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How To Make a Baking Soda Volcano With Free Observation Sheet

This experiment will have kids erupting with applause!

The classic baking soda volcano experiment has been entertaining kids (and adults) of all ages for decades. But it’s more than just a lot of fun. This experiment also teaches kids about simple chemical reactions and physical properties. The best part? It’s easy to do and uses only a few basic ingredients. Read on to see how to conduct the baking soda volcano experiment, and fill out the form on this page to grab your free recording sheet!

How does the baking soda volcano experiment work?

This experiment involves pouring vinegar mixed with dish soap into a small amount of baking soda. The baking soda acts as a base while the vinegar is an acid. When the base and the acid come together, they create an endothermic reaction that produces carbon dioxide. The dish soap helps to create the foaming effect as the “lava” pours out of the volcano.

What does the baking soda volcano teach?

The baking soda volcano experiment is a great way to demonstrate a chemical reaction between an acid and a carbonate. When the carbonate (found in the baking soda) is exposed to the acids (found in the vinegar), it creates a decomposition reaction that releases carbon dioxide as gas. While this experiment is an example of an acid-base reaction, it’s also a great simulation of a real volcanic eruption.

Is there a baking soda volcano video?

This video shows how to make a volcano erupt using ingredients you can probably find in your kitchen.

Materials needed

To do the baking soda volcano experiment, you will need:

• Baking soda
• Food coloring
• Mini Paper Cups
• Plastic Volcano Form

Our free recording sheet is also helpful—fill out the form on this page to grab it.

Baking soda volcano experiment steps:

1. to start, place a tiny paper cup into the hole at the top of the plastic volcano mold..

2. Once your volcano is set up, pour 1 to 2 teaspoons of baking soda into the paper cup.

3. Next, add about a half cup of vinegar into a plastic measuring cup.

4. Add a few squirts of dish soap to the vinegar solution.

5. Add some squirts of red and yellow food coloring to the vinegar mixture.

6. Use a plastic spoon to mix all the ingredients in the plastic measuring cup together.

7. Pour the vinegar solution into the small paper cup at the top of the volcano.

8. Finally, watch and enjoy the eruption!

Grab our free baking soda volcano experiment worksheet

Fill out the form on this page to get your free worksheet. The worksheet asks kids to guess the correct order of the steps in the experiment. Next, kids must make a prediction about what they think will happen. They can use the provided spaces to draw what happens before and after they add the ingredients. Did their predictions come true?

Additional reflection questions

• What role does the dish soap play in the reaction that occurs?
• How would it be different if you added baking soda to the vinegar instead of the other way around?
• What do you think would happen if you added a different liquid than vinegar?
• What do you think would happen if you added more baking soda?

Can the baking soda volcano experiment be done for a science fair?

Yes! If you want to do this experiment for a science fair, we recommend switching up some of the variables. For example: Does the amount of baking soda matter? Does the type of dish soap? Form a hypothesis about how changing the variables will impact the experiment. Good luck!

Looking for more experiment ideas? Check out our  big list of experiment ideas here.

Plus, be sure to subscribe to our newsletters for more articles like this., you might also like.

16 Red-Hot Volcano Science Experiments and Kits For Classrooms or Science Fairs

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How To Make a Volcano for Kids

Want To See A Volcano Erupt Up Close? Make Volcanoes Erupt In Your Backyard With The Volcano Science Experiment . The best way to help your child learn puzzling acids and base concepts is by conducting a simple volcano experiment for kids at home. A baking soda vinegar volcano is the best way to teach children about the chemical reaction between acids and bases. Help your child learn how to make a volcano for kids.

• Things You Need For The Volcano Science Project

A Step-By-Step Guide On How to Make A Volcano For Kids

The science behind the volcano eruption experiment, 5 creative ways to make a volcano at home.

A volcano science experiment is a great way to help children understand the lesson on acids and bases. Help your child understand the chemical reaction between acids and bases using this simple science experiment for kids at home. 

Things You Need For The Volcano Science Project 

Making a volcano at home is an easy and fun project to do with your kids. Here is a list of things you need to perform the volcano science project. Most of the materials on the list are inexpensive and easily available. In fact, you might even find them in your pantry.

Things You’ll Need For Volcano Experiment For Kids:

• 100 ml of warm water
• 10 ml of dish soap
• 400 ml of white vinegar
• Empty 2-litre soda bottle
• 2 drops of red food coloring
• Baking soda slurry ( ½ cup baking soda and ½ cup water)

Wondering how to make a homemade volcano? It’s pretty simple. Here is a step-by-step guide to performing the volcano science experiment with your kids.

• Step 1: Mix the dish soap, water, white vinegar, and food coloring and pour it into the empty soda bottle.
• Step 2: Make a baking soda slurry with ½ cup baking soda and ½ cup water. Mix it thoroughly with a spoon, until it’s completely dissolved.
• Step 3: Now, it’s eruption time! Quickly but carefully pour this slurry into the bottle and step back.  Now, watch the volcano erupt and spill out red lava!

Download How To Make Volcano Printable

The volcano science experiment will leave your kids in awe as the homemade volcano erupts and spills out red lava. Help them understand the science behind the experiment by asking them questions and giving them hints. Here is a list of questions to help you start.

• What did you learn from the volcano eruption experiment? 
• Why do you think the liquid in the soda bottle erupted when you added the baking soda slurry to it?
• How does the volcano science project work?

The homemade volcano erupts because of a chemical reaction between an acid and a base. The acetic acid present in the vinegar reacts with the sodium hydrogen carbonate in the baking soda and produces carbon dioxide. The base (sodium hydrogen carbonate) undergoes a decomposing reaction when it is exposed to the acid. This produces a gas called carbon dioxide, which causes the homemade volcano to “erupt!” The dish soap becomes foamy and the bubbles and spill out like lava.

Do you know there are several ways to make a volcano at home? Now that you know the science behind volcano eruptions, here are 5 more ways to make a volcano at home!

Tape Volcano

Things you need:

• Tall plastic container
• Baking soda
• Acrylic paints
• Plastic plate

Instructions:  

• Step 1: For this baking soda vinegar volcano, tape the top of your tall plastic container to the side of your plastic plate. The plate serves as the base for your volcano. Continue to add tape around your container in this fashion. 
• Step 2: Paint your ‘volcano’ with acrylic paint. (We recommend using brown paint) 
• Step 3: Once you’re done making your volcano, add a few drops of baking soda and vinegar inside the volcano and watch it erupt! You can add some red food coloring to make the volcano look more realistic with red lava spilling out.

Ice Volcano

• Plastic wrap
• Small bowls
• Step 1: To build an ice volcano, place a ball (that doesn’t float) at the bottom of each bowl. Line each of these bowls with plastic wrap. 
• Step 2: Next, add a mixture of baking soda, water, and food coloring to these bowls so that they completely cover the ball underneath. 
• Step 3: Place these bowls in the freezer for some time. 
• Step 4: Once they’re frozen, pry out your ‘volcano’ from the bowls and add a few drops of vinegar into it. Your ice volcano will erupt as soon as the vinegar touches it!

Sand Volcano

• 1 tbsp baking soda
• 2 cups vinegar
• Empty plastic bottle
• Red/orange food coloring

Instructions: Want to build a sand volcano in your backyard? Here’s how you can do it. 

