Exploding Pumpkin Baggie Science Experiment

Can you feel that tingle in the air? No, it’s not just Halloween spookiness; it’s the thrill of a fascinating experiment bubbling up. Today, we’re mashing up the enchantment of the Halloween season with the wonder of science! Drumroll, please… Introducing the Baggie Pumpkin Science Experiment! Picture this: A grinning pumpkin that doesn’t just sit pretty but puts on a fizzy, popping show. Are your little witch hats twitching with excitement? Ours too!

Combining the spirit of Halloween with the wonders of a classic science experiment, we bring you a project that’s equal parts educational, entertaining, and oh-so-Halloweeny. This delightful concoction promises giggles, gasps, and a good old scientific “aha!” moment. So, put on your wizard robes (or, you know, those lab coats), and let’s dive into this bewitching potion, erm, I mean experiment!

WILL YOU SET UP THIS EXPLODING PUMPKIN BAGGIE SCIENCE EXPERIMENT WITH YOUR CHILD? PIN IT FOR LATER!

Materials

• Sandwich Ziplock bag
• Orange food coloring
• Vinegar
• Paper towel
• Baking soda
• Black sharpie
• Tray or sensory bin (especially if trying this indoors to avoid any spooky messes!)

Unleashing the Pumpkin Magic

1. Draw Your Pumpkin: Using the black sharpie, draw a pumpkin face on the front of your Ziplock bag. Get as spooky or as goofy as you like!

1. Prep the Potion: Pour vinegar into the Ziplock bag until it’s about a quarter full. Add several drops of orange food coloring and swirl it around to give it that perfect pumpkin hue.

1. Baking Soda Bundle: Place a tablespoon or two of baking soda into the center of the paper towel. Fold it up into a small square or packet.

1. Ready for the Show?: Carefully place your baking soda bundle into the vinegar-filled bag but don’t let them mix yet. Seal the Ziplock bag tightly.

1. Fizzy Magic: Now, with everything set, shake the bag a little to let the vinegar soak into the baking soda bundle. Get ready to watch your pumpkin come alive with fizz and bubbles! As the gases collect your baggie will pop and the liquid will pour out!

Science Behind Exploding Baggie Experiment

So, you know the exploding pumpkin baggie experiment we just did? It’s like a mini volcano inside a bag! When we mixed the vinegar (the smelly liquid) with the baking soda (the powdery stuff), they started having a little dance party. This party created a gas called carbon dioxide. It’s the same gas that makes soda fizzy! Now, our baggie wasn’t big enough for all that gas, so it expanded and puffed up like a balloon. And if there’s too much gas? BOOM! It makes the baggie “explode.” So, basically, the baking soda and vinegar are just trying to make space for their dance party. Pretty cool, right?

Tips for a Bewitching Experiment

• Stay Safe: While this experiment is non-toxic, it’s best to ensure kids don’t ingest any of it. Safety first, even on Halloween!
• Quick Clean-Up: Using a tray or sensory bin will contain any overflows or leaks. Because let’s face it, this experiment isnt called exploding pumpkin for nothing!
• Document the Fun: Snap photos or record videos to revisit the fun later. It’s also a great way to share the excitement with friends and family!

Skills Stirred in this Cauldron

1. Observation: Watch the chemical reaction between baking soda and vinegar come to life!
2. Creativity: From designing the pumpkin face to observing the color changes, it’s a visual treat.
3. Understanding Reactions: A simple yet powerful way to introduce kids to the concept of chemical reactions.

There you go, our spirited scientists! A Halloween experiment that promises fun, learning, and a touch of magic. Perfect for those afternoons when you’re itching for a little spellbinding science. Don’t forget to share your reactions, observations, and of course, those gleeful giggles with us. Here’s to making this Halloween both spooky and scientifically spectacular!

Age Suitability

This activity is good for toddlers aged children 3 years old and up with adult assistance.

Mess Level

The mess level for this activity is low.

Difficulty to Create 

Easy.

Toddler and Preschooler Curriculums, Books & TV Show!

