Elephant Toothpaste | STEAM Experiment for Kids

Elephant toothpaste is a simple science experiment that will "wow" anyone watching and participating!

Elephant toothpaste is is a great experiment for an adult to demonstrate to toddlers and preschoolers. If you have elementary school aged children who are good at following directions, they can attempt this experiment themselves with adult help and supervision.

It is very important to follow my safety instructions to prevent possible chemical or heat burns. 40 volume solution hydrogen peroxide can cause irritation and burns to the skin. Always wear gloves and safety googles when working with this solution

The foam released in this reaction is hot. Do not touch it right away, wait a few minutes until it has cooled, then you and the children many touch it with gloves on.

If the hydrogen peroxide or the foam touches your skin, immediately wash it with soap and water.

Why is it called elephant toothpaste? No, this isn't really the same toothpaste zookeepers use on elephants' teeth. It's named this because when the reaction expands out of the bottle it looks kinda like toothpaste, especially if you add coloring to make stripes. But it's much larger than toothpaste humans use on our teeth, it's big enough for elephants! I love the cheekiness behind this creative name. :)

How does it work? This experiment is the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to oxygen and water. There are two important scientific processes that make this experiment work: a catalyst and exothermic reaction.
-A catalyst is an element that speeds up a reaction. In this case the catalyst is the yeast. The yeast works as a catalyst to release oxygen molecules from the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is breaking down into water (H2O) and oxygen (O2). As the oxygen releases and begins to travel out of the solution, it gets trapped in the dish soap creating the foamy bubbles.

-An exothermic reaction is a reaction that releases heat. The decomposition from hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen is exothermic, meaning it gives off heat. This means the foam (or "elephant toothpaste") will be very hot after the experiment!

Is it safe to do at home? Yes, as long as you closely follow my safety recommendations listed above.

For full experiment procedure and details, visit my blog post: