Use baking soda, vinegar, color, and water for this adorable apple science experiment for kids! Turn simple materials into hours of science fun.
- This apple science experiment is sizzling with fun
- No actual apples are used in this apple science experiment
- Materials
- Directions
- Have fun with the colors of your apples!
- The very bessssst part
- Conversation starters for adults looking for meaningful conversation
- FAQ
- Your kids will love this apple science experiment
This apple science experiment is sizzling with fun
I am to the point in my life where nearly every trip to Costco results in me coming home with an enormous bag of baking soda and a two-pack of giant vinegar bottles.
Usually, as I walk around with it in my cart, someone will joke, “Oh, looks like you’re going to be doing a lot of cleaning!”
It always makes me laugh and smile, and I think to myself, “Oh, no, these are for my experiments.” 😂 You know, totally normal.
Related: We LOVE easy science experiments, and we have dozens of science demonstrations in our beautiful Virtual Preschool!
No actual apples are used in this apple science experiment
Imagine kids’ faces when I tell them that we are doing an apple experiment, but aren’t using real apples: confusion.
Then, imagine their faces when I share that we’re going to make apples, in seconds, WITH OUR HANDS: amazement!
As a bonus, we make many of these apples in the fall, but like most science experiments, you can do them anytime.
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Materials
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- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- Water
- Spatula or spoon
- Coloring – liquid watercolors or food dye (note: both will stain hands temporarily, but food dye stains for much longer than liquid watercolors)
- Eye dropper or spoon
- Brown pipe cleaners for apple stems – you could also use sticks!
Directions
Mix baking soda and vinegar: In a large bowl, mix baking soda and just enoughwater to make the baking soda form a firm “dough.” Go slowly. Gradually add the water, a little bit at a time, until it forms a thick paste that can form into a ball if molded.
Add Color: Next, add your color! Mix the color thoroughly into the baking soda + water mixture.
Mold into apples: Roll your baking soda “dough” into balls and add a pipe cleaner (or stick) as a stem a the top of each apple.
Let them dry (if you want): You can leave these overnight to harden, but if you cannot wait even a second more and need to get started on the fun, you can use them while they’re still damp.
Have fun with the colors of your apples!
If you want to make apples in different colors, go for it!
We made red and green apples on this day, but feel free to make blue, purple, or tie-dye apples.
Invite kids to use their creativity, too. For example, sometimes kids pretend they’re lollipops, people, flowers, microphones, etc.
The very bessssst part
The sizzling sound between baking soda and vinegar is one of my favorite sounds! And guess what? Kids LOVE it, too.
Set your apples on a shallow plate or tray, and invite the children to add vinegar to the apple using eyedroppers or spoons.
When the two mix, the apple will make a delicious sizzling sound and begin to dissolve, fall, and crumble.
What started as a firm, solid sphere transforms into a gooey puddle of mush. It’s mesmerizing.
Conversation starters for adults looking for meaningful conversation
Usually, when kids are playing and experimenting, we are not interrupting and bombarding them with adult-led questions. Usually, we observe from a distance and encourage the organic conversation that naturally occurs.
But sometimes, we do want to engage in conversation! For example, we might assess current knowledge, try to inject vocabulary, build scientific thinking, initiate conversation between peers, etc.
Asking thoughtful questions while children play can be a FANTASTIC assessment tool for teachers and other adults! Here are some places to start:
- How much water do you think we should add to the baking soda?
- What do you predict will happen when the vinegar touches the baking soda?
- Why do you think baking soda and vinegar foam when they touch?
- What other things make the same sizzling sound as baking soda and vinegar?
- How long will baking soda foam for if you keep adding vinegar?
FAQ
Any age that can manipulate the materials, but not try to eat or ingest any of the supplies.
YES! We connect art, math, and science.
We usually let the vinegar drain down the sink, then throw the baking soda sludge into the garbage.
Your kids will love this apple science experiment
Whether you’re stocking up on bulk baking soda and vinegar on your next Costco trip or grabbing a normal amount (😂) from the grocery store, this easy-to-prep project is a blast.
If after a few rounds of apples, you can switch out the color dye to make orange “pumpkins,” yellow “lemons,” blue and green “Earths…”
Have fun!
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