• Step 1: First, place an empty plastic bottle in a mound of sand. 
• Step 2: Use a funnel to add some baking soda to the bottle. 
• Step 3: Mix some food coloring and vinegar together and pour this mixture inside the bottle and watch your volcano erupt!

Mini Volcanoes

• Red, blue, green, yellow, orange and pink food coloring

Instructions: Here’s how to make a volcano for kids using an egg carton. 

• Step 1: Cut out the bottom of each egg holder in your egg carton and flip it over. You’ll notice that each slot now looks like a mini volcano. 
• Step 2: Pour some baking soda into each slot. 
• Step 3: Then, add some colored vinegar solution (vinegar + food coloring) into the slot. You can create several different colored eruptions in this way. The colorful eruptions will leave your child in awe.

Newspaper Volcano

• Large plastic bottle
• Cellulose adhesive

Instructions: Make a volcano at home using newspaper! 

• Step 1: First, place a bottle in the middle of your cardboard base. Apply the adhesive paste all over the cardboard and glue the crumpled newspaper over it. 
• Step 2: Then, glue the newspaper around your bottle too, and paint the entire structure to ensure it looks like a volcano. Set it aside and allow it to dry for a couple of hours or days. 
• Step 3: When it’s ready, ask your child to pour the baking soda, vinegar, and food coloring into the bottle to make the volcano erupt.

We hope you enjoy making these volcano science projects with your little one. These experiments hone their understanding of science and instill in them a sense of creativity and imagination. 

For more fun kids learning games and activities, check the rest of our website!

Frequently Asked Questions on How To Make a Volcano for Kids

What are the materials used for making a volcano for kids.

The materials used for making a volcano for kids are luke warm water, white vinegar, soda bottle, dish soap, red coloring solution, and baking soda slurry.

How To Make a Volcano for Kids?

To make volcano for kids, firstly take a soda bottle and mix water, dish soap, food coloring and white vinegar. Then, make baking soda slurry and add slowly to this solution. Let the children watch the volcano erupt and understand the concept of eruption properly.

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5 Ways to Make a Volcano

There is more than one way to make a chemical volcano. Actually, there are several methods. Here are some of the best, from the tried-and-true baking soda and vinegar volcano to the most exotic dry ice volcano.

Make the Volcano Cone

You can use a bottle or can or really any container for your volcanic eruption, but it’s easy to make the volcano shape by coating your container with clay or papier mache. Here is a simple recipe for a homemade clay volcano:

• 6 cups flour
• 2 cups salt
• 2 cups water
• 4 tablespoons cooking oil
• Mix the ingredients together in a large bowl. It’s easiest if you stir the flour, salt, and oil together first and then mix in the water. You can add more water if needed. You want a firm, smooth dough.
• Stand an empty soda bottle or can in a pie tin or baking pan (so your ‘lava’ won’t make a mess) and mold the dough into a volcano shape. Be sure you don’t drop dough into the bottle or cover the opening.
• If you want to paint the volcano, wait until the dough is dry.

Now for the recipes! Most use common ingredients that you have at home.

Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano

This is the classic science fair project volcano. The baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) reacts with the vinegar (weak acetic acid) to produce carbon dioxide gas. The detergent traps the gas, which is heavier than air, so it flows down the side of the volcano.

• liquid dishwashing detergent
• red or orange food coloring
• baking soda
• Pour warm water into the volcano until it is 1/2 to 3/4 of the way full.
• Add several drops of food coloring.
• Add a squirt of detergent. This helps the ‘lava’ foam up and flow.
• Add a couple of spoonfuls of baking soda.
• When you are ready to start the eruption, pour vinegar into your volcano.
• You can recharge the volcano with more baking soda and vinegar.

Note: If you don’t have vinegar, you can use another acidic liquid, like lemon juice or orange juice.

Yeast and Peroxide Volcano

• packet of quick-rise yeast
• hydrogen peroxide (3% sold in stores or can use 6% from beauty supply stores)
• food coloring
• Pour the hydrogen peroxide solution into the volcano until it is nearly full. The 3% household peroxide is safe to handle, but wear gloves and use extreme caution if you use the 6% peroxide, which can give you chemical burns!
• Add several drops of food coloring for your lava.
• When you are ready for the eruption, add the packet of yeast to the volcano.

Ketchup and Vinegar Volcano

This volcano bubbles and oozes lava. The eruption is not so dramatic, but is interesting and long-lasting. The acidity of the vinegar and tomatoes in the ketchup reacts with the baking soda to produce carbon dioxide gas, which gets trapped as bubbles by the detergent.

• dishwashing liquid
• Mix together ketchup, warm water, and a squirt of detergent to make lava.
• Pour the mixture into the volcano so it is nearly full.
• When you are ready for the eruption, add baking soda.

Mentos and Diet Soda Volcano

This volcano erupts instantly and spectacularly. For a truly memorable volcano, use diet tonic water instead of diet cola and shine a black light on the volcano. This produces a vivid blue glowing eruption!

• diet soda (regular soda works too, but produces a sticky mess)
• Mentos candies
• Fill the volcano full of soda (or you could have molded the volcano around a full soda bottle.
• When you are ready for the eruption, drop all of the Mentos candies into the mouth of the bottle at once. One easy way to do this is to roll a sheet of paper around the candies, put your finger beneath them to hold them in place, and release the candies over the hole. Be prepared for a major splash!

Dry Ice Volcano

This volcano appears to smoke, releasing a cascade of bubble lava.

• Fill the volcano with warm water.
• Add a bit of dishwashing liquid.
• When you are ready to start the eruption, use gloves or tongs to drop a piece of dry ice into the volcano.

Do you need more ways to make a volcano ? You can bake a souffle to model the geological processes or make a realistic wax volcano .

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45 Volcano Activities for 2nd Grade & 4th Grade Students

To leverage volcanoes as an engaging teaching tool in your classroom, we’ve put together this list of 45 volcano activities that you can use with students from kindergarten through fifth grade. We’ve sorted them into four different activity types – giving teachers plenty of options for mixing things up between each type!

Volcanoes are one of nature’s most awe-inspiring sights and a very popular topic for elementary school science classes. From the mesmerizing flows of lava to the thunderous eruption sounds, it’s easy to see why they hold student attention so well! Get ready for some erupting fun with these fantastic educational opportunities leveraging earth sciences.

Second-Grade and Fourth-Grade NGSS Standards that Address Volcanos

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for second and fourth grade offer ample opportunities to incorporate lessons about volcanoes into your curriculum.

• In second grade, students start exploring the Earth’s systems, including the geosphere, where they can begin to understand the formation and behavior of volcanoes .
• By fourth grade, the NGSS standards delve deeper into the Earth’s systems, allowing students to explore advanced concepts such as plate tectonics and volcanic activity .

These stages provide a solid foundation for learning about volcanoes and their impact on the Earth’s surface, environment, and even climate.

Here are some lessons we have developed for both second-grade and fourth-grade students that meet the NGSS Earth Science standards about Volcanos and Plate Tectonics.

Watch a Video about Volcanos – Second Grade

This Watch a Video science station has two activities, one about earthquakes and the other about volcanoes. The volcano video focuses on the difference between magma and lava, what happens when lava cools down, how a volcano becomes a mountain and what vents and craters are.

Play a Game about Volcanoes – Second Grade and Fourth Grade

We have two Play a Game science station sets about Volcanos, one for second grade and one for fourth grade . Both sets include video games, word searches, crossword puzzles, and a question-answer board game. These games make great review games about plate tectonics.

