A painting using baking soda and vinegar to create a chemical reaction art piece.

Art Activity: Fizzy Painting

Let’s combine chemistry and art to create a beautiful reaction!
Activity best for children age 2 and up

This activity uses chemistry and art at the same time! When we combine two chemicals, like baking soda and vinegar, we get a fizzy chemical reaction that turns into carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a gas, which is why it becomes bubbly in this experiment. By adding beautiful colors, we have two things – a chemistry experiment and a painting.

GUIDING QUESTIONS

  • What happens to the baking soda when the “paint” is dropped onto it?

  • Why do you think it gets fizzy?

MATERIALS

  • Baking soda

  • Vinegar

  • Watercolor paper

  • Food coloring

  • Dropper

DIRECTIONS

STEP 1

For each color, mix 1 tbsp. of vinegar with a couple of drops of food coloring.

A plain piece of paper with three cups of different colored food dye.

STEP 2

Smooth a layer of baking soda on top of the watercolor paper. Make sure to place the paper on top of something you don’t mind getting messy.

A layer of baking soda on top of the piece of paper.

STEP 3

Start painting. What do you notice?

A dropper of vinegar and food dye added to the baking soda layer.

STEP 4

Keep painting until you create your masterpiece!

More vinegar food dye added to the baking soda.

STEP 5

Let your painting dry. Once dried, rub off all of the extra baking soda.

The finished baking soda and vinegar painting.