Baking Soda Science Bin

Try a baking soda science bin by dumping a ton a baking soda into a bin and letting kids drip colored vinegar over the top. This takes some serious fine motor skills while also promoting science exploration. A science activity for all ages to enjoy.

Table of Contents:

1. The learning in a baking soda science bin
2. Supplies
3. The set-up
4. Let the baking soda science bin BEGIN!
5. We stretched this science activity throughout the whole day

View more

As far as awards goes, this baking soda science bin gets some serious credit for the number of skills and experiences it gives a child. And it only cost me a box (well, two) of baking soda.

I’ll take it.

RELATED: Looking for more easy activities for kids? Check out my amazing list!

The learning in a baking soda science bin

This activity has a LOT going on. Let’s peel this onion of an activity:

• It’s science (this is science exploration!)
• It’s fine motor skills
• It’s experimenting
• It’s a little artsy
• It’s independent play
• It’s trial and error

So yeah, that 2 boxes of baking soda (bi-carb) buy in for this activity was totally worth it.

Supplies

Busy Toddler is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.

• Storage container (this is a 28 qt bin)
• Baking soda (bi-carb)
• Ice cube tray (I have a set just for activities)
• Droppers / basters / syringes / pipettes
• White vinegar
• Food coloring (optional but it’s really fun here)

The set-up

I used a BIG bin for this. Definitely a “go big or go home” / I knew my 6 and 7 year old were going to join my preschooler for this activity so I wanted enough space for all.

That meant pouring in TWO boxes of baking soda. You definitely don’t need to go this big for one child. I knew this would end up with three kids… and I was right.

1. I layered the baking soda into my sensory bin.
2. I mixed four colors of vinegar (pink, turquoise, blue, purple)
3. Poured the colored vinegar into a ice cube tray
4. Set in a bunch of tools for my 4 year old to choose from

RELATED: Stuck inside? I have tons of easy activities just for indoor days!

Let the baking soda science bin BEGIN!

My son loved this.

It hit everything he was looking for: tricky hand-work (those syringes and droppers are tough), the chemical reaction, the color mixing, and the shapes/patterns of the baking soda after the bubbles died down.

He was INTO it.

It isn’t easy maneuvering these tools – this is a fine motor work out – so it wasn’t the typical one-and-done feeling that baking soda experiments often have.

This took time.

RELATED: Do you have a toddler? Need toddler-specific activities? Don’t worry: I have you covered!

We stretched this science activity throughout the whole day

After my son’s initial go at this, we mixed up the baking soda and started AGAIN.

Most of the baking soda hadn’t reacted with the vinegar the first time – only the top layer had. That mean we were able to keep reusing the baking soda… just needed a good stir.

I was 100% correct that my 6 and 7 year old ended up at this bin, and finishing it off finally around dinner time.

Eventually I had to add more vinegar to the ice cube tray but it was well worth it for all the play this baking soda bin got me throughout the day.

There’s nothing better than a good baking soda moment – but the combination of a container of baking soda, syringes of vinegar, and colors too boot…

It was exactly the kind of activity that can stay a while.