Get ready for an explosive and deliciously fun adventure with our Ice Cream Cone Volcanoes! This playful experiment combines the thrill of volcanos with the joy of ice cream cones. Watch as colorful eruptions burst forth, captivating young scientists and igniting their curiosity. In this blog post, we’ll guide you through the fascinating Ice Cream Cone Volcanoes experiment using simple materials like baking soda and vinegar.Your little scientists will create mini volcanic eruptions and learn about the science behind this effervescent reaction. Additionally, we’ll explore the importance of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) activities for kids, fostering creativity and curiosity along the way. So, grab your lab coats and let’s dive into this eruptive STEAM-filled adventure!

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Why STEAM is Important for Your Kids

1. Encourages Critical Thinking: STEAM activities encourage children to think critically, ask questions, and find creative solutions to problems.
2. Fosters Creativity: STEAM activities provide opportunities for artistic expression and imaginative thinking, nurturing creativity in children.
3. Builds Problem-Solving Skills: Engaging in STEAM challenges helps kids develop problem-solving skills and adaptability to different situations.
4. Promotes Curiosity and Inquiry: STEAM activities spark curiosity and inspire a love for learning, encouraging kids to explore and experiment.
5. Enhances Collaboration: Many STEAM activities involve teamwork, promoting communication and collaboration among children.

Easy Fizzy Baking Soda and Vinegar Experiments

Do you want to try more experiments with baking soda and vinegar? Here is our list of the best fizzy experiments:

• Fizzy Sidewalk Chalk Paint
• Awesome Fizzy Ice Cream Shop Sensory Bin
• Fizzy Sun Sensory Bin: Summer STEAM
• Super Fun Fizzy Paint Easter Bunny Craft
• Fizzy Shapes Sensory Bin
• Love Potions Sensory Bin: Valentine’s Day STEM
• Easy Baking Soda and Vinegar Experiment for Kids
• Lemon Volcanoes
• Fizzy Green Eggs: Simple Dr Seuss STEM Activity
• Witches’ Brew Fizzy Cauldrons: Halloween STEAM Experiment
• Fizzy Pumpkin Science Experiment for Halloween
• Fizzy Apple Volcanoes: Easy STEM Fun
• Flying Ghosts Science Experiment with Baking Soda and Vinegar

Materials for Ice Cream Cone Volcanoes

Before we begin, gather these materials for the Ice Cream Cone Volcanoes experiment:

• Ice cream cones (cones with a flat bottom so they can stand on their own are best)
• Baking soda
• Food coloring (assorted colors)
• Vinegar
• Bubble bath or dish soap (optional, for added foam effect)
• Optional: sprinkles
• Squeeze bottle or dropper
• Tray or container to contain the experiment mess

The Science Behind the Experiment

The Ice Cream Cone Volcanoes experiment is a classic example of an acid-base reaction. Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is a base, while vinegar contains acetic acid. When these two ingredients come into contact, they undergo a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas. The gas bubbles are what create the “eruption” effect, resembling a volcanic eruption. By adding food coloring and bubble bath or dish soap, the visual impact of the experiment is enhanced, making it even more engaging and exciting for young scientists.

The Ice Cream Cone Volcanoes Experiment

Now, let’s dive into the fun-filled Ice Cream Cone Volcanoes experiment:

1. Prepare the “Volcanoes”: Fill each ice cream cone with baking soda, leaving enough room at the top for the eruption.
2. Add Color and Foam: In separate squeeze bottles or droppers, mix vinegar with different food coloring colors. Add a few drops of bubble bath or dish soap to each bottle for extra foam effect.

3. Eruption Time! Place the ice cream cones on a tray or container and let your child squeeze the colorful vinegar mixtures into the baking soda-filled cones.
4. After each eruption, add some sprinkles on top of the foam to make your volcanoes look even more like ice cream eruptions!

5. Watch the Magic Unfold: As the vinegar meets the baking soda, the carbon dioxide gas is released, creating a volcanic eruption with vibrant colors and foamy bubbles. Keep adding vinegar until the reaction has stopped.

The Ice Cream Cone Volcanoes experiment is an exciting and educational activity that combines the wonders of chemistry with the thrill of volcanic eruptions! Through STEAM-filled experiments like this, kids not only learn about scientific concepts but also develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. So, encourage your little scientists to explore the world of STEAM with this eruptive adventure, and watch as their curiosity and excitement ignite like volcanoes! Happy experimenting and learning!

Age Suitability

This activity is good for toddlers aged children 2 years old and up with adult assistance.

Mess Level

The mess level for this activity is medium.

Difficulty to Create 

Low.

Skills Developed

Language development, shape recognition, color recognition, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, imaginative play, creativity.

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 that 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 airs in the summer of 2023! We were also nominated in 2023 for Best Live Action Preschool Series by the Youth Media Alliance Awards of Excellence.

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. 

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