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Gross Kitchen Science Experiments

When bad weather or a low budget traps your kids in the house, finding something to keep them occupied is often an exercise in frustration. There is not much for a couple of kids to do in a house besides stare at the television or play video games, and these are not always the best activities for inspiring new ideas or challenging them to learn. You can keep your kids away from the television and engaged in scientific exploration with a few quick kitchen science experiments. Gross experiments are exciting for kids and fun for parents, and usually teach some sort of simple lesson.

Messy Milk
- Most adults know that cheese is made from coagulated lumps of milk chemically separated from the main liquid. These lumps, called curds, are sent through the cheese-making process to become what you eventually eat on your sandwiches and crackers. You can show your kids the basics of separating milk into curds with a glass of milk, some vinegar, and a spoon. Simply pour two to three tablespoons of vinegar into the milk and stir; the milk will separate into white chunks of coagulate and a clear liquid. It is worth noting that this project not only looks gross, but smells terribly as well.
Exploding Soap
- While there is nothing inherently gross about soap, it certainly looks gross when it is slowly expanding from the inside into an abstract sculpture. This experiment is very simple and demonstrates how a gas expands when its temperature increases. Because soap is full of tiny bubbles, it will rapidly expand when heated. Take a bar of gentle hand or body soap and place it on a plate covered with a paper towel. Put it in the microwave for about a minute and have your kids watch it expand and contract in all different directions.
Homemade Slime
- The easiest way to make homemade slime is by mixing cornstarch, water and food coloring. Place one part of cornstarch for every two parts of water and mix a little food coloring in to give color to your creation. Mix the slime thoroughly and you will notice that the slower you move, the easier it is to manipulate the slime. If you try to jam a spoon or hand into this concoction, the material will turn solid in the area of impact and block your hand. This type of mixture is known as a ̶0;Non-Newtonian Fluid,̶1; because it reacts differently to stimuli than traditional liquids.
Dancing Raisins
- Raisins make an excellent afternoon snack, but with the right materials, you can teach your kids how to make them dance in a glass. You will need a clear glass, some white vinegar, a few raisins, some baking soda and your regular baking measurement gear. Pour one cup of water into a clear glass and add one tablespoon of baking soda. Drop a few raisins into the glass and slowly pour a half tablespoon of vinegar into the glass ̵2; the raisins will float around in the glass and appear as though they are dancing.

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