Fizzing Planets Space Activity for Preschoolers

This fizzing planets space activity is a great science experiment and sensory play activity to add to your space unit study for preschoolers. With just baking soda, vinegar, food coloring, and water, you can create a solar system of fizzing planets.

After our fizzing pumpkins activity during our Autumn unit, I knew I needed to continue incorporating these cute, shaped balls of baking soda into more themes.

We’ve done a number of baking soda vinegar projects, but nothing beats these! Well, they are a bit more time consuming to make, but not by much. Besides, the look of pure joy on my son’s face makes it all worth it!

I originally intended to simply make some made-up planets (or truthfully, colorful balls passed as planets), and my husband insisted we make a replica of the solar system instead.

He came into the kitchen while I was prepping the various colors, and helped me form the planets to be the appropriate sizes. I’m actually super grateful for that, because as it turns out – my son was absolutely OBSESSED with this space unit, and I have a feeling that he would not have been too pleased to see a bunch of purple and green planets with no names.

WHILE YOU’RE PLANNING YOUR SPACE THEME:

• Check out my Space Unit here. (Use code SPACE25 for 25% off) If you join my Preschool Program Membership, you’ll get a major discount on all past Unit Studies, and 2 brand new units included each month!
• Here are 25 Space Activities for your Preschooler’s Space theme!
• Here’s a list of Space Books for Toddlers & Preschoolers
• Here are 25 Space Crafts for your Preschooler
• Here’s a list of 16 Fun & Delicious Space-Themed Snacks for your Kids
• Here are some fun Space Facts for Kids
• Solar System in Motion Song for Preschoolers

Space Activities & Crafts We’ve Done at the Moore Homestead:

• Planet Suncatchers
• Planet Puppets Printable
• Moon Rock Exploration (with Printable Worksheet)
• Asteroid Toss Activity for Toddlers & Preschoolers
• I-Spy Space Busy Bag (with Printable)
• Rocket Name Building Activity 
• Edible Constellations Activity
• Space Playdough Invitation to Play
• Space Sensory Bin
• Solar System Match Worksheet Set
• Paper Plate Planets Craft
• What Makes Night Science Exploration
• Moon Observation Journal Astronomy Study for Kids
• Telescope Craft for Preschoolers
• Moon Phases Oreo Worksheet for Preschoolers
• Smash the Moon Rocks Activity
• Space Coloring Book for Preschoolers
• Astronaut Dramatic Play Station (+ Printable Bundle)

Fizzing Planets Space Activity for Preschoolers

To make my fizzing planets, you’ll need:

• Several medium bowls
• Baking soda
• Food coloring
• Water
• Vinegar 
• Optional: squirt bottle

How to Make Fizzing Planets

In each bowl, mix in a few drops of the food coloring of your choice, and a few drops of water. Mix with a spatula or fork (or your hands) until it comes together. Continue adding water a few drops at a time until you can mold the baking soda into balls. You don’t want it to be too wet, but not too dry either.

From here, you form your planets!

We added a pipe cleaner as a ring for Saturn, and my husband even created the red dot on Jupiter using a drop of red food coloring. And you best believe – my son was looking for that dot! He was thrilled.

Provide your child with vinegar, and let them have at it! This always ends up quite messy, but it’s always worth it.

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