Halloween activities can be more than fun –they can be educational! Parents and teachers will be glad to know they can also be easy to assemble, demonstrate and explain the science behind it. Let’s do a fun and educational STEM Halloween Activity. Let’s make a potion!!!!!

I like the authenticity of using fun potion bottles. I bought some on *Amazon and I thought they would be great for teachers to send home so the potion could be made at home, they could be used as favors for Halloween parties, even a Harry Potter birthday party.

To do this STEM Halloween activity, You’ll need:
bottles (depends on how many colors and types of potions you want to make)
baking soda
funnel
vinegar
citric acid (optional)
different flavors (colors) of Kool-Aid or Jell-o if you want the sensory part of this activity
1/4 tsp measuring spoon

For our purposes, we’ll do measurements for one bottle.

The Science Behind the Reaction

The sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and acetic acid in vinegar react and trap the carbon dioxide to form bubbles. The mixture of the baking soda and vinegar creates a gas and a liquid, which in turn results in a foam (a mixture of gas and liquid, or a colloid). Also note, if you use Kool-Aid or Jell-o for your color, there is a sensory element to this activity. What does the potion smell like? Can you guess the flavor/scent?

Another Option if Sending Home:
You can also use citric acid and water to do this experiment. If you are sending these to do later at home, I would use the citric acid (1/2 cup) and color in the bottle, so water can be added at home and you don’t have to worry about someone not having vinegar at home. The chemical reaction can be activated by using water instead of vinegar.

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