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Are you looking for an erupting pumpkin science experiment to do with your students? If so, you’re in the right place! This science experiment comes highly recommended by my students and also my toddler! It’s a great way to use up any pumpkins you have left over and it’s super easy and cheap to complete.
What is an Erupting Pumpkin Experiment?
This science experiment is literally as it sounds – an erupting pumpkin! Your students are going to have the opportunity to put different ingredients into the pumpkin and watch it erupt.
Instructions
First of all you’re going to need to carve the top of the pumpkin off so that you can access the inside. It’s up to you whether you want to empty the guts from the inside or not. If you’re short on time, you really don’t have to! I prefer not to just because it gives a bigger reaction rather than trying to fill an entire empty pumpkin with bicarbonate of soda and vinegar. I do put the pumpkin into a large dish/tray just to try and contain some of the mess.
Then, you’re going to pour in some bicarbonate of soda. I like to add some orange food coloring too but you don’t have to if you don’t have any available! For this blog post, we didn’t use any food colorings.
Finally, you’re going to pour some white vinegar into the pumpkin and watch the vinegar react with the bicarbonate of soda and erupt out of the pumpkin!
Shopping List
- One pumpkin.
- A tray.
- White vinegar.
- Bicarbonate of soda.
You can find a clickable shopping list at the bottom of this page for everything we used.
Why not give this erupting pumpkin science experiment a go with your students and have them record their findings and discuss the different changes that they see.
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Nikki
More Pumpkin Activities;
- Skittle Pumpkin Experiment
- 5 Pumpkin Books for Kids
- Pumpkin Crafts for Kids
- Free Jack O’ Lantern Play Dough Mats
- Pumpkin Adapted Books
- Pumpkin Task Boxes
USA Shopping List
- White Vinegar. (I buy in bulk and then refill one smaller bottle to use.)
- Bicarbonate of Soda. (Again, I buy in bulk and then refill smaller bottles to use.)
- Pumpkin – this one I got from Aldi!
- Tray.
- Halloween Table Cloth.
- Children’s Scientist Outfit.
UK Shopping List
- White Vinegar. (I buy in bulk and then refill one smaller bottle to use.)
- Bicarbonate of Soda. (Again, I buy in bulk and then refill smaller bottles to use.)
- Pumpkin – this one I got from Aldi!
- Tray.
- Halloween Table Cloth.
- Children’s Scientist Outfit.
P.S. Have you signed up for a 3 day free trial of my VIP membership yet? If not, click here to do it now and go and get access to a huge range of resources, templates, crafts and more for free.
Nikki
