Set up the perfect pumpkin volcano science activity this fall season! Anything pumpkin is always fun, whether you eat it, carve it or turn it into hands-on pumpkin experiment! Our pumpkin volcano is hands down the most requested pumpkin activity of the season. In fact, it’s been so popular we decided to make an erupting apple volcano too!
MAKE A PUMPKIN VOLCANO FOR KIDS THIS FALL!
PUMPKIN SCIENCE
Simple science activities you can make with quick, accessible, and affordable ingredients are our favorite kind! In particular, any sort of baking soda reaction is sure to please kids and adults alike. Our preschool science experiments include so many fun ways to enjoy simple science experiments. like this pumpkin volcano science activity below.
YOU MIGHT ALSO WANT TO CHECK OUT: Mini Pumpkin Volcanos
WE ALSO HAVE SOME GREAT PUMPKIN BOOKS PAIRED WITH PUMPKIN STEM ACTIVITIES!
PUMPKIN VOLCANO EXPERIMENT
I bought our baking pumpkin below at the grocery store when I was shopping. All the way home Liam talked about making a volcano because he remembered the volcano we made in our dinosaur sensory bin.
The bigger the pumpkin you use the more baking soda and vinegar you will need, and the bigger the mess you will make!
YOU WILL NEED:
- One small pumpkin
- baking soda
- vinegar
- food coloring {optional}
- dish soap
- water
HOW TO MAKE A PUMPKIN VOLCANO
1. First, get your pumpkin! Then you will need to hollow your pumpkin out.
This part can be a fun activity on its own and great for pumpkin sensory play. Save the insides for some additional sensory play if your child likes messy and squishy play.
I planned to make a sensory bag with the gooey stuff so he could examine it more later! I loosened the insides and gave him different kinds of spoons to work on scooping out the seeds and stuff. You could also carve a face!
2. Find a container to put inside the pumpkin or use the pumpkin itself.
We couldn’t decide which to try since we had never tried this before, so we ended up trying it three different ways. We used a cup, a small soda bottle and the pumpkin itself to test out what kind of eruption would happen with each.
MAKE SURE TO CHECK OUT: Pumpkin Slime
3. Add the following to your pumpkin, bottle or container:
- Warm water mixed with food coloring filled to about 3/4 full
- 4-5 drops of dish soap
- A few tablespoons of baking soda
4. Then when you are ready for the eruption, add 1/4 cup of vinegar and watch with delight!
BAKING SODA AND VINEGAR REACTION
We talked a bit about why the eruption happens. The baking soda is a base and the vinegar is an acid. When they combine a chemical reaction takes place and a gas is produced. The gas is carbon dioxide which fizzes and bubbles.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Bubbling Brew Experiment
This is easier done by showing him the reaction, so we added the vinegar! We also explained that another type of reaction is the surprise he felt when he saw the fizzing foam come out!
Here are the variations with the soda bottle and just the pumpkin!
With this variation of the chemical reaction, the eruption got a little more height so it looked different from the others. When we were done with the bottle, we took it out and dumped it into the pumpkin which created a huge eruption and led us to just try it in the pumpkin itself!
ALSO TRY MAKING: Pumpkin Oobleck
As you can see from his expressions he had a great time with this pumpkin volcano. He wanted to be the one to make the reaction happen after he saw us do it the first time, so we let him pour the vinegar by himself! We had lots of eruptions from this little pumpkin and lots of messy fun!
MAKE SURE TO CHECK OUT: Puking Pumpkin Experiment
This was one of my favorite pictures of our pumpkin volcano science experiment! The pumpkin was completely surrounded with fizzing, foaming, bubbling ooze!
THE PERFECT FALL ACTIVITY WITH A PUMPKIN VOLCANO!
Make sure to check out this great collection of classic pumpkin science experiments with a twist for more creative ways to use your pumpkins!
MORE AWESOME PUMPKIN ACTIVITIES!
Carla
October 9, 2013 at 1:50 amThis is awesome!! We love vinegar/baking soda science!!
Steph @ From the Burbs to the Boonies
October 10, 2013 at 4:25 pmHi there! I found you on Mom’s Library link up. This is way too cool! My kiddo is 7 and will just love this. Never would have thought of it, thank you. Pinned! 🙂
littlebins
October 10, 2013 at 8:40 pmThank you! So glad you found us. I imagine it will be a hit for years to come!
[email protected]
October 15, 2013 at 9:29 pmI LOVE IT! I know both my girls would really love this and want me to do it over and over again! Thanks so much for sharing on We Made That Wednesday!
littlebins
October 16, 2013 at 12:42 amOh yes! I am sure we will be doing it again. He was eyeing the huge pumpkin outside. Could you imagine what that would do?!
Shaunna @ Fantastic Fun and Learning
October 18, 2013 at 10:14 amWe have a few pumpkins begging to be cut open. This looks like such a fun way to put them to use! Thanks for sharing at Discover & Explore. I’m featuring this post today.
Sheila @ Pennies of Time
October 21, 2013 at 3:36 pmTalk about a great way to kids involved! (especially those that may scrunch their nose at slimy seeds–they won’t be able to turn away from this!) Another great idea from you! Thanks for sharing at Magic Moments Monday.
Lesli Richards
October 30, 2013 at 9:03 pmMy name is Lesli Richards and I am the author of The Homegrown Preschooler…I am writing some content for Old Schoolhouse Magazine’s Teacher website, and I’d love permission to use one of your photos (the one of the pumpkins at the top) and link up to your blog. Could you please consider it and email me and let me know? Blessings,
Lesli Richards
Charlotte
November 2, 2013 at 6:14 pmOhhh never seen this one before! Bet my boys would LOVE to try it with a pumpkin 🙂 x
Dorie
May 21, 2015 at 5:04 pmAppreciation to my father who informed me on the topic of
this blog, this website is truly awesome.
Katie
October 12, 2015 at 8:19 pmHello,
Just wondering why do you add the dish soap?? My mom is a science teacher and I have never seen her add dish soap to her volcanoes for class. Thanks for posting this fun idea. My neice will love it!!
littlebins
December 2, 2015 at 5:07 pmAdd it after baking soda and before vinegar. Or you can gently mix it into the vinegar. You don’t need it as the reaction happens with the other two ingredients. The soap makes it really froth!