Learn How to Make Volcano
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This "Make Volcano" project is a great acitivty for kids, especially at a party such as the Dinosaur theme party or the Incredibles theme party.
It involves making a volcano that, based on a reaction between baking soda and vinegar, spews out a bubbly flow of "lava".
The kids LOVE it! However, don't expect the volcano to blow its top off...
When I initially ran into this volcano project I couldn't help but imagine some sort of big explosion once the vinegar hit the baking soda. (Something like the picture below of myself sitting beside a REAL erupting volcano - the photo was taken in Zaire, Africa in 1991.)
But, for a three, four or even five year old, a homemade volcano is as exciting as a real one is to a grownup. Even more because they get to actually create the chemical reaction themselves (and even stick their finger inside the caldera...)
If you have any doubts, the clip at the end of the photographed stages below shows my little girl, Maya's, excitement every time more vinegar or baking soda is added to the volcano.
There are a few basic items you'll need to create the volcano, then you can play around and experiment on your own. Here are the basic items:
- A cylindrical container like a plastic bottle.
- Baking soda
- Warm water
- Dishwashing liquid
- Vinegar
- Red and/or Yellow food coloring
Basically, you build a volcano around the bottle. Then pour about a cup of warm water into the bottle, add a tablespoon of dishwashing liquid, around 1/4 cup baking soda and a few drops of food coloring. To create the reaction, you pour vinegar inside the bottle and the fluid spews out.
You can make your volcano out of paper mache, playdough, even dirt or sand like we did below. It's up to you.
*Remember to submit your own technique to Make Volcano...
I've run into quite a few volcano fluid recipes. Some say to use water, others do it without. I didn't really follow any of them exactly, you pretty much need to experiment BEFORE you carry out an activity like this at a party.
During the party, make sure you have extra baking soda and vinegar because the kids usually want to do it again and again.
Here's our version of a backyard volcano made in less than 15 minutes and enjoyed for about an hour!
 Make Volcano 1: We've set everything up and you can see the plastic bottle next to Maya's leg just before it is covered by dirt. |
 Make Volcano 2: Maya starts to cover the plastic bottle with the dirt |
 Volcano 3: By patting down the dirt, the shape of the volcano has formed. |
 Volcano 4: For a true Jurassic feel, Maya added a few plastic dinos... |
 Make Volcano 5 :... And little trees and shrubs. Notice the top of the bottle. |
 Make Volcano 6: Here, Maya adds a "few" drops of food coloring to the bottle inside the volcano. |
 Volcano 7: A bit of dishwashing liquid... |
 Volcano 8: Baking soda... And now... |
| Click here to see the explosion! (2.5 MB clip...) | |
Here's another photographed - step by step - make volcano project that may help you also:
1. Make Volcano - step by step + photos
Most important thing to remember is HAVE A BLAST!
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Making A Carmacks Kids Club Volcano
8 to 9 cups flour
3 to 4 cups salt
3 or more cups water and dash of oil
You can make many small ones or one giant one for all to enjoy.
* Knead ...
