Halloween STEM activity | There's Just One Mommy

Make a Pumpkin Volcano!

OneMommy — Sun, 04 Oct 2020 13:21:45 +0000

October is the perfect month for having fun with pumpkins.

The bright orange fruits make cute decorations and are fun to use in a variety of pumpkin STEM activities.

If you’re carving pumpkins this year, use one to make a simple pumpkin volcano. It’s a fun fall twist to an old favorite science experiment.

If you have toddlers or preschoolers, you may want to let them explore whether or not your pumpkin sinks or floats before trying this activity.

Older kids might enjoy some of these other Halloween STEM activities.

Pumpkin Volcano Experiment

Materials Needed:

Pumpkin
Vinegar
Baking soda
Dish soap
Sharp Knife
Food coloring (optional)

To begin with, use the knife to remove the top portion of your pumpkin, much like you would when carving pumpkins. This portion of the activity should be done by an adult.

Then let your child remove the seeds and pulp from the pumpkin. They can use a spoon or their bare hands, adding a bit of sensory play into the activity.

Once the pumpkin is hollowed out, sprinkle a healthy dose of baking soda into the bottom of the pumpkin. How much you need will depend on the size of your pumpkin. We used 2 Tablespoons for our small pumpkin. You’ll want to use at least 1/4 cup for a larger pumpkin.

To increase the amount of bubbles produced, squirt a little bit of dish soap into the bottom as well.

If desired, you can add a drop or two of food coloring as well. We chose to leave ours plain.

When you are ready, slowly pour your vinegar into the pumpkin. We used 1/2 cup on our small pumpkin. Larger pumpkins may need a bit more.

You’ll have an instant volcano in a pumpkin.

For even more fun, try adding pumpkin seeds to the bottom of your pumpkin.

When the vinegar is added the foam will cause the pumpkin seeds to bubble up and spill out with the pumpkin volcano’s lava.

Does your child love being hands on? Grab a spoon and let them try stirring.

Mixing it helps more baking soda react with the vinegar and you get a second eruption.

This pumpkin STEM activity is so much fun!

Why Baking Soda & Vinegar Volcano Works

The vinegar is an acid. The baking soda is a base.

When these two materials mix, a chemical reaction happens.

One part of this reaction is that carbon dioxide forms. This gas causes the bubbling reaction that spills over the sides of the pumpkin.

For a more detailed explanation, check out this post on why vinegar and baking soda reacts.

I warn you, this simple Halloween science is addicting.

If your kids are anything like mine, the will ask to do it over and over again.

We used half a box of baking soda and quite a bit of vinegar before I had to call it quits.

This simple pumpkin volcano is so easy and so much fun to do in October.

Other fun fall activities to try:

Pumpkin Activities — Discover 10 fun activities with real pumpkins.
Apple Wrecking Ball STEM Activity — Challenge your child to make a wrecking ball with an apple.
Vanishing Ghost Experiment — Kids of all ages will have fun with this STEM for Halloween.
Apple-Scented Bubble Dough— Find out how to make amazing smelling play dough with just 2 ingredients.

Originally published 9/11/2015.

The post Make a Pumpkin Volcano! first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Amazing Vanishing Ghosts

OneMommy — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 18:36:49 +0000

Life is busy. I don’t have time to run to the store all the time to get materials we need for the latest kids activity.

That’s why I love using what I already have on hand, like packing materials from the latest online shopping.

It was a box full of packing peanuts that inspired this super fun (and easy) Vanishing Ghosts Experiment.

It has become one of our most popular Halloween STEM activities.

There are so many fun things you can do with packing peanuts.

I remember as a kid holding the old Styrofoam ones between my the thumb and index finger and flicking them to make them fly across the room. My friend and I would mark how far they went, stopping every once in a while to listen to the sound as we snapped them in half.

If you add toothpicks, you can use packing peanuts to make structures with cut Styrofoam. You can challenge kids to make the tallest structure, or have preschoolers use them to build simple shapes.

We had fun turning them into disappearing ghosts in this simple kids Halloween activity.

Affiliate links have been provided below. See my full disclosure here.

Over the years we’ve collected tons of polystyrene peanuts. They’re fun to play with, but we had never gotten to play with the biodegradable starch packing peanuts until we found them in a recent package we had ordered.

Right away I started thinking of what fun we could have with them.

With Halloween coming up, I wanted to give it a holiday twist. I decided the packing peanuts made perfect ghosts.

This may be the easiest Halloween STEM activity ever!

Vanishing Ghosts Experiment

Materials Needed:

Biodegradable Packing Peanuts
Black Permanent Marker
Small Bowl
Water

(I suggest to make future STEM at home easy, keep these most often used STEM supplies on hand.)

To create your ghosts, use a black permanent marker to draw a ghost face on each packing peanut. Remember, they MUST be biodegradable packing peanuts. (That means they are made of starch, not polystyrene.)

