Fizzy Art Cups: A Colorful STEM Surprise for Toddlers

The Science-Meets-Art Activity Your Toddler Will Love

Some activities are just pure magic—no complicated setup, no frustration, just instant fun. Fizzy art cups fall into that category. It’s part toddler STEM activity, part creativity booster, and 100% guaranteed to get gasps of excitement. Plus, it’s an easy way to sneak a little science lesson into playtime without making it feel like, well, a lesson.

If your kids love things that bubble, fizz, or magically change color, this is the activity for them. And if you love activities that require zero special materials and don’t result in a tornado of mess, this is the activity for you.

Why This Activity Is a Must-Try

• Encourages exploration and curiosity – Your child gets to play scientist and artist at the same time.
• Promotes fine motor skills – Using an eye dropper helps strengthen little fingers and improve hand-eye coordination.
• Supports early learning – Introduces basic science concepts in a hands-on, engaging way.
• Requires minimal setup and cleanup – A few household ingredients, a quick wipe-down, and you’re done.

What You’ll Need

1. A shallow tray (a baking dish or plastic container works great)
2. Baking soda (enough to cover the bottom of the tray)
3. Plastic cups (one for each color you want to use)
4. Vinegar
5. Food coloring
6. Eye droppers or small spoons
7. A sense of wonder (optional, but recommended)

How to Create Your Fizzy Art Masterpiece

1. Pour a layer of baking soda into the bottom of the shallow tray. Spread it out evenly to create the “canvas” for your fizzy art.
2. Fill each plastic cup with vinegar. Add a few drops of food coloring to each one to create different colors.
3. Hand your child an eye dropper or small spoon and let them choose a color to start with.
4. Show them how to carefully drop the colored vinegar onto the baking soda. Watch as it fizzes and bubbles, creating vibrant, foamy patterns.
5. Encourage them to experiment—what happens when you mix colors? Can you create a rainbow? What happens if you add more vinegar to an already fizzy spot?

The Science Behind the Fun

This activity isn’t just fun—it’s a mini chemistry lesson in disguise. The fizzing reaction happens because baking soda (a base) and vinegar (an acid) create carbon dioxide gas when they mix. That’s what makes the bubbles!

By letting your child explore, observe, and ask questions, you’re helping them develop curiosity, critical thinking, and early science skills—all while they think they’re just making cool fizzy art.

Ways to Extend the Fun

• Fizzy Letters: Write letters in the baking soda with a cotton swab and have your child reveal them by dropping colored vinegar on top.
• Hidden Colors: Add drops of food coloring to the baking soda before spreading it out. As your child adds vinegar, surprise colors will appear!
• Fizzy Volcanoes: Turn plastic cups upside down, pour baking soda on top, and drip vinegar onto them to create mini eruptions.

More Learning Activities Using Plastic Cups

If this was a hit with your toddler, don’t stop here! Plastic cups are surprisingly versatile when it comes to kids learning activities. Here are four more simple color matching activities and games using plastic cups that we’ll be covering in this series:

1. Pompom Color Match Cups – Draw a plastic cup outline on an index card and add three colored dots using dot markers. Place an empty plastic cup in front of each card and match the colored pompoms to the dots.
2. Cup Towers – Use plastic cups and jumbo craft sticks to build towers. Challenge your child to see how high they can stack them or create different structures.
3. Upper and Lowercase Letter Match Cups – Trace the tops of plastic cups onto brown craft paper and write lowercase letters inside each circle. Write uppercase letters on the bottoms of the cups, then match them to their lowercase pairs.
4. Shrinking Cups – Decorate plastic cups with permanent markers, place them on a baking sheet, and bake at 350 degrees for about five minutes. Watch as they shrink—it’s science happening right before your eyes!

A Simple, Stress-Free Activity at Home

Fizzy art cups prove that kids learning activities don’t need to be elaborate to be fun and effective. With just a few everyday items, you get an activity that sparks curiosity, builds skills, and keeps toddlers engaged—without requiring you to break out the glitter or deep clean your kitchen afterward.

So grab some plastic cups, let your child mix, fizz, and create, and enjoy the magic of science and art coming together in one perfect, low-effort activity.

Plastic Cups

Plastic Cups

Dye-Free Food Coloring

Eye Droppers

Kraft Paper Roll