3:11 pm

How long after making the planets did you destroy them?

March 18, 2020 at 7:41 pm

The majority of the times we’ve done this, it was within half an hour of making them. A few times we put the planets in the freezer to save the fizzing for the next day.

March 9, 2022 at 10:53 am

Can tempera paint or acrylic paint be used instead of watercolor paint?

March 9, 2022 at 11:55 am

Hi Summer! I don’t think I would use acrylic paint since acrylics are harder to deal with when it comes to cleanup. Washable tempera paint would probably work well, but I haven’t tried it with this so I’m not positive. Food coloring is another substitute to consider, as well.

January 5, 2024 at 11:52 am

Easy and fun. Thanks for your fun and exciting lesson.

January 10, 2024 at 10:27 am

Thanks so much for the kind words, Tammy. Let me know if you get the chance to try the fizzing planets!

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Science Fun

Exploding Baggie Easy Science Experiment

In this fun and easy science experiment when are going to use a chemical reaction to explode a plastic zip close baggie. This experiment is easy to perform and ends with a satisfying pop!

• Plastic zip close sandwich baggie
• Toilet paper or tissue
• Baking soda
• Measuring cups and spoons

Instructions:

• Find an area outside that can get a little messy.
• Pour ½ cup of vinegar in the zip close baggie and set aside. Make sure the vinegar does not spill out of the baggie.
• Lay out one square of toilet paper.
• Place 1 tablespoon of baking soda in the middle of the square of toilet paper.
• Fold the toilet paper around the baking soda to seal the baking soda inside. 
• Use a piece of tape to secure the bundle.
• Drop the bundle of baking soda into the baggie containing the vinegar.
• Quickly seal the baggie making sure to do so securely, give the baggie a few quick shakes, and step back several feet. 
• Observe what happens.

EXPLORE AWESOME SCIENCE EXPERIMENT VIDEOS!

How it Works:

The vinegar saturates the toilet tissue and an endothermic chemical reactions begins between the vinegar and baking soda. The chemical reaction releases carbon dioxide and creates pressure inside the baggie. The pressure builds inside the baggie until it explodes with a pop!

Make This A Science Project:

Try different amounts of baking soda and vinegar. Try different sized baggies. Try different temperatures of vinegar. 

EXPLORE TONS OF FUN AND EASY SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS!

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Babble Dabble Do

See Exploding Colors in the Magic Milk Experiment

February 25, 2022 by Ana Dziengel 24 Comments

See exploding bursts of color in the amazing magic milk experiment! We’ll show you some two ways to do the experiment and an extension idea for the project as well.

When you add a little bit of dish soap to milk and food coloring, the colors swirl around to form what I would deem very artistic and abstract paintings! For the science behind it scroll to the end of this post.

The magic milk science experiment is a simple science experiment you can do with everyday materials. I love showing kids how to do chemistry experiments using simple household supplies. In fact I would argue that some of the best at-home science experiments use kitchen ingredient s !

We did this project in our after school classes and when our students asked to “take it home” I told them they could easily recreate it in their own kitchen.

Video Overview

Detailed instructions for the magic milk experiment:, how to do the magic milk experiment, magic milk experiment materials.

• Almond Milk or Cow’s Milk
• Q-tips (Cotton Swab)
• Cotton Balls
• Food coloring
• Shallow plate or wide bowls

Magic Milk Instructions: Method #1

• Fill a plate or bowl with milk.
• Drop in at least 2 drops of each of four colors of food coloring. The more variety of colors the cooler the painting.
• Generously dip the end of a q-tip in dish soap.
• Now dip the q-tip (cotton swab) into the milk next to a drop of color.
• The first thing that will happen is the color will burst as soon as the dish soap hits it. It’s a great effect but very short lived. Once there is a little dishsoap in the milk it no longer “bursts”.
• Gently swirl the q-tip through the different colors and you’ll see little rivers of color start to form.
• Continue until the colors begin to mix and become brown. Empty your plate/bowl and repeat.

Magic Milk Experiment Instructions: Method # 2

Time needed:  10 minutes.

This version of the magic milk experiment lasts a long time, provided kids can restrain themselves from moving the cotton ball!

Pour a thin layer of milk in a plate or bowl.

