Dancing Corn Fall Thanskgiving Science Experiment for November

Looking for a fun thanksgiving science idea? This dancing corn experiment is a perfect fall science activity with a harvest theme. In this simple baking soda and vinegar experiment children will get to observe a fun reaction that will cause the corn to appear to dance. Try this thanksgiving preschool science activities with toddler, kindergarten, and first graders too.

Dancing Corn Experiment

Try out this exciting dancing corn experiment! It’s a fantastic way to engage your little ones with science while having a blast. Using just two simple ingredients—baking soda and vinegar—kids can watch as the corn kernels dance and bob up and down in a mesmerizing reaction.

This hands-on experiment is perfect for toddlers, kindergarteners, and first graders, making science both exciting and accessible. It’s simple to set up: fill a bowl with water, add some corn kernels, then mix in baking soda and top it off with vinegar. The fun begins when the two ingredients react, producing carbon dioxide gas that creates bubbles and lifts the corn to the surface.

Not only is this a loads of fun, but it also promotes learning about chemical reactions in an engaging way. Children can observe the effect of gas on a solid and how different materials interact, all while reinforcing their curiosity about the world around them.

Plus, it’s a great way to incorporate seasonal themes into your activities. Use this experiment as part of a broader harvest celebration! You can discuss where corn comes from, the importance of harvest time, and even its role in our diets.

We have lots more fun kindergarten science, fun fall activities, and thanksgiving activities for kids to try! Don’t miss our fall worksheets for kindergarten, hands-on counting turkey worksheet with candy corn, and cute turkey craft.

thanksgiving preschool science activities

All you need to try this fun fall science are a few simple materials you probabaly already have on hand at home!

• Mason Jar (or tall jar or glass
• 1/8-1/4 cup of popping corn (Indian colors are really pretty)
• 2 Tablespoons baking soda
• 1 cup  of vinegar
• 2 cups of water

thanksgiving experiments

Start out by filling a mason jar with 2 cups of water. Add 2 tablespoons of baking soda and stir.

thanksgiving science projects

Add corn then pour in vinegar.

november preschool science activities

Now comes the fun part! Watch carefully, what happens?

thanksgiving science experiments

The popcorn kernels will begin to move – slowly at first, but the action will pick up very quickly.

fall science experiments

Watch as the chemical reaction between the base and the acid (baking soda and vinegar) causes carbon diodie gas to be produce which bubbles up to the surafec, moving the corn on it’s way.

dancing corn science experiment

The chemical reaction causes the corn to appear to dance. How fun is that?!

thanksgiving science activities for preschoolers

THis is such a simple, fun science project to engage learners of all ages. They will be filled with questions and wonder, which is exactly the point of early science projects!

corn dancing

This November science allows kids to explore cause and effect with a simple chemistry experiment for kids that is perfect for fall themes! I just love seasonal science experiments to spark the interest of kids of all ages!