If your child is anything like mine, they will want to do this activity several times, so be sure to have plenty of little ghosts ready. Your child may even want to help make the ghosts.

Now it’s time to make the ghosts disappear with a bit of science “magic.”

Fill a small bowl with room temperature water.

Have your child place one ghost on top and watch what happens.

You will start to see small bubbles appearing on the sides of the packing peanut ghost. And then the ghost will disappear right before your eyes!

Your results may depend on the type of Biodegradable Packing Peanuts you use.

Ours dissolved within just a couple minutes. If the melting packing peanuts are taking too long to disappear, try using hot water to help speed up the process.

Why Do Biodegradable Packing Peanuts Melt?

These new packing peanuts are made out of biodegradable corn starch, which means they break down easily instead of just sitting in the garbage dump for years and years like the older style ones. The water helps break them down even faster.

Want to take it a bit further?

Turn this into a fun STEM activity!

Ask your child to make a hypothesis about if water temperature will affect the speed they dissolve.
Have your child use a stopwatch to time how fast the ghosts dissolve in different temperatures of water.
Make a chart to record your results.

This simple Halloween STEM activity would even be fun to do at a kids Halloween party.

Science Experiments with Packing Peanuts

Dissolving Styrofoam Peanuts — If you have the old-fashioned type of packing peanuts, made of Styrofoam (or you have larger pieces of Styrofoam packing material), you may want to try this experiment. Discover what product you may have in your bathroom that will turn that Styrofoam into mush.

Packing Peanut Structures — This one is perfect for preschoolers. Use toothpicks and peanuts to create structures. Then watch them slowly fall as you spray them with water.

Melting Snowmen — This is our wintery take on this packing peanuts experiment. It’s perfect for winter, or the start of spring as the snow is melting.

Next time you get a package in the mail, show the kids how to fling those packing peanuts across the room.

Then use them in this vanishing ghosts experiment.

I bet it will quickly become their favorite ghost activity yet.

Catapulting Pumpkins: Simple & Fun Halloween Activity for Kids

OneMommy — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 17:10:02 +0000

October has flown by. With all the running around that seems to happen when you have kids, it’s easy to lose track of time.

Thankfully there is still time for some fun Halloween STEM Activities.

Making a craft stick pumpkin catapult is fun for kids of all ages. And once it’s made, kids will have fun using it for a Halloween game that will keep them busy and having fun.

Ocotober is perfect for pumpkin STEM activities like this one.

Kids love flinging things. That’s what makes this activity such a huge hit.

If your child enjoys this project, you may want to check out our catapulting Peeps post, too.

Craft Stick Pumpkin Catapult

Affiliate links have been provided below. See my full disclosure for more details.

Materials Needed:

7 Jumbo Craft Sticks
Plastic Bottle Cap
3 Rubberbands
Hot Glue Gun
Candy Pumpkins
Pumpkin Bucket

To make your simple catapult, you will follow the same basic craft stick catapult directions. The only difference is you will use a bottle cap as a basket to hold the candy instead of a plastic spoon. We also used jumbo craft sticks instead of the smaller ones.

Start by stacking 5 craft sticks and securing the ends together with 2 of your rubber bands.

Hot glue your plastic bottle cap to the end of one of the remaining sticks.

Stack the stick with the bottle cap on top of the last craft stick and fasten them together with the last rubber band.

Slide the stack of 5 craft sticks from earlier in between these 2 to make the catapult’s crossbar.

To help hold it all together, and to make it have a bit more “oompf” when you use it, criss-cross the rubber band holding the 2 stacked craft sticks so it goes around the crossbar.

We found that the catapult worked better when we twisted that last rubber band around the end of the sticks extra tight.

Catapulting Pumpkins Halloween STEM Activity

Once you have your catapult ready, it’s time to test it out.

What better target than a smiling pumpkin candy bucket?

Place your bucket on a flat surface in front of your pumpkin catapult.

Load the basket of the catapult with a piece of candy and get ready to play.

To fire the catapult, use one hand to hold the crossbar down against the table. Use your other hand to press the basket of the catapult down, and then let go.

The candy will shoot up into the air.

Can you get the candy to land in the bucket?

Experiment with where you need to place your catapult.

You can also experiment with how the catapult is made. Try adding another craft stick or 2 to the crossbar. Will this make the candy fly further? What if you take away a craft stick?

Try using a different rubber band to hold the catapult together. Or, try moving the crossbar further to the end of the catapult. Does this affect how far your candy goes?

You can turn this STEM activity into a fun DIY Halloween game.

For solo play, start with 10 candy pumpkins and see how many you can get into the bucket. Or, see how many pumpkins you can get into the bucket in 1 minute’s time.