Add a few drops each of food coloring on the center of the plate.

Soak a cotton ball in dish soap.

Carefully place the cotton ball in the center. The colors will explode out of the center!

Let the reaction continue until the colors begin to mix and become brown.

Tips & More

• You don’t need that much milk! I vastly overestimated how much we would need. For a class of 25 kids we used 1 1/2 gallons of milk.
• This is a great use of expired milk products. Put that small amount of whipping cream at the back of your refrigerator to use.
• Kids love the magic aspect of this project. We called the cotton swabs “magic wands.”
• Too much swishing and swirling and you’ll end up with brown muck fast. Of course kids don’t seem to care!

A word about food insecurity

We try to be respectful of the challenges children and families face including food insecurity. As an educator, I try to avoid using food in projects when possible. I make exceptions for projects that may have a lot to teach kids and where I feel we won’t be wasteful. That said, please think carefully about the population of students and families you serve before doing this project. Consider whether they would find this wasteful or offensive before proceeding. Also consider vegan families who may not want their children working with animal products; see some of the alternatives we suggest below.

Magic Milk Variations

• Try Different Milk Types  We have used almond and cow’s milk for this experiment and both worked well. The higher the fat content of the milk the more pronounced the “explosions” should be. A fun experiment would be to compare the results with different types of milk: almond, cow, rice, coconut. You can also experiment with cream, whole milk, and skim milk to see if there is a difference.
• Premix the soap and milk For a variation we premixed the milk and dish soap. You won’t have the color burst effect but it does seem to keep the colors separate a little longer.

The Science Behind the Magic Milk Experiment:

The dish soap molecules are attracted to the fat molecules in the milk. As soon as you introduce the soap to the milk/coloring mixture the molecules race around trying to bond. The food coloring gets pushed around in the process and appears to burst. Eventually the molecules all bond and the reaction stops.

This is a good example of how detergents work, their molecules have two ends: one end is attracted to oils and the other to water. One end of detergent molecules attracts oils and dirt from clothes, dishes etc., and as they stick together they break the oil and dirt down into smaller, easy to remove pieces.

How to Do the Magic Milk Experiment in the Classroom

If you would like to the magic milk experiment with a class full of kids here are step-by step instructions.

Per student Materials:

• (1) Small Plate or other shallow dish (make sure these are waterproof)
• (1) Large Plate or other shallow dish
• Tray to put underneath

NOTE: You may also use a divided plate as pictured above.

T eacher’s Materials:

• Milk 1.5 gallons per class of 25 students
• Tubs to collect dishes in afterwards

Sh ared Materials:

• Small bowl of dish soap
• Q-tips (Cotton swabs)
• Small bottles of liquid food coloring

Experiment #1 Procedure:

• Pass out per student materials. Ask students to place the small plate in the center of the table. It will be used for the second experiment. Ask students to place the large plate in the center of their tray.
• Explain the experiment first. Tell students they will be making colorful explosions using milk and food coloring and a “magic ingredient.” Tell students to use only a few drops of food coloring once it is available. Demonstrate how to carefully squeeze drops out of the food coloring bottles.
• Teacher(s) pour a thin layer of milk in each plate.
• Pass out the shared materials to each group of students.
• Ask students to carefully drop several drops of food coloring in the milk around their plate. Remind them not to disturb the color.
• When everyone has added color tell students to grab a “magic wand” AKA a Q-tip. Ask them to dip the wand into the magic ingredient (soap) but hold it to the side of the plate until everyone is ready. You can ask them if they know what the magic ingredient is.
• Do a countdown and on the count of 3 student should dip their q-tip into one of the drops of color. Instruct students to continue dipping the q-tip into the other drops. Listen for the oohs and aahs!
• When done the teacher should place the plates and milk in tubs to clean.

Experiment #2 Procedure:

• Ask students to place the small plate in the center of their tray.
• Teacher(s) pour a thin layer of milk in each small plate.
• Ask students to carefully drop a good squeeze of three colors of food coloring near the center of their plate. Remind them not to disturb the color.
• When everyone has added color tell students to dip a cotton ball in the soap.
• Instruct students to place the cotton ball in the center of the plate and not move it. See video below. This is an exercise in restraint!
• Watch as the color explodes out of the center of the plate/cotton ball.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ana from Babble Dabble Do (@babbledabbledo)

Turn the magic milk experiment into colorful paper!

