purposeful play
Christmas Science Experiment for Kids
easy STEM project
This Christmas Science Experiment for Kids is a fun, glittery, hands-on activity for kids.
Kids will love this glittery, erupting Christmas tree STEM project and is perfect for preschool, kindergarten and elementary aged kids!
Continue reading for the full step by step instructions and to shop this project.
purpose
- Safe way to experiment with chemistry
- Explores cause and effect
- Introduces new vocabulary
- Screen free fun!
- Colorful way to explore science
- Fun Holiday spin on the traditional baking soda, vinegar experiment
- Colorful, exciting chemical reactions
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directions
Christmas Science Experiment
Arrange mini cups inside a tray in the shape of a tree
Add a brown “trunk:” to the bottom of the cup “tree”
I used a square wooden block
If you don’t have a block you can use anything brown that you have around the house
Fill each cup 1/2-3/4 full with vinegar
Add a few drops of green food coloring to the bottom cups
Add a few drops of yellow food coloring to the top cup
Stir each cup
Add a pinch or two of glitter to each cup
Add a spoonful of baking soda to each cup and watch the reaction
Continue experimenting!
Add more baking soda and more vinegar to continue creating reactions
Ask your child open ended questions about what they are observing
Introduce new vocabulary words throughout the experiment (see below)
It’s a chemical reaction
Baking soda is the base
Vinegar is the acid
When a base and acid are mixed together- a gas called carbon dioxide is formed causing the bubbling reaction
Chemistry
Chemical reaction
Base
Acid
Carbon dioxide
Gas