You can also compete with a friend. Who can get the most points for pumpkins in the bucket?

When your child finishes, challenge them to build a toothpick and candy pumpkin tower.

This simple craft stick pumpkin catapult is a fun Halloween STEM activity for all ages.

Halloween Candy & Toothpick Tower STEM

OneMommy — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 03:26:23 +0000

October is the month for pumpkins and candy.

This week we had fun mixing the two in a Halloween Candy & Toothpick Tower STEM Activity that’s perfect for kids of all ages.

It has quickly become one of our favorite Halloween STEM Activities.

The pumpkin shaped candy in this STEM challenge makes it fun to do all fall. You can also use the same candy to use with this pumpkin catapult.

They are two of our favorite pumpkin STEM activities to do in October.

For more fun with pumpkins, be sure to check out our pumpkin Pulley.

Halloween Candy & Toothpick Tower STEM Activity

Materials Needed:

Candy Pumpkins
Rounded Toothpicks
Ruler or Tape Measure

Set up this activity by pouring a liberal amount of toothpicks into a small container and candy pumpkins in another container. Be sure you have rounded toothpicks, as they are stronger than the flat ones and tend to break less often.

1-3 kids should be able to share the materials this way. If you are working with a larger group you will want to make several stations with containers holding toothpicks and candy at each station. (This could be a fun kids Halloween party idea!)

Challenge the kids to build the tallest structure they can using only toothpicks and the candy pumpkins. The structure must stand for at least 30 seconds after it has been completed.

Before starting remind kids that toothpicks are pointy. They should be careful not to jab fingers as they build.

To build the toothpick and candy structure, insert a toothpick into a pumpkin and add another candy on the toothpick’s other side.

Continue adding toothpicks and candy to build a sturdy base.

Allow kids to chose whether they will try a triangle base or a square base for the structure. Which do they think will be stronger?

Older kids may even try something more complex. Will a bigger base help make the structure more stable? Let them experiment to find out.

This STEM activity for Halloween can easily be modified for different ages.

We used mellocream pumpkins (similar in texture to candy corn). These gave an extra bit of challenge to my middle school students.

They were harder to stick toothpicks into, and we discovered the toothpick structures began to bend after a few minutes, making them less stable. There was a lot of laughing as towers slowly twisted and collapsed when not supported enough.

If you are working with younger kids, I suggest using the jelly pumpkin candy. The gummier candy is easier to stick toothpicks into.

The gummy candy also tends to make the structures a bit stronger, allowing younger kids to be more successful.

Once the structures are finished, measure the highest point of each to see whose toothpick tower is tallest.

How to Build a Sturdy Toothpick Tower

We discovered that a tower built with a series of triangles was stronger could be built taller than one with squares.

This is because triangles are very strong shapes. Unlike the squares, which deformed quickly, the triangles were able to hold their shape under pressure.

We had so much fun with this Halloween Candy & Toothpick Tower STEM Activity. I know your kids will enjoy it, too.

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Halloween STEM Activities

OneMommy — Sat, 28 Sep 2019 01:46:37 +0000

October is the month for decorated pumpkins, bats, and Halloween.

As kids gear up for the big day, get them excited with a few fun STEM activities for kids with a Halloween twist.

These Halloween STEM activities are perfect for October.

These STEM challenges would be fun in the classroom, at home, or even as a kids Halloween party idea.

Halloween STEM Activities

Candy Corn Catapults — Design and build your very own catapult and test how far you can fling candy corn pieces.

Ghost Pom-Pom Poppers — Kids will have fun creating these pom-pom poppers and testing to see how far they can get the pom-poms to fly.

Build a Ghost Tower— How tall can you engineer a tower in this ghostly structures STEM activity?

Candy Pumpkin Tower — Here’s another fun Halloween engineering activity for kids. How tall can they make their tower?

Grow Halloween Crystals — Use chemistry to create beautiful crystals shaped like pumpkins, spiders, and more.

Googly Eye Slime — Try your hand at a bit of chemistry with this simple slime recipe. Add googly eyes to make this monstrous eyeball slime.

Marshmallow Peeps Disappearing Ghosts — Kids will love experimenting with this tasty science activity.

Screaming Ghost Balloons — This super simple Halloween science activity will entertain kids while making spooky, screetchy noises they’ll love.

Build a Pumpkin Battery — Discover how you can make a working battery using pumpkins!

Pumpkin Catapult — Kids of all ages will love building their own craft stick catapult and using it for a fun game in this STEM challenge.

Halloween Eraser Stacking Challenge — This engineering challenge would be fun to do solo or as a competition to see who can build the tallest tower.

Flying Witches — Mix a bit of science into crafting and discover how levers work. Kids will love this cute idea.

Pumpkin Volcano — Carving pumpkins this year? Put that Jack-O-Lantern to good use and build your very own volcano.

