Erupting Chocolate Oobleck

Chocolate Oobleck Eruptions - Recipe for Play

JZ (6) has been asking me if we could make Oobleck for over a week now, but we were low on cornstarch.  A couple packets came in one of our recent Kiwi Crates, so I set those aside for a batch of Oobleck.  Since we had so much fun yesterday with our chocolate puffy paint I pulled out the cocoa again to make this batch of Oobleck chocolate scented.  Oh my goodness it smelled amazing!  Oobleck is one of our very favorite recipes for play.  To change it up a bit I made our chocolate Oobleck with a special ingredient, so the boys could make chocolate eruptions to extend their play.

How to Make Erupting Chocolate Oobleck

This post contains affiliate links. Here is my full disclosure policy.

Supplies:

• water
• cornstarch
• baking soda
• cocoa powder
• vinegar
• squeezy bottles

After getting my toddlers down for naps I gathered the supplies while JZ did his reading time.  Every thirty seconds he said, "You're not going to start without me, right Mom?"  

Directions:  I poured all our cornstarch into a container then sprinkled baking soda on top.  I didn't measure but I would guess about 2-3 cups of cornstarch and 1/4 cup of baking soda.  Remember that baking soda dissolved in water, so be careful not to use too much baking soda.  Only a small amount is needed to make the Oobleck eruptions.

As soon as JZ completed his reading assignment we headed outside. He quickly dumped the cornstarch and baking soda mixture into the tub and dumped the cocoa powder on top.  J-Bug (4) added the water.  

We used one cup of water at a time and mixed well after adding each cup.  Oobleck should not be too watery.  We ended up using just over two cups, and our chocolate Oobleck was the perfect consistency.

I know I already mentioned this, but it's worth saying again, chocolate Oobleck smells amazing!

I exaggerate not when I say that once the ingredients were sufficiently combined my boys played for over an hour.  

This is a baby and toddler safe activity (and one that my twins love!), but I specifically set it up for the older boys to let them play in peace.  Watching them play together and talk was the high point of my day.

If you haven't made Oobleck yet it's a must try!  The basic recipe calls for equal parts of cornstarch and water.  We prefer our Oobleck on the thicker side, so we usually add more cornstarch than water.  Oobleck is a non Newtonian substance that is both a liquid and a solid.  Scooping up a ball of Oobleck then watching it drip out of their hands is what makes Oobleck one of my boys' favorite recipes for play.

Like I said, the boys played for well over an hour.  When they finally said they were done I pulled out the squeezy bottles full of vinegar.

I saw erupting Oobleck at Life with Moore Babies last summer, and it's been on my to do list ever since.  She used a completely different method, so be sure and pop on over to her site to see the volcano she made for her kiddos.

It's no surprise that the eruptions delighted the boys.  It was the perfect way to end an already fantastic play time.  They were amazed at how bubbly the concoction became.  I was blown away by how powerful such a small amount of baking soda could be!  I think I had just as much fun as they did.  Yes this activity was messy, but don't let that scare you!  Here are tips for messy play as well as laundry tips to avoid stains and keep clothes bright.

For more recipes for play follow me on Pinterest.

More ways to make Oobleck:

Glowing Oobleck ~ Pumpkin Spice Latte Oobleck ~ Frozen Watermelon Oobleck