Diagram a Volcano – Second Grade

In this DIAGRAM science station , students read about volcanoes and then color and label a diagram of a volcano. The activity comes with a reading passage, activity, and comprehension questions.

Explore Volcanoes – Fourth Grade

In this EXPLORE science station , students explore different types of volcanoes. There is a brief explanation of the parts of a volcano and then in-depth explanations of shield volcanos, composite volcanoes, and cinder cone volcanoes. The explore station includes a reading passage, a hands-on activity in which students explore volcanic eruptions using melting wax, and differentiated comprehension questions.

Read about the Ring of Fire – Fourth Grade

In this reading passage , students read about the Pacific Ring of Fire. They learn about what it is and how plate tectonics and plate boundaries create volcanos. The reading passage focuses on earthquakes and volcanoes. It also comes with differentiated reading comprehension questions.

The individual stations above can be purchased on Teachers Pay Teachers. The bundles are also available on my website linked below .

Additional Volcano Activities for Elementary Students

Below are some different activities that students can do in the classroom. They range from class make-a-volcano activities to in-depth explorations of and demonstrations of learning.

Here are additional Volcano Activities that elementary teachers can easily do in the classroom or homeschool parents can do at home:

Volcano Diorama

When life becomes hectic and you feel overwhelmed by the chaos and stress, a simple volcano project becomes an absolute necessity. Having a visual learning tool at your fingertips not only enhances your understanding and retention of information but also serves as a reminder of what you have learned.

Underwater Volcano Experiment

Children will not only gain knowledge about underwater volcanoes but also explore the concept of density through the comparison of hot and cold water. The temperature of water plays a significant role in determining its density. Specifically, cold water exhibits higher density than hot water. Consequently, when a glass of colored hot water is immersed in a container of cold water, the hot water swiftly ascends due to its lower density.

Fizzing Baking Soda Paint Volcano Craft

Combine some baking soda and paint to create a fizzy volcano craft that you can easily hang on the classroom bulletin boards. This post includes a printable template for the volcano and step-by-step instructions on how to create the artwork.

More Volcano Creative Art Projects

If your students enjoy art, here are a few more art projects that add a little variety to the traditional volcano activities:

• Make Your Own Mini Volcano: Use baking soda, vinegar, and food coloring to create a small-scale eruption. Directions are below.
• Volcano Artwork: Draw or paint pictures of different types of volcanoes.
• Playdough Volcano Models: Use playdough or clay to create 3D models of volcanoes.
• Paper Mache Volcano: Create a more realistic volcano model using paper mache.
• Volcano Coloring Pages: Find and color pictures of volcanoes and their eruptions.
• Baking Soda Art Volcano: Use baking soda, vinegar, and food coloring to create art. Or try the Fizzing Art Activity above .
• Volcano Origami: Learn how to fold an origami volcano.

• Volcano Diorama: Craft a detailed diorama of a volcano and its surrounding landscape. Or use the premade one above!
• Volcano Skit: Perform a short skit explaining how volcanoes work.
• Volcano 3D Printing: Use a 3D printer to create a model of a volcano.
• Volcano Dress-up Day: Dress up as a famous volcano or a volcanologist for a day.
• Edible Volcano: Use cake or rice crispy treats to build an edible volcano and use red icing for lava!

Volcano Activities that Include Research

• Volcano Vocabulary Word Search: Create a word search puzzle with volcano-related terms. Note: if you need premade word searches , we have those available for you for both second and fourth grade students.
• Types of Volcanoes Poster: Research and design a poster about the different types of volcanoes. If your students need informational text about different types of volcanoes, it’s included in our Explore station .
• Comparing Volcanoes : Research and compare two different types of volcanoes.
• Layer Diagram of a Volcano: Draw and label the different layers of a volcano. If you need a premade diagram with a cut-and-paste option , I have one available.
• Volcano in a Jar: Show how pressure can build up within a volcano using a jar, vinegar, and baking soda.
• Volcanic Rock Collection: Collect and identify different types of volcanic rocks.
• Volcano Song: Write and perform a song about volcanoes.
• Volcano Documentary Viewing: Watch a documentary about volcanoes and discuss it afterward.
• Volcano Fact Cards: Research and write down interesting facts about volcanoes on index cards.
• Volcano Science Fair Project: Develop a science fair project focused on volcanoes. Include several components from the suggestions here.
• Pompeii History Lesson: Learn about the historical eruption of Mount Vesuvius and its impact on Pompeii.
• Volcano Crossword Puzzle: Create a crossword puzzle using volcano-related terms. Note: if you need premade word crossword puzzles , we have those available for you for both second and fourth grade students.
• Volcano Quiz: Test your knowledge with a self-made quiz about volcanoes. Have two groups of students create two quizzes and then answer each other’s quiz.
• Virtual Volcano Tour: Take a virtual tour of a famous active volcano.

• Volcano Timeline: Make a timeline of some of the most famous volcanic eruptions in history.
• Volcano Map: Create a world map marking all the active volcanoes.
• Online Simulator #1
• Online Simulator #2
• Volcano Experiment Worksheet: Document your findings from the volcano experiments.
• Volcano Virtual Field Trip : Virtually visit a local museum or geological site with volcanic features.
• Volcano Puzzle: Create a jigsaw puzzle based on a volcano image.
• Volcano Role-play: Role-play as volcanologists studying an active volcano.
• Active Volcanos : Take a look at active volcanoes around the world on the Smithsonian website .

Volcano Writing Tasks

• Volcano Storybook: Write a story about a volcanic eruption.
• Volcano News Report: Write and present a news report on a historical volcanic eruption.
• Volcano Poem: Write a poem inspired by the might and beauty of volcanoes.
• Volcano Debate: Hold a debate on volcano-related topics, like the benefits and drawbacks of living near a volcano.

How to Make a Volcano

Making a volcano is a hands-on, creative, and slightly messy activity that is a surefire way to bring the thrill of earth science right into your home or classroom. With just a few everyday household items, you can create a mini volcanic eruption that’s safe, entertaining, and highly educational. This activity could become the highlight of your volcano-themed adventure. Ready to dig in?

Video of a Homemade Volcano

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”rKElJSBQ” upload-date=”2023-11-02T21:37:24.000Z” name=”Volcano Kids Eruption” description=”Homemade, kids volcano eruption with baking soda and vinegar.” player-type=”default” override-embed=”default”]

Materials Needed to Make a Volcano

• Baking Soda
• Food Coloring (optional)
• A Container (like a 2-liter soda bottle)
• Detergent or dish soap (optional)
• Tray or larger container to catch the lava

Instructions for Making a Volcano

• Place your container on the tray. This will help catch any mess from the eruption.
• Fill the container about 1/3 full with baking soda.
• Add a few drops of food coloring and a squirt of detergent for a more dramatic effect (optional).
• Pour vinegar into the container and stand back!

Chemical Reactions in the Science Experiment – Why it works

The “volcano” is the result of a simple chemical reaction . When the baking soda (a base) and the vinegar (an acid) mix, they react to form carbon dioxide gas. This gas bubbles up and out of the container, creating the lava flow. The detergent helps to create more bubbles and foam in the reaction, which looks even more like lava!

Consider Adjusting These Variables to Extend Learning

You can experiment with the amount of baking soda or vinegar used to see how it changes the eruption. More baking soda or vinegar will create a larger reaction. You can also try adding food coloring or glitter to the mixture for a different visual effect. Please remember to always conduct this experiment in a suitable space where it is safe to make a mess!