Flying Tea Bag Ghost— Use the same science principles used in hot air balloons to make your very own flying ghost with this fun ghost experiment.

Monster Eye Science — This Halloween science experiment gives a fun new twist to the classic oil & water activity.

Spiderweb Slime — It’s sticky, stretchy, and lots of fun! Add a few spiders and this slime is sure to be a favorite.

Spider Drawing Bot — Learn how to build your own drawing bot, and give it a spooky twist that’s perfect for October.

Inflating Ghost Balloon— Give the classic baking soda and vinegar balloon experiment a fun holiday twist with this idea.

Bone Bridge — Build a “bone” bridge and test how strong it is. Who can make the longest bridge?

Pumpkin Float — Do squash float or sink? Find out in this simple pumpkin exploration.

Marshmallow & Toothpick Spiderweb — Kids of all ages will love using marshmallows and toothpicks to form their very own spiderweb.

Dissolving Candy Corn Experiment — What dissolves candy corn the best? Make a hypothesis, experiment, and discover the answer for yourself.

Fizzing Eyeballs — Kids love fizzing science! Plastic eyeballs help give this classic experiment a spooky twist.

Pumpkin Pulley — Explore how pulley systems work by building your very own pulley.

Ghost Rockets — Engineer your very own film canister rockets with the perfect twist for Halloween.

Fizzy Ghosts— There is just something that kids love about fizzing science. Take that love to new heights with this fun ghostly twist.

Dancing Ghost — Use science in this ghost STEM to make your own tissue paper ghost magically dance without you touching it.

Flying Bat Straw Rockets — Print off the adorable bat template and use it to engineer your very own flying bat rockets. Who can make their bat fly the farthest?

Diving Ghost Experiment— In this diving ghost activity, science and ghosts combine in a spooktacular STEM activity.

Vanishing Ghost STEM— This simple STEM for Halloween is perfect for kids of all ages. They will be amazed to see their ghost disappear right before their very eyes.

These Halloween STEM Activities will keep your child engaged and having fun all October.

Simple Halloween STEM Activity: Make a Pumpkin Pulley

OneMommy — Sun, 30 Sep 2018 15:17:54 +0000

For months now I’ve wanted to make a pulley system with the kids.

With the start of fall, we decided to make a pulley with a pumpkin twist.

Whether you make it indoors, using your stairway like we did, or you try it outside, this pumpkin STEM activity is super fun.

Gather the kids and make a Pumpkin Pulley this week!

Fall is in the air. The temperatures are changing, and apples and pumpkins seem to be everywhere. It’s the perfect time for pumpkin activities like this one.

In this STEM activity your child will be making a basic pulley system.

A basic pulley is made of a wheel on a fixed axle, usually with a groove to help guide the rope or cable. This simple machine is made with just a few items and can help make work easier.

For older children you may want to provide the needed materials and let them experiment to figure out how to build the pulley on their own.

For younger children you may need to provide instruction.

This pulley is one of our favorite Halloween STEM activities to do in October.

If your child loves STEM, be sure to check out all our STEM Activities for Kids.

Pumpkin Pulley Activity

Affiliate links have been provided below. See my full disclosure here.

Materials Needed:

Plastic Pumpkin Candy Bucket
Wood Dowel Rod
Cardboard Tube
Yarn
Duct Tape

If you don’t have a wood dowel rod handy, you can easily substitute it with a nice-size stick. We were able to find one in our backyard that was 1/2 inch thick and long enough to be used between our stair rails.

Slip the cardboard tube over your dowel rod or stick.

The cardboard tube will act as the wheel of your pulley. It will rotate around the stick (your axle) with less friction than just pulling the yarn over the stick on its own.

Use duct tape to secure the dowel rod so it is between two stair rails. (You could also set up the pulley system off the side of a deck or between two kitchen chairs.)

Tie one end of your yarn to the handle of the pumpkin bucket. You will want to double knot it to be sure it stays secure.

Thread the other end of the yarn over the cardboard tube. Your pumpkin pulley is ready to try out!

Have your child fill the bucket with small toys or other items.

Before trying the pulley system, ask your child to lift the bucket with one hand to see how easy it is to lift above their head.

Then have them use the pulley to lift the bucket.

Does it make the work easier?

How Does a Pulley Make Work Easier

A pulley is a simple machine that can raise and lower things much easier and faster than we can with just our two hands. That’s because the pulley allows us to change the direction of the force we use when lifting an object.

It’s easier to pull down on the yarn to lift the bucket up than it is to lift it straight up by hand.

Later you can make a craft stick catapult to explore levers, another simple machine, with your kids. You might also like this apple wrecking ball.

The kids have had lots of fun this week sending toys up and down in their toy pulley. It has inspired hours of pretend play.

What will your child carry in their pumpkin pulley?

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