Foaming Snowman

I must say, if you’re a mom, always keep a big jar of vinegar and box of baking soda in your cupboard.  You can keep your children entertained for a long time with it.  The Fizzing Fun activity I wrote about is still a favourite with my kids.  One daycare child told me it was the best thing ever!

I love the blog Fun at Home with the Kids .  She has so many great sensory play idea.  We tried out this foaming snowman one.  

My 5 year old daycare child LOVED it.  Pumpkin 1 had great fun building a snowman, but she was not happy to have it melt away.  In fact she cried and cried.  So I let her just have fun building snowmen.  The chemical reaction of the baking soda and vinegar makes the liquid feel cold, like snow.

To make a fizzing dough you need:

Baking Soda

Dish Soap

Salt

Vinegar

Waterproof accessories (we used what we had, gems, a paperclip for arms, and I made the nose and hat out of foam)

In a bowl or other container, measure out two cups of baking soda and add 2 Tablespoons of salt.  Mix thoroughly.  The dough should look crumbly.  Next add 8 Tablespoons of water.  If your dough will form a ball, you’re all set.  If it’s still too dry and crumbly add water 1 Tablespoon at a time until you have a dough that molds into a ball.  It will not feel like playdough – it’s more smooshy and crumbly than that.  But it should form into and hold a ball.

Make and decorate your snowman and once you’re ready to transform him into a mound of icy cold foam, add your vinegar!  It works best (i.e. creates the most foam) if you add a lot of vinegar at once.  A squeezy bottle works best, but if you don’t have one of those, pouring a cup filled with vinegar on him will also create a foamy explosion!