Experiments

The weather is changing out here, it’s getting colder with winter coming, and we have actually had a couple morning with snow on the ground. Snow Storm in A Jar is easy, and fun science experiment to do with your kids. It goes along great with our arctic animal theme.

This post contains affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for more information.

What you need:

• oil – we used baby oil & vegetable oil
• white paint
• alka seltzer tablets
• a jar
• glitter – optional

Sign up to join my Resource Library mailing list and you’ll be among the first to know about new items in the FREE resource library, new posts, and more!

How to Make A Snow Storm in a Jar

This is really super easy to do with your kids. It is very similar to a lava lamp in fact. First, you pour some water into the bottom of your jar, about two inches worth.

Add about a tablespoon of white paint in, this is just a rough guess of how much I squeezed in. And stir.

Add in oil to fill your jar. We used baby oil as seen in the picture below. I thought it would be easier to see the snow, slightly more “realistic” to have a clear sky rather than a yellow one the first time around.

I learned that pouring the oil in onto a spoon instead of directly into the water cause less mixing of the two before adding alka seltzer tablets. Once they settle, the fun really starts.

Drop in an alka seltzer tablet or two and watch the snow fly.

Looking at the side of the jar afterward looks like looking out the window during a storm. Which is why I called this a snow storm in a jar.

Using an oil with color, like vegetable oil actually made it easier to see the snow. We did it both ways.

Snow Storm in a Jar

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 1 minute

Active Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 6 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Estimated Cost: $2

Print

Materials

• oil - we used baby oil & vegetable oil
• white paint
• alka seltzer tablets
• glitter - optional

Tools

• a mason jar

Instructions

1. Add a couple inches of water to the bottom of your jar.
2. Add a tablespoon or so of white paint to your water and mix.
3. Fill your jar up with oil of your choice.
4. Add one or two alka seltzer tablets.

Notes

Using an oil with color, like vegetable oil actually made it easier to see the snow. We did it both ways.

Similar posts you may be interested in:

Cloud in A Jar – Science Experiment

Making Rain in a Jar

Weather in a Jar: Tornado

Arctic Animals – Science Experiment

Who knew a head of red cabbage could be so much fun? We actually did this color changing water experiment the same day we did the pH indictor testing. One cabbage, two experiments. We love science experiments here and I hope you do too.

This post contains affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for more information.

This is a very easy science experiment, and super budget friendly science. Everything you need is for this, is in your kitchen. I like experiments to be easy and accessible for everyone.

Red Cabbage Science Experiment

With this experiment, I had no idea what to expect along with my kids. I think those are the best experiments., the ones we get to experience the magic together. It was the same when we did the cabbage pH indictor.

What you need:

• head or red cabbage
• boiling water
• vinegar
• baking soda

Sign up to join my Resource Library mailing list and you’ll be among the first to know about new items in the FREE resource library, new posts, and more!

How to Make Water Change Color

The first thing to do it boil water, and pour that boiling water over a head (or half a head) of red cabbage cut up. The more cabbage, the more water you use, the more water you’ll have to do this experiment with.

Let it sit for about 30 minutes.

Now strain the water off your cabbage and into either clear small jars or into glasses. Your red cabbage water is going to look quite purple.

Pour a little white vinegar into your cabbage water.

Add a little baking soda.

This color changing water science experiment doesn’t stop at one or two colors but you can add more baking soda to see more change.

You do want to make sure that you let each reaction finish before adding more baking soda or vinegar to each glass of red cabbage water. We did end up with a really big mess… think volcano.

Color Changing Water (Red Cabbage)

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Active Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Estimated Cost: $1

Print

Materials

• head or red cabbage
• boiling water
• vinegar
• baking soda

Tools

• clear glasses/jars
• kettle

Instructions

1. The first thing to do it boil water, and pour that boiling water over a head (or half a head) of red cabbage cut up. Let it sit for about 30 minutes.
2. Now strain the water off your cabbage and into either clear small jars or into glasses.
3. Pour a little white vinegar into your cabbage water.
4. Add a little baking soda.
5. This color changing science experiment doesn't stop at one or two colors but you can add more baking soda to see more change.

Notes

You do want to make sure that you let each reaction finish before adding more baking soda or vinegar to each glass of red cabbage water. We did end up with a really big mess... think volcano.

Similar posts you may be interested in:

Easy Red Cabbage pH Indicator

Self Inflating Balloon Experiment

Heart Pumping Human Body Science Experiment

How about some science fun with a balloon? My seven year old was amazed by this. He had no idea what to expect when we started this self inflating balloon experiment.

Self Inflating Balloon Experiment

This post contains affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for more information.

I used a Sharpie to draw a face on our balloon just to give it a little more fun, and to pretend we were growing a monster head with Halloween coming up soon.

Gauge loved this, I don’t know if you can hear him in the video or not, but he says “Did you know this would happen?!” Who know inflating a balloon could be so much fun.

What you need:

• vinegar
• baking soda
• balloons
• water/pop bottle

How to make a balloon self inflate

This is a science experiment simple enough for your kids to do themselves. My almost seven year old did it with very little help from me.

Start by measuring out half a cup of vinegar.

It is very helpful to have a funnel for the next part: pouring the vinegar into a bottle. A funnel means less will get spilled.

We dried off our funnel, and used it to put half a tablespoon of baking soda into our balloon.

Remove the funnel from your balloon, and carefully fit it over the opening of your bottle without spilling any of the baking soda in the bottle. It will cause a reaction before you are ready.

Once you are ready and watching you can flip the balloon up to empty the baking soda into the bottle. The reaction does happen quite fast.

Now you just wait for the reaction. My favorite part of this is that this science experiment uses things you most likely have around your house already.

Self Inflating Balloon

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Active Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Estimated Cost: $1

Easy science experiment for kids using things you have in the kitchen.

Print

Materials

• 1/2 cup of vinegar
• 1/2 tsp of baking soda
• balloons
• water/pop bottle

Tools

• funnel

Instructions

1. Pour 1/2 cup of vinegar into an old water or pop bottle.
2. put 1/2 tbsp of baking soda into a balloon.
3. Carefully, put the opening of the balloon over the water bottle.
4. Empty the baking soda into the bottle, and into the vinegar and watch the reaction.

We have balloons from parties past “floating” around our house, which is probably why I have been finding activities to do with my kids using balloons. Time to use them up before another birthday, and party theme comes around.

What’s Happening:

The secret lies with vinegar and baking soda, two household staples that, when combined, create carbonic acid. Carbonic acid breaks down into water and carbon dioxide.

This experiment uses the carbon dioxide to fill the balloon, giving the illusion that the balloon is self inflating.

Similar posts you may be interested in:

Heart Pumping Human Body Science Experiment

Homemade Lava Lamp for your Kids

Wizard’s Brew Fun is Brewing