# Red Cabbage pH Experiment with Scientist Dress-Up
> Boil red cabbage to make a purple 'magic potion' (a pH indicator), then let kids dressed as scientists pour it into cups of household acids and alkalis and watch it turn pink or bluish-green. A quick DIY lab-coat costume made from a white T-shirt adds dramatic play.
- URL: https://www.funlittles.com/science-experiments-kids-scientist-dramatic-play/
- Ages: 3–8 yrs · Difficulty: easy · Mess: medium
- Time: prep 40 min, activity 30 min
- Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class
- Skills: science, acids-and-bases, color-change, predicting, observation, dramatic-play
- Cautions: dairy, citrus, ingestion-risk

## Materials (one batch)
- 1 head Red cabbage
- Water for boiling (household)
- 1 piece Large pot (household)
- 1 piece Colander (household)
- Clear plastic cups (household)
- Marker and labels (optional) (household)
- 1 piece Plastic tablecloth or old sheet (optional) (household)
- Vinegar (household)
- Lemon juice (household)
- Soda (household)
- 1 piece Alka-Seltzer tablet
- Baking soda (household)
- Washing detergent (household)
- Cream of tartar (household)
- Milk (household)
- 1 piece Adult-size white T-shirt (optional)
- 2 piece Empty CD case covers (sleeves) (optional)
- 1 piece Hot glue gun and glue sticks (optional)
- 1 piece Safety goggles

## Substitutions
- Instead of white tshirt: Regular clothes (The author says it's just as fun to play scientist in regular clothes, though the costume gets kids into their element.)

## Safety
- Adult chops and boils the cabbage. Let the cabbage water cool completely before kids handle it.
- Adult uses the hot glue gun for the costume.
- Washing detergent and Alka-Seltzer (a medicine) are not for kids to handle unsupervised: an adult portions out small amounts and keeps the packages out of reach.
- None of the 'potions' are for drinking or tasting. Supervise closely, especially with younger kids.
- Wear the safety goggles: vinegar, lemon juice and detergent sting eyes. Wash hands after.
- Cabbage water can stain clothes and surfaces. Cover the table.

## Before you start
- Chop a head of red cabbage, boil it about 15 minutes, strain twice and let the purple liquid cool.
- Make the lab coat: hot glue 2 empty CD case covers onto a white adult T-shirt as pockets.
- Set out the test substances in labeled cups.

## Steps
1. Adult: chop up a head of red cabbage and boil it on the stovetop for about 15 minutes.
2. Adult: drain the cabbage over a colander, then strain the purple liquid again to remove floating bits. Let it cool.
3. Put on the scientist costume and safety goggles.
4. Set out the test substances in labeled cups: vinegar, lemon juice, soda, Alka-Seltzer, baking soda, washing detergent, cream of tartar and milk.
5. Guess what color each cup will turn.
6. Pour some purple cabbage water into each cup and watch the color change.
7. Notice that acids like vinegar and lemon juice turn it pink, and alkalis like detergent and baking soda turn it bluish-green.
8. Line up the cups and compare your results.
9. Do the whole experiment again!

## Tips
- Call it a 'magic potion' for younger kids and a pH indicator for older kids.
- Strain the cabbage liquid a second time to get it free of all the floating cabbage.
- Glue the CD covers with the see-through side facing back so both pocket flaps face out. We did not do that!
- The glasses were a fantastic touch and really pulled the costume together.
- Have your little scientist predict the colors before mixing. It really was like magic to her.
- Make plenty of cabbage water: we did the entire experiment 3 times.
- A homeschooling reader's kids have done the purple cabbage pH experiment for years; she calls it the most magical of all their experiments. (from readers)

## The original post by TurkeyMom (2013)

This post is sponsored by Sprout Online and the Chica Show

### Science experiments with dramatic play props.

[**Dramatic play ideas**](https://www.funlittles.com/40-dramatic-play-ideas/) are such a great way to introduce newer concepts, review concepts, [**get over fears**](https://www.funlittles.com/easing-your-childs-fears-with-play/) and much more. We have shared 40+ [**dramatic play**](https://www.funlittles.com/40-dramatic-play-ideas/) ideas in the past. Be sure to check them out. Kids love to pretend don't they? Mine are no exception. They love to get in and get out of costumes and create a dramatic scene where they are tigers, pandas, princesses, bees or hula girls. Another things most kids love is a good exciting [**science experiment**](https://www.funlittles.com/science-experiments-for-kids-color-mixing-kids-activities/). How fun will it be to combine both- **science experiments** and dramatic play props! When the opportunity to dress up and play presented itself via **SproutOnline** we were more than happy to participate. Sprout sent us an easy to put together costume set and we chose to feature one item from there. The costume was easy enough for me - a person who doesn't know the first thing about sewing. Play Scientist! While it is just as fun to play scientist by simply wearing regular clothes, don't you think the costume gets the kids in to their element and encourages them to play their part happily while playing/concocting in this case? Here is our costume kit from **Sproutonline**.  Making the scientist costume couldn't get easier. I laid out the adult sized white T-Shirt on a flat surface and hot glued 2 empty CD case covers to the T-shirt to serve as pockets. Make sure you glue the see through side facing back so that you can have both the pocket flaps facing out. We did not do that..!  I handed over my 4 year old her glasses and we went ahead to play with our latest science experiment. **Red Cabbage Science Experiment** Ooh this one was so much fun I chopped up a head of red cabbage and boiled them on the stove top for about 15 minutes. Then I drained the cabbage over a colander and drained the resulting purplish liquid again to get it free of all the floating cabbage. I got a cool looking purplish liquid- "magic potion" for younger ones and pH indicator for the older kids.  I set out the following in cups. We are typically choosing acids and alkalis. Vinegar, lemon juice, soda, Alka- Seltzer tablet, baking soda, washing detergent, cream of tartar and milk.

Here is my little scientist in her costume mixing and predicting the colors. The pH indicator ( red cabbage water) changes to shades of pink when mixed with vinegar, lemon juice or anything with acidic properties. The same red cabbage water changes to shades of bluish- greens when mixed with alkalis like washing detergent, baking soda..It really was like MAGIC to her.  I love this shot of my little scientist very engrossed at play! The glasses were a fantastic touch and really pulled the costume together. We are really considering going as a scientist this Halloween. Something to remember when October rolls around.  My pre schooler was in awe seeing the same cabbage water change color when different substances were introduced. We did the entire science experiment 3 times. Really! Kids naturally tend to love dramatic play, when you simply add the related costumes, the excitement just goes up several notches. What better way to introduce simple science than a hands on science experiment with household objects and a cool DIY costume?  Our results from the red cabbage experiment.   Now wasn't that an exciting experiment? Thanks to Sprout Online and the Chica Show to make this scientist play time possible. Now go watch the fun show which starts today. **It’s time for YOU to get up and play, mom!**

[](https://www.funlittles.com/category/science-2/)