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How to Use Baking Soda to Propel Children's Water Toys

Turn a simple plastic bottle into a water toy boat with just a couple household ingredients. When baking soda and vinegar mix, it creates a chemical reaction. The two ingredients fizz and make gas bubbles. Those bubbles can be harnessed and used to propel a plastic bottle in water. Children can do the experiment several times to try to make the toy propel faster each time. Baking soda boats are fun toys and can be used in science lessons.

Things You'll Need

Plastic bottle with cap
Baking soda
Vinegar
Toilet paper
Weight

Instructions

- 1
  Insert weights into the plastic bottle. Use pennies, marbles or any weight that will fit. Put the top on mouth of the bottle. Check the weight. There needs to be enough weights to sink the mouth of the bottle below the water. Adjust if needed.
- 2
  Lay two sheets of toilet paper one on top of the other. Spread baking soda over the toilet paper sheets. Spread the baking soda evenly so that it covers the toilet paper.
- 3
  Roll up the toilet paper with the baking soda. Roll it into a tube shape. Roll it tight enough so that the baking soda does not fall out. Place the rolled up toilet paper inside the plastic bottle.
- 4
  Pour vinegar into the bottle. Pour at least enough to fill the bottom of the bottle. Put the cap on the bottle immediately after pouring the vinegar. Make sure the cap is tight.
- 5
  Place the bottle in the filled bathtub or pool. Loosen the cap on the bottle just slightly to let the gas bubbles escape.

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