Botanical Anthocyanin pH Color-Changing Potion Lab

35 mins Ages 5-10 Indoor

A playful, screen-free adventure designed to spark curiosity, sensory exploration, and fine motor skills for kids aged 5 to 10.

Materials Needed

  • • Boiled red cabbage juice (cooled) (2 cups)
  • • Clear glass tumblers or plastic cups (4 units)
  • • Lemon juice and white vinegar (2 tablespoons each)
  • • Baking soda dissolved in water (2 tablespoons)
  • • Plastic pipettes or droppers (2 units)

Pro Tips

  • → Frame the science as medieval wizardry: purple cabbage liquid is the "Magic Forest Potion."
  • → Drip lemon juice in to watch the purple water turn ruby red, then stir in baking soda to turn it emerald green.
  • → Let your child wear a wizard hat and chant playful incantations before every color shift.

Safety First

Ensure work area is protected from purple dye splashes; solutions are non-toxic but not for drinking.

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Step-by-Step Instructions

1

Step 1

Pour 1/2 cup of purple cabbage juice into 4 clear glasses lined up on a tray.

2

Step 2

Use a pipette to drop lemon juice into Glass 1, chanting a spell as it turns magenta red.

3

Step 3

Drop baking soda solution into Glass 2 to watch it shift into emerald green, and liquid soap into Glass 3 for blue.

4

Step 4

Pour the pink and green glasses together to observe fizzing neutralization return the liquid to purple.

What they are learning

Anthocyanin natural color indicators Acid-base neutralization chemistry Imaginative potion brewing theatrical play