Fireworks in a jar are a great craft activity for young children, perfect for the Fourth of July or New Years Eve! This easy craft can be made in a few minutes with low mess!
Let’s be honest, fireworks are super cool, especially to kids! But if you have young kids, they usually aren’t awake when it’s time to shoot them off!
That’s why we make fireworks in a jar with our kids on Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve!
Fireworks in a jar is a cool science experiment for young kids that doesn’t require many supplies or much time. Plus, it’s great for any age.
If you have young kids and you’re looking to do a festive experiment with them, keep reading and learn how easy it is to make fireworks in a jar!
Fireworks in a jar science experiment
Fireworks in a jar is a fun science experiment for kids that doubles as a craft activity. As parents, we’re always looking for something to do with our kids every 15 minutes, so why not try this one!
This activity will teach your children how oil and water don’t mix and add a colorful flair to the whole process.
What do you need to make fireworks in a jar?
Making fireworks in a jar is very easy and doesn’t require many supplies. All you need to make fireworks in a jar is:
- Water
- Oil
- Food coloring
- Water glass
- Small bowl
- Spoon
How do you make fireworks with oil and water?
Since water and oil don’t mix, you can make fireworks in a jar by mixing food coloring into oil, then pouring the oil into a glass of water. As the food coloring sifts through the oil, it will then drop into the water and create a cool trail of color.
Love this idea? Next, try making a rain cloud in a jar!
Here’s how to make fireworks in a jar with oil and water!
Step one: Fill water glass
Start by filling a glass 3/4 full with water.
Literally, that’s it for this step. Great job, you crushed it.
Step two: mix oil and food coloring
Pour about 2-3 tablespoons of oil into a small bowl.
Next, drop 5-6 food coloring drops of a few different colors into the oil. We found that lighter colors look better than darker colors because the darker colors will change the color of the water faster and make it harder to see anything.
You can use a couple drops of dark, but stick to yellow, orange, pink or red for best results!
Then, gently stir to break up the drops that are sitting in the oil.
Step three: Pour oil mix into water
Finally, pour the oil into the glass of water! After a few seconds, watch the magic!
The oil and water will separate, but the food coloring drops will float through the oil and eventually leak into the water.
The trails that fall behind them will look like fireworks bursting in the sky!
Fireworks in a jar printable PDF worksheet!
Do you love this fireworks in a jar kid’s science experiment so much that you want to do it with your kids? You can do that and show them what to do along the way!
Download our free printable PDF worksheet that shows all the steps you need to do the fireworks in a jar experiment with your kids! Click here to sign up for access to our free printables library!
Thanks for reading!
Hey there, I’m Morgan, the creative mind behind CelebratingWithKids.com! As a parent of two lively little ones, I’ve made it my mission to turn ordinary days into extraordinary adventures, sharing playful activities, thoughtful toy reviews, and delightful printables to help families celebrate every moment together. 🎉👨👩👧👦🎈