Science Fun
Baking Soda And Vinegar Volcano Kitchen Science Experiment
In this fun and easy kitchen science experiment for kids, we’re going to use baking soda and vinegar to create an erupting volcano.
- Measuring cup
- Baking soda
- Liquid dish soap
- Red food coloring
- Baking pan or plastic bin
- Plastic water bottle
Instructions:
- Fill the plastic water bottle about halfway full with baking soda.
- Add a squirt or two of dish soap to the bottle.
- Pile the sand up around the plastic water bottle to make it look like a volcano. Be sure to leave the mouth of the bottle open and unobstructed.
- Measure out ½ cup of vinegar.
- Add a drop or two of red food coloring to the vinegar.
- Pour the vinegar into the plastic water bottle and observe.
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How it Works:
The baking soda is a base and the vinegar is an acid. When the acid and base combine, an endothermic reaction occurs and releases carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide gas rushes toward the bottle opening and also causes the dish soap to foam. The gas and foam quickly fill the bottle an erupt from the top and causes a cool looking “lava flow” down the side of your volcano.
Make This A Science Project:
Try different amounts of vinegar. Try different amounts of baking soda. Try different sized and shaped bottles.
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Baking Soda Vinegar Volcano For Eruption Fun
Take science outside with an easy SANDBOX VOLCANO ! When the weather is nice, try simple summer science experiments outdoors for a real hit with the kids. From pulleys to homemade ice cream, to bursting bags, this baking soda vinegar volcano is one of the coolest and easiest science activities for kids this season.
Baking Soda Volcano Experiments
We love all things that erupt and have been exploring different ways to create eruptions while having fun through play. Baking soda and vinegar science experiments are fantastic for kids of all ages !
Here are a few of our favorite volcano eruptions…
- Pumpkin Volcano
- Lemon Volcano
- Apple Volcano
- Volcano Slime
- LEGO Volcano
- Dinosaur Volcano
- Snow Volcano
- Watermelon Volcano
When the weather is nice, doing your science activities outdoors is an awesome idea! Building a sandbox volcano is an outdoor science activity with a quick clean-up.
What we love about these science activities is the extra play factor that is organically included. You can see what I mean at the end of this post.
Watch the Volcano Video
How does a volcano erupt.
Well, it’s not because of baking soda and vinegar! But it is due to escaping gasses and pressure. You can use a homemade volcano with a baking soda and vinegar chemical reaction to mimic the gas produced in a volcano. Baking soda and vinegar are the best ingredients for a simple volcano eruption!
The chemical reaction produces a gas (read more about how it works further on) which pushes the liquid up and out of the container. This is similar to an actual volcano where gas builds up underneath the earth’s surface and forces the magma up through the hole in the volcano, causing an eruption.
Some volcanoes erupt with an explosive spray of lava and ash, whereas some, like the active volcano in Hawaii, the lava flows out the opening. It all depends on the shape and the opening! The more confined space, the more explosive the eruption.
Our sandbox volcano is an excellent example of an explosive volcano. Another similar example is our Mentos and coke experiment .
Read more about the science behind baking soda and vinegar experiments .
Grab This Free Volcano Facts Pack.
Add cool volcano facts to your sandbox volcano demonstration with this free activity pack. Click here for your volcano facts pack .
What is the scientific method?
The scientific method is a process or method of research. A problem is identified, information about the problem is gathered, a hypothesis or question is formulated from the information, and the hypothesis is put to the test with an experiment to prove or disprove its validity. Sounds heavy…
What in the world does that mean?!? The scientific method should be used as a guide to help lead the process. It’s not set in stone.
You don’t need to try and solve the world’s biggest science questions! The scientific method is all about studying and learning things right around you.
As kids develop practices that involve creating, gathering data, evaluating, analyzing, and communicating, they can apply these critical thinking skills to any situation. Click here to learn more about the scientific method and how to use it.
Even though the scientific method feels like it is just for big kids…
This method can be used with kids of all ages! Have a casual conversation with younger kiddos, or do a more formal notebook entry with older kiddos!
Easy Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano
Also, look at our salt dough volcano project as a fantastic alternative!
- sandbox with sand (try our sand slime or sand foam too)
- baking soda
- 16oz water bottle
- food coloring (optional)
You can also try adding dish soap for an even foamier fizzing eruption. Just a few drops are all that is needed.
BAKING SODA VOLCANO SET UP
STEP 1. Fill the water bottle about a third full (mix in optional food coloring) and a dd about 5 teaspoons of baking soda to it. Put the water bottle cap back on until you are ready .
STEP 2. Build a sand mountain or sand volcano around the bottle .
STEP 3. Uncap the bottle and p our a good amount, probably a cup of vinegar into the bottle .
Quick, get out of the way and watch the huge eruption!
Try These Additional Volcano Project Ideas
If you don’t want to use baking soda and vinegar, here are a few other ways to produce an eruption.
- Hydrogen Peroxide and Yeast (Elephant Toothpaste)
- Mentos and Diet Coke (Mentos Volcano)
More Fun Fizzing Experiments
There are many ways to explore fizzy reactions and not just with baking soda and vinegar experiments !
- Pop Rocks Science
- Bottle Rocket Blast Off
- Baking Soda and Vinegar Balloons
- Fizzy Paint
- Mentos and Coke
- Hatching Dino Eggs
- Lemon Volcanos
More Helpful Science Resources
Science vocabulary.
It is never too early to introduce some fantastic science words to kids. Get them started with a printable science vocabulary word list . You will want to incorporate these simple science terms into your next science lesson!
