Apple Volcano Experiment for Kids: Simple Fall Science Activity

If you’re looking for a fun way to introduce science to little learners this fall, this apple volcano science experiment is sure to be a hit! It’s simple, exciting, and just messy enough to capture your preschooler’s full attention.

With just a few basic ingredients and a fresh apple, your child can create a fizzing eruption right on the kitchen table. Whether you’re planning an apple preschool theme for your homeschool, co-op, or classroom, this hands-on activity is the perfect mix of seasonal fun and early learning.

Kids will love watching the bubbly reaction, and you’ll love that it sneaks in a bit of science while keeping little hands busy. It’s quick to set up, safe for preschoolers, and creates a memorable learning moment you’ll both enjoy.

Why Try This Apple Volcano Experiment?

This activity is everything preschoolers love—colorful, fizzy, surprising, and just the right amount of messy! With just a few basic ingredients, your little learner can create a bubbly eruption right inside an apple. It’s a hands-on way to spark curiosity, build excitement around learning, and sneak in some early science skills without needing a worksheet or a lab coat.

This simple setup also makes a great addition to a volcano preschool theme. If you’re exploring how things erupt, change, or react, this experiment fits right in—while adding a fun seasonal twist for fall.

Preschoolers will love the instant reaction, and you’ll love how easy it is to repeat again and again. Whether you’re introducing chemistry basics or just chasing giggles and gasps, this apple volcano is always a crowd-pleaser.

What You’ll Need

• 1 apple
• 1-2 tbsp. baking soda
• 1-2 cups of vinegar (in a squeeze bottle works best) 
• Spoon
• Tray
• (Optional: food coloring) 

 

How to Do the Apple Volcano Science Experiment

This apple volcano experiment is quick to set up and packed with fizzy fun! With just a few steps, your preschooler will be giggling with excitement as their apple bubbles over like a real volcano. Here’s how to do it:

Prepare the apple. Use a spoon or corer to scoop out the center of the apple, leaving the bottom intact to hold in the ingredients.

Set the stage. Place the apple on a tray or dish to catch any overflowing bubbles.

Add the baking soda. Spoon 1–2 teaspoons of baking soda into the hollowed-out center.

Make it colorful (optional). Add a drop or two of food coloring and a small squirt of dish soap for extra foamy fun.

Create the eruption! Slowly pour vinegar into the apple and watch it fizz, bubble, and overflow.

Try it again. Add more baking soda and vinegar to repeat the reaction—or try a new color and see what happens!

If you’re looking for a simple and exciting volcano experiment preschool kids can do again and again, this one checks all the boxes. It’s playful, sensory-rich, and a great way to introduce early science concepts in a way that feels like play.

What’s Happening?

At first glance, this might look like just a fun, fizzy mess—but there’s real science happening inside your apple! This kids volcano experiment is a simple way to show what happens when two different ingredients (an acid and a base) mix together.

Baking soda is a base, and vinegar is an acid. When they combine, they create a gas called carbon dioxide. That gas is what makes all the bubbles you see foaming up and out of the apple. If you add dish soap, the gas gets trapped in the soap and creates even more bubbly foam—just like lava spilling from a volcano!

Even though preschoolers may not remember all the science words, they’ll remember how exciting it was to watch the eruption happen. And that spark of wonder? That’s where learning begins.

Apple Volcano Experiment Worksheet

Want to stretch this activity a little further? There are so many simple ways to turn this apple volcano into a deeper learning experience—without losing the fun!

Start by encouraging your preschooler to make a prediction before the eruption. Ask,
“What do you think will happen when we pour in the vinegar?”
Then, as the fizz begins, guide them with open-ended questions like:

• “What do you see?”
• “What does it sound like?”
• “What if we try a different color or a different kind of apple?”

You can also repeat the experiment using:

• Different apple varieties (Do softer apples fizz more?)
• Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar
• More or less baking soda to see how the eruption changes

For kids who love to draw or write, try adding our printable apple volcano experiment worksheet (below) to the mix. It includes space for them to draw their setup, record what they saw, or circle how the eruption made them feel—excited, surprised, curious!

These little extras help build observation skills, encourage early science habits, and make the activity feel new each time you try it.

Fall Learning with an Apple Preschool Theme

This bubbling apple volcano is a great standalone science activity—but it’s even better when woven into a full apple preschool theme! From counting apple seeds to tracing letters and exploring textures, there are so many playful ways to build on this experiment throughout your week.

After the eruption, keep the learning going with apple-themed activities like:

• Counting practice using real apples or printable apple counting worksheets
• Alphabet tracing with apples as the focus (try tracing the letter A or the word “apple”)
• Sensory bins filled with dried apples, cinnamon sticks, and scoops to explore textures and smells

Looking for print-and-go options? Be sure to check out our apple alphabet worksheets, a perfect next step after your volcano fun. It’s great for building fine motor skills and early letter recognition—all while sticking with your apple theme!

When you connect themed activities across subjects, learning feels more natural, engaging, and exciting for little ones.

This simple activity packs a big punch! The apple volcano science experiment isn’t just a fun way to pass the time—it’s a chance to spark curiosity, encourage hands-on learning, and bring a little wonder into your preschooler’s day. With just a few everyday ingredients, you’ve created a moment of excitement your child won’t forget.

As preschoolers watch the bubbling reaction and ask, “Can we do it again?” they’re building observation skills, learning about cause and effect, and beginning to understand basic science concepts—without even realizing it.

So grab a few more apples, mix up another batch, and enjoy the giggles and gasps all over again. And when you’re ready for more science fun, we’ve got plenty of preschool-friendly ideas to keep the learning going!