Baking Soda and Vinegar Ocean STEAM for Kids

Explore baking soda and vinegar chemical reactions with your kids using this engaging and hands-on Ocean STEAM. This fun science experiment is perfect for your next ocean preschool theme.

We’ve been having lots of fun studying the ocean this homeschool year and STEAM activities are a great way for kinesthetic learners to do exactly that. This Baking Soda and Vinegar Ocean STEAM makes a great science experiment and sensory activity for your little kids.

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Not only are activities like this ocean-themed baking soda and vinegar STEAM perfect for introducing important science concepts to your preschoolers and kindergartners, but they’re also a great way to encourage a love of learning. Your little scientists will have a blast exploring chemical reactions with this fun science experiment.

Keep reading for even more fun ocean-themed printables and activities for preschoolers!

Baking Soda and Vinegar Activity for Preschoolers

Baking soda and vinegar experiments are a quick and easy way to teach preschoolers about acids and bases as well as what happens when they combine. Plus, they’re a fun way to add even more STEAM learning to your next ocean preschool theme.

For today’s experiment, we made lots of adorable ocean animals using baking soda, water, and food coloring. We found an ocean-themed silicone mold that included a seahorse, dolphin, starfish, and more. These sea creatures are super easy to make and lots of fun.

Your preschoolers can practice creative thinking, problem-solving, and even fine motor skills with this engaging and hands-on baking soda and vinegar STEAM activity.

And best of all? You adapt this simple science experiment for any theme just by using different silicone molds. Check out the dollar store or even your local craft store for lots of different options.

Ocean STEAM

What you’ll need

• Ocean Silicone Mold
• Baking Soda
• Food Coloring
• Tray
• Spoons
• Water
• Squeeze Bottles
• Vinegar

Here’s how to do it

• Mix together baking soda and water to make a paste. We also added a few drops of food coloring to give our sea creatures a little bit of color. If you’d like to make your ocean animals lots of different colors, just split up the baking soda and water paste into a few different cups before adding the food coloring.
• Place the silicone mold on a tray. Then, use a spoon to scoop the baking soda and water paste into each section of the mold. Put the tray into the freezer for several hours. I usually prepare activities like this one the night before so that everything’s ready to go in the morning.
• Remove the sea creatures from the silicone mold and place them directly on the tray. Fill a squeeze bottle with vinegar or set out small cups of vinegar and eyedroppers. Encourage children to explore what happens when baking soda and vinegar mix together to create a really fun chemical reaction.

Baking Soda and Vinegar Chemical Reactions

Experiments like this one create an acid-base reaction. Vinegar is an acid and baking soda is a base. When they combine, they create a fizzing and bubbling chemical reaction that’s sure to delight your little learners.

Classic science experiments are perfect for little learners. Not only will your preschoolers and kindergartners want to do this fun STEAM activity over and over again, but they’ll also be exploring important science concepts in the process.

We love STEAM activities because they’re so incredibly versatile. For preschoolers, just the simple fact that we’re mixing together an acid and a base and making a chemical reaction is perfect. For older kids, we can have more in-depth discussions about acids and bases, chemical reactions, and so much more.

Ocean Preschool Theme

We definitely love the ocean. Not only is it absolutely beautiful, but it’s also home to so many amazing creatures. From whales to sea turtles to dolphins, there are so many fun ocean animals for us to learn about.

And of course, the best way to do that with preschoolers and kindergartners is with lots of great hands-on activities. After all, little kids learn best through play.

If your little learners love the ocean as much as mine do, then you’re definitely going to want to check out this list of ocean-themed printables and activities for preschoolers and kindergartners.

• Explore visual arts and fine motor skills with your preschoolers and kindergartners using this Ocean Salt Painting for Kids.
• These Free Printable Tracing Ocean Preschool Worksheets are perfect for making fun ocean scenes while also practicing important pre-writing skills with preschool-aged learners.
• Practice creative thinking and fine motor skills with your preschoolers this summer using this Whale Blow Painting for Kids.
• This Coral Reef STEAM Preschool Ocean Investigation Station was such a fun way to make beautiful three-dimensional coral reef process art.
• Learn about whales in an engaging and hands-on way with this Whale STEAM Investigation Station for Preschoolers.
• This Coral Collage for Kids is a great way to introduce the concept of collage to your preschoolers and kindergartners this summer while also exploring coral reefs.
• Learn to draw while practicing fine motor skills with these no-prep printable Ocean Directed Drawing for Kids worksheets.
• These Free Printable Sea Turtle Life Cycle Worksheets are sure to make a splash with your preschoolers and kindergartners this Summer!

Don’t forget to check back if you’re interested in seeing what we’re up to next week with our ocean preschool theme!