Fizz, Fizz, Bubble, Bubble! Classic Baking Soda and Vinegar Experiment!

I knew that someday during Tyler's childhood we would create a big volcano together and make it erupt with the classic flour, oil, salt, baking powder, and vinegar ingredients, but after seeing this more simple activity on several of my favorite blogs in the last couple months, I knew I had to give my little scientist a shot at it too!


With an anxious Tyler waiting (he can tell when we're about to do something cool!), I first colored some vinegar with food coloring. I put some in small cups for using droppers and more in a small bowl for spooning. We used a plate and a bowl on the tray at first, then ditched them, working only on the tray.

He chose spooning the vinegar first. It made quite a fizz and he seems to love the color green lately so he was very happy already!

He then decided to add the baking soda to the bowl of vinegar! Whoa! Big reaction! 

He did much more of that later, but next he decided to try out the droppers: "More colors!"

Adding baking soda by hand to the glasses. Sometimes they bubbled right over!

 He then decided to spoon it in. Eventually there was too much baking soda and the reaction dulled, so I quickly rinsed everything out and we started again. He often asked for more baking soda and more vinegar as well. We ended up using it every last bit!

 Dipping his fingers in to feel the fizzing

I just adored how carefully he was watching the reaction! I didn't exactly go into a chemistry lesson about it, but simply told him that when you put vinegar and baking soda together, they react to each other in ways that causes bubbles and fizz. If you're working with an older child (or your preschooler is a chemistry genius), you can find the scientific explanation here.

 Then, the moment I had been figuring would come much sooner than it did. The big vinegar dump!

Ty then experimented with the goopy mess, first by drawing.

Then by trying to fill the cups with it, hoping something cool would happen. He then asked me for more, but we were out of everything. Another day for sure!

Linking-up with The Imagination Tree