Chemical Reactions: Acids and Bases
Exploring chemical reactions with acids and bases is one of those science experiments that never seems to get old for kids. They love the wonder and mystery behind this simple experiment.
Once they gain an understanding of how and why it works they are fascinated to see how it is used in daily life. These common ingredients can be used each day.
Acids and bases are one of the easiest chemical reactions to produce safely with kids. Simple baking soda with an acid like lemon juice or vinegar and you have a crazy bubbling mess that always tickles kids funny bones. Let them do the pouring and you end up with some time on your hands. While, I cleaned up the yard while they played at the picnic table with some baking soda and vinegar. These beakers and this project were part of the August Mother Goose Time box. We were just so excited about this box we busted it open the day it arrived.
We loved the plastic beaker set Mother Goose Time sent for the kids to explore science in August. Since we did this one before it was planned in the program the next time we did this we used lemon juice and compared the two. To the kids surprise the reactions where the same.
The real adventure was discovering how this chemical reaction helps us every day. Than we went around and let the kids see how I use them around the helping relly give an understanding of this daily chemical reaction.
Was acid and base chemical reactions help us every day
- Clean out your sink drain
- Use citric acid and baking soda to make toilet bombs
- Make your own bath bombs
- Clean a stubborn mess
- Bake fresh homemade biscuits (The reaction works to create bubbles and make them fluffy.)
Discover what is an acid
You will need to help with this one. Give your child a tray of baking soda and an eye dropper. Challenge your child to try different liquids around the home. Discuss each one. Did it bubble? Do you think this is an acid.
Rather than direct the entire lesson have your children get creative. While things will get messy the kids are having fun. Most importantly they are learning.