Some questions students might ask themselves:

• What happens if I change the amount of vinegar?
• What happens if I change the amount of baking soda?
• What happens if I add water?

Volcanoes are fascinating aspects of our world, filled with awe-inspiring power. Whether you’re a parent supplementing your child’s learning or an educator igniting a passion for earth science, our fun and engaging activities hope to foster a new appreciation for these natural phenomena.

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1. Learn about volcanoes

2. prepare your crater, 3. make your volcano erupt, 4. form the lava flow, 6. make more eruptions, 7. trade your volcano, 8. take core samples, 9. record your findings, 10. compare your map.

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Make a Volcano

Make a volcano with baking soda, vinegar and play dough. Then, add multiple layers that you can investigate like a NASA scientist. Test your family and friends to see if they can guess what's inside your volcano!

Watch the Tutorial

See below for materials and step-by-step instructions. For more video tutorials and activities like this one, visit Learning Space .

Watch en Español : Seleccione subtítulos en Español bajo el ícono de configuración.

In this episode of Learning Space, you will make a volcano with baking soda, vinegar and play dough. Then, add multiple layers that you can investigate like a NASA scientist. | Watch on YouTube

Piece of cardboard OR a cookie sheet

3 or more colors of play dough ( download recipe ) or soft clay

Baking soda

Paper towels

Colored pencils OR crayons (ideally matching the colors of the play dough)

2 sheets of graph paper OR plain paper

1-3 clear plastic drinking straws

Find out how volcanoes form and what causes them to erupt . Then click the planets in this interactive image to learn about volcanoes on planets throughout our solar system. Get inspired before you create your own volcano by checking out these images of volcanoes on Earth .

› Learn more about this image

Cut off the top of the paper cup so it's only about 0.5 inches (1-2 cm) tall. Place the paper cup at the center of your piece of paper and trace around the bottom to make a circle. The circle and the cup represent the crater inside your volcano. Tape the cup to the piece of cardboard or a cookie sheet. Mark north, east, south and west on both the paper and the cardboard or cookie sheet.

Fill the cup with a spoonful of baking soda. Then, slowly pour in enough vinegar to make the mixture foam up and flow out of the cup. This simulates an eruption and lava flowing out of your volcano.

If possible, use a colored pencil to trace around the edge of where the lava flew out of your volcano. Dab up the fluid with a paper towel. Then, cover the area inside the line you traced with a thin layer of one color of play dough to mark where the lava flowed.

On your graph paper, use a colored pencil that matches the color of the play dough you put down to draw the shape of your lava layer. This is the start of a map that will show where lava flowed during each eruption of the model volcano. Be sure the orientation of the cardinal directions on your map match the ones on your model volcano.

Repeat steps 3-5 three or four more times. Each time, put down a new layer of play dough and then map it out by drawing the shape of that layer on your graph paper. If you have more than one color of play dough, change colors between eruptions so it's easier to see the different layers.

If possible, trade your volcano with another person, so you can investigate one that is unknown! If you can't trade with anyone, find a family member who didn’t watch you build the volcano and challenge them to do the next steps.

Cut a plastic straw into thirds or fourths. Push an open end of the straw straight down through the play dough lava flows until you reach the bottom. Twist the straw in place and lift out a sample. This is what's called a core sample.

Looking through the clear straw, you can see the layers underneath the surface of the volcano. You can use this sample to investigate how the layers of the volcano formed over time. Repeat this step with each of your three or four straw pieces. Think about the best places to collect samples so that you can get as much information as possible.

On a blank piece of graph paper, draw a circle and cardinal directions like you did in Step 2. Use your core samples to make a prediction of where each layer of the volcano you’re studying begins and ends.

Then, use colored pencils that match the colors you find in the volcano to draw the layers on your graph paper. Try to get as close as you can with as few samples as possible!

Once you’ve created a map of your predictions, compare it with the known map from steps 2-6.

Top 10 Volcano Science Experiments

Welcome to our carefully curated collection of the best volcano science experiments.

We have selected these experiments for their educational value, safety considerations, and ability to captivate learners, fostering a deeper appreciation for the wonders of our planet’s volcanic activity.

These hands-on, enlightening experiments suitable for all age groups convey the magic of volcanic eruptions and foster a deep appreciation for Earth’s geological wonders.

1. Look Inside a Volcano

Engage budding scientists as they witness the power of nature firsthand, fostering a deeper understanding of volcanic processes and igniting a passion for earth sciences.

Learn more: 123 Homeschool

2. Underwater Volcano

By simulating the eruption of an underwater volcano, students gain a unique understanding of the explosive forces at play beneath the water

3. Volcano Slime

This exciting hands-on activity combines the thrilling eruption of a volcano with the mesmerizing texture of slime.

Learn more: Volcano Slime

4. DIY Volcano at Home

Not only does this experiment provide an entertaining sensory experience, but it also introduces students to the concepts of chemical reactions and viscosity.

5. No Vinegar Volcano Science

By substituting vinegar with other safe and easily accessible ingredients, students can still witness the captivating chemical reactions that mimic volcanic eruptions.

Learn more: No Vinegar Volcano Science

6. Color Changing Volcano

Learn how to take the basic baking soda and vinegar volcano to the next level. This color changing volcano is really simple made and this tutorial includes very detailed step-by-step instructions and a helpful video.

Learn more: Color Changing Volcano

7. Sand Volcano

Engage students in a thrilling journey of discovery as they explore the fascinating world of volcanoes through the mesmerizing medium of sand. Watch their scientific curiosity erupt as they bring their own sand volcanoes to life!”

Learn more: Sand Volcano

8. Make a Lemon Volcano

By combining the natural acidity of lemons with a few household materials, students can witness an exciting chemical reaction that mimics the explosive eruptions of a volcano.

9. Clay Volcano

This hands-on activity allows students to mold their own volcano using clay and witness the thrilling eruption that follows. By combining artistry with scientific exploration, students can learn about the geological forces at play in a visually captivating way.

Learn more: Clay Volcano

10. Magma in a Bag

Encourage students to explore the fascinating world of volcanoes through this hands-on experiment that brings the marvels of geology right into their hands.

Learn more: Leslie John Stone

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How to Make an Awesome Volcano Science Project

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Want to know how to make a volcano with your kids? Making a volcano that erupts is one of those good old classic science projects that kids just love doing! I am surprised that I don’t have this one on my site yet, because it’s a favorite! Also, grab your free printable Volcano Diagram Worksheets, too!

My husband found an old book this past week for my son called  101 Cool Science Experiments  by Glen Singleton. We flipped through the book together marking all of the pages of the experiments that we want to try. He is a little bit of a science fanatic like me. We both get excited about new experiments! He was most excited to try making a volcano!

It’s funny, so many of my experiments were done with my two older kids and now we are really enjoying recreating them with the younger half of the family. This was a favorite of my oldest son snd now the younger kids had a blast with it! Get ready for mess.

Also check out out our Erupting Dinosaur Extinction Slime !

How to Make a Volcano

Watch it all here, or read on for the written instructions.

We made our volcano model with salt dough. Salt dough is super simple to make and can be air dried if you want to make it ahead and save it for a science fair project.

Salt Dough Recipe

6 cups of Flour

2 cups of Salt

2 cups of Water

2 Tbsp of Cooking Oil

Coloring (you can use food coloring or liquid water color)

Mix the best you can with a spoon, but you may need to just dig in with your hands. That’s what I had to do. This is a hard dough so you can mold it and make it stand up around the bottle for your volcano filling. You may need to add a little bit more water depending on your climate. I added 1/4-1/3 cup more after I got into it.

You may notice the gray swirls in our dough. We tried to color our dough with some black  liquid watercolors , but it would have taken the whole bottle, so we gave up!

Building the Volcano

You will need a bottle in the center. You can use a soda bottle a water bottle or a glass bottle like we used. Whatever you have on hand that has a smaller opening on top should work just fine!

Place the bottle in the center of a large cookie sheet. Mold the salt dough into a volcano shape around the bottle making sure to leave an opening at the top to add your volcano’s “lava” filling.

This is tons of fun to shape it to look like an amazing volcano. My kids were creating paths for the lava to flow through.

How to Make a Volcano Erupt (With Baking Soda & Vinegar)

Now to make the eruption solution! Making the volcano erupt is fun, messy and is over pretty quick, so don’t blink! 😉

Ingredients to Make your Volcano Erupt:

Red Food Coloring- Or red  liquid watercolors

A few drops of Dish Soap- about a Tablespoon

2 Tbsp Baking Soda

Mix the red coloring, water, and some dish soap together. We used about 2 cups of water, but you’ll just need to fill your bottle about 3/4 of the way full.

Put 2 Tbsp of baking soda into the bottle.

Pour in your vinegar and watch the eruption go! Now is the perfect time to teach about the chemical reaction between the baking soda and vinegar.

Can we do it again?!  (That’s what your kids will say.)

I am loving that I captured their excited expressions!

Have you done this fun, classic experiment with your kids?

Volcano Variations:

Make a volcano erupt with smoke by adding dry ice! Check out my  smoking dragon post  for tips.

Make a thicker lava by trying  elephant toothpaste  in the bottle!

Volcano Diagram Worksheets

Extend the learning with these Printable Volcano Diagram worksheets!  This printable set includes color and black and white diagrams with both labeled and unlabeled versions. You can use them for learning and for quizzing later!  Download your Volcano Diagrams now!

Learn about Real Volcanos and how they really erupt by reading some books on Volcanoes!

Volcanoes! Mountains for Fire by Eric Arnold is a great place to start.

We also like the Magic School Bus Blows its Top by Gail Herman

You may also enjoy:   30 More  Baking Soda and Vinegar Experiments! It has some more fun ways to experiment with this chemical reaction.

Check out my Science Book! Science Art and Drawing Games for Kids

Former school teacher turned homeschool mom of 4 kids. Loves creating awesome hands-on creative learning ideas to make learning engaging and memorable for all kids!

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I couldn’t find the instructions but some how i found out how to do it with now instructions

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Preschool Inspirations

Preschool Activities and Learning

Easy Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano Eruption for Kids

May 28, 2014 by Katie T. Christiansen 5 Comments

Need a super simple baking soda and vinegar volcano recipe? This one takes about three minutes to prep (and the kids get to help). It uses six common ingredients,  and there is no mess to clean up afterward! If simple and no cleaning is music to your ears, you’re in the right place. We’ve made this five times in the past two weeks, so it’s definitely a loved activity here.

I have always loved making volcanoes with my kids, but they can be time-consuming and require lots of prep. Well, “lots” may be stretching it, but in my world, if it’s not simple, it doesn’t usually happen. The sad truth is that while I’ve thought about making a volcano tons of times, I’ve only made it happen a few. I wanted to change that by making it a super easy process. I hope you absolutely love it!

And if you love these types of science experiments, you can see even more baking soda and vinegar experiments that are simple and so fun! They are also an awesome addition to a preschool curriculum .

Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano

How do you make the easiest volcano recipe in the world?

Ingredients

• Plastic cup (We tried a water bottle, but the plastic cup worked much better)
• 3-4 Tbs of baking soda at least (we usually do 4-6 which makes it extra foamy and will do 2-3 eruptions)
• 1 tsp of dish soap
• 1 cup (8 oz) of Vinegar to start with per eruption…then they’ll be asking for more 🙂

Location: an area with pea gravel, sand, or dirt

While you mix the base ingredients, have the kiddos make a mound out of pea gravel (or you could certainly do this with dirt). Once you have a mound, put the cup on top of it, and turn it into a mountain.  How easy is that!

We give it a good stir just before adding the last ingredient. Now it’s time for the eruption! Pour in the vinegar until it starts foaming over, pouring it’s lava all over the rocks.

The pictures really don’t do this justice, but our pea gravel mountain was just under a foot tall (30 cm).

Here’s our bubbly red lava taking over the rocks. In the background here, I’ve been hearing “there she blows!”

It is also super fun to mix up the colors a little bit! We can pour the vinegar in about three times before we need to add more baking soda to our solution.

Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano Video

Want to see it in action? Here’s the video!

Since we can’t get enough of this, here are some more snapshots of our other volcano eruptions.

 What does it look like afterward? Here’s a picture of ours once we took away the plastic cup. You can hardly even tell we did anything, and the rocks must be nice and clean with the baking soda and vinegar. If the washable paint doesn’t come off the rocks right away, it will within a few days or the next rain.

If you want to see what this looks like with dirt, check out these fun volcano posts!

Easy Backyard Volcano by Mom with a Lesson Plan

Erupting Volcanoes in Preschool by Teach Preschool

Or if you have the time to make it a little fancier, here are some more great ideas:

Build, Paint, and Erupt Volcano by Fun at Home With Kids

Erupting Volcano Dinosaur Printable from Fun at Home With Kids

Comparing Homemade Volcano Recipes by Still Playing School

How to Build a Volcano by Kids Activities Blog

Ice Volcanoes by Reading Confetti

Messy Play Fun with Shaving Cream from Fun-A-Day!

Erupting an Easy Homemade Volcano by Mom to 2 Posh Lil’ Divas

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September 13, 2016 at 8:32 am

My son tried this Has lots of fun!

February 28, 2018 at 4:38 pm

I like the idea I have to try it thank you Katie from preschool inspirations I love it and it looks fun and cool because I have a science fair at Edison elementary and I think it would be cool thanks

April 29, 2018 at 5:51 pm

Can you do this without the paint too?

May 2, 2018 at 9:19 am

Hi Amanda, it works without paint. It just won’t be colored. Have fun!

[…] sort of guided activity during my break time. For example some fun science experiments. Making a baking soda and vinegar volcano is super easy and fun. It doesn’t take too long either so you can easily do this with your […]

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more in Experiments

Make your own volcano.

Check out the GIANT version!

You will need

• A volcano – Talk to an art teacher about how to make a volcano out of paper mache or plaster. You can also use clay or if you’re in a hurry to make your volcano, use a mound of dirt outside.
• A container that 35mm film comes in, and old pill bottle, a baby food jar, or similar size container.
• Red and yellow food coloring (optional)
• Liquid dish washing soap
• Go outside or prepare for some clean-up inside
• Put the container into the volcano at the top
• Add two spoonfuls of baking soda
• Add about a spoonful of dish soap
• Add about 5 drops each of the red and yellow food coloring

Now for the eruption!: Add about an ounce of the vinegar into the container and watch what your volcano come alive.

