Leftover Pumpkin: Science Experiments

You can only display your Halloween pumpkin for so long after the holiday passes; after all, the pumpkin begins to deteriorate. It can feel like a waste! Though you can’t keep your pumpkin forever, it can serve a purpose outside of holiday decoration. With these experiments, your leftover pumpkin – or even a brand new pumpkin that you’re using for fall decoration — can turn into messy, educational fun!Erupting PumpkinsAll you need for this is a carved pumpkin, baking soda, and vinegar! If you have food coloring, it’s highly recommended, as it adds to the fun of the experiment. Fill your pumpkin with a bit of baking soda — likely around 4 tablespoons, but you can modify based on your pumpkin’s size — and food coloring if you choose to use it. Add the vinegar, and then watch the eruption begin! If you have a smaller pumpkin, expect the eruption to come out of each carving, but for larger pumpkins, the experiment will happen around the mouth.Pumpkin OobleckWith only three commonly found kitchen ingredients, this experiment is a breeze! Gather cornstarch, water, and your pumpkin, and pull out a bowl and plate, or cookie sheet and spoons. Cut your pumpkin in half, and clean out the guts and seeds. After putting the guts and seeds into a bowl, add 1 cup of cornstarch and ½ cup of water (You may have to adjust this depending on the size of your pumpkin.) You should be able to pick it up like a solid and have it begin to ooze as a liquid — and now you have oobleck! Place it on the cookie sheet or in the bowl for easy play, and offer a spoon to children who are hesitant to touch it at first.Pumpkin Slime: With Real PumpkinAnother simple experiment, all you need for this is liquid starch; Elmer’s clear, washable glue; and water. Cut off the top of your pumpkin, and make room inside by loosening up the seeds and guts. Mix ½ cup of room temperature water with the Elmer’s glue. Pour ½ cup of liquid starch directly into the pumpkin, and then add your water and glue mixture. Use your hands to mix everything together until you have pumpkin slime!Elephant ToothpasteThe classic elephant toothpaste experiment is even better when you use a pumpkin! But be warned — this is a messy one, so lay out a trash bag to prevent a lengthy cleanup.Grab two small cups. Fill up one cup with about 2 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide. Make sure that this is a cup that’s small enough to fit inside your carved pumpkin, and that the ‘floor’ inside your pumpkin is flat and stable. Next, add a squirt of dish soap and a dash of food coloring. Now, move on to the empty second cup. Dump in an entire packet of active dry yeast, then stir in 4 tablespoons of warm water until the yeast is dissolved. If the mixture is too thick, add some more water; it needs to be runny.Now, carefully place your hydrogen peroxide mixture into your pumpkin. (Consider using tongs to set the cup down.) Add the yeast mixture to the peroxide, quickly close the ‘lid’ to your pumpkin, and watch the explosion!Kissimmee private schools proclaim the Gospel message within an academic environment of excellence that challenges students to be creative and critical thinkers. To learn more about what makes us different, contact us at 407-246-4800.