There’s no place like the moon or space! Kids love to explore places like space because it’s so mysterious and beautiful. Have you ever watched the first lunar landing with your kids? It was made by Apollo 11 on July 20, 1969! The men collected samples and brought them back to Earth. Do you think they collected these fizzing moon rocks? Make moon rocks for a fantastic space activity this year.
Space Theme for Preschoolers and Beyond
Add this simple fizzy moon rock activity to your space theme lesson plans this season. If you want to explore an incredible chemical reaction while learning about the moon, let’s get started. While you’re at it, make sure to check out these other fun moon theme activities.
Our science activities and experiments are designed with you, the parent or teacher, in mind! Easy to set up, and quick to do, most activities will take only 15 to 30 minutes to complete and are heaps of fun! Plus, our supplies lists usually contain only free or cheap materials you can source from home!
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Fizzing Moon Rocks
What is a Moon Rock?
A moon rock is a piece of rock or material from the Moon, our natural satellite in space. It’s an igneous rock that astronauts brought back from the Moon during the Apollo missions. These rocks are interesting because they differ from the rocks we find on Earth.
Moon rocks are made up of various minerals, just like rocks on Earth. They contain minerals such as plagioclase feldspar, pyroxene, olivine, and ilmenite. The moon is predominantly an igneous rock. Some moon rocks also have tiny glass beads called agglutinates, formed by the intense heat and impact of meteoroids hitting the Moon’s surface.
Moon rocks can be very old, even older than most rocks on Earth. By studying them, scientists can learn about the Moon’s history, how it was formed, and what kind of processes have shaped its surface over billions of years. They can also help us understand more about the solar system and the origins of our own planet.
Let’s learn how to make these fizzing moon rocks to celebrate the lunar landing anniversary. Head to the kitchen, open the pantry and grab the simple supplies to whip up this fizzy mixture. Make sure to have plenty of baking soda and vinegar on hand because your kids will want to make tons of these cool “rocks”.
You Will Need:
- Baking Soda
- White Vinegar
- Water
- Black, blue, purple food coloring
- Glitter
- Pipette, meat baster, squeeze bottle
MOON ACTIVITY SET UP:
STEP 1: Add a few cups of baking soda to a bowl. This will be a recipe you play by ear depending on how many moon rocks you want to make!
STEP 2: In a separate container color the water as desired. We chose a dark spacey theme. Just remember once it mixes with the white baking soda, it won’t be as dark.
STEP 3: Slowly add the colored water to the baking soda a little bit at a time. Add a few shakes of glitter if desired.
TIP: You want to aim for a crumbly mixture that makes a “snowball” when packed together.
STEP 4: Shape the mixture into your moon rocks. They don’t have to be perfect and can be any size. You can wrap in saran wrap to help keep the shape in the freezer.
STEP 5: Let them harden in the freezer for a half hour or more.
STEP 6: Put the moon rocks in a baking dish and set out a bowl of white vinegar with a pipette, baster, or squirt bottle.
STEP 7: Make them fizz! Using your chosen tool for experimenting, have your kids squirt some vinegar onto a moon rock and observe what happens! Because the moon rocks were frozen, they should last a bit longer during the fizzing step for more fun!
FIZZY MOON ROCK TIPS FOR HOME OR CLASSROOM
This is a super simple mixture to whip up for any theme! Think snowballs for winter!
- If your mixture is too wet or runny, add more baking soda.
- If your mixture crumbles apart after you pack it together, add a tiny bit more water!
Make sure to do this activity with the moon rocks in a baking dish or tray as it can get messy!
Encourage kids to get their hands into this one! Feel the fizz, see the fizz, hear the fizz! Don’t like the smell of vinegar, use lemon juice instead!
Baking Soda and Vinegar Science
Science doesn’t have to be complicated for young kids. It needs to get them curious about learning, observing, and exploring. This moon science activity is about a fantastic chemical reaction between baking soda and vinegar. This is an easy chemistry experiment for kids that will create a love for science.
The baking soda is a base, and the vinegar is an acid. When you combine the two, you produce a gas called carbon dioxide. You can see, hear, feel, and smell the chemical reaction. You can also do this with citrus fruits too! Do you know why citrus works? Fruits like lemons, limes, and grapefruits are acidic!
Also, explore states of matter! Liquids, solids, and gasses. Which is which? Baking soda is a solid, vinegar is a liquid, and the carbon dioxide produced from the reaction is a gas.
Baking soda and vinegar science activities like these fizzing moon rocks are a fun and unique way to introduce young kids to the world of chemistry.
Read more about the science behind baking soda and vinegar experiments.
More Fun Moon Activities
There are so many fun ways to explore the moon by learning about the moon phases with an edible moon phase project. Or you can learn about and demonstrate how craters are formed!
- Moon Phases Craft For Kids
- Making Moon Craters
- Oreo Moon Phases
- Glow In The Dark Puffy Paint Moon
- Fizzy Paint Moon Craft
Printable Space Projects Pack
With 250+ pages of hands-on fun space themed fun, you can easily explore classic space themes with your kiddos including moon phases, constellations, the solar system, and of course the 1969 Apollo 11 lunar landing with Neil Armstrong.
⭐️ Activities include supply lists, instructions, and step-by-step pictures. Also Includes FULL Space Camp Week. ⭐️
Celebrate the 1969 lunar landing with easy-to-do activities at home, with groups, at camp, or in the classroom. Read up on this famous event and learn more about Neil Armstrong as well.
- Moon STEAM activities combine science, technology, engineering, art, and math with supply lists, set up and process photos, and science information. Craters, fizzy moon rocks, edible moon phases, watercolor galaxies, a DIY planetarium, bottle rocket, and so MUCH MORE!
- Printable Moon STEM challenges that are simple but engaging for home or classroom. Also included, is a Moon theme STEM Story with challenges perfect for going on a STEM adventure inside or outside!
- Moon phases & Constellation activities include charting moon phases, oreo moon phases, moon phases mini book, and more!
- Solar System activities include a solar system lapbook template and plenty of information to learn about the solar system and beyond!
- Moon extras include I-Spy, algorithm game, binary code project, 3D rocket building, thaumatropes, and MORE!
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