Explosions next to youngsters might not seem like the best recipe for education, but if Star Wars taught us anything, it’s that a little rebellion might be good for you, as long as it’s supervised. Amiyrah Martin is a mama who uses Star Wars to teach her son life lessons, she wisely played on the excitement her 4-year-old son already had for Star Wars while simultaneously teaching him about science. To do this, they decided to make their very own exploding Death Star from the comfort of their own spaceship, urr, kitchen.
The main objective in sprinkling some Star Wars into their little project was simply to get little Hudson excited about learning, since he already enjoys the stories. Any explosion is already exciting, but weaving in a science lesson about acid-base reactions sneaks in some learning as well.
With that in mind, here’s the recipe for a foolproof Death Star Bath Bomb.
Death Star Bath Bomb Activity
Makes: 2-3
Supplies
1/2 cup baking soda
1/4 cup citric acid
1/4 cup corn starch
1/4 cup Epsom salt
1 tablespoon coconut oil
10-15 drops essential oil (we chose lavender)
2-3 drops black or gray food coloring
1 tablespoon water
Mold
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together baking soda, citric acid, corn starch, and Epsom salt.
- In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients: oils, food coloring, and water.
- Slowly whisk the wet ingredients into the dry. They will fizz a bit, which you will want to quickly whisk, thus stopping the reaction.
- Your mixture is ready when it has just come together — it should still look powdery but easily form a clump in your hands. (If it’s too powdery, lightly spritz with water once or twice. Be careful not to add too much moisture or the reaction will begin prematurely and the mixture will expand outside of the mold.)
- Now the mixture is ready for the mold. Overfill each half, then twist together to lock in place. Allow to dry overnight. (Note: You can use a round ice tray or circular mold, and add etchings or paint when you’re done to resemble the Death Star. Or if you’re a serious fan and already have a themed mold, use that.)
- Now let the experiment begin. Once your bath bombs are dry, fill up a tub or sink and let your little one do the honors.
One they were ready to defend the galaxy, mama and her little rebel loved watching each one bubble up and “explode” in a fizz of lavender-scented glory. A bath bomb works when the base, baking soda, reacts with the acid (in this case citric acid). The dry ingredients on their own don’t interact, so the water is the agent that actually makes the reaction possible, forcing the two ingredients to touch, resulting in fizzing or an explosion.