How to Make a Science Table

Ready to give baking soda and vinegar a huge upgrade? This perfect outdoor activity for kids takes a classic science experiment and turns it up a notch. As a bonus: It will also breathe some new life into your sand or water table at the same time. You’ve got to make a science table.

What is a science table?

“Science table” is cutesy way of saying: we did experiment in our sand/water table.

I love our sand table – don’t get me wrong – but we rarely use it for sand. I’m not a huge sand fan with my kids. It gets in their eyes, it scratches my floors when it’s tracked in… I just don’t love it.

Instead, I put a lot of activities into my sand/water table and it works so much better for our family.

RELATED: If you love science fun, check out my post on classic childhood experiments – these are the projects we know and love.

The supplies

Materials:

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• Baking soda (bi-carb)
• White Vinegar
• Food coloring to make it fancy (optional)
• Squirt bottles or squeeze bottles
• Sand table, water table (or sensory bin even)

Here’s how I set up the science table

I started by sprinkling about half the box of baking soda into my sand/science table. I wanted to give it a good coating across the bottom. You’ll need to decide how much baking soda is right depending on the size of your table.

In the squirt bottles, I added white vinegar and a drop or two of food coloring to make the activity a little more colorful. Color = fancy in kid activities.

Why the science table is a “glow up” for this experiment

Let’s be honest: baking soda and vinegar is the most quintessential kid science experiment.

But it’s often over really quickly.

I remember as a kid feeling like it was a bit of a let-down: one and done, and over so fast. I wanted a bit more for my kids. Making this experiment a sheet of baking soda was a crucial step in revamping a truly beloved activity.

How do you explain the baking soda and vinegar experiment to kids?

Explain to kids that this experiment combines an acid (vinegar) with a base (baking soda). When these two ingredients interact, they create a chemical reaction that produces a new substance called “carbon dioxide.”

You can emphasize in this experiment that a liquid and a solid mixing results in the creation of a gas (carbon dioxide).

Have kids look for the bubbles they create as evidence of this gas forming.

Important tip: How to stretch vinegar

This science experiment fizzles quickly once all the vinegar runs out.

To help stretch your vinegar, cut it with 50% water. That’s right: diluted vinegar still results in a chemical reaction. You do not need to use full strength vinegar.

This is hugely important because it makes your stash of vinegar last 50% longer…50% more activities. 50% more fun. This is the kind of math I’m into.

One quick trick to keep the science table going

There’s another trick to this activity.

You can dump out the liquid from the table to reveal unused baking soda that will react to the vinegar again.

Remember how I said this wasn’t the one-and-done experiment from our childhood? This can keep going – it’s only a matter of pouring off the excess vinegar.

TIP: Make sure to DUMP onto the dirt as baking soda and vinegar may cause grass to die.

FAQ about the Science Table