Elephant Toothpaste: A Giant Foaming Reaction!
Ready for a bubbly burst of science fun? With this exciting hands-on experiment, your little scientist can create a giant foaming eruption that looks just like toothpaste being squeezed from a tube — only this one’s big enough for an elephant! 🫧
At Little Dreamers Club, we love turning everyday learning into unforgettable adventures. This simple and safe activity is perfect for curious kids who love to mix, pour, and discover how things work!
🧪 What You’ll Need:
-
1 clean plastic bottle (a 16 oz water bottle works great)
-
1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide (3% is perfect for kids)
-
A few drops of dish soap
-
Food coloring (optional, but so fun!)
-
1 packet of active dry yeast
-
3 tablespoons of warm water
-
A tray or large dish to catch the foam
🔬 How to Make It:
-
Set up your bottle on a tray or in the sink — the foam will flow!
-
Pour in the hydrogen peroxide.
-
Add a squirt of dish soap and gently swirl it around.
-
Drip in your favorite food coloring — try two colors for stripes!
-
In a small cup, mix the yeast with warm water and stir well.
-
Quickly pour the yeast mixture into the bottle and step back...
🎉 Watch the magic happen as colorful foam bursts out of the bottle in a giant, fizzy tower!
💡 The Science Behind the Fun:
When you mix the ingredients, the yeast acts as a catalyst — it helps the hydrogen peroxide break down into oxygen and water. The dish soap traps the oxygen bubbles, creating that foamy “toothpaste.”
This is a great way for kids to see chemistry in action while learning about reactions, gases, and energy — all in a safe and exciting way!
🌈 Little Dreamers Tip:
Try experimenting with:
-
Different colors for rainbow foam
-
Glitter for a magical touch ✨
-
Various bottle sizes to see how it changes the reaction
Encourage your child to make predictions before they pour — what color will the foam be? How high will it go?
Original experiment and scientific explanation by:
Ben Finio, PhD, Science Buddies
Svenja Lohner, PhD, Science Buddies