• Start Here
  • Books
    • Classics
      • 20th Century Classics
    • Early Chapter Books
    • Easy Readers
    • Folktales
    • Holiday Books
    • Middle Grade (8-12 years)
    • Nonfiction
    • Picture Books
    • Read Aloud Chapter Books
  • Games
    • Traditional Games
  • Kids Activities
    • Arts and Crafts
    • Literacy & Writing
    • Math
    • Playful Activities
    • Science
    • Toddler
  • Parenting

What Do We Do All Day

Books and Activities for Kids

You are here: Home / Learn / Science / Blowing up a Balloon with Yeast or Baking Soda and Vinegar

Blowing up a Balloon with Yeast or Baking Soda and Vinegar

February 11, 2011

1510shares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Did you know you can blow up a balloon with common household ingredients? We chose two different methods to make the necessary carbon dioxide: yeast, and baking soda and vinegar (an old standby favorite).

Blow up a balloon with yeast or baking soda and vinegar. Fun science project to do at home!

This simple at home science experiment is a great boredom buster when you and the kids are stuck inside. When you are done, be sure to visit my giant list of Indoor Activities for Kids for more ideas.

MORE: This project would make a great addition to our DIY summer science camp!

How to blow up a balloon with yeast

Here are our supplies. Note that the towel is absolutely essential!

It takes a bit of  time for the yeast to produce enough gas to inflate the balloon, so start that one first.

Put a spoonful or two of sugar in a bottle. A funnel is very helpful, though not strictly necessary.

Fill with the bottle with water about 3/4 full.

Add a spoonful or two of yeast.

Shake. Shake. Shake. This is very fun! Make sure the lid is on tightly!

Place balloon over bottle opening.

At the risk of losing my G-rating, here is what the balloon looked like after about 30 minutes.

How to blow up a balloon with Baking Soda and Vinegar

First, use the funnel to fill balloon with baking soda.

If your funnel is as pathetic as ours, you may have to use a toothpick to encourage said soda to go through opening.

Then, pour some vinegar in the bottle. I used about a cup, but I wasn’t very precise.

Add water. This raises the liquid level so you don’t overuse the vinegar and the gas fills the balloon rather than just the bottle.

Place balloon over bottle opening and then shake soda from balloon into the bottle.

Bigger…Bigger…Biggest!Of course, with curious kids, the experiment must be repeated.

This is a very satisfying activity for a 4 year old who loves action and reaction. It also provides further free play with the materials, producing much bubbling, oozing and fizzing, along with one very wet towel.

Science Project Books we like (affiliate links):
The Book of Totally Irresponsible Science: 64 Daring Experiments for Young Scientists

Science in Seconds for Kids: Over 100 Experiments You Can Do in Ten Minutes or Less

Science is Simple: Over 250 Activities for Preschoolers

Science Play (Science for 2-6 year olds)

Want Your Kids to Love Being Unplugged?
Subscribe to our newsletter and as a thank you, receive 10 waiting games kids can play anytime anywhere.
Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
1510shares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

by: Erica posted in: Science 7 Comments

« Easy Peasy Handmade Valentines
Love Letters »

Comments

  1. Raising a Happy Child says

    February 11, 2011 at 8:42 pm

    The difference between yeast and vinegar is rather dramatic! I have to look for some books you recommend.

    Reply
  2. TP Craft says

    February 14, 2011 at 2:37 am

    This is a great idea. We made a volcano last year using the baking soda and vinegar. It was so much fun.

    Reply
  3. An Amazing Child says

    February 15, 2011 at 2:25 am

    I really love all the science activities you do. They are so wonderfully hands-on. I try to do some tiny science with my little man (he's not quite two) and its always lots of fun.

    Reply
  4. S.AJ says

    May 5, 2011 at 12:01 pm

    I really liked your post was really fun reading it…no wonder experimenting it must have been even more!

    Reply
  5. Anonymous says

    March 21, 2012 at 1:00 pm

    great

    Reply
  6. Candice says

    October 15, 2014 at 7:08 am

    How can you explain to children why that happened when putting soda and vinegar together?

    Reply
    • Erica MomandKiddo says

      October 15, 2014 at 9:20 am

      The chemical reaction creates a gas that inflates the balloon.

      Reply

Feed My Comment Addiction Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

STOP THE WHINING!

SAY, "YES I WANT TO UNPLUG MY KIDS." JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER LIST AND GET 10 WAITING GAMES YOUR KIDS CAN PLAY ANYTIME, ANYWHERE.

Join over 12,000 parents who subscribe to the most useful newsletter on the planet. 

    We won't send you spam (yuck). Unsubscribe at any time.

    Search

    What Have We Done Lately?

    Spring Poems for Kids and Families

    Home Science Experiments for Kids

    Children’s Books that Address Incarceration and Detention

    How to Play Sevens: A Dice Game

    Middle Grade Books for Women’s History Month

    Lau Kata Kati: A Traditional Strategy Game from India

    Valentine Bookmarks Coloring Page


    We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
    Copyright 2007-2020 What Do We Do All Day? All rights reserved.

    EXPLORE MORE:

    Awesome Newsletter
    Favorite Resources for Parents
    100s of Book Lists
    Gigantic List of Indoor Activities
    Best Games on the Planet
    Stay At Home Parent Resources


    Privacy, disclosure and copyright policy

    Copyright © 2021 · Foodie Pro Theme Description: This is the Foodie Pro child theme created for the Genesis Framework. Author: Shay Bocks Author URI: http://shaybocks.com/ Version: 2.0.5 Tags: black, orange, white, one-column, two-columns, three-columns, fixed-width, custom-menu, full-width-template, sticky-post, theme-options, threaded-comments, translation-ready Template: genesis Template Version: 2.0.1 License: GPL-2.0+ License URI: http://www.opensource.org/licenses/gpl-license.php by Shay Bocks

    Want Your Kids to Love Being Unplugged?
    Subscribe to our newsletter and as a thank you, receive 10 waiting games kids can play anytime anywhere.
    Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
    Want More Free Activity Ideas?
    Join our email list and as a thank you gift I'll send you a list of 10 waiting games that will make your kids smarter.
    Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
    Want your kids to love being unplugged?
    Join our newsletter and as a thank you, I'll send you a list of 10 waiting games.
    Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you keep using this website we will assume you are OK with that. Read our privacy policy for more.OKRead more