Little Scholars Workshop

This fizzy pumpkin activity is not only a great way to celebrate Halloween but also an engaging educational experience that combines fun with learning.

Materials Needed:

• Baking Soda: 1 cup
• Vinegar: 1 cup (for later use)
• Food Coloring: Red and yellow (to create orange)
• Water: Enough to form a dough-like consistency
• Small Toys: Halloween-themed toys (like ghosts, spiders, or miniature pumpkins)
• Green Pipe Cleaners: For decoration
• Trays or Containers: For the reaction setup
• Squeeze Bottles or Cups: For squirting vinegar

Instructions:

Create the Pumpkin Dough:

• In a mixing bowl, combine baking soda with a few drops of food coloring.
• Gradually add water, mixing until you achieve a dough-like consistency that can be formed into balls.
• Roll the mixture into small pumpkin shapes, ensuring they are about the size of a small orange.

Add the Toys:

• Before sealing each pumpkin, hide a small Halloween toy inside, creating a surprise for later.

Decorate:

• Use small pieces of green pipe cleaners as stems, pressing them into the top of each pumpkin.

Set Up the Experiment:

• Place the pumpkins in a container or tray.
• Use squeeze bottles or cups to prepare the vinegar for the fizzy reaction.

Fizzy Fun!

• Allow kids to scoop or squirt vinegar onto the pumpkins and watch as they fizz and reveal the hidden toys!

STEM Learning Outcomes

Chemical Reactions:

• Kids will learn about the reaction between baking soda (a base) and vinegar (an acid), which produces carbon dioxide gas, resulting in fizzing. This is a great introduction to basic chemistry concepts.

Measurement Skills:

• Measuring out the baking soda, water, and vinegar helps develop math skills, as kids learn about quantities and proportions.

Observation and Prediction:

• Encourage kids to observe the reaction and predict what will happen when they add more vinegar. This fosters critical thinking and scientific inquiry.

Fine Motor Skills:

• Scooping and squirting the vinegar helps develop fine motor skills, as kids practice hand-eye coordination and control.

Creativity:

• Decorating the pumpkins and choosing toys to hide inside encourages creativity and imaginative play.

Parent Guide:

• Supervision: Always supervise young children during this activity, especially when using vinegar and food coloring.
• Safety First: Ensure kids do not ingest any materials. Baking soda and vinegar are safe in small amounts, but it’s best to keep an eye on them.
• Discussion: After the activity, discuss what they observed. Ask questions like, “What did you notice when we added the vinegar?” or “Why do you think it fizzed?”
• Extend the Learning: Explore variations by adding different colors or trying other shapes (like ghosts or bats) to see how the reactions change.