Did you know you can expand on this experiment by making Marbled Milk Paper ?

Go HERE   for instructions: 

More Favorite Science Projects to Try:

Michelle - Little Paper Dog says

January 29, 2013 at 7:17 pm

So cool! I can’t wait to try this out with my little guy. 🙂

Ana Dziengel says

January 30, 2013 at 2:28 pm

Thanks Michelle! So simple and fun! BTW your blog is lovely! I particularly love that you have fast and easy projects; I’m trying to do something similar on my blog: quick, easy, simple projects using stuff you already have on hand.

Amanda Preiser says

April 18, 2013 at 5:06 am

This is awesome my daughter and I are going to do this today!

April 18, 2013 at 5:33 am

Thanks for stopping in Amanda! It’s a super fun and simple project. Enjoy!

August 21, 2014 at 11:08 am

Thanks! I’m an art teacher. There’s so many meet ideas I got from your blog. Thanks!

September 4, 2014 at 3:49 am

Linda, I’m thrilled to hear it! Thanks for stopping by 🙂

Denise says

August 23, 2014 at 1:45 pm

what type of paper did you use for the milk painting project?

September 4, 2014 at 3:51 am

Hi Denise, I used watercolor paper 🙂

Virginia says

January 3, 2015 at 12:34 pm

Did I miss something? I didn’t see directions for a little paper dog. I love this site. GREAT ideas Sorry if ? is dum! I can hardly wait to make the crystals. You know, Epsom salts have done ‘miracles’ ever since I knew of them! They were up front and most important in the “medicine cabinet” of my parents who had fifteen children, therefore many opportunities to use the salts for ‘injuries, localized infections and sore spots.’ Now I see they can add enormously to the decorations in my life as well as do almost magical “healing” Wish my Dad could see those! “What a Wonderful World!” Thank-you!

January 5, 2015 at 5:30 am

Thanks Virginia!

Rachel Holland says

February 7, 2015 at 9:57 am

I have tried this experiment out with my children today. I was really excited about it after seeing the lovely photo’s etc, however it was a bit of a flop. Tried it with Almond milk as suggested and semi skimmed cows milk, but when we put in the washing up liquid not much really happened. We changed the washing up liquid and got much better colour spread. However when it did the colours almost pretty much disappeared and trying to get paintings from them was so wishy washy. Are food colourings in the US very different to those in the UK, or do I just need to buy better colourings? I assumed that the liquid colourings from my local supermarket would be fine. I have also tried with gel colouring (which is the only thing that most stores stock) but this wasn’t particularly good either. I really want to make some lovely backings for Mother’s day cards etc but I am drawing a blank! Any help you could give would be great.

February 19, 2015 at 4:14 am

Hi Rachel, I’m sorry to hear this! Gel food coloring will not work. Regular food coloring should work fine. You will need to make the prints right away, if you wait until the colors are mixed you will get muddy results. And make sure you are using watercolor paper. I tried the project using cardstock and regular paper and they just didn’t absorb the color well. I hope this helps and please keep me posted!

J lewis says

February 19, 2017 at 10:09 am

Hello there, We used paste food colouring from cake shop, used to colour roll out icing, much better than the supermarket colours, which are useless for most things now as they have changed the formulas. Mix the colour paste with a little water to make a strong coloured liquid, we use this for colouring pasta too and play dough.

February 22, 2017 at 5:19 am

Thanks for the tip!

August 19, 2015 at 9:18 am

Was looking for the science explanation (chemical reactions) to share with the students while doing this? I like teaching the science of a science based experiment.

Neera Talukder says

October 25, 2015 at 6:56 am

can the whole milk be used as a substitute for almond milk ?

November 9, 2015 at 9:12 am

Absolutely!

Peggy Ashbrook says

November 30, 2015 at 4:27 am

I love it when you add the science concepts involved, both at an adult level to refresh our memories or learn new, and at a level appropriate for young children. Exploring the properties of art materials engages children in art and science!

August 16, 2016 at 5:13 am

Thanks so much Peggy!