WHAT IS A SCIENTIST
Think like a scientist! Act like a scientist! Scientists like you and me are also curious about the world around them. Learn about the different types of scientists and what they do to increase their understanding of their specific areas of interest. Read What Is A Scientist
SCIENCE BOOKS FOR KIDS
Sometimes the best way to introduce science concepts is through a colorfully illustrated book with characters your kids can relate to! Check out this fantastic list of science books that are teacher approved and get ready to spark curiosity and exploration!
SCIENCE PRACTICES
A new approach to teaching science is called the Best Science Practices. These eight science and engineering practices are less structured and allow for a more free**-**flowing approach to problem-solving and finding answers to questions. These skills are critical to developing future engineers, inventors, and scientists!
Printable Science Project Pack with 52+ Experiments
Templates, instructions, observation sheets and more for over 52+ science projects and experiments. Perfect for kids in Kinderaten through Middle School.
Will this ruin the existing sand in the box? THaks!
We did not have a problem with it. If you are concerned you can scoop out the used sand or you could put a bin inside the sand box and have kids build the volcano inside it.
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Volcano Experiment – Baking Soda Volcano
March 20, 2018 By Emma Vanstone 1 Comment
When you think of great science experiments for kids one of the first that springs to mind is probably a baking soda volcano and vinegar volcano. I remember making one with my little brother in the kitchen when he was about 4 or 5. Baking soda volcanoes and coke floats were our favourite summer activities.
You might also like our 10 science experiments every child should try at least once with a free printable checklist to work through.
A baking soda volcano eruption is a fantastic first demonstration of a chemical reaction as the ingredients are safe ( although do wear safety glasses to protect your eyes from vinegar )
Why does a baking soda and vinegar reaction happen?
If you combine an acid and an alkali they react together to neutralise each other. Vinegar is an acid and bicarbonate of soda is an alkali.
The reaction releases carbon dioxide gas, which is the bubbles you see. If you add washing up liquid ( dish soap ) to your eruption mix the bubbles make the washing up liquid bubble up, giving the appearance of lava erupting from a volcano .
How to make a baking soda volcano
What you need to make a baking soda volcano.
Basically you need the ingredients for the volcano eruption , a jar or small bottle for the eruption to happen in and something to use as the volcano part.
Volcano – sand, snow, modroc etc
Small jar or bottle
Red food colouring
Baking soda
Volcano Instructions
I don’t usually measure an exact amount of each, but a good dollop of baking soda, a squirt of dish soap and a bit of red food colouring mixed with a little water should give you a good eruption. If it doesn’t, add a bit more baking soda.
If you want to make a very quick and easy baking soda volcano a sand volcano is a good option, or a snow volcano !
Volcano Experiment Extension Ideas
What happens if you don’t use the dish soap? Can you predict what might happen before trying it?
What happens if you add extra dish soap?
Volcano Experiment Extra Challenge s
Can you think of an acidic fruit you could use to make an baking soda volcano eruption without adding vinegar?
Create a papier mache volcano ? We love this version from Red Ted Art.
Design a multicoloured volcano? We split our jar in half and poured yellow food colouring into one half and red into the other for this.
What’s your favourite baking soda volcano to make?
What is a volcano?
A volcano is a mountain that contains a magma ( rock so hot it has turned into a liquid ) chamber. The magma chamber is filled with liquid rock. If enough pressure builds inside the chamber the volcano can explode shooting the magma from the top! When magma is on the surface of the Earth we call it lava! This is a volcanic eruption and can cause a lot
Make a model of a famous volcano
Another idea is to make a model of a famous volcano. In my book This Is Rocket Science one of the activities is to make a baking soda Olympus Mons . It’s a great way to learn about chemical reactions, volcanoes and Mars!!
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Last Updated on March 2, 2021 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.
Reader Interactions
March 21, 2018 at 2:44 pm
My kids just love making erupting volcanoes – they are really fascinated by them. Love your challenges and extension ideas – will defo give them a try!
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Preschool Inspirations
Preschool Activities and Learning
Easy Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano Eruption for Kids
May 28, 2014 by Katie T. Christiansen 5 Comments
Need a super simple baking soda and vinegar volcano recipe? This one takes about three minutes to prep (and the kids get to help). It uses six common ingredients, and there is no mess to clean up afterward! If simple and no cleaning is music to your ears, you’re in the right place. We’ve made this five times in the past two weeks, so it’s definitely a loved activity here.
I have always loved making volcanoes with my kids, but they can be time-consuming and require lots of prep. Well, “lots” may be stretching it, but in my world, if it’s not simple, it doesn’t usually happen. The sad truth is that while I’ve thought about making a volcano tons of times, I’ve only made it happen a few. I wanted to change that by making it a super easy process. I hope you absolutely love it!
And if you love these types of science experiments, you can see even more baking soda and vinegar experiments that are simple and so fun! They are also an awesome addition to a preschool curriculum .
Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano
How do you make the easiest volcano recipe in the world?
Ingredients
- Plastic cup (We tried a water bottle, but the plastic cup worked much better)
- 3-4 Tbs of baking soda at least (we usually do 4-6 which makes it extra foamy and will do 2-3 eruptions)
- 1 tsp of dish soap
- 1 cup (8 oz) of Vinegar to start with per eruption…then they’ll be asking for more 🙂
Location: an area with pea gravel, sand, or dirt
While you mix the base ingredients, have the kiddos make a mound out of pea gravel (or you could certainly do this with dirt). Once you have a mound, put the cup on top of it, and turn it into a mountain. How easy is that!
