Magical Foaming Soap! Super Fun & Simple Science Experiment!
Here is a super fun and super easy science experiment you can for very cheap! This can be done with kids at any age! I have an 8 and 9 year old and so the science lessons can be adjusted to the appropriate age. You can make it just simple or go in depth and have them write in a journal about what is going on scientifically, however in depth you want to take these it will still result in the same ending which is FUN!
My kids write what they are going to do, a hypothesis of what they think will happen, the process of what happened and a conclusion of the overall experiment and what went on with it. You can even get the crayons out and have them draw what happened and what it looked like to include some art as well. I like to take pictures and then print them out and the kids can paste those pictures into their journal so they don’t forget what the experiment looked like.
Magical Foaming Soap
What you need:
Paper plate or microwavable plate will work (I used two paper plates…one for each child)
½ Bar of Ivory Soap (1/2 bar of soap for each child)
Instructions:
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Cut the bar of soap in half and place one half on the plate –
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Put into microwave and heat for 45 seconds – you will see the reaction of molecules heating up and becoming active and therefore expanding! (Depending on your microwave 45 seconds or even up to a minute and a half will be great)
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Pull the plate out and let cool for a minute. You can then touch, smell and observe the foam soap you just created! See how it expanded about 6 or 7 times its size?!
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Afterwards you can then have fun with the soap in the bathtub afterwards!
What really is going on – Physical Change – Ivory soap happens to be a soap that is very light and floats in water compared to other soaps because there are a lot of air molecules in it. It is sort of a “whipped” bar of soap. Light and Airy. No this experiment will not harm your microwave so don’t worry. By doing this experiment, you are heating both the water and also the air that is inside the soap, when heated it makes the water vaporize and the air expand. The expanding gases push and dance in all directions, causing it to expand and transform into foam!
Enjoy!
that’s pretty cool
This is great I will be making this with my little girl,thank you for sharing with your readers.
Great Idea
That sounds like a fun experiment. My kids would love that.
My mother did a lot of projects like this when I was a child, but I never herd of this! I am sure my niece would get a kick out of learning the why behind it, and playing in the foam!
I have been wanting to do this for so long! I mean…my KIDS have been wanting to. Yup, I would not have fun playing with that at all 🙂
Oh wow, I had no idea that happened when microwaved!! We need to try this out!
I had no idea that you could do that. What a fun experiment.
how cool! I am about to go blow my three year olds mine with this! No…to just purchase some bars of soap because i doubt this would work with ax body wash. hahah Great post!
This is so cool-I never knew soap would do this when microwaved! Thanks for the tip, my niece will love this!
How cool is that, I almost want to go an try it. Great project.
This looks like such a fun science experiment! And, so easy! I can’t wait to try with my little boy :))
This would make an awesome homeschool science experiment to do with my kids, I pinned it.
How cool is this? My kids will love trying this out thank you!!
That is awesome, we are going to have to try this. Thanks for sharing.
I have tried this. It’s so fun!
Oh my goodness, that is one of the coolest science experiments I’ve seen yet! My boys are crazy about science. I need to do this with them! So much fun! Oh..yeah..and educational too. But FUN!
This is so cool! I love experiments like this that I can do at home with the kids.
I feel like I’m seeing an episode of Bill Nye, the science guy right now. Very cool.
That’s so cool. I’m going to have to try this
I must do it! It looks like fun and I bet kids would love it.
This is an awesome idea to do with big and little kids.
Oh my goodness! This is so fun. I love educational activities that kids can enjoy.
That is so cool! I’m going to do this for sure. And I don’t even have kids!
This is a great experiment for the kids. Davey would love making the soap.
This is a really cool experiment. I am always looking for fun ways for the kids to learn at home.
This looks like loads of fun for the kids!!! Clean messes are the best kind!!
I love when I can add something to our science project board on Pinterest. we prepare all year long for science fairs. I have every age kid in my family, so we need every advantage we can get. This is an awesome safe experiment. Makes me feel really good about Ivory soap too!
We have totally got to try this at home. My daughter would LOVE this experiment!
How much fun! This reminds me of the stuff I used to see on Mr. Wizard.
That foaming soap is actually a fantastic idea!
This is such a fun science experience. The boys and I will have to try this one day.
I have seen this experiment a few times but I have never done it with my son. I LOVE your idea of using it in the bath afterwards. . . what a great way to make a child take a bath when they are being stubborn!
My kids love doing this experiment. And i love it too since it makes them eager to take a bath & they wash up great! LOL
Okay, that is just super-cool. MY kids would have a blast with that
Oh my! How much fun! My kids will love this!
This looks so cool for the kids! My kids would love this experiment!
This would be such a fun thing to make with kids. What a cool way to teach hygiene as well.
My kids would love this, this would make an awesome experiment in our homeschooling.
Seems like a really cool and easy experiment for homeschoolers or hands on parents. 🙂
Well that looks fun! I’d like to put my hands in that fluffy foamy soap!
We have done this many times before. It is so fun, and my boys love it every time.
Oh this looks so fun! The kids will love this for sure!
My daughter came home from school so excited that they had done this in class. Super cool.
This is a cool science experiment I would like to try with my girls. I thinnk they will like it.
What a fun science experiment. My son would be totally into trying this! I’ll have to show him this weekend for fun!
Sounds like I’ll be buying a bar soon! So funny how the little things entertain and educate us!
What a great experiment. I think my boys may enjoy doing that. I’ll pick up a few bars of Ivory next time I’m out.
Instant beard alright. Cool experiment here!