A VOLCANO is produced over thousands of years as heat a pressure build up. That aspect of a volcano is very difficult to recreate in a home experiment. However this volcano will give you an idea of what it might look like when a volcano erupts flowing lava. This is a classic experiment in which a CHEMICAL reaction can create the appearance of a PHYSICAL volcano eruption. You should look at pictures of volcanoes to be familiar with the different types. (A SHIELD volcano, for example is the most common kind of volcano, and yet few people know about them) The reaction will bubble up and flow down the side like a real volcano (only much faster!) Look for videos of volcanoes erupting and be sure that you understand how heat and pressure work to really make volcanoes erupt.

MAKE IT AN EXPERIMENT

The project above is a DEMONSTRATION. To make it a true experiment, you can try to answer these questions:

1. Does vinegar temperature affect how fast the volcano erupts? 2. Does the shape of the volcano affect the direction the eruption travels? 3. What can be added to the “lava” to slow it down and make it more like real lava? 4. What combination of vinegar and baking soda creates the biggest eruption?

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Easy Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano for Kids

We’re big fans of science experiments and STEM activities like this play dough Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano Science Experiment. My kids love trying new science experiments. However, sometimes the classic science experiments really are the best. Like how to make a volcano for kids… with play dough… science fair, anyone? Whether you are a teacher or a parent, this volcano science experiment is sure to be a hit with your kids!

Recommended Grade Level:

Kindergarten

• Supply List
• Coordinating Activities

Materials for the Play Dough Volcano Science Experiment:

• Plastic Beaker
• Baking Soda
• Washable Paint

Classic Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano Science Experiment

Create the best play dough volcano science experiment in the world with these simple instructions:, what else can i use to create an eruption, what can i use besides play dough to create a volcano, what happens when you mix vinegar and baking soda in the volcano science experiment, cool science experiments with baking soda and vinegar:.

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More Science Experiments for Kids:

We’ve turned the classic baking soda and vinegar experiment for kids into a volcano more times than I can count, but my kids still love trying it over and over.

This time, we kept things really simple by making this easy baking soda and vinegar volcano experiment out of play dough and a beaker.

The play dough volcano was a hit with both elementary and preschool kids , and even the clean up was easy for this one. If you need a low-mess science experiment , this one definitely fits the bill.

How do you make a baking soda and vinegar volcano science experiment with play dough?

Teaching kids how to make a volcano with baking soda and vinegar is super easy!

Since this baking soda and vinegar science experiment makes the play dough wet, it is a great way to use play dough that is about to dry out or play dough that is all combined with other colors. You could also use homemade play dough to make this volcano.

Materials for the Play Dough Volcano:

How to Make a Vinegar and Baking Soda Volcano Science Experiment:

Create the mixture to put inside the volcano.

• Mix up to a cup of baking soda and 1-2 oz of paint together along with a small amount of dish soap, about 1 tsp. The dish soap will help the volcano erupt slower, making this easy volcano experiment last longer.
• Add a touch of water if the mixture is too thick.
• Pour 1/2 cup to 1 cup baking soda mixture into the beaker.

Place the beaker on your tray. You can secure it in place with a bit of masking tape as you get ready to create your volcano with play dough.

Figuring out how to build a play dough volcano with a beaker or soda bottle is also a great way to sneak in some fine motor skills practice with your kids.

(I always love sneaking in fine motor skills with my kids…even the older ones who seem to use their thumbs for texting more than anything else…sigh.)

Place the play dough around the beaker to make it look like a volcano. Don’t cover up the opening of the beaker because you will need the vinegar to get inside to create the chemical reaction.

Pour a small amount of vinegar into the beaker or soda bottle to create the baking soda and vinegar reaction , then, watch the volcano erupt. Keep adding vinegar a little at a time and watch as the vinegar reacts with the baking soda until the volcano no longer erupts any longer.

Of course, the baking soda and vinegar reaction is also great as a drain cleaner, but I think the kids will enjoy this experiment more as them make a vinegar volcano with baking soda & vinegar.

More Science Experiments for Kids

This classic science experiment i s always a fun one for kids, and no matter how many times they make it, they still love watching the baking soda and vinegar chemical reaction over and over.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

When  vinegar and baking soda  are first  mixed  together, hydrogen ions in the  vinegar  (acetic acid) react with the sodium and  bicarbonate  ions in the  baking soda . The result of this initial reaction is two new chemicals: carbonic acid and sodium acetate. The second reaction is a decomposition reaction and carbon dioxide is released. (which is what creates the bubbles)

While you can create an ‘explosion’ simply mixing baking soda and vinegar in any tray or container, you will get the most volcano-like eruption by using a tall, narrow container like a glass, vase, water bottle, canning jar or even an aluminum can. This allows the eruption to build higher before erupting and spilling over the sides.

If you don’t have baking soda and vinegar on hand, there are many other ways that you can create a volcano science experiment. You can try  soda and Mentos candy ,  soda and Pop Rocks , and also baking soda and citrus fruits.

What kids will really care about more than a scientific explanation is how big their volcano is!

Do you love this Volcano Experiment for Kids?

Pin it for later!

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Kim Staten is a mother of four children ages 20, 19, 16, and 12. Kim has taught at the preschool, kindergarten and early elementary levels for 16 years. With extensive experience working with special needs children, including her own children with special needs (Rett Syndrome, autism, anxiety, and ADHD), she creates hands-on curricula and activities that are great for working with children of all abilities in the classroom and at home. Hands-on, accessible activities are her passion. 

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20 Volcano Activities For Middle School: Crafts, Demonstrations, Observations, And Worksheets

January 27, 2024 //  by  Kaitlyn Townsend

Volcanoes are an important part of teaching earth science and getting students to understand the basics of tectonic plates, the composition of the earth, the role of molten lava, and the impact of volcanic eruptions on life. Here are 20 visual representations, volcano crafts, and other educational resources to help you, help your students understand the basics of volcanoes and have fun while doing so! 

1. The Magic School Bus Blows Its Top

This classic children’s book is a fun way to answer many students’ basic questions about volcanoes and introduce some basic volcano vocabulary. You could use this book as a read-aloud for younger students, or use it in various ways as an extension project. 

Learn More: Amazon

2. Cootie Catcher Volcano

In this activity students illustrate a “cootie catcher” with a volcano’s various parts like hot magma, the magma chamber, and other distinct layers- learning some volcano vocabulary as they go. This would also make a good addition to geography lesson plans. 

Learn More: Ms. Conner

3. Volcanic Eruption Demonstration

Using simple household supplies like baking soda, a baking tray, food coloring, and a few other materials, students can make their own volcano and watch its fizzy eruption in this hands-on volcano demonstration. 

Learn More: Giggly

4. Pumpkin Volcano Craft

This variation on a hands-on volcano demonstration includes dish soap, food coloring, and some other household supplies, as well as a pumpkin! Reinforce volcano vocabulary as students make an “active volcano”. Pro tip: use a baking tray or plastic cutting board for easy cleanup. 

Learn More: Beyond the Playroom

5. Volcano Cake

Celebrate the end of the unit with a sweet activity dedicated to volcanoes. Ice three different-sized bundt cakes and stack them on top of each other to construct your own steep-sided volcano. Once you have iced the cakes, top them with melted icing for the fluid lava.

Learn More: So Yummy

6. Lava Cam

Learn about one of the world’s famous volcanoes, Kīlauea, by observing the live volcano cam. The live footage is a great way to start a discussion about how lava flows, to pique students’ interest in volcanoes, or to discuss the volcanologist career field. 

