Fall, of course, is the best time to dive into pumpkin crafts and activities. They also add a fun seasonal touch to basic science activities. My kids never tire of the old vinegar and baking soda reaction so we gave it a fall twist and a little bit of color to make this Bubbling Pumpkin Experiment more exciting.
This wonderful scientific mess can be recreated again and again (and trust me even if they have done it before your kids will want to). It’s a fun science experiment that will have the kids interested and engaged, and ready for more!
If you’re looking for a fun and simple STEM activity that will look a little bit like magic, this pumpkin experiment is so much fun to do!
Recommended Science Experiment Books
Pair up some of these fun science books with this pumpkin experiment! It’s always a good idea to combine learning and science.
The 101 Coolest Simple Science Experiments: Awesome Things To Do With Your Parents, Babysitters and Other Adults
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Bubbling Pumpkin Experiment
There’s just something about this bubbling science experiment that reminds me of Halloween. Even though it’s not a bubbling cauldron, it still has that same effect.
The kids love this activity because it’s something new and different and I love it because it gives me something to do with those little pumpkins that I’ve had sitting around as decorations for quite some time.
If you’re ready to look like a cool magician in front of the kids, get ready to show them how much fun you can be!
Bubbling Pumpkins Supplies
All you need are the simple supplies below to get started!
- A small pie pumpkin
- ½ cup Baking soda
- ¾ to 1 cup Vinegar
- 1 tsp. Blue dish soap
- Food coloring
- Something to cut into the pumpkin
- A spoon for cleaning out the insides
Heinz Distilled White Vinegar, 1 gallonArm & Hammer Baking Soda – 16 ozWilton Gel Food Color Set, PrimaryDawn Dish Soap, Ultra Dishwashing Liquid, Original Scent, Blue, 21.6 Ounce, Pack of 2
Directions for this STEM pumpkin experiment
- Cut the top off of your pumpkin, my pie pumpkin was unusually hard and my kitchen knives weren’t doing the trick so I wound up having hubby take it outside and brute force his way into it with a saw.
- Have some eager little hands dig into it to clean out the seeds and pulp, it doesn’t have to be perfect it’s just going to be the vessel for our experiment.
- Add ½ cup of baking soda to the inside of your pumpkin.
- You can add food coloring or not, it’s up to you and you can put it under the baking soda for a surprise color or add it to your vinegar.
- Add dish soap to the vinegar.
Have your child slowly pour the vinegar mixture into the pumpkin until it creates a frothy bubbling mixture that overflows. Some of the baking soda may not get wet underneath and you can give it a little stir, add more vinegar, and get more bubbles.
To get more out of the activity you can ask your child some questions and have them research the answers…
Some simple questions to ask about this pumpkin experiment could be:
Why do you think the vinegar and baking soda have this reaction?
Would water and baking soda do the same thing?
Will different types of vinegar produce the same results? Try rice wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, etc…
Ask them their thoughts and let them communicate what they saw. You can even have them write down their hypothesis BEFORE you get started to see if they’re right in their thoughts.
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