Baking Soda and Vinegar Science Fun

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Meghan

We had some fun tonight doing preschooler science – mixing baking soda and colored vinegar to watch the reaction. Here’s how it works:

All you need are three ingredients and a few specialized pieces of equipment: baking soda, white vinegar, food coloring, some sort of baking dish or tray to hold the baking soda, and medicine droppers to add the colored vinegar.

Start by tinting bowls or cups of white vinegar with food coloring. We used four colors because that’s what we had in the house.

White vinegar with gel food coloring added – before mixing

White vinegar and food coloring after mixing

Dump out the baking soda into the dish or tray so that its basically even, and you’re ready to go!

Ready to go! Note the little hand clutching a medicine dropper in the background

The kids figured out the process right away and its very cool to watch the baking soda bubble up with colored foam as the vinegar hits it.

Be prepared for the fact that after they’ve used the droppers for awhile and the baking soda is pretty well covered, they’re going to want to get their fingers in it, and it can get a little messy. Luckily, its pretty solid and easy to clean up afterwards.