Fizzy Baking Soda Christmas Tree Experiment
Are your kids excited for Christmas? Are you?? Around here, we can’t stop decorating! It’s that time of year again, so it’s a perfect time to take advantage of the kids’ interest in the holidays and sneak in a little extra learning too. So we’re giving to you this fizzy baking soda Christmas Tree experiment!
Want even more Christmas ideas? See this list of fun Christmas science activities.
Just a little something to help you celebrate the holidays! Enjoy!
Learning during the holidays can be the best kind of learning. Not only do you get to do all kinds of fun themed activities, but the educational value is extra high too.
There’s so much to do around the holidays, so make every moment count. And activities like this fizzy Christmas science helps make memories too.
Related: More Fun Fizzy Science Experiments
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Recommended Christmas Books for Kids
Set the mood with some of our favorite Christmas stories. Grab one of these fun Christmas Tree storybooks and then dive into the Christmas Tree science experiment right after.
What will you enjoy most? An “I Spy” or something classic? Or will you read a newer story? We’d love to know your favorites!
I Spy A Christmas Tree: A Book of Picture Riddles
Mr. Willowby’s Christmas TreeThe Christmas Tree Who Loved TrainsThe Christmas Miracle of Jonathan ToomeyChristmas Farm
This Christmas Tree fizzy science experiment is pretty simple. To get started, prepare your space with a table cloth, or even better, a cookie sheet or other shallow tray. You want to contain the mess, because all fizzy science is MESSY! The mess is half the fun!
Related: Christmas Science Experiments
This experiment uses the classic chemical reaction between vinegar, aka acetic acid, and baking soda. The acid and the base (baking soda) react in a low-energy reaction that releases carbon dioxide gas and water (and sodium acetate).
The gas travels through the water, creating the bubbly mess we all know and love.
Unique to this experiment is the beads and the cookie cutter. This is what will give you the Christmas Tree “look”. When you use an eye dropper to control the reaction, and start at the “top” of the tree, you’ll end up with bubbles surrounding beads, that look like a Christmas tree decorated with ornaments.
It’s a very cool effect, and one your kids are sure to love!
Try this with other cookie cutter shapes! What about a Snowman, with black and orange beads for the face and buttons? Or a “Gingerbread” snowman with colored beads for his face? Are there other combinations you can come up with? Share your results in the comments and inspire others!
For more fizzy science experiments
Ready to start? Let’s gather the supplies first.
Baking Soda Christmas Tree Experiment Supplies
- 1 cup of baking soda
- 1 cup of vinegar
- metal Christmas tree cookie cutter
- green food coloring
- colorful round beads
- eye dropper
- spoon
- tray and plastic mat or liner (for easy clean up!)
Baking soda experiment directions
- Place your cookie cutter in the middle of your lined tray or cookie sheet.
- Use your spoon to carefully pack baking soda into the cookie cutter. Even out the baking soda, and do NOT overfill!!
- “Decorate” with beads.
- Add green food coloring to the cup of vinegar, and stir.
- Using the eye dropper, squirt green-colored vinegar all over the tree.
- It will start to fizz immediately! But keep going until the entire tree is colored green.
- Repeat until all the vinegar is gone. Don’t forget to take a picture!
Make your Christmas holidays special this year. Grab a few fun activities and make memories today.
>> See more Fun Holiday Homeschool Activities You Have to Try
More Christmas Activities
If you are into STEM activities, you can try these Christmas-themed STEM activities that will surely keep your little one learning while having fun!
Gingerbread Man Arts and Crafts
Christmas Rock Painting for Kids
Christmas Lava Lamps by Science Sparks
Growing a Crystal Christmas Tree by Playdough to Plato