Dancing Rice Experiment: Easy DIY Science For Kids

Dancing Rice Experiment: It started with spilled vinegar, an old jar, and a curious five-year-old named Ellie.

We were halfway through making pancakes when she asked, “Why does it fizz when you clean the sink with baking soda?” Well, curiosity like that calls for an experiment—and a little dancing.

So, we pushed the pancake batter aside and turned our kitchen into a science lab. What happened next was pure kitchen magic: rice started bouncing like popcorn in a jar! That’s right—it danced. And no, we didn’t have music playing. Just the awesome power of simple chemistry.

Here’s how you can create your very own Dancing Rice Experiment at home—and sneak in a little science lesson along the way.

Table of Contents

What You’ll Need:

A clear jar or cup
Water
1 tablespoon baking soda
1/4 cup uncooked white rice
1–2 tablespoons vinegar
Food coloring (optional but fun)

Ingredients for the Dancing Rice Experiment — All you need for this science activity

How To Do It:

Fill the jar about ¾ full with water.
Add food coloring if you want to give it a little pizzazz. (Ellie chose purple. Of course.)
Mix in the baking soda and stir it until it’s fully dissolved.
Add the rice—watch it sink to the bottom.
Pour in the vinegar and get ready for some action!
Watch the rice rise and fall like it’s grooving to an invisible beat.

What’s Really Happening?

It’s not magic—it’s science!

When vinegar (an acid) meets baking soda (a base), they react and create carbon dioxide gas. That’s what makes the bubbles! These bubbles attach to the grains of rice, lifting them up. When the bubbles pop at the surface, the rice falls back down. And up and down it goes—like a little rice disco.

Why We Love This Experiment

Besides being easy and budget-friendly (you probably have everything in your pantry), it’s a wonderful way to introduce chemistry to kids in a hands-on, joyful way. Bonus: there’s basically no mess, and cleanup is a breeze.

A Little Story To Share

After our rice finished dancing, Ellie looked up and said, “Can we do this every Saturday?” I smiled and said, “Science club, every weekend, kitchen edition!”
Now, it’s a tradition in our home—Saturday morning science, led by Ellie, fueled by pancakes and curiosity.

Final Thought

The Dancing Rice Experiment is more than just a fun afternoon activity. It’s a beautiful reminder that science doesn’t need to be expensive or intimidating. Sometimes, it just starts with a curious child, a messy counter, and a few ingredients from the pantry.

Got more questions or want printable experiment cards? I’d be thrilled to make them for you—just let me know!

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FAQs

What is the science behind the dancing corn experiment?

The u003cstrongu003eDancing Corn Experimentu003c/strongu003e works because of a chemical reaction between u003cstrongu003ebaking soda and vinegaru003c/strongu003e. When these two ingredients mix, they produce u003cstrongu003ecarbon dioxide gasu003c/strongu003e—the same kind of gas that makes soda fizzy. The bubbles from the gas attach to the surface of the corn kernels, lifting them up in the liquid. Once the bubbles pop, the corn sinks again. The up-and-down motion continues as long as the reaction is active, making the corn appear to “dance.”

Can the dancing popcorn experiment be done with rice?

Yes, absolutely! That’s exactly what the u003cstrongu003eDancing Rice Experimentu003c/strongu003e is all about. Just like popcorn kernels or corn, u003cstrongu003euncooked riceu003c/strongu003e can also “dance” when added to a jar of water mixed with u003cstrongu003ebaking soda and vinegaru003c/strongu003e. The trick is that the u003cstrongu003ebubbles of carbon dioxideu003c/strongu003e stick to the rice and lift it. Since rice is smaller and lighter, it might move more gently compared to heavier kernels—but it’s still fun to watch!

How does the Dancing Raisins Experiment work?

In the u003cstrongu003eDancing Raisins Experimentu003c/strongu003e, raisins are dropped into a fizzy liquid like u003cstrongu003esoda or a baking soda–vinegar mixtureu003c/strongu003e. The textured surface of the raisins traps bubbles of u003cstrongu003ecarbon dioxideu003c/strongu003e, which gives them enough lift to float upward. Once the bubbles burst at the surface, the raisins sink back down. It’s a great visual way to explore u003cstrongu003edensity, buoyancy, and gas formationu003c/strongu003e—plus it’s kid-approved entertainment!

How to do the Dancing Rice Experiment?

Here’s a quick and simple way to do it:u003cbru003eu003cstrongu003eYou’ll need:u003c/strongu003eu003cbru003e1 clear jaru003cbru003e¾ cup wateru003cbru003e1 tablespoon baking sodau003cbru003e¼ cup uncooked white riceu003cbru003e1–2 tablespoons vinegaru003cbru003eFood coloring (optional)u003cbru003eu003cstrongu003eSteps:u003c/strongu003eu003cbru003eFill the jar ¾ full with water.u003cbru003eAdd food coloring if desired and stir in the baking soda.u003cbru003eAdd the uncooked rice.u003cbru003ePour in the vinegar and watch the rice rise and fall!u003cbru003eThe u003cstrongu003ebubbles created from the chemical reactionu003c/strongu003e will lift the rice, and once they pop, the rice will fall back down—over and over again. Science in motion!