If your kids love hands-on, messy science fun, they’ll love these Fizzing Pumpkins! This simple baking soda and vinegar experiment adds a seasonal twist to classic fizzing science play — and the results are so satisfying to watch.
Fizzing Pumpkins is one of those activities that brings science to life while keeping little hands busy and curious. My kids had an absolute blast watching their pumpkins bubble and foam — and yours will too
Fizzing Pumpkins Recipe
Prep Time
15 minutes
Wait time
24 hours
Ingredients
- 2 cups baking soda
- 1 cup water (you may not need it all)
- Food coloring – I used 6 drops of yellow + 1 drop of red
- Green Pipe cleaners (for stems)
- Vinegar Droppers or spoons (medicine droppers work great!)
- Optional: a tray or shallow bin to contain the fizzing mess!
Steps
1
Pour 2 cups of baking soda into a bowl. Add your food coloring (6 drops yellow + 1 drop red for the perfect pumpkin orange) and mix well.
2
Add water slowly. Pour water a little at a time and mixing each time. You want just enough so the mixture can be formed into balls. You probably won’t need the full cup.
3
Shape your pumpkins. Using hands form balls. Add a small pipe cleaner stem on top.
4
Let them dry. Place your pumpkins on parchment paper or tray and let them dry for about 24 hours.
5
Time to FIZZ! Once they’re dry, use droppers or spoons to slowly pour vinegar over your pumpkins. Watch the magic happen as they bubble, fizz, and dissolve before your eyes!
The Science Behind It
This fizzy reaction happens when baking soda (a base) reacts with vinegar (an acid) to create carbon dioxide gas — that’s what causes all the bubbling and fizzing!
It’s a simple and exciting way to introduce basic chemistry concepts to your kids while celebrating the fall season. Your kids will be asking for fizzy pumpkins activity over and over again!
Bonus Tip
If you have any weeds you’d like gone, pour the leftover liquid right over them — vinegar is a natural weed killer!
Why We Love This Fall Science Stem
Fizzing Pumpkins:
- Fun for all ages
- Encourages curiosity and hands-on exploration
- Easy to set up and clean up
- Great mix of STEM learning + seasonal play
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