Play2Learn Toddler & Preschool Programs for Curious Toddlers

There is no limit to your toddler’s energy and curiosity. That energy and curiosity although a joy can be challenging at times. Their interest in just about everything around them is what makes them great learners. One and two year olds can soak up so much just from their senses!

But as a teacher or parent that thirst for learning can be exhausting. That is why I created this toddler and preschooler program. To help you get the most out of this time with your curious toddler without having to come up with creative ways to play and interact with them.

Play2Learn for Toddlers includes 20 Units for toddlers. Each 2-week toddler unit has 20 super easy to set up and engaging activities for toddlers 18 months to 3 years.

Play2Learn Preschool which includes 20 Units for preschoolers. Each 2-week preschoolers unit has 20 unique and easy to set up and engaging activities for preschoolers 3 years to 5 years. That’s over 800 learning activities for your toddler and preschooler at your fingertips! So many ideas you and your child will never be bored again! 

These toddler and preschool lesson plans and activities will definitely keep you and your toddler and preschooler busy playing and learning!

Click here for more information: Play2Learn

Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.

Book: Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids

Did you know I wrote a book of sensory bins? Click here for more information Exciting Sensory Bin for Curious Kids. Or grab your copy at Amazon. 

Boring afternoons are made exciting with awesome animal-based bins, like Salty Shark Bay or Yarn Farm. Pretend play bins like Birthday Cake Sensory Play or Bubble Tea Party encourage creativity and imagination. And your kids will have so much fun they won’t even know they’re getting smarter with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities like Sink or Float Soup, Magnetic Letter Hunt or Ice Cream Scoop and Count.

Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.

Book: Super STEAM Activity Book for Kids

Learning all about science, technology, engineering, art, and math sets kids up for scholastic success―and it can be so much fun! Watch kids enjoy building STEAM skills as they color friendly fish, help water find its way to tree roots, solve math problems with mazes, and more. 

Find out more and grab your copy here.

Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.

Book: Big Book of Riddles for Kids

Riddle me this: What’s an exciting way to practice critical thinking while having a blast? The Big Riddle Book for Kids, of course! From hilarious puns to tough brain teasers, kids can build problem-solving skills with hundreds of riddles tha. t show them how to think outside the box.

• 350 riddles for kids—Have hours of fun with riddles, puns and jokes, and math and logic puzzles that’ll get their wheels turning!
• Level up their skills—Riddles get trickier as kids progress through the book, challenging them as they get better at solving puzzles!
• Double-check their work—Kids can check their answers in the back of the book with a handy answer key.

Help children expand their minds while having fun with this puzzle book for kids!

Designed for kids ages 6 years old and up.

TV Show: Curious Crafting

I’m so excited to share my crafting TV show Curious Crafting which launched in July 2022 on TVOkids and TVOkids YouTube! Season 2 aired in August 2023! My show was also nominated in 2023 for Best Live Action Preschool Series by the Youth Media Alliance Awards of Excellence.

Curious Crafting Season 1 is also now airing in Australia on ABC! Watch it here!

Set in the ultimate crafting space, Curious Crafting is a short form pre-school age series about the joy of making crafts. I lead a rotating cast of adorable little preschoolers (including my own) making magic out of common household objects.

In each episode we transform recycled items into magical crafts like a milk carton school bus, paper bag puppet or cotton pad turtle. The crafters learn and laugh their way through each activity while demonstrating what their young imaginations can create. 

Curious Crafting shares the adventure and joy of making art with takeaway lessons for creating crafts at home.

This show designed for toddlers and preschoolers 2.5 years old and up. 

The Best Sensory Play Kits for Kids

Play is at the core of learning during the early years and it can take many forms. One of the most important of these is sensory play because it engages all of a child’s senses (taste, touch, smell, sight and hearing) and has a enoumous positive impact on brain development.

Our Sensory Play Kits are some fun and easy ways to keep your child engaged while at the same time using sensory play to nurture their mind!

Shop our ready made play kits here.

Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.

WILL YOU SET UP THIS EXPLODING PUMPKIN BAGGIE SCIENCE EXPERIMENT WITH YOUR CHILD? PIN IT FOR LATER!