This fizzy Earth Day science experiment lets kids “paint” a planet with bubbling green land and blue oceans.
It’s a simple baking soda and vinegar reaction that opens up great conversations about our planet and how to take care of it.
How to Do the Fizzy Earth Day Experiment
Earth Day Lego Mats
Get the printableBaking soda
White vinegar
Green and blue food coloring
2 small bowls
Droppers
A round pan
Spatula and stirring straws
Color the vinegar
Fill two bowls about ¾ full of vinegar. Add about 5 drops of green to one and blue to the other.
Spread the baking soda
Spread an even layer of baking soda in a round pan.
Make the land
Drop green vinegar around the pan to make the continents and watch them fizz.
Make the oceans
Drop blue vinegar in the spaces between for the water.
Finish your Earth
Keep going until all the baking soda is green or blue.
Safety note
Keep vinegar away from eyes and wash hands after. Use a tray for spills.
The Science Behind It
Vinegar is an acid and baking soda is a base. When they mix, they react and make carbon dioxide gas, water and a salt. The bubbles are the gas escaping.
It’s a great time to talk about Earth too. About 71% of Earth’s surface is covered in water, so your fizzy planet should be mostly blue!
- Talk about caring for Earth: recycling, reducing waste and saving energy.
- Compare: Does more vinegar make more fizz?
More Earth Day activities
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Keep the Earth Day learning going with our Earth Day geoboards.
The Lego mats include
- Earth Day building brick mats
- Instant PDF download, nothing is shipped
Perfect for
- Earth Day
- Preschool and early elementary
- STEM centers
Earth Day Experiment FAQ
Spread baking soda in a pan and drop green and blue colored vinegar on it to make land and water.
The acid and base react and make carbon dioxide gas.
About 71% of Earth’s surface is covered by water.
About 3 and up.
More Science Experiments
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From families like yours
Did you try it? Tell us how it went!
We love seeing these activities out in the wild: the lumpy letters, the snack breaks, the proud “I made a B!” moments. Leave a star rating, tell other parents what worked (and what totally didn’t), and add a photo of your setup if you’d like.
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