How many times have you been stuck inside with the kids on a cold winter’s day?

Take advantage of those days to do some awesome snow science while staying cozy inside! In this post you will discover how to make a snowman that magically gets bigger and bigger.

Thrill the kids by doing a fun winter snow science experiment. Amazing, simple, and surprising snowman science you can do in the comfort of your warm home.

While you wait for your winter science experiment to be complete you can make some snow paint, make some Santa Claus exploding baggies, eat a snow cone (directions below), and discover 16 more snowman activities at the end of this post to keep the kids learning and engaged even during the coldest and longest days of winter.

If you enjoy this snow science experiment, you will love my new ebook, 5 SUPER COOL WINTER SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS FOR KIDS. It includes instructions for how to grow a snowy salt crystal house, how to make an indoor snowstorm, how to blast snowmen several feet into the air, and more! Click on the picture below for more details.

Winter science experiments for kids ages 4-10. Includes free printable worksheets with each experiment.

Getting Started with Snow Science

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To make our snowman baggies we gathered a few common household supplies:

If you live in a place that doesn’t regularly get snow, no worries!

We didn’t have snow the first time I tried this snow science experiment either. To make my own snow I filled my Ninja blender with ice cubes and ground them up for 30 seconds or so until they turned into a fine snow powder.

We made snow cones with the extra shaved ice 🙂

Use a permanent marker to draw a snowman face on a zipper storage bag.

Fill the bag up with snow to make your snowman baggie.

Thrill the kids by doing a fun winter snow science experiment. Amazing, simple, and surprising snowman science you can do in the comfort of your warm home.

Place 2-3 Alka-Seltzer tablets in the snow-filled baggie. Zip it up tight and then wait to see what happens!

Thrill the kids by doing a fun winter snow science experiment. Amazing, simple, and surprising snowman science you can do in the comfort of your warm home.

Over the next 30-60 minutes watch as the snowman baggie expands bigger and bigger!

You may want to even set it in a larger bowl in case the baggie pops or leaks.

Snow Science

We LOVE doing science experiments with Alka-Seltzer. We have made film canister rockets, a lava lamp, and a glow-in-the-dark lava lamp using these fun little tablets.

So why does the snowman baggie expand?

Alka-Seltzer is made of citric acid and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), which is a base. When the tablets are dry, the acid and base powders don’t mix, but as soon as they are immersed in water they mix and react to form carbon dioxide gas.

It is actually the same chemical reaction that happens when you mix baking soda and vinegar together. An acid plus a base mix to form carbon dioxide gas, which are the bubbles you see.

That carbon dioxide gas fills up the sealed baggie and may even make it pop open as the pressure increases!

Thrill the kids by doing a fun winter snow science experiment. Amazing, simple, and surprising snowman science you can do in the comfort of your warm home.

You’ll notice that it takes a long time for the snowman baggies to inflate. Why do you think this is? What do you think would happen if you filled the baggies with hot water instead of snow?

Try it!

Let the kids experiment with snow science by varying the temperature of the water and adding more or less Alka-Seltzer. If you are feeling especially adventurous you could even use baking soda and vinegar to make the baggie explode!

More Winter Fun for Kids –>

Play with the snow, but stay warm inside this winter by making snow paint. Experiment with color mixing, create beautiful art, and learn snow science.
Winter science projects the kids will love. Grow crystals, create an indoor snowstorm, and explode a snowman. Winter science experiments for school or home!
Make an adorable sparkly snow-dusted borax crystal snowman for your holiday decorations this year! Perfect winter science craft for kids and adults alike.
Winter science experiments for kids ages 4-10. Includes free printable worksheets with each experiment.

More Snowman Activities for Kids

Thrill the kids by doing a fun winter snow science experiment. Amazing, simple, and surprising snowman science you can do in the comfort of your warm home.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:

Exploding Snowman Baggie: Winter Snow Science for Kids // Science Kiddo

Snowman Number Match Printable // A Dab of Glue Will Do

Preschool Snowman Activity Pack // Schooling a Monkey

Snowball Shooter // The STEM Laboratory

Snowman Teen Number and Ten Frame Match // Recipe for Teaching

Snowman Subtraction Mats // The Kindergarten Connection

Snowman Alphabet Activity // Mom Inspired Life

Snowman Writing Paper with Prompts // Liz’s Early Learning Spot

Snowman Printable Fact Family Activity // DIY Farm Wife

Snowman Pattern Block Mats // Playdough to Plato

Snowman Sequencing Fun // Sara J Creations

Snowman Sight Word Search // Adventures of Adam

Winter Snowman Ten Frame Printable // Fun with Mama

Snowman Rhyming Puzzles // Fairy Poppins

Snowman CVC Word Match // Letters of Literacy

Two Digit Number Snowmen // Play & Learn Everyday