This Halloween Science Fizzy Inflating Magic Ghost Balloon Kids Activity Experiment teaches cause and effect, builds curiosity, and makes science fun for your preschooler—with just a few simple ingredients.
Looking for a spooky-fun Halloween kids science activity that feels like magic? This “Fizzy Inflating Ghost” experiment is the perfect mix of hands-on learning and Halloween delight! With just a few simple ingredients, your kids will watch in wide-eyed wonder as a ghostly balloon seems to rise from the dead—all thanks to a little science and a whole lot of fizz. It’s messy, fizzy, and just the right amount of spooky!
What You’ll Need for Fizzy Inflating Magic Ghost Balloon:
Below is the list of materials and supplies you will need for the fizzy inflating magic ghost balloon kids activity:
- 2 tablespoons of baking soda
- ½ cup of vinegar
- 1 empty plastic bottle
(A standard disposable water bottle works great—just make sure it has a small opening.) - 1 white balloon (or purchase ghost balloons here)
(The ghostier, the better!) - 1 funnel
(Trust us—this makes cleanup way easier!) - 1 black permanent marker
(To draw your spooky ghost face!)
How to Make Fizzy Inflating Magic Ghost Balloon: Step-by-Step Instructions:
Below are instructions on how to make this Halloween Science Activity with your kids.
Step 1: Draw Your Ghost Use a permanent marker to draw a spooky (or silly!) ghost face on your balloon. Get creative—googly eyes, surprise faces, or even a mustache ghost if you’re feeling wild. Important: Let the ink dry completely before moving on. As the balloon inflates, your artwork will stretch—so make those lines bold!
Step 2: Add the Baking Soda Using a funnel (trust me, this helps!), carefully pour about 1 tablespoon of baking soda into the balloon. Pro tip: Hold the balloon upright and gently shake the baking soda down into the very bottom. We want it ready for the grand finale!
Step 3: Pour the Vinegar Now, grab a clean plastic bottle and add ½ cup of vinegar. A funnel makes this part easier too—no spills, no stress!
Step 4: Attach the Balloon Stretch the open end of the balloon over the mouth of the bottle—but don’t tip the baking soda in just yet! Keep it hanging in the balloon while you secure it tightly around the bottle’s neck.
Step 5: Let the Magic Begin! Ready? Carefully lift the balloon upright so the baking soda drops into the vinegar. In seconds, the fizzing reaction will create carbon dioxide gas, inflating your balloon like magic! Watch as your balloon ghost comes to life, rising from the bottle with a spooky hiss!
What’s the Science Behind the Spooky Balloon?
This magical ghost trick is actually a real science experiment in disguise!
When you mix baking soda (a base) with vinegar (an acid), they do what all acids and bases love to do: they react! But what does that mean?
Well, in super simple terms, they’re swapping tiny building blocks of matter. Vinegar gives away a proton (that’s a tiny part of an atom), and baking soda gladly takes it. When that happens, something new is created—carbon dioxide gas!
That gas needs somewhere to go… and it rushes up into the balloon, making it puff up like it’s coming to life!
So while it looks like Halloween magic, it’s actually an acid-base reaction at work—one that transforms two kitchen ingredients into fizzy, ghostly fun.
Summary
When baking soda (a base) mixes with vinegar (an acid), they react and create carbon dioxide gas. This gas builds up and inflates the balloon—making it look like your ghost is coming to life! It’s a fun way to show kids how an acid-base reaction works using simple kitchen ingredients.
For More Halloween Activities
Grab a freebie here Free Halloween Scissor Skills Preschool Practice.
Click here for a full recipe and free Ground Beast Tag to make your very own not-so-spooky Rice-Krispie Treats Halloween Prank.
Make a not-so spooky Coffee Filter Bats Halloween Craft for Kids Decoration.
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