Learn More: National Park Service

7. Volcano Earth Science Packet

This earth science packet is full of worksheets to teach students and provide comprehension checks on everything from types of volcanoes to types of eruptions and tectonic plates. Use this packet as homework to reinforce what students have learned in class.

Learn More: Homeschool Den

8. Rock Cycle Activity

Learn about the effects of previous eruptions on the earth in this rock cycle activity. This visual and interactive activity is a great format for students that are kinesthetic or experiential learners. 

Learn More: Engaging Science Labs

9. Glitter Volcano

Students can learn about underwater volcanic eruptions with this simple volcano experiment using food coloring and a few jars.  Students also have the opportunity to learn about convection currents as they explore how the lava escapes into the water. 

Learn More: Living Well Mom

10. Printable Volcano Bundle

This comprehension skills packet includes worksheets on volcano types, volcanic material, blank volcano diagrams, and pictures for just coloring for fun. These various worksheets can help reinforce answers to essential questions or fill out lesson plans. 

Learn More: Thought Co.

11. Tectonic Plate Oreos

Learn how tectonic plates contributes to different types of volcanoes with this sweet activity. Using Oreos broken into different-sized pieces, students learn about different plate movements. 

Learn More: Sorting Sprinklers

12. Volcano Mini Books

This example of a volcano model shows how previous eruptions of hot magma from the magma chamber form new volcanoes. Students can complete this activity by folding it up and coloring it for fun to make a little study book. 

Learn More: Homeschool Giveaways

13. Introduction to Volcanoes

This short movie is a great way to start a unit. It includes some stories about famous world volcanoes and their previous eruptions, discussions about various types of volcanoes, and footage of real volcanoes. 

Learn More: Learn Bright

14. Volcano: The Dr. Bionics Show

This cartoon-style movie is a good choice for younger middle schoolers. It is short, to the point, and includes examples of volcano models in all different shapes. It also includes fun trivia. This would be a good form for students needing some review before going deeper. 

Learn More: Peekaboo Kidz

15. Pompeii Volcano Eruption

This short video narrates one of the most famous volcanoes of all time-Pompeii. It does a good job of summarizing the cultural and scientific significance of the town. This would be a great opener to tie into a discussion about world history, or even in English class. 

Learn More: Twig Science Reporter

16. Volcano Science Study Guide

This unique interactive note pack will help keep students engaged. The bundle includes an interactive wheel for important volcano vocabulary, including definitions and diagrams students can color. Additionally, it includes a lift-the-flap notes page, in which students can also color and write information using their own words underneath. 

Learn More: Etsy

17. Earthquakes and Volcanoes

Why not take a look at some volcanic eruptions that are happening right now? Your kids will love this amazing online tool from the Smithsonian Institure that tracks active volcanoes and their erruptions. This is a super way to show them real-life examples!

Learn More: Smithsonian Institute Global Volcanism Project

18. Volcano Diagram

Here is another example of a blank volcano diagram. This would be great as a pre-assessment or to include in a quiz. Expand the assessment for older students by asking additional questions about each blank, or take away the word bank to make it harder. 

Learn More: Education.com

19. NeoK12: Volcanoes

This website is full of teacher-vetted resources for teaching students about volcanoes. Resources include videos, games, worksheets, quizzes, and more. The website also includes a bank of presentations and pictures that can be used and modified for your own classroom. 

Learn More: Neo K12

20. Museum of Natural History: Ology Home

This webpage about volcanoes produced by the American Museum of Natural History includes lots of information about famous volcanoes, how volcanoes are formed, and some interactive fields. This would be a wonderful resource for a teacher’s sick day or a virtual learning day if paired with a worksheet or other aid. 

Learn More: American Museum of Natural History

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in Teaching Abroad Adventures , Uncategorized ·

Volcano Activities for First Grade Volcano Day!

Three Fridays ago I hosted Volcano Day in my first grade classroom! We had been finishing up our study on Landforms, and I thought it would be a fun way to celebrate! My idea came from A Day in First Grade  and as soon as I saw Kristen’s post, I knew I had to do it with my class!

We started our day off like we do every morning, with our “morning meeting” on the floor by the chalkboard. I had been eluding to this special day previously, and as soon as “Vol…” came out of my mouth, I had hands raised (and, let’s be real, voices talking who I had NOT called on) wanting to share stories and experiences (and made-up stories) about volcanoes. No joke, we spent almost twice as long in morning meeting than we usually do! But they had so much fun sharing, that I let them do so. Once they had gotten most of their stories told, we moved on into our morning meeting, did a bit of morning work, and got started!

We began with this anchor chart, that I basically copied from the blog post above. I also found this poster (on the right) in my school’s library/extra teaching materials. It was PERFECT! We also skimmed a book about volcanoes, practiced our vocabulary, and had some great discussion. It blew their minds that magma and lava is the same thing, but is called something different depending on where it is (inside or outside the earth).

After that, we got our paint on! I decided to do the craft that Kristen did with her first graders. We colored white cardstock green for the grass (on the bottom) and blue for the sky (on top). I wanted to make sure that it would dry before we finished the craft, so we did the painting in the morning.

After our paintings were hung to dry, we got started on our science experiment sheet. I explained to the students how scientists write down the different parts to their experiments, their predictions, observations,, etc. and how we would be doing the same! Here is the simple experiment sheet I made for free download, if you’d like to use it!

I thought (and pinned) about the different experiments we could try, but went back to the oldie but goodie… baking soda and vinegar! We spiced it up with red food coloring too. When in Tanzania, things like dish soap and other options are either expensive, or just not available. This experiment was inexpensive, and just as fun for the students! We started by going over the materials we would be using, and wrote them in the first blank space… baking soda, vinegar, red food coloring, plastic bottle. Then, we made predictions on what they think would happen. We had a lot of students that said that it would EXPLODE and others said FIRE would come out! I, of course, didn’t say anything and let them discover it for themselves. I LOVE hearing their predictions! Their imaginations are INCREDIBLE!!!

After our writing time, we went outside to a grassy (confined) area to do our experiment. I started by having them all sit on the curb (see picture below), and put my empty bottle on a box in the grass. I had one student pour in the vinegar, another  the food coloring, and then another to pour in the baking soda. They LOVED seeing it erupt!

 Each team got two rounds of erupting, and they took turns with the different jobs. Look at those two cuties! Smiles all around!

 They had so much fun experimenting with the amount of baking soda to vinegar!

 I’m blessed to have an AMAZING teacher’s assistant, Sarah, and she was so helpful with this experiment! The kids crowded around every time there was an eruption to see it!!

They could have done this for HOURS if I would have let them! It was tons of fun!

By the end of it, our hands were red, and fun was had by all! Just remember to keep an eagle eye on all of your students! I had one who tried to DRINK the experiment (WHOOPS!).

After we had experimented (and after lunch), we reflected on what we had seen. We wrote down our observations and drew a picture of what happened.

Lastly, we finished our craft from earlier. I previously cut out mountains and they pasted them onto their now dry papers.

 Sorry for the blurry photo- it’s the only one I snapped of this part of the project!

 And then we went a-sprayin’! I found a couple of random hairspray bottles in my cabinet (though I wish I would have had a better spray bottle). I filled them with about 1/4 paint to 3/4 water, because the nozzles were finer. One had red paint the other had yellow. I had the students come outside with me one by one (while my TA was inside with the kids helping them finish up their writing and watching them) and helped them spray some paint onto their volcano, to make it look like it was erupting! For some reason, the students struggled with getting the bottle to spray, so I had to help them a lot. I think they turned out SUPER cute though!

