A Fun Science Gender Reveal!

Here at Fun Science we use science in lots of different ways – helping Scouts and Guides get their badges, supporting a topic in school, helping a child celebrate their birthday, entertaining parents and children at festivals, and much more. But we have never used science for a baby gender reveal…until now!

When a close friend of one of our Fun Scientists, Magnetic Maggie, said she wanted to have a gender reveal party, Maggie had the perfect idea – why not use a colour changing experiment? It was great success so we thought we would share the idea with you – a Fun Science gender reveal! Perfect for a gender reveal party with a twist.

*Due to COVID-19 the gender reveal had to be done via video link, and it still worked a treat!*

You will need:

• Red Cabbage
• For a girl – an acid such as vinegar or citric acid
• For a boy – an alkali such as bicarbonate of soda
• A bowl
• A spoon or something to stir it with.

Method:

• Chop up some red cabbage, you don’t need loads, about 1/8th will do.
• Boil it in some water for 5 – 10 minutes.
• Let the water cool.
• Strain out the cabbage – but keep the water!
• Pour the purple water into a clear container – we used a fish bowl.
• Get the mystery gender reveal chemical ready – 2 tablespoons should be enough.
• When you’re ready, pour in the ‘mystery chemical’ (either acid or alkali).
• Give it a stir and watch the colour reveal!

 

The science behind this Fun Science gender reveal is really simple – red cabbage water is a pH indicator, which means it changes colour depending on if something is acidic or alkaline. If it acidic it will turn pink/red, if it is alkaline it will turn blue/green! Perfect for a baby gender reveal.