Fizzy Sherbet ? A Sweet Science Lesson for Your Kids!

Fizzy sherbet in a paper bag with a strawberry lollipop was probably my favorite treat as a child, but I never knew what was in the sherbet and why it sparkled and tingled on my tongue! Try making some with your kids and enjoy a mini science lesson in the process.

The basis of the sherbet is icing sugar (confectioners' sugar). 50g will make enough for about 6 children. For that amount you will also need a scant teaspoon each of bicarbonate of soda and citric acid. You can buy the latter, in the form of a white powder, very cheaply in small quantities from your chemist or pharmacy. Children will also enjoy having a lollipop or liquorice stick to dip into the sherbet.

Simply mix all the powders together thoroughly, divide into separate containers, and provide something to dip with. Fingers will do at a pinch, but there will be a lot of stickiness involved! Let the kids try dipping into some plain icing sugar as well as the sherbet mixture, to compare the two. They will be amazed at the difference.

So where does the fizz come from? It is a reaction between the citric acid (the same acid as in lemons) and the bicarbonate of soda, which is an alkali. In this case the chemical reaction happens on your tongue, as the two dry ingredients mix with water (saliva) and create a gas in the form of lots of tiny little bubbles. The bubbles provide the tingle in your mouth.

You are creating the same chemical reaction when you drop a bath bomb into your bath water. The active dry ingredients ? which again include bicarbonate of soda and citric acid ? react when they meet the water of the bath. And you get the same fizzing reaction if you add vinegar, another acid, to bicarbonate of soda. In this case, however, the reaction happens immediately because the vinegar is liquid. Combining vinegar and bicarbonate of soda is actually an old-fashioned cleaning recipe, used to help remove stubborn stains in the kitchen. Perhaps your kids could try scrubbing the sink with the mixture and a kitchen sponge to see how well it works!

Now, back to your fizzy sherbet. Remember, to keep your sherbet for any length of time, you will have to keep it dry. Store it in little re-sealable plastic bags ready to dip, or in a plastic food container. Make sure the kids don't eat too much in one go, because it can make your mouth (and stomach) a little sore in very large quantities! If you package little bags of sherbet and lollipops together (perhaps adding a bright ribbon and label) you can make a super addition for a party bag or even an unusual and popular treat to sell at a school fete or other fundraising occasion.

Lindsay Small is the creator and editor of Activity Village.co.uk - providing the ultimate one-stop resource for parents and teachers looking to educate and entertain their kids. Visit the website at http://www.ActivityVillage.co.uk or subscribe to the free newsletter at http://www.ActivityVillage.co.uk/free_ newsletter.co.uk

Divorce kids get cash boost
NEWS.com.au, Australia - 21 hours ago
Professor Matt Sanders, who heads the Triple-P Parenting Program at the University of Queensland, said he hoped the additional funding would be extended to ...
$17m to ease strain of family break-ups Sydney Morning Herald
$17m boost for kids of divorce Northern Territory
all 45 news articles

Rutter: In parenting policies, the US gets a 'C'
Milford Daily News,  USA - 10 hours ago
But, when it comes to the amount of time parents are entitled to take and the provision of subsidies that make it affordable for workers to take the time to ...

San Diego Union Tribune
Look at Sarah Palin's record, not her parenting
The Grand Rapids Press - MLive.com, MI - 8 hours ago
By Nancy Crawley As Sarah Palin makes the case for being the next vice president, there is one question she should not have to answer: What about the kids? ...
Video: Joe Biden On Palin's Speech CBS
Palin coverage is insulting to mothers Paradise Post
Washington Post National Political Reporter Washington Post
all 901 news articles

Twin Falls Times-News
Parenting in 'grand' style
LocalNews8.com, ID - 14 hours ago
Then they became more like little Tristn's parents. The couple got legal guardianship of Tristn Griffis after their son divorced the boy's mother, ...
Parenting in 'grand' style Twin Falls Times-News
all 4 news articles

Wayne Bennett backs positive parenting push
Courier Mail, Australia - 45 minutes ago
By Melanie Christiansen PARENTS should watch what they do and even how they speak to others in front of their children, Broncos rugby league coach Wayne ...
Govt supports child protection campaign Sky News Australia
all 2 news articles

Xinhua
Ignore parenting tips from Lynne Spears
Arizona Republic, AZ - Sep 5, 2008
by Suzanne Condie Lambert - Sept. 6, 2008 12:00 AM In the upcoming tell-all - Through the Storm: A Real Story of Fame and Family in a Tabloid World - Mama ...
Lynne Spears Book Sure to Create a Storm VIP Breakdown
Don’t Worry Sarah Palin, Jamie Lynn Spears Feels Your Pain hecklerspray
Lynne Spears Orders $60 Worth Of Baby Gift For Sarah Palin's ... AHN
Examiner.com - New Republicall 184 news articles

Parenting classes set for Tuesday
Pittsburg Morning Sun, KS - 10 hours ago
Mt. Carmel Regional Medical Center will host the next session of Parenting 101 at 7 pm Tuesday in dePaul Hall. Parenting 101 is a free class that helps new ...

Parenting taking center stage at seminar
Seguin Gazette-Enterprise, TX - 12 hours ago
By Jessica Sanders An upcoming seminar, “Parenting is Heart Work,” doesn’t offer a cure-all for parenting problems, but does provide a unique approach ...

Obama Campaign National Finance Committee Member Criticizes ...
ABC News - Sep 5, 2008
Gutman said the issue wasn't one of gender but one of parenting – regardless of the gender of the parent. "This has nothing to do with gender, whether Todd ...

Parenting takes toll on teens
Louisville Courier-Journal, KY - 6 hours ago
"And it's crazy to know somebody depends on you the way that you depend on your parent." Spears, the Academy Award-nominated film "Juno," the pregnant teen ...

Wind Chimes and more...

Windchimes for great gifts!

Managing Sibling Rivalry