Edgar Experiments with Science – Making Elephant Toothpaste!

Today’s curriculum lesson was a big hit!  The Dr. Day Care Toddler and Preschool classrooms made elephant toothpaste!

Try it yourself at home:

Materials

  • 16 oz empty plastic bottle (try different shaped bottles and evaluate the results when there’s a narrow neck, wide opening, etc.)
  • 1 cup 40-volume hydrogen peroxide (12% solution)
  • Funnel
  • Squirt of Dawn dish soap
  • 3-4 drops of food coloring
  • 1 packet dry active yeast
  • 4 tablespoons very warm water
  • pan with 2-inch sides

Take an empty bottle and carefully add 1 cup of 40 Volume Hydrogen Peroxide using a funnel.  Add a few squirts of dish soap.  Swirl gently.  Take one full packet of yeast and add it to 4 tablespoons of very warm water.  Stir will.  Place bottle with Hydrogen Peroxide and Soap in a container and using a funnel, add yeast mixture.  Immediately remove funnel and step back to watch the show!  The foam and bottle will be very warm – so please have an adult cautiously check the temperature before allowing children to play in the foam.  The resulting foam is a SOAP foam (no peroxide left!) so it is safe to handle once it has cooled.

See more photos on the Dr. Day Care Facebook page!

author circle Edgar Sitting copy
Liz Reid,  Dr. Day Care Smithfield