Launching a fizzy rocket into space!

For our ‘Space week’, we had so much fun making lots of different types of rockets to launch in our garden (thank goodness for better weather!). For this one, we used the good old combo of bicarbonate of soda and vinegar – see my post on Bicarbonate of soda and vinegar: the science behind it. Take a plastic bottle, and three wooden sticks (could be pencils – we used craft sticks). Tape the sticks to the bottle to create a stand for it, such that the top of the bottle is off the ground.

Then put some vinegar in the bottle – up to about 1/3 of the bottle. Next, place some bicarbonate of soda onto a piece of kitchen towel – we used a few teaspoons worth. Then wrap the kitchen towel up so it looks like a sweet with the bicarbonate of soda enclosed.

Next came the rocket launch. Take the bottle, your kitchen towel and a cork outside into the garden or an outdoor area. Now you attempt to insert the fuel (i.e. the bicarb of soda) into the bottle, put the cork on, give a little shake and set onto its stand before it explodes.

I will admit we had a few false starts with this, but we got there and my preschooler was thrilled with the results. Watch the video to see our rocket…you will have to be patient, but the explosive finale is worth it!