Make Elephant Toothpaste as a Fun Science Experiment at Home!

Let’s do an easy and FUN science DIY project at home!

If you’re looking for a fun and frugal kids activity to do utilizing easy-to-find supplies you probably already have at home, consider making colorful elephant toothpaste! It’s super easy to accomplish and guaranteed to get some fun reactions as it’s actually pretty impressive for a little science project.

What is elephant toothpaste?

It’s a reaction caused by the rapid decomposition of hydrogen peroxide using potassium iodide or dry yeast and warm water as a catalyst that looks like huge foamy toothpaste big enough for an elephant! You can add food coloring so it will foam up into a color foam which is even more fun to look at.

Safety Note: This will not be edible so be sure to share that with any little ones that may want to taste it. Also, you’ll want to wear safety glasses when managing the hydrogen peroxide, just in case.

Want more fun science experiments?

Be sure to check out this elephant foam experiment and video from ScienceBob.com. My kids have always been fans of his video content with fun science experiment ideas to do at home.

Elephant Toothpaste Experiment

Print

Supplies Needed

• safety goggles
• 16 oz. empty clean plastic water bottle
• small funnel
• 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide
• 1/4 cup dish soap
• 10 drops food coloring
• 1 tablespoon dry yeast
• 3 tablespoons warm water

Directions

1

Put safety goggles on. Pour the hydrogen peroxide into the plastic bottle using a funnel. Pour the liquid dish soap inside.

2

Add the food coloring to the bottle and gently swirl around.

3

Mix the yeast with warm water and add it to the bottle next. Take out the funnel.

4

Watch as the foam will immediately expand and overflow.

Elephant Toothpaste is a fun foamy fountain!

To contain the mess, I used an upside-down cake pan disposable lid as it will continue to pour out all over the water bottle. I highly recommend doing that so clean-up will be easier. It would be neat to do multiple bottles at the same time to create a multicolor experience too.

Can you touch the elephant toothpaste? 

If you use typical drugstore 3% hydrogen peroxide then yes it’s safe to touch, and you can clean up messes with a paper towel and wipe clean. You’ll notice that the water bottle actually is warm. That is due to an exothermic reaction, which means it not only created foam, it created heat!

Have you done any fun and easy science experiments at home recently? Be sure to share details with us in the comments! 

Create DIY Oobleck as another FUN science-based kids activity idea!