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Make Cupcake, Cookie and Bonbon Bath Bombs
In this science activity, kids make bath confections such as bon bons, cookies or cupcakes, while exploring chemical reactions.
When combined in a solution, acids and bases create a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas - the gas we humans breathe out. The bubbling and fizzing caused by this chemical reaction is perfect for the bathtub!
In this activity, citric acid is the acid and baking soda is the base. While they don't react when combined as solids, when you drop them together into water -- watch out!
Epsom salts are made of a compound called magnesium sulfate. This is a chemical that contains magnesium, sulfur and oxygen. Epsom salts are often added to the bath for soaking tired feet, muscles, sprains or bruises. Epsom salts are also used as a food supplement for plants.
Safety Notes
None of the ingredients in this activity should be eaten.
Materials
- To make bon bons, cookies or cupcakes:
- Baking soda - 3/4 cup per student
- Citric acid (buy online or in the canning section of the grocery store) - 1/4 cup per student
- Baby oil (scented or unscented) - 4 tablespoon per student
- Food coloring (optional)
- Small candy wrappers (optional)
- Epsom salts - 1 tablespoon per student
- Cupcake papers (optional)
- Cupcake tin (optional)
- To make icing: (optional)
- Meringue powder - 2 1/2 tablespoon per student
- Warm water - 4 tablespoon per student
- Cream of tartar - 1/4 teaspoon per student
- Confectioners sugar - 1 1/2 cup per student
- Fragrance (optional)
- Zipper baggie
- Scissors
Instructions
The ingredients listed above will yield about 3 cupcakes, or a combination of 1 cupcake, 1 cookie and a couple of bon bons.
Mix together the dry materials, then add the baby oil by one tablespoon at a time until you achieve a consistency that allows you to press the mixture into a ball.
Add the optional food coloring last. Be sure to use a spoon when mixing so you don’t stain your hands; you can use your hands later to achieve uniform color distribution. Also, don’t use too much coloring or your bath water will stain your skin!
To make each type of confection:
For bon bons, press your mixture into small balls and place in colorful small cupcake or candy papers. Sprinkle with a little Epsom salt. (You can also color the Epsom salts with food coloring.)
For bath sugar cookies, press original mixture into cookie cutters and sprinkle with Epsom salts. Leave for about a day to harden before popping out.
For bath cupcakes, press the mixture into cupcake papers in a cupcake tray. To make the icing, combine dry ingredients for the icing; add food coloring to water as desired, then stir water into dry ingredients until the desired icing texture is obtained. Scoop into a plastic baggie and snip off one corner; use this to pipe the icing onto the cupcakes. The icing should harden within an hour.
Wrap up your bath confections or pack in a cute box to make a great gift! The oil from the bath bombs will leak through paper wrappers, so it is best to wrap these in plastic.
None of these items are edible and are strictly meant to be put in bath water.
