Today’s Science Day was all about explosions! We had a bunch of different experiments to let the kids explore the science of blowing things up! 🙂

Exploding Bags

This experiment was super fun and had the kids chanting “do it again!”

What you need:
Baking soda
Paper towels
Vinegar
Warm water

Tear a paper towel into a square that measures about 5 inches by 5 inches. Put 1 1/2 tablespoons of baking soda in the center of the square, then fold the sides of the square in toward the middle. This is your “time-release packet.” Pour 1/2 cup of vinegar and 1/4 cup of warm water into your bag. Quickly drop your time-release packet of baking soda into your bag and zip it closed. Give the bag a shake, set it on the ground, and wait for it to pop!

Soda & Mentos Explosion

The classic soda & Mentos explosion. We used an off-brand diet Mountain Dew and original mint Mentos. Just plunk some Mentos into the liter of soda and watch it explode! Jump back quickly… Miss Mollie may have got a little wet! 🙂

Elephant Toothpaste

This explosively foamy experiment was fun to make and to watch! The kids’ oohing and ahhing could be heard all throughout the library. 🙂

What you need:
Large pan
16 oz. empty plastic bottle
Funnel
Warm water
Yeast
Hydrogen peroxide
Food coloring
Dish soap

Place your plastic bottle in the center of your pan. In a small bowl, gently mix together 1 tablespoon of warm water and 1/2 teaspoon of yeast. Use your funnel to place 1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide, 3-4 drops of food coloring, and a squirt of dish soap in the plastic bottle. Have the kids give you a drumroll and then pour in your yeast mixture. Quickly take out the funnel and watch your colorful toothpaste erupt out of the bottle!

Credit: I Can Teach My Child

Exploding Soap in the Microwave

This experiment was so incredibly easy. You literally put a bar of soap on a paper plate, throw it in the microwave, and viola! Make sure you use original Ivory bar soap as it works best. I microwaved it in 30 second increments, pulling it out every so often to show the kids the progress. After it had cooled a little bit, I let the kids touch the fluffy texture.

Happy exploding!

-Hannah

This guest post is from our  super-amazing coworker Hannah.  She has helped with the summer reading program for the last few years and always puts together wonderful programs.  This summer we are so lucky to have her almost full time.  She and Mollie are concocting all sorts of awesome science programs for the kiddos.  The day of this program, I had to go downstairs to the children’s library because all I could hear through the floor of my office were children’s voices shouting “Cooool, awesome, wooow….etc”