We definitely had SO much fun, and learned a lot too! Teaching in Tanzania is hard sometimes, especially when I don’t have access to all of the resources in the States. But I love when I can share a bit of my childhood with my firsties, and give them fun learning experiences!  I also love doing themed days like this, to mix it up a bit! Let me know if you do Volcano Day in your classroom! I’d love to hear about it!

Much Love, Allie

Clay Volcano Experiment for Kids

If you are looking for an activity to get kids excited about science and art, this activity is a great place to start. Kids love learning about volcanoes and this volcano experiment for kids allows them to create their own volcano before having it ‘explode”.

I had a lot of fun doing this experiment at school with my kindergarten classes, and again at home with my own kids.

As with all science experiments, make sure an adult is supervising at all times.

You only need a few materials for this art and science activity. You will need:

• Air Dry Clay
• Baking Soda
• Food Coloring (Optional)
• Eye Droppers (Optional)
• Magnifying Glasses (Optional)

Volcano Art

This activity is a great opportunity to include an art lesson and let kids get their hands-on the clay. We spent a few days exploring the clay and creating with it because the children had not used it before.

You can simply give children the clay and create a volcano right away, but if you have the time, it makes for great art exploration.

I started by giving each child a ball of clay to create with. They got used to the feel of the clay and compared it to other art materials that they had used in the past, such as play dough.

Next, I gave children a bit of water to dip their finger in if they found a crack in their clay. The clay can dry quite quickly so children explored with the water to keep their clay smooth.

Children even spent time as artists experimenting with toothpicks to create marks.  They used sponges and water to test how the clay reacts. 

Finally, on the third day, each child created their own small volcano.

Creating the Volcano

Give each child a small ball of clay. Depending on how much clay you have, evenly divide it so that each child as large of a sphere as possible. The volcanoes work best with clay at least the size of a ping pong ball to start.

Next, roll the clay into a sphere. Then push your thumb into the center of the ball and pinch around the thumb hole to widen the top. You can also push down along the bottom so that the clay takes the shape of a volcano.

If you are doing this clay volcano experiment with lots of kids, make sure to scratch each of their names into the bottom of their volcano.

Children can also scratch some designs or prints into their volcanos, just for fun.

Since I cover prep, I teach over 100 kids so the names were very important. It was interesting because every volcano that the kids made was different! 

Let your volcano dry over night. They will be ready to go in the morning!

Volcano Experiment for Kids

To do the volcano experiment for kids, place a dry clay volcano on a plastic plate.

Next, fill the volcano with baking soda. I use eye droppers for science experiments like this because I find that children love being able to use them, and feel like ‘real’ scientists.

I also like using eye droppers because they control the amount of vinegar children add to the baking soda. It allows the experiment to go on longer and allows for quality observations.

I added food coloring to the vinegar simply because it was more fun and red looked like lava. The color also allows the chemical reaction to be more clear. Today my kids wanted it to be blue.

With the eye dropper, add a few drops of vinegar to the baking soda in the volcano. Carefully observe the reaction. Magnifying glasses are great to use to encourage careful observations. Have children look and listen as they add drops of vinegar.

As soon as the vinegar touches the baking soda, it creates a chemical reaction. We see this reaction as bubbling, and fizzing.

The children loved the fact that they were making their volcano explode!

You can continue adding vinegar until the volcano doesn’t ‘explode’ any more.

The excitement that occurred through out this experiment was amazing.  I love how hands-on the activity is and how much the kids enjoyed being mini scientists.

The other great thing that I love about this volcano experiment for kids is the fact that the children were really proud and engaged because they did the experiment.

They created the volcano and they did the science experiment. Each part of the activity was hands-on and meaningful.

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Extension ideas.

One way that you could extend this activity is to create a huge volcano. If you don’t have the option for each child to create their own, or if you are working with really young kids, you could create one large volcano to present the ‘explosion’ to the kids.

Using baking soda and vinegar for science experiments is a great way to get kids excited about science. They love watching the reaction and learning a little bit about what is happening.

If you, and the kids you did the experiment with, enjoyed the volcano experiment for kids, then they will likely love doing another science experiment that creates the same ‘explosion’, but this time it blows up a balloon!

If you already have vinegar and baking soda, or have some left over, you could try out this Balloon Experiment”. All you need is baking soda, vinegar, a balloon and a plastic bottle.

Kids will be amazed that you can blow up the balloon with out even touching it to your mouth! Click the “Balloon Experiment” image below for full activity description.

Volcano Experiment for Kids Volcano Craft

If you really want to create something special to do this experiment in, you can easily create a special and sturdy volcano from plaster.

That way you can have some hands-on fun with an art project and you can use the volcano to do the science experiment over and over again.

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More Volcano Projects for Kids

If you love the volcano experiment for kids above, then you will love this collection of 15 DIY volcano project ideas for kids.

More Hands-On Teaching Ideas

If you are looking for more activities and ideas to do in the classroom, or at home with kids, below are some of my favourite and most popular learning activities.

From more easy science projects, and art units to escape rooms and outdoor learning activities are lots of things to keep kids busy and learning.

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Easy Exploding Volcano Experiment for Kids

Posted on Published: August 11, 2016  - Last updated: September 19, 2018

This Exploding Volcano Experiment was sponsored by P&G as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Back to school is right around the corner! How do you prepare for back to school? We like to enjoy the last few days of summer by doing fun science experiments like a simple Exploding Volcano Experiment ! It’s a great way to get some learning in, but really it’s a fun activity that kids will love to do hands on!

Easy Exploding Volcano Experiment

I love shopping for my favorite P&G Household Needs at Costco because I get quality brands that I know, love and trust at a great value to help save money! It lets my pennies stretch so I can spend them on all the back to school supplies and new clothing my kids are going to need this year (curse those crazy end of summer growth spurts)!

And then obviously we need a great deal of Dawn Platinum Advanced Power dishwashing liquid! We use it to wash dishes and many at home science experiments like this exploding volcano experiment!

My kids are all very fascinated with science and hands-on experiments. So while school is almost here, we still have plenty of time to get in some more summer fun!

But why not make it educational too? We don’t want to deal with summer learning lost! So we try to keep our activities at least in part educational.

We’ve experimented with bubble blowing (which if you make your own bubble solution the kids can have fun with chemistry)! Again we use Dawn Platinum Advanced dishwashing liquid.

We’ve used Dawn Platinum Advanced dishwashing liquid to do the color changing milk science experiment . And that was a huge hit for the kids!

And now the favorite, an exploding volcano experiment! My kids absolutely love this one! And I find we have to do this at least once a year, or more.

• two spoonfuls of baking soda Baking Soda
•  warm water
• 1/4-1/2 cup White Distilled Vinegar
• Food Coloring 5 drops of each color
• 1 Spoonful (or a good squirt) Dawn Platinum Advanced dishwashing liquid
• a volcano cover
• a dish to hold the experiment

The volcano can be made of many different things. I happened to have a left over plastic volcano topper from an old science experiment kit.

But there are actually many ways you can create your own volcano:

• cut the top off a milk jug and paint it
• create a topper from paper mache
• construct a volcano from molding clay
• create a volcano from homemade salt molding dough
• form a volcano from a mound of snow
• Shape a volcano from a pile of dirt
• Forego the volcano and just use a