Fizzy Ice Cubes: Science Activity for Kids

Table of Contents:

1. Hello glorious science These Fizzy Ice Cubes are amazing
2. What are “Fizzy Ice Cubes?”
3. Don’t worry – these were super easy to make
4. And once the little cubes are ready…it’s experiment time
5. You’ll want a few a bunch of tools for this
6. My set up for Fizzy Ice Cubes was really specific
7. This is play-based learning at it’s FINEST
8. You can make this science activity in your home!

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Hello glorious science: These Fizzy Ice Cubes are amazing

Anyone else ever left a little UNDERwhelmed by the old baking soda and vinegar experiment? It’s amazing…for the 37 seconds the activity lasts. What if there was an amazing twist that could keep your kids playing? There is: the fizzy ice cubes.

RELATED: Looking for my easy fun? Check out my Summer Camp at Home series!

What are “Fizzy Ice Cubes?”

Oh man, I am so glad you asked (wink).

Fizzy Ice Cubes are frozen baking soda + water – in an ice cube tray of course. Using vinegar, kids dissolve these ice cubes in a fun (and long) science experiment.

Because who doesn’t love a little fizzy fun?

RELATED: Need more “learning activities?” I’ve got tons!

Don’t worry – these were super easy to make

I promise you, I was not up all night freezing baking soda. I mean, the baking soda did freeze over night but it was not a hard process for me.

I mixed the baking soda and water together, adding a little food coloring here and there to spice things up. But of course, the food coloring is totally optional.

How-to make fizzy ice cubes:

• 1 cup baking soda
• 1/2 cup water
• food coloring (optional)

This makes one ice cube tray worth of science fun.

Since I had three kids playing with me (7, 5, and 3) I decided to double the batch, go big or go home, and make TWO trays worth. I know. I like to walk on the wild side.

And once the little cubes are ready…it’s experiment time

In the morning, I took the cubes out of the tray and first: we talked about them.

Remember, questions are the more important part of science. Helping your children learn to ask questions, dig deeper, and thirst for knowledge is everything.

RELATED: Wondering how I teach my kids at home? Check out Playing Preschool: my homeschool preschool program.

We talked about things like:

• The shape of the cubes
• The temperature
• What we already know about baking soda and vinegar

Then we looked at the tools.

You’ll want a few a bunch of tools for this

I grabbed just about every tiny tool I could think of for my kids to use on these fizzy ice cubes.

I didn’t want this to be the “quick hit” one-and-done scenario that this experiment often is.

With tiny tools: it would last more than 30 minutes for my kids. That’s amazing.

Here’s what I found:

Syringes, turkey basters, tiny spoons, formula scoops, and teaspoon measuring cups.

My set up for Fizzy Ice Cubes was really specific:

I made sure to use my 28 quart storage container to be the boundary and mess holder of this experiment.

I lined up the ice cubes in a long row and gave each of my kids a small container of white vinegar.

The tools were evenly spread out in front of them and they were ready to rock and roll.

This is play-based learning at it’s FINEST

This science experiment was all play-based. It was open-ended so each child could learn and take away from it exactly what they needed.

-My 3 year old loved the mixing colors and the bubbles

-My 5 year old wondered how smashing the cubes would change the experiment

-My 7 year old was interested in which tool was most effective

Same activity. Different learning. Now that’s a beautiful thing.

You can make this science activity in your home!

It’s not hard – and I highly recommend it.

Move away from the quick and finished “volcano” experiments of our youth and freeze that baking soda for a little more longevity.

Trust me- this is the kind of science your kids need.