The active ingredient in this cool summer science experiment is sodium acetate, a relatively benign substance as far as chemicals go, but not one you want to mess with unneccessarily. I’d love to do this one with the King of Everything next summer, when he’s six. Interestingly enough, his favorite science experiment, combining vinegar and baking soda, is an initial step to producing sodium acetate in a lab. Go figure.
Recommended safety includes: gloves, goggles, and a mask. The Materials Safety Data Sheet is found here… None of this stuff is fatal in small doses, but if you want to teach your child good science, you should probably include good science safety in the lesson.