Your children will love this Growing a Grinch Heart Science Experiment! It’s a fun way to get excited about the holiday season.
I’m sure you’re familiar with the classic Christmas tale of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. It’s such a great story and movie for this time of year!
It’s a classic Christmas story and kids love reading it (and now watching one of the many versions of the movie!).
Why not take your kids’ love of this Christmas story into an educational direction?
Try the growing a grinch heart science experiment this holiday break!
It just isn’t the holiday season if you don’t get to watch “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” a few times here and there. And while we all tend to have a love/dislike with the Grinch, you can’t help but welcome him into your hearts by the time that the movie is nearing an end.
We love to cuddle up and watch this show time and time again as it’s just part of the holiday spirit. It’s one of those Christmas traditions that we look forward to every single year.
Grow a Grinch Heart Science Experiment
This experiment is a fun Grinch-themed twist on the growing a balloon science experiment. The mixture of baking soda and vinegar creates a chemical reaction that releases carbon dioxide gas.
This gas is lighter than air, so it fills the balloon with air, and makes the grinch’s heart grow!
Learn how to do the Grinch heart science experiment:
“And what happened, then?
Well, in Whoville they say – that the Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day.
And then – the true meaning of Christmas came through, and the Grinch found the strength of *ten* Grinches, plus two!”
–Dr. Seuss
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Growing a Grinch heart experiment ingredients:
- Plate or large tray
- Plastic bottle
- Red permanent marker
- Green balloon
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- Rubber band
GROWING A GRINCH HEART SCIENCE EXPERIMENT
For the least amount of mess, you will want to do this experiment on a plate or tray.
We found that it’s also best to draw the heart in advance when the balloon is filled with air. Otherwise, the heart shape isn’t as visible as it stretches.
So, to not ruin the experiment, an adult should blow up the balloon with air away from the kids and draw on the heart.
Let the heart dry before giving the balloon to kids.
When the kids are present, add about 1/3 of a cup of vinegar to your bottle.
Scoop 1-2 tablespoons of baking soda into the deflated balloon.
Be careful as you attach the neck of the balloon to the top of the bottle.
There are two things that can go wrong:
- The balloon may burst.
- The baking soda might drop into the bottle too early, messing up the experiment.
As long as you’re careful, however, it shouldn’t be a problem.
Once the balloon is securely attached (you may need to secure it with a rubber band), tip the baking soda into the bottle.
Let the kids observe the Grinch’s heart grow three sizes!
Ask the kids why they think the balloon inflated and explain the science behind the demonstration to complete the activity.
Have you tried blowing up a balloon with carbon dioxide before?
Also, check out our fun science experiments for kids.
More Christmas Activities for Kids
Gingerbread Fact Family Houses
Gingerbread Pre-Writing Strips
Christmas Color By Number Worksheets
Clothespin Christmas Clip Cards
[…] Growing a Grinch Heart — This science experiment is a fun Grinch-themed twist on the classic growing a balloon science experiment. […]