Film Container popping is a fun, educational activity your tweens will love! This is an outdoor activity they will want to try because these “poppers” get some height & fly!
Today, we will be sharing with you one of my kid’s FAVORITE activities that they have done so far this summer! Anytime we can add science, outdoors, and art then I know we have a winning activity we all will love!
Alka Setlzer tablets have both citric acid and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) in them. Remember we learned about that combination back in our EXPLODING BAGS experiment. As the Alka Setlzer tablet dissolves in water it releases carbon dioxide which is a gas that pushes the liquid out of the weakest point of the container, which in this case is the lid.
Try making a painting by placing down posterboard or paper & make art!
Tips & Tricks for film container popping
- Wear eye protection
- Have the lid ready cause you have to move quickly once the Alka Seltzer tablet has been placed inside. An extra set of hands is helpful for this step.
- Experiment with different quantities of water & maybe try half of a tablet instead of a whole one
- Mark the lids of the containers that have a good tight fit with an x to reuse and the ones without use for a different project. That way kids won’t be disapointed if it doesn’t launch due to a bum lid.
- Measure how far your container goes!
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gather your supplies 
fill about 1/3 with water 
add a few drops of color
Materials for film container popping
- Film containers w pop off lid – these are the ones we used!
- Optional food coloring
- Water
- Alka Seltzer tablets
- Eye protection (canisters fly & liquid can splash out)
1/2 tablet inside works best 
seal lid tight 
then flip & run
READY to launch your film container
- Line up your film canisters
- Fill each canister with 1T of water & food coloring ( about 1/3 of the way full – we did fill ours too full as soon in the image above)
- Grab your eye protection, lid, canister & an Alka Seltzer tablet, and go to where you want them launched
[Warning: they get some height to them & can fly so pick an area where they won’t cause damage) - Set the container on the ground, place an Alka Seltzer tablet inside and pop the cap ok quickly then stand back & watch them ROCKET!
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Thank you for stopping by! We hope you enjoyed this post about how to make film container poppers!
Please share with us by commenting below if you have ever tried this experiment and what your kid(s) thought about it?
Blessings,
Kim & her Tween team
Shop Our Favorite CRAFT & DIY Supplies for KIDS!
Here are our FAVORITE art & craft supplies for KIDS! They have been KID tested & Mom approved! These items will be used in countless craft and DIY projects that we will be sharing with you! I have added the shopping links to the products below so you can have these items on hand as well!
Paint
- Tulip Dimensional Fabric Paint (extra bottles of white for the look of icing)
- Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint by Plaid (even though it’s very inexpensive we have never had a problem with coverage or paint drying out.
- Kassa Watercolor Set – Painting Kit for Kids & Adults – Bundle Includes Water Brush Pen (3 Assorted Sizes), Water Color Paper (30 Sheets) & Watercolor Paint Set (21 Colors) – I can not say enough about the quality of this set – and it is mess-free!
Clay
4. Sculpey Polymer Clay – I could do an entire post just on the different things my kids create each week with this amazing clay!
5. Air Dry Clay by DAS– This is the easiest to work with brand that we have found. Both the kids & I use this brand in a variety of projects.
Markers & Pens
6. Permanent Sharpie Markers – Of course, for younger kids, these need supervision or you may find permanent artwork in places you’d prefer not to. There are some art projects that welcome a non-smearing or fading marker & these fit the bill! 30 colors of Sharpies
7. Chalk Markers by Kassa – The colors are vibrant & go on smooth! We love using these vs regular chalk, less dust & sticks to surfaces better.
8. Arteza Gel Pens (metallic) – Love this brand for all kinds of gel pens! They seem to not “smudge” like other brands. You can buy replacement cartridges so it is less waste & saves money!
Glue & Sealer
9. Mod Podge Water-based Sealer, Glue & Decoupage Finis (gloss version) & (matte version). They have a variety of different kinds of sealers depending on your project needs.
10. Gorilla Dual Temp Glue Gun – Parent supervision for younger kids. We like this brand for a smaller glue gun – this set even comes with the sticks!
*Classy Kids Create offers ideas for crafts, DIY’s & Activities that may not be suitable for all ages. Please use your discretion on what is best and safest for your child. Some steps in our tutorials may need adult assistance (like the use of certain glues or paint).
Please keep in mind that the kids testing these activities are in their tween years & have been crafting since they were toddlers. (Some steps, like spray paint or use of strong glue I do completely for them)
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