Lisa Lewis says

January 21, 2016 at 8:07 am

I have tried the milk art 3 times with my grandchildren. We were very excited to watch the action of the colors in the milk but no much happened. I used whole milk, food colors, and Dawn dish soap. But once I put the drops of soap in the colors spread a little and then nothing else happened, I have read the posts and people talk about all the movement of the colors but we didn’t get that result. Am I doing something wrong?

August 16, 2016 at 4:51 am

Once the soap and fat molecules combine the reaction does stop. We like to swirl the milk using Q-tips after and watch the colors swirl.

Milton Garcia says

August 7, 2016 at 7:01 am

Messy. But I think my kids would love this activity.

August 15, 2016 at 8:06 am

They will love it!

Morgan says

August 23, 2016 at 12:22 pm

This looks like so much, and I love how it turns out. This would be a great project to take on with my four-year-old! Thanks so much for the idea!

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Exploding Baggie

Combining baking soda and vinegar is a classic science experiment that is a guaranteed crowd pleaser every single time. But mix the two ingredients in a sealed plastic baggie and the excitement goes through the roof!

The exploding baggie science trick is sure to knock kids’ socks off.

Check out the simple step-by-step below and then snag our 30 Science Experiments that are kid-approved and tons of fun!

Getting Ready

This activity can be a bit messy, so we chose to do it outside. Before heading off to the park, we gathered a few simple supplies:

• Zipper storage baggies (sandwich size)
• A few squares of toilet paper
• Baking soda

We poured 1/2 cup vinegar into the baggie and set it aside.

Then we placed 1 tablespoon baking soda onto a couple of squares of toilet paper. We folded and twisted the toilet paper up so that the baking soda was in a little pouch inside.

We had to be fast for the next part!

We made sure the baggie was sealed except for one little section.

Quickly, we dropped the baking soda pouch into the baggie, squeezed out whatever air we could, and sealed the baggie. We shook it a little bit to release the baking soda and watched the baggie expand. Then we dropped it on the ground, took a few steps back, and waited with anticipation as the baggie got bigger and bigger!

Within a few seconds the baggie exploded with a loud “POP”!

This science experiment was SO fun. My kids wanted to do it over and over again.

We attracted quite a crowd of onlookers (both children and adults) who were excited about what we were doing too. This is a science activity we will definitely be repeating!

Why Does the Baggie Explode?

When vinegar and baking soda mix you will notice that the solution fizzes and bubbles. This is because carbon dioxide gas is being produced.

As the carbon dioxide is made, it fills up the baggie and builds up the pressure until the baggie can’t hold it anymore and pops!

Depending on the strength of the baggie, you may notice that it breaks through the zipper, along the bottom seam, or even straight out the side!

More Fun for Little Scientists

Save time piecing together science lessons! Hop over and snag our 30 Science Experiments – complete with a no prep journal to record results!

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Thursday, April 19, 2012

Science experiment: "sparkly explosion".

• baking soda
• food coloring (we used neon red in the first picture and regular red in the rest)
• blue glitter (this is very important, though you can use any color)
• other supplies--see step 4. 
• pan to contain the mess
• Place 2-3 Tablespoons baking soda in the bottom of the vase.  Put the vase in the pan.
• Add 6-7 drops of food coloring and 1-2 teaspoons of glitter.
• Quickly pour in about 1/2 cup vinegar.  Watch for the sparkles!
• When the action is over, repeat the experiment, but this time let your child choose other supplies to add.  What does pepper look like in the "explosion?"  Does salt change anything?  Dishsoap? What about spaghetti noodles?  Remember this is not a demonstration, it is an experiment !  Let your child change the variables, predict what will happen, and enjoy the results!   

26 comments:

Explosion experiments are always the most fun. I have never added "sparkle" to ours. Thanks for the tip.

To be completely honest, I do not think I would have thought of it without my daughter! She does love sparkles, though!

Awesome... my daycare children will really enjoy this..thank you we are always looking for something different to experiment with.

Anonymous, My kids love experimenting and coming up with variations on experiments they're more familiar with! I hope you guys have a blast with it! ;)

This looks so fun! I want to be in your preschool class -- way more fun than the techy stuff I've been learning lately! Thanks so much for sharing on Busy Monday at A Pinch of Joy. Hope to see you again next week!

Nice presentation! If you'd like to eliminate the vinegar smell, substitute a spoonful of citric acid crystals dissolved in a cup of water. For older kids, try using a digital thermometer (about 12 bucks at most 'big boxes') and watch the temperature of this Endothermic Reaction go down (counter-intuitive for most, this is a great opportunity to do some predicting )!

Charlene, it is a ton of fun! Thanks for hosting Busy Monday! Pow!Science, those are great ideas! Thanks for sharing! Even young children can touch the vase, notice its coolness, and contrast it to other reactions (like the Elephant Toothpaste). And I love the idea of citric acid crystals! I don't mind the vinegar smell, but I do like to let them repeat experiments with different variables...and there are so many other fun uses for citric acid too!

Love the vase you used, the brightness of the food coloring, and the addition of glitter. Fun! Pinned it to our Preschool Science Board, thanks for sharing :)

We normally don't keep anything but glitterglue in the house.. but this makes me want to make a trip out just to get some so that we can do this tomorrow. Nice idea!

Liz, thanks for pinning it!! It was all a very colorful combination! Alicia, I completely understand that! We actually got the blue glitter for another project and had some leftover...I totally think it's worth it!

I am so glad to see this site. As a retired hospital lab person and now grandma to 6, I am always looking for fun but interesting things to do when babysitting. Of course science was my favorite subject and I had a teacher that made it fun. I hope to do the same.

Thanks, Anon! I've always loved science too...I've taught it at several grade levels, and enjoyed each experience! I'm glad you stopped by!!

We love to do science experiments here at our house too! We do one just like this and use old plastic water bottles. My son calls it his volcanoes. Love the idea of adding glitter, we will try that out.

If you're a 44YO without kids, would it be acceptable to do this, just because? I totally want to have a little fun. :)

Hi! I just wanted to say thank you for this fun activity. My 2 year old loved it! Also, I posted a link to this activity on my blog. http://meandmysistersclosets.blogspot.com/2012/09/bean-school.html

Michelle, Aren't volcanoes just awesome! The glitter adds such a fun dimension, too! Of course, Lisa! It just means you're totally cool! ;) I daily find myself wondering who's having more fun...the kids or me! Hi Whitney! Thanks for sharing! I look forward to getting to know you better!

Thanks so much for this great idea! We did it here http://littlehomeschoolblessings.blogspot.com/2012/10/glitter-eruption.html?m=1 .

Fantastic fun! thanks - just pinned to pinterest too. My son had a blast, no pun - Deb

Bethany, that's wonderful! Thanks for sharing your link! Fabulous, Deb!! Thanks for sharing it too!

I heard somewhere that baking soda and vinigar was harmfull for kids and skin? What did you find while doing this experiment?

We didn't have food coloring so we used a pack of red koolaide and it worked great and instead of it smelling like vinegar it smelled more like strawberries.

I'm a science summer camp teacher and I found this post shared on Facebook. What a hoot of an idea! I'll be stopping by a thrift shop for a box of glass vases to do this - and I especially love the idea of using a pack of koolaid! Women and moms are so creative and awesome! Thanks for the inspiration!

oh, and for the person wondering if the vinegar and baking soda was harmful to skin - baking soda is just a form of salt, so it irritates small cuts or dries out skin a touch. Vinegar is an acid, but a mild one. If you'd worry about the child spilling pickle juice on themselves, that's about the same kind of mixture. Super fun, almost no worries.

Danika, I love how Koolaid smells in experiments like this too! Thanks for sharing! Sonia, Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by and leave a comment! I bet your kiddos loved it! And yes, baking soda can sting a cut or dry out sensitive skin, but that's about it. Some children have skin sensitive to glitter too. Always follow your doctor's instructions if your child has sensitive skin! :)

I love the addition of the sparkles to the classic baking soda and vinegar experiment!

This is so wonderful and fun! I'm sure I would have loved this as a kid!

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10 of the Best Science Kits for Kids

Things have changed a lot since I was a kid. Science is actually cool now, for example—my kids actually want to learn as much about the world around them as they can, and they can do so in their home with the wide variety of educational kits available to help them learn about geology, physics, paleontology, chemistry, and other branches of study. Not only do these kits give kids a head start in the classroom, but they also impart principles like observing and problem-solving.

If you have an inquisitive kid looking for fun while deepening their understanding of science, here are 10 affordable kits to help them get started. 

Engino Stem Toys: Physics Laws

Sure, your kid can build a rocket with a LEGO set, but it takes science to project it into the air. With  this six-in-one set , your child can make a working launcher, crash test rig, rubber band car, sharpening wheel, bow and arrow, and an inertia test platform while learning basic physics principles. Reviewers say this STEM kit has easy-to-follow instructions that even elementary school-aged kids can understand.

National Geographic Stunning Science Chemistry Set 

We all made model volcanoes for our science fair project, but your kids can take their experiment to the next level with some pop crystals to make it change colors and fizz. That's just one of the many chemistry-based experiments  this kit offers, which also include building a geyser or rocket launcher. The educational instruction booklet also has 30 additional experiments kids can conduct using everyday household items. 

KiwiCo Science of Cooking: Ice Cream

What kid doesn't love ice cream? Now, with this  hands-on kit  created by the popular educational subscription service, they can make their own while learning the materials and methods involved in creating the cold concoction. The kit also includes an illustrated book explaining the science behind the delicious dessert and features recipes for different flavors and sorbet.

Dig a Dozen Dino Eggs 

Studying dinosaurs doesn't mean watching  Jurassic Park  over and over again. Paleontologists have to dig for their discoveries, and your kid can get an idea of what excavating bones is like with  these eggs  with a toy dinosaur hidden inside by using smaller versions of the same tools scientists use. My oldest son loved playing with these when he was younger, but be warned: They can cause a real mess if used indoors. 

Bill Nye's VR Space Lab

The "Science Guy" will immerse your kids in the wonders of the galaxy with a set of goggles that work with an app and smartphone. Activities include over 125 games and engaging augmented-reality experiences that show kids the universe's wonders.  The award-winning toy  also includes crafts, experiments, and a 96-page project book perfect for pre-teens interested in space exploration. 

Mega Cyborg Hand

If only Luke Skywalker had this around when his father cut off his hand! My son built  this 203-piece set (mostly) on his own, so parents can breathe a sigh of relief knowing they don't have to construct this STEM toy entirely on their own. There are no wires or electronics here, either. The hand utilizes pneumatic and hydraulic systems to grip, lift, and move objects. Most importantly, the hand only has four fingers, so your child cannot flip anyone the bird when playing with it. 

Klutz LEGO Gear Bots

This kit  explains the fundamental physics behind the LEGO Technic line with amusing characters, such as an octopus named DJ Bubbles. It includes a book with clear step-by-step instructions, which is important if you've ever tried building a Technic kit.   

5-in-1 Robot Building Set

If your little scientist wants to upgrade DJ Bubbles,  this robot set  is a good next step. They can build a Wall-E knockoff that might upset Disney's lawyers or a robotic dino that is eerily similar to a Dinobot from a particular toy robot-in-disguise line. Appearances aside, commenters love the educational aspects and quality of the toy, while some found it easier to build than others. 

National Geographic Rock Tumbler Set

If your child leans toward geology or wants to make their own jewelry,  this rock tumbler  is the perfect way to uncover the hidden beauty of the Earth. It comes with its own rocks, and while some commenters debate the quietness of the tumbler's three-speed motor, most agree it's easy to use.

Kidzlabs Crystal Science Kit

My first (and only) chemistry set was supposed to help me create crystals through chemical reactions, but it did not include instructions on how to even get started. Thankfully,  this set does , so your kids can create moon crystals and snow trees with the included materials and other common household items. You may need to supervise, though.

All the science kits:

Engino Stem Toys: Physics Laws  ($34.99)

National Geographic Stunning Science Chemistry Set  ($34.99)

KiwiCo Science of Cooking: Ice Cream  ($34.95)

Dig a Dozen Dino Eggs  ($19.99)

Bill Nye's VR Space Lab  (59.99)

Mega Cyborg Hand  ($26.86)

Klutz LEGO Gear Bots  ($21.06)

5-in-1 Robot Building Set  ($59.99)

National Geographic Rock Tumbler Set  ($64.99)

Kidzlabs Crystal Science Kit  ($14.48)