The story behind it
By TurkeyMom · September 2014
Ages3–6 yrs
Prep10 min
Activity15 min
Leveleasy
MessMedium
Works for1:1 · Small group · Class
Add a bit of baking soda and a few squirts of liquid watercolor to clear containers, then pour in apple cider vinegar for colorful, apple-scented fizzy eruptions. A quick fall science experiment about acids and bases.
⚠️ Safety first
- Vinegar stings eyes and small cuts. Keep hands away from faces and wash hands afterward.
- The fizzy mixture is not a drink. Liquid watercolors are paint, not food, so don't let kids sip or taste it.
- Liquid watercolors can stain hands, clothes and surfaces. Cover the table and use a tray.
- Supervise at all times.
Steps
Set out clear containers on a big tray, one for each color.
Add a bit of baking soda to each container.
Add a few squirts of liquid watercolor to each container, using a different color in each.
Pour half a cup of apple cider vinegar into one container and watch it erupt.
Sniff the bubbles. Do they smell like apples?
Repeat with the other containers to try many colors.
Compare the eruptions and pick your favorite color.
Tips
- Apple cider vinegar is again vinegar (weak acetic acid), but the kids thought these apple explosions were pretty fabulous.from the author
- We tried many colors, but the green and red were audience favorites.from the author
- Our kids had done plenty of eruption experiments, so they were quite familiar with the process and could run it themselves.from the author
Make it your own
- Combine Kool-Aid and baking soda for scented fizzy paints.
- Swap in lemon juice for rainbow lemon eruptions.
- Add soap to the mix for a sudsy eruption, like our lemon suds eruption.
Questions readers asked
What makes it erupt?
Apple cider vinegar is a weak acid (acetic acid). It reacts with the baking soda and fizzes up. The apple cider version just adds the apple scent.
What readers say
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