We give it a good stir just before adding the last ingredient. Now it’s time for the eruption! Pour in the vinegar until it starts foaming over, pouring it’s lava all over the rocks.
The pictures really don’t do this justice, but our pea gravel mountain was just under a foot tall (30 cm).
Here’s our bubbly red lava taking over the rocks. In the background here, I’ve been hearing “there she blows!”
It is also super fun to mix up the colors a little bit! We can pour the vinegar in about three times before we need to add more baking soda to our solution.
Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano Video
Want to see it in action? Here’s the video!
Since we can’t get enough of this, here are some more snapshots of our other volcano eruptions.
What does it look like afterward? Here’s a picture of ours once we took away the plastic cup. You can hardly even tell we did anything, and the rocks must be nice and clean with the baking soda and vinegar. If the washable paint doesn’t come off the rocks right away, it will within a few days or the next rain.
If you want to see what this looks like with dirt, check out these fun volcano posts!
Easy Backyard Volcano by Mom with a Lesson Plan
Erupting Volcanoes in Preschool by Teach Preschool
Or if you have the time to make it a little fancier, here are some more great ideas:
Build, Paint, and Erupt Volcano by Fun at Home With Kids
Erupting Volcano Dinosaur Printable from Fun at Home With Kids
Comparing Homemade Volcano Recipes by Still Playing School
How to Build a Volcano by Kids Activities Blog
Ice Volcanoes by Reading Confetti
Messy Play Fun with Shaving Cream from Fun-A-Day!
Erupting an Easy Homemade Volcano by Mom to 2 Posh Lil’ Divas
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September 13, 2016 at 8:32 am
My son tried this Has lots of fun!
February 28, 2018 at 4:38 pm
I like the idea I have to try it thank you Katie from preschool inspirations I love it and it looks fun and cool because I have a science fair at Edison elementary and I think it would be cool thanks
April 29, 2018 at 5:51 pm
Can you do this without the paint too?
May 2, 2018 at 9:19 am
Hi Amanda, it works without paint. It just won’t be colored. Have fun!
[…] sort of guided activity during my break time. For example some fun science experiments. Making a baking soda and vinegar volcano is super easy and fun. It doesn’t take too long either so you can easily do this with your […]
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Fun with Mama
Toddler and preschool activities
Written by Nadia T • Feb 8, 2024 • 8 Comments
FUN Baking Soda Volcano Experiment For Kids
Have you ever tried the Baking Soda volcano experiment? This has been amongst my children’s FAVORITE activities ever. It is simple to put together and you probably already have everything you need in your kitchen. (Minus the sand.) Read on to see how you can create a volcano science experiment for kids
Volcano Science Experiment
Have you ever tried the baking soda volcano for kids? Watching the volcano explore is truly one of the most surprising and exciting moments for a young child. I love that it can be a science experiment for 3-year-olds all the way to 13-year-olds. It doesn’t lose its excitement. I have started doing science experiments for kids from the time my children were 2 years old. The vinegar and baking soda science experiments are always so easy to put together and definitely have that wow factor!
Related : Lemon Volcano Science Experiment for Kids
If you would prefer to purchase a Volcano set you can do that, but it is also very easy to do with materials you probably already have at home. (We’ve done it both ways… at home and purchased, both equally as amazing to see.)
Please note that affiliate links may be used in this post. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.
Volcano Experiment Ingredients:
- Sand (it’s in the red dish),
- A glass bottle for the volcano
- Beaker for pouring
- or plastic bottles (I used 1 glass bottle and one pouring cup)
- Red food coloring
- Bicarbonate of soda
- Paper plate or tray – Basically something just to catch the liquid to prevent mess.
You can always find my favorite kids activity supplies here.
Please note: To make the sand mold to your required shape, mix in a little bit of water.
How to make a volcano science experiment
You can watch the video we created to show you how the experiment works.
First, we will learn how to build the volcano
Mix some red food coloring with vinegar.
Then place damp sand (add some water to the sand to make it moldable) on a tray or paper plate around an empty glass bottle/jar/beaker.
Add some bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) to the empty glass bottle using a funnel.
Now you’re baking soda volcano is ready for eruption.
DIY Volcano
Now you are going to learn how to make a volcano erupt.
Pour the red-colored vinegar into the bottle (use a funnel if you need it).
Watch the magic unfold.
When vinegar mixes with baking soda you get the eruption.
Now you have a homemade volcano eruption
Let’s learn the science behind the volcano project
The baking soda and vinegar experiment demonstrates a simple chemical reaction between an acid (vinegar, which contains acetic acid) and a base (baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate). When the two substances are combined, they react to produce carbon dioxide gas, water, and a salt.
Here’s the chemical equation for the reaction:
- Vinegar (acetic acid): CH3COOH
- Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate): NaHCO3
When vinegar (acetic acid) reacts with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), it produces:
CH3COOH + NaHCO3 -> CH3COONa (sodium acetate) + H2O (water) + CO2 (carbon dioxide gas)
The carbon dioxide gas is what causes the fizzing and bubbling reaction you observe in the experiment. The reaction between the acid and the base releases the carbon dioxide gas, which creates bubbles and pushes the mixture upward, resembling an eruption.
This baking soda volcano is one of our favorite science activities for toddlers and preschoolers. It would be wonderful to add to a Dinosaur Theme Activities month.
I hope you learned how to make a volcano erupt with baking soda and that you try it at home or in your classroom.
The baking soda volcano activity makes a great science project for kids at home and should definitely be added to your at home science bucket list.
The volcano science experiment can also be adapted to many different themes and activities. Instead of doing a volcano theme you can incorporate the baking soda and vinegar and do Fizzing Easter Egg Dyeing .
You can find all of our Science Experiments for kids here.
Do you have a science loving kid? Here are more of my favorite science activities for kids:
- Easy Elephant Toothpaste Experiment
- Halloween Science Witch’s Brew Potions
- Pop Rocks and Soda Experiment
Have you tried the Volcano Experiment for kids before? Were your students or children as amazed as mine?
More Fun Baking Soda Science Experiments
The lemon volcano experiment is FUN!
Fizzing Heart Eruptions
Check out this colorful Baking soda and vinegar reaction experiment
Check out the fizzing ice cubes .
Nadia is a mom of 4, with a passion for making childhood education fun through play. She encourages parents to spend quality time with their kids through fun kids activities and enjoys art, traveling, and doing activities with her children.
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Reader Interactions
August 29, 2009 at 2:33 am
I shouldn't let the kids read over my shoulder – now they want to make one too.
August 29, 2009 at 8:51 am
This looks like so much fun! 🙂 I'll have to try it with my son!
August 29, 2009 at 10:39 am
Such a good mama to do some experimenting with your little. All I think about is M-E-S-S! That is my control freak nature, but I'm trying to get over that.
That 5th picture of your son is priceless! You can't beat that!!
August 29, 2009 at 10:59 am
that really cool!
August 31, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Fun, Fun Fun!!!
September 2, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Ooh, the famous soda and vinegar thing. That's what made me want study chemistry – too bad my parents were dead set against it. I read that this project is simpler (and less messy :)) with play-doh, but I haven't tried it out myself yet.
September 7, 2009 at 11:21 am
my son is gonna sqeal with delight if he gets to make this!
[…] in and you might see it on GMSA @ 9 a.m.!Here’s what you’ll need:This activity is courtesy of Fun with Mama.Copyright 2021 by KSAT – All rights reserved.Kaiti Blake is a child […]
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RAINBOW BAKING SODA VOLCANO EXPERIMENTBy: Author Agnes Hsu Posted on Last updated: June 10, 2020 Categories Create , Latest  Follow us on Instagram for more fun ideas for kids!Watch the video below to see this fun Rainbow Baking Soda Volcano Experiment in action . Make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more fun videos! This rainbow baking soda volcano experiment is a mesmerizing and colorful science experiment kids can make with common kitchen household items.Your kids will love making this colorful rainbow baking soda volcano with just a couple of kitchen items you probably already have at home like baking soda , food coloring and vinegar! In our house, we encourage what we like to call messy play . And when it’s also something that teaches the kids about STEM and science , we’re always intrigued and ready to give it a try. What we love about this DIY volcano experiment is that it’s really great for kids of all ages. From early learners to curious tweens, they’ll all love the process and outcome of this simple science experiment.  What causes the baking soda reaction?Like our giant balloon baking soda experiment , this is experiment is an acid/base reaction. Vinegar is acidic and baking soda is a base. When you mix an acid with a base, two new chemicals form, carbonic acid and sodium acetate. The new acid then decomposes into water and carbon dioxide which causes bubbling. Show the kids that learning can be fun! When you’re ready to have an mesmerizing project at home, this is the simple experiment that you need to do! What I love most about this easy activity for kids is that it’s a quick and simple science experiment that results in guaranteed fun and excitement. Who wouldn’t love to see a volcano erupt into the colors of a rainbow ? I’m an adult and even I loved this experiment! Get ready for this to be a fun activity that the kids ask for again and again because I can assure you that this cool sight never gets old.  Is this volcano science activity safe for kids?The ingredients to make this rainbow volcano are simple and safe like food coloring, vinegar, baking soda and dish soap so you can focus on learning. But just like with all kids’ activities, parental guidance is needed. Since this volcano doesn’t actually “explode” there’s no real harm that could happen to the kids but if you’re worried about it, just sit with them and join in on the fun. We’ve typically done this project at home on our dining table but it is a messy project so keep that in mind. If you want to take it outdoors and have it done there, it’s such a simple project with very few supplies so that shouldn’t be hard to do. Just gather up what you need and set up your science station in an area that is safe and easy to get to for the kids. One tip is placing it all on on a plastic bin that doubles as a sensory bin to play with once the volcano erupts.  What are some other ways to have fun with this volcano activity?What we did to make it extra fun is have them create this volcano out of sand. Our kids also added some toy dinosaurs so after the volcano erupted it created a fun sensory bin! If you’re looking for ways to make this project last, you can always tie in some volcano learning or rainbow learning as well. Read a few good books or take the time to research fun topics online. You can also have the kids get creative with their imagination and have them pretend that they’re scientists as well. Get out the lab coats and let them create this rainbow experiment in their laboratory at home! Rainbow Baking Soda Volcano Experiment – Materials:Plastic test tubes , rubber band, baking soda, food coloring (we recommend gel colors for vibrancy instead of water base), sand (we used kinetic sand but you can also use regular sand with water), toy dinosaurs, plants, etc, a plastic bin to keep the volcano mess contained. The video will show you the process but it’s as simple as adding the baking soda to the glass bottles or containers followed by a few drops of food coloring to each bottle. Then top with water and watch the rainbow reaction occur!  INSTRUCTIONS(Watch the video in the post) Step 1. Tie your plastic test tubes together with a rubber band to hold them in place, one per each color of the rainbow.Step 2. place your tubes upright inside a plastic bin and add sand around it to make a volcano. we used kinetic sand so we didn’t have to use water to mold around the tubes but you will need it for regular sand. keep in mind, after the volcano erupts the kinetic sand will not be reusable. , step 3. add about a tablespoon of baking soda into each tube, followed by a couple drops of dish soap, and food coloring – one color per tube (gel colors lead to the most vibrant colors). , step 4. add vinegar inside the tubes to the top and watch the explosive colorful fun . You can continue to add more gel colors, dish soap, and baking soda/vinegar after the first eruption. This is why in the video, you see varying colors and levels of eruptions come out. In some cases, we added a lot of food coloring, some more baking soda, vinegar, etc. Test theories out with your kids. What happens when we add more or less of an ingredient? If you love this Baking Soda Rainbow Volcano Experiment, make certain to take a peek at some of our fun science experimentsRainbow bubble snakes, giant balloon baking soda experiment, 3 weather in a jar science experiments.  Agnes Hsu is a mom of three and has been inspiring parents and kids to get creative with easy activities and family friendly recipes for over 10 years. She shares her love for creative play and kids food to her 2MM+ followers online. Agnes' commitment to playful learning and kindness has not only raised funds for charity but also earned features in prestigious nationwide publications.
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Sand Volcano Experiment This is one of my favorite activities to set up for the girls during long beach visits. It only takes a moment, and the fun they get out if it makes me smile for days. Are you ready to make sand erupt ?How to make a sand volcano.
Making Your Volcano Erupt
 Growing a Jeweled Rose is a site packed with fun and educational activities for kids. Read more about us or catch up with our favorite posts .  More About the AuthorCrystal Underwood is the writer and creator of Growing A Jeweled Rose. She has worked extensively with children and strongly believes in the importance of play at the core of early learning. She is passionate about the early years and believes that childhood should be a truly magical time in life. For all the best kids activities connect with Growing a Jeweled Rose below!  you may also like  Snow Paint Recipe No-Cook Cinnamon OrnamentsSave Your Favorite Ideas  Baking Soda and Vinegar Experiment This classic science experiment is always a favorite activity for kids. And it’s easy to put together too! You only need baking soda, food coloring, water and vinegar. Kids will loving making this fizzy rainbow. RELATED: Rain Cloud in a Jar  Rainbow Baking Soda and Vinegar ExperimentKids love doing this easy science experiment. Not only is it a fun activity but it’s a great learning exercise too. They also get to practice fine motor work by using a pipette or dropper. To save steps, you can also do this experiment by using regular baking soda shaped into a rainbow. Then just add a few drops along the arches of the food coloring. The ScienceWhat happens when you mix vinegar and baking soda? You see the bubbling and foaming but what is causing this reaction? The baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a base while the vinegar (acetic acid) is an acid and what you are seeing is an acid/base reaction. Initially, the reaction makes carbonic acid which is unstable and breaks down into carbon dioxide (CO2) and water which is what creates all of the fizzing and bubbles as the gas leaves the water.  Supplies Needed to do a Baking Soda and Vinegar Experiment– Baking Soda – we like this large 5 lb bag for activities – Food Coloring Gel (one in each color of the rainbow) – we like to use this liquid food coloring gel since it’s concentrated and makes the colors really vibrant – Dropper – Water – Vinegar  Watch the Video Tutorial Here!How to do a fizzy baking soda and vinegar experiment. 1. Start by placing 1 cup of baking soda into a bowl.  2. In a pouring cup, add 3 tablespoons of water. Mix in 1-2 drops of red food coloring into the water. If using regular food coloring, you may need to add more drops to make it more vibrant.  3. Pour the food colored water into the bowl with baking soda and mix until the baking soda is dyed.  It should still be a powdery-like texture and look like the following:  Repeat the above steps for Yellow and Orange. For Green, Blue and Purple , mix only 1/2 cup of baking soda to 1.5 tablespoons of water (you don’t need as much of these colors to make the rainbow so you can halve the recipe above. 4. Lay out the colors onto a white tray or baking sheet. Protect your table if needed so the food coloring does not go onto your table.  5. Put vinegar in a bowl and then let kids use a dropper to drop the vinegar onto the rainbow.  Kids love seeing the reaction the baking soda and vinegar makes together!  We love how easy this science experiment is to set up. And kids love to use the droppers to make the vinegar/baking soda reaction. The rainbow version is a lot of fun to try! We hope you enjoy this easy science experiment! More Science ExperimentsTry this fun and easy Grow a Rainbow Experiment . You only need washable markers and paper towel!  For another fun experiment, make some oobleck!  Try a rainbow rain cloud in the jar experiment!  Related Ideas: Cloud Dough The BEST Playdough Recipe How to Make Slime With Contact Solution 50+ Christmas Crafts for KidsShare a comment. We LOVE hearing from you! Submit your question or comment here. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Cancel Reply Sign up for my FREE newsletter and get new ideas to your inbox! 10+ Fun and Easy Baking Soda and Vinegar ExperimentsThey explode, they erupt, they are messy and boy are they fun! What could cause so much excitement? That’s right, baking soda and vinegar experiments. Go beyond the old baking soda and vinegar volcanoes and discover a world of new experiments to thrill your kids! Chemistry for Kids – Sodium Bicarbonate and Vinegar ReactionsWhat you will discover in this article!  Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Influencer I earn from qualifying purchases. Not seeing our videos? Turn off any adblockers to ensure our video feed can be seen. Or visit our YouTube channel to see if the video has been uploaded there. We are slowly uploading our archives. Thanks! We love science experiments around here, but, often for my own sanity, we keep things easy, by just playing with variations of our favourite physics or chemistry reactions. One of our all time favourites is the simple baking soda and vinegar experiments. Immediately, I am sure you are thinking of the old fashion Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcanoes we all built as children. We love that experiment too, but you can do lots of other things with this awesome reaction that don’t involve a whole lot of paper mache construction. A quick note for those not in North American. Baking Soda is also known as Sodium Bicarbonate in many parts of the world. The ScienceThese activities explore the popular baking soda and vinegar reaction, which is a simple acid-base chemical reaction. Vinegar or Acetic Acid has the chemical formula CH 3 COOH. Baking Soda, is a base also known as Sodium Bicarbonate or Sodium Bicarb, has the chemical formula NaHCO 3 . During this reaction the products are sodium acetate (CH 3 COONa). Sodium acetate is made of 1 sodium ion, 2 carbon atoms, 3 hydrogen atoms, and 2 oxygen atoms. The other products are water (H 2 O) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). Carbon dioxide is the gas that causes the bubbling during the reaction. Here is the chemical formula of this reactionCH 3 COOH (l) + NaHCO 3 (s) → CH 3 COONa (aq) + H 2 O (l) + CO 2 (g) acetic acid (vinegar) + sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) -> sodium acetate + water + carbon dioxide Is the reaction endothermic or exothermic?It takes energy to break the chemical bonds in baking soda and vinegar. When this happens energy is released when the carbon dioxide, sodium acetate, and water are formed. Since more energy was needed to break the baking soda and vinegar apart, the temperature goes down . This is called an endothermic reaction. That means Baking Soda and Vinegar reactions are endothermic. Now we know the science, let’s dig into some fun experiments! Here are our top 10 favourite baking soda and vinegar experiments that the kids love doing over and over and over again! The best part, most of these are super easy science experiments. Great for those afternoons when you need a quick, fun project that will appeal to any age. Measuring Chemical Reactions – Fireworks ExperimentBaking soda and vinegar is the perfect reaction to start learning some basic chemistry principles including how to measure a chemical reaction. In this experiment we have a fun Fireworks inspired reaction (great for July 4th), followed by a deep dive into chemistry as kids learn how to measure a chemical reaction with simple kitchen supplies.  Bottle RocketsBuilding Bottle Rockets is such a fun activity for all ages, but especially as a year end celebration or summer camp activity. With this activity we are exploring the pressure and physics caused by a contained baking soda and vinegar reaction. And the results are spectacular!!  Greenhouse Effect ExperimentThis powerful experiment demonstrates the heat capturing properties of greenhouse gases. An excellent project to do for Earth Day or as part of a unit study on environmental sciences and climate change. Create the Greenhouse Effect in a jar .  Hatching Dino EggsOne of our most popular activities with everyone from the very young to the young at heart are these little Dino Eggs. Everyone dreams of hatching their very own dinosaur baby and in this fun activity you make it happen with a fizzy, fun and gorgeous chemical reaction.  Erupting Rainbow RocksErupting rainbow rocks are a gorgeous, colourful science experiment that is so easy to do. Be prepared for lots of squeals of excitement and gasps of wonder as the rainbow of colours magically appear in the fizz!  Erupting Black Hole ScienceWe love studying space around here, and this is a fantastic activity for your star gazers and aspiring space travelers. Inspired by the first photographs of a black hole, we created this fun and interactive Space STEM Activity – Erupting Black Holes !  Magic Color Changing OobleckImagine changing the colour of something, simply with chemistry. This Colour Changing Oobleck activity was not originally meant to be a baking soda and vinegar reaction, in fact we were simply setting out to test pH. Then we saw those fizzy little reactions as our Oobleck changed colour. Accidental discoveries in science are so much fun!  Baking Soda vs Baking PowderGot a budding scientist on your hands that wants to run their very own science lab? This is a fantastic activity for kids to put their investigation skills to the test. Make sure you use test tubes and beakers for the best lab experience. Don’t forget the lab coat. Your young scientists will love this investigative activity exploring the differences between baking soda and baking powder .  Balloon ScienceLike our bottle rockets, in this activity we are capturing the CO2 gases that result from a baking soda and vinegar reaction. Using our STEM skills we tested different ratios to see how it affects the inflating of our balloons. We have done this experiment for Groundhog Day and Halloween . It is great fun and can be easily adapted for any theme and is super easy to do.  Volcano SlimeAfter years of failure we finally found success making slime with contact lens solution and baking soda. Well it didn’t take long for the kids to start asking… what would happen if we added vinegar? And our Erupting Volcano Slime was born!  Puking Pumpkin VolcanoTake your fall Halloween celebrations to a new level of “EEEWWWW” with Puking Pumpkin Volcanoes ! This simple activity always delights the kids.  Apple Volcano ExperimentThis Apple Volcano is perfect for Back to School and Fall Science. Kids love Apple Science Experiments, and this colorful one is always popular.  Christmas Tree ChemistryThis is a great Christmas STEAM activity , but if you need something for a different time of year, simply switch out your Silicone Molds to change the theme of this activity for any holiday or event. We’ve done it for Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day, Dinosaur themed and more. Kids get to decorate their Christmas Tree then make it erupt in a colourful chemical reaction.  Invisible InkAnother fun use of acids and bases is to make invisible ink . This is such a fun experiment with big wow moments for kids!  Art from Science Galaxy ProjectCombine these incredible chemical reactions with a fun art project in this easy activity that is perfect for STEAM club or to celebrate the night skies. We had so much fun making these Galaxy art prints .  Have a great time exploring the amazing reaction between baking soda and vinegar! Your kids are going to have a blast! Ready to dig into more Chemistry learning in a fun, interactive way? Try our Periodic Table of Elements BINGO game!  Have fun learning and exploring with chemistry!  5 Days of Smart STEM Ideas for Kids Get started in STEM with easy, engaging activities.  7 Fizzy Baking Soda and Vinegar Science ExperimentsThis post may contain affiliate links. Sharing is caring! There is something about baking soda and vinegar science experiments that just never gets old. Kids of all ages enjoy these activities, but in my experience, little ones love them the most. They get so excited when they watch the baking soda and vinegar reaction! When my kids were little I got into the habit of buying large containers of baking soda and white vinegar. These supplies are pretty inexpensive, especially when purchased in bulk. You might not want to use them in food prep after a while, but they are always good for science experiments. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and vinegar (water and acetic acid) form carbon dioxide gas when they are mixed together. These easy science experiments are sure to be a hit! Creating an acid-base reaction is a fun way to learn about chemical reactions. Baking Soda and Vinegar Science Experiments Tip – I recommend doing all of the vinegar and baking soda science experiments on a baking sheet or outside. The fizzy reactions can get messy quickly! Classic VolcanoMaking a volcano is a classic science experiment for kids. This activity can fit in with a science lesson about chemical reactions, but it can also be a great volcano demonstration in a lesson about volcanos. You will need:
First, gather all of your materials. You can use pretty much any container to make the volcano. I used a beaker from my science cabinet, but you could use a drinking glass, a mason jar, a clean can, etc. I have even seen people make a big baking soda and vinegar volcanos using sand buckets! (Definitely do that outside for easy cleanup.) I recommend putting the volcano in a glass casserole dish to contain the mess. If you want to form the classic volcano shape, use playdough or clay to add a slope to your container. You can also paint it if you want. Let this harden and dry before adding baking soda or vinegar. When your volcano is ready, sprinkle baking soda into your container. Different volcanos will need different amounts of baking soda. If you have a small container you will just need a little. If you use a large container you will need a lot. When everyone is ready, pour the vinegar onto the baking soda. The fizzy chemical reaction happens pretty much instantly.  Fizzy Dinosaur EggsThis fizzy dinosaur eggs activity from Kim at TheBestIdeasForKids.com is going to be a hit with any young children who love dinosaurs. Kids can help prepare the baking soda eggs and then use the vinegar to make them ‘hatch’ or an adult can prepare the eggs ahead of time.
Get the full fizzy dinosaur egg directions . Drop PaintingI loved setting my kids up with this activity when they were toddlers – early elementary. It was my go-to activity when I needed them to be engaged at the kitchen table so I could supervise them while cooking. They had a great time and I was able to cook without little hands helping.
To set up this activity, add a layer of baking soda to a baking dish. Then add vinegar to small cups. I used an assortment of recycled glass jars. Add a few drops of food coloring to each cup. Kids can help mix primary colors to create secondary colors. Put a pipette or dropper in each cup. Now kids can use the pipettes to drop colored vinegar onto the baking soda. Everywhere that a drop of vinegar hits the baking soda kids will see bubbles in the color of the vinegar. Some kids like to make a picture using the baking soda as a temporary canvas. Other kids just enjoy the process. Either way, they are having fun experimenting with baking soda and vinegar. This sort of activity when kids are young lays a foundation for understanding chemical reactions when they are older.  Hot ice seems like an oxymoron, but it is actually a really cool science experiment using baking soda and vinegar. This activity has a few more steps than some of the other ideas, but kids will be delighted with the result.
Get the full directions for hot ice from PlaydoughtoPlato.com . Hidden ColorsThis hidden colors activity is similar to the vinegar drop painting activity. It uses the same basic supplies, but the order is different.
Put a few drops of food coloring in each mini-muffin tin well. Cover it with a thin layer of baking soda. You want enough baking soda to cover the food coloring, but not enough to fill up the muffin tin. When it is ready, kids shouldn’t be able to tell what color is in which spot. Pour vinegar into a cup and give your child a dropper or pipette. Kids can slowly add drops of vinegar to each well of baking soda until they can see the color mix in with the carbon dioxide bubbles.  Exploding BagI think most kids go through a phase where they like to watch things explode. In my house that happened in the late elementary and early middle school years. This baking soda and vinegar activity will make kids who love explosions happy. I think it is a good idea to do this activity outside because it can get messy! The aftermath of a baking soda and vinegar explosion can feel gritty so it is helpful if it is done on a driveway so it can be hosed off.
Get the full directions for making an exploding bag at MomBrite.com . Inflate a BalloonWatching fizzy bubbles and explosions can be fun, but this baking soda and vinegar experiment helps kids understand that chemical reactions can be useful. They will attempt to inflate a balloon using baking soda and vinegar. Now, this certainly isn’t the most efficient way to blow up a balloon, but it gets kids thinking about science as useful.
Get the full directions at HappyBrownHouse.com . I hope your kids enjoyed these simple science experiments! Once they have tried a few of these simple baking soda and vinegar activities, let them try making changes to see if the results change. Maybe they can try using lemon juice instead of vinegar and see what happens! Check out these other science activities for kids!
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To make a sand volcano you will need. An small empty container. Sand. 2 spoonfuls of baking soda (bicarbonate of soda ) 1 spoonful washing up liquid. a few drops of red and yellow food colouring. 30 ml vinegar. Cling film optional - but does save the sand from getting too messy. sand volcano.
Fill the plastic water bottle about halfway full with baking soda. Add a squirt or two of dish soap to the bottle. Pile the sand up around the plastic water bottle to make it look like a volcano. Be sure to leave the mouth of the bottle open and unobstructed. Measure out ½ cup of vinegar. Add a drop or two of red food coloring to the vinegar.
STEP 1. Fill the water bottle about a third full (mix in optional food coloring) and a dd about 5 teaspoons of baking soda to it. Put the water bottle cap back on until you are ready. STEP 2. Build a sand mountain or sand volcano around the bottle. STEP 3. Uncap the bottle and p our a good amount, probably a cup of vinegar into the bottle.
Allow to dry completely. Paint or decorate volcano as desired. Mix vinegar, dish soap, a few drops of water, and a few drops of red food coloring in a plastic cup. Using a funnel, add the 2 tablespoons ARM & HAMMER Baking Soda to the plastic bottle in the center of your volcano.
It worked really well! Squeeze in a LOT, and then pull out the bottle quickly. Then the volcano erupts! Run, dinosaurs! The science of chemical reactions: We found that we could add more vinegar and get a second eruption! But it all depends on the amounts used. This is a good science concept to discuss with the kids.
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. Easy volcano experiment using a baking soda and vinegar to make the volcano erupt. Make a papeir mache volcano, modroc or sand ...
1 cup (8 oz) of Vinegar to start with per eruption…then they'll be asking for more 🙂. Location: an area with pea gravel, sand, or dirt. Start off by combining the "base ingredients.". Put the water inside of the plastic cup. Fill it about 2/3 full. Add the baking soda, dish soap, and washable paint.
First, we will learn how to build the volcano. Mix some red food coloring with vinegar. Then place damp sand (add some water to the sand to make it moldable) on a tray or paper plate around an empty glass bottle/jar/beaker. Add some bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) to the empty glass bottle using a funnel.
Sand. 1 tray with raised edge. 1 small bowl - It should hold about 1 dl (1/2 cup) but not much more. Red and yellow food color. Vinegar. Baking soda (or baking powder) Liquid dish soap. 1 teaspoon measuring spoon (5 mL) 1 tablespoon measuring spoon (15 mL)
Like our giant balloon baking soda experiment, this is experiment is an acid/base reaction. Vinegar is acidic and baking soda is a base. When you mix an acid with a base, two new chemicals form, carbonic acid and sodium acetate. ... Vinegar; Dish Soap; Sand (we used kinetic sand but you can also use regular sand with water)
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.
Method. Begin by placing a sand bucket in the sand right-side-up. Then, pack sand up and around the bucket to form the shape of a volcano. A bucket makes the perfect core, and you most likely always have one on hand when playing in the sand or visiting the beach. I have found that using a taller, skinnier bucket produces a better volcano shape.
Sand Experiment 1. Materials Needed: sand from the beach magnifying glass or magnifying glass app black paper vinegar. Spread some sand on the black paper. Spread it thin enough to see individual grains of sand. Look at the sand through the magnifying glass or the magnifying glass app on an iphone. At first glance, sand may look like it is all ...
Start by placing 1 cup of baking soda into a bowl. 2. In a pouring cup, add 3 tablespoons of water. Mix in 1-2 drops of red food coloring into the water. If using regular food coloring, you may need to add more drops to make it more vibrant. 3. Pour the food colored water into the bowl with baking soda and mix until the baking soda is dyed.
Vinegar or Acetic Acid has the chemical formula CH 3 COOH. Baking Soda, is a base also known as Sodium Bicarbonate or Sodium Bicarb, has the chemical formula NaHCO 3. During this reaction the products are sodium acetate (CH 3 COONa). Sodium acetate is made of 1 sodium ion, 2 carbon atoms, 3 hydrogen atoms, and 2 oxygen atoms.
Vinegar in a cup. Dropper or pipette. Put a few drops of food coloring in each mini-muffin tin well. Cover it with a thin layer of baking soda. You want enough baking soda to cover the food coloring, but not enough to fill up the muffin tin. When it is ready, kids shouldn't be able to tell what color is in which spot.
Sand Experiment. Materials (sand, black paper, magnifying glass or microscope, vinegar ) Sprinkle some sand on the black paper. Try to spread it thin enough that you can see individual grains of sand. Look at it through the magnifying glass. Try it again with different types of sand. Use dry sand from the top of the beach, wet sand from near ...
This sand volcano is not only a really cool thing to do on your summer vacation, but a fun summer science experiment too. This volcano experiment is perfect for toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd graders too. This summer activities for kids is super quick and easy with NO clean-up.
In the plastic container, mix 1 cup of vinegar, 1 cup of water, 1 teaspoon of dish soap, and a few drops of food coloring for color. In a small container, combine 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of water. Stir so the ingredients mix. Quickly dump the baking soda mixture into the vinegar mixture. Watch the explosion.
Fill the bottom of container with baking soda. Mix vinegar and food coloring in small bowl. Use the dropper to drop vinegar onto the baking soda and watch the reaction. Little ones love this - especially if they've never seen it before. Little laughed right out loud when he first saw the bubbles.
The vinegar and baking soda experiment is a classic and popular demonstration that showcases the fascinating chemical reaction that occurs when an acid and a base interact. By combining vinegar (acetic acid) and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), we can observe an exciting display of bubbling and fizzing. This experiment not only captivates the ...
1 tablespoon. 2 tablespoons. 3 tablespoons. For this initial experiment, we used one tablespoon of baking soda as our constant for this round of experimenting. Henry measured one tablespoon of baking soda and dumped it into the first glass with one tablespoon of vinegar and observed what happened. We kept doing this (always with one tablespoon ...
This video demonstrates the experiment with easy to follow steps and scientific explanation. There is no specialist equipment needed, and all experiments can be completed at home. These are perfect Science experiments for Home Educating or Home Schooling families. Coming up with engaging activities whilst home learning can be stressful and time ...