We are re-sharing this post from 2021 because mixing up Halloween potions is such a fun way to celebrate spooky season!
Halloween science is my favorite kind of science, especially when it involves mixing up a fun potion. Learn how to make fizzy potions in two different ways using edible ingredients. It’s a great way to use up leftover Halloween candy. Plus, I’ll share some of our other potion making-ideas.
How to Make Fizzy Potions with Baking Soda
What You’ll Need:
- Fruit juice (like lemon juice, grape juice, orange juice, or cherry juice) or powdered drink mix with citric acid (like powdered lemonade or Kool-Aid)
- Baking soda
- Water (if using a powdered drink mix)
- Halloween candy
- Container to mix in
- Containers to hold your materials
- Spoon
- Straw
- Tray or baking dish to hold any spillovers
The Setup:
Place all of your ingredients in different containers. I like to use whatever I have on hand. The glass ramekins are from Dollar Tree. The small plastic containers hold the icing in orange rolls or cinnamon rolls. Silicone muffin cups or condiment containers would be other good options.
Find a container to do your mixing. I used a mason jar. A drinking glass or bowl will work well, too. I like to use a clear container to see what’s happening from the side, but looking down from the top is perfectly fine.
Start with a little bit of fruit juice or water in your container.
The Invitation:
Invite your child to mix the ingredients together to make their own potion. Let them explore to figure out which combinations will make it fizz.
Since you are dealing with edible ingredients, this potion is safe to drink. Whether or not it tastes good is up to the mixer.
Adding too much baking soda will make your potion salty. I recommend only adding a half teaspoon to start if you are planning on tasting your potion.
To get a fizzy potion, you’ll need to combine baking soda and fruit juice or baking soda with powdered drink mix and water. All of the candy is just to sweeten and flavor the potion.
What’s happening?
The baking soda and citric acid react to form carbon dioxide (the fizzy bubbles), water, and a salt.
How to Make Fizzy Potions with Sparkling Water
What You’ll Need:
- Sparkling water (soda also works)
- NERDS candy
- Container to mix in
- Straw
- Tray or baking dish to hold any spillovers
The Setup:
Start with sparkling water in your container.
The Invitation:
Invite your child to add NERDS candy to the sparkling water. Watch all of the fizzy bubbles form.
What’s happening?
NERDS is a candy with a lot of surface area. This allows the carbon dioxide dissolved in the sparkling water a place to attach, and then all of that carbon dioxide gas bubbles up.
Combine the Methods
I set out the ingredients above and asked my kids what they wanted to start with: water or sparkling water. Some of them added Kool-Aid or black cherry limeade. Then, they added a random assortment of candy and/or lemon juice. Eventually, they added a little baking soda or NERDS to make it fizz.
Other Potion Making Ideas
- If you use grape juice or cherry juice, you can make fizzy potions that change colors.
- You can also make color-changing fizzy potions with red cabbage juice. (This one is not edible.)
- Nature potions are another favorite method. Use water and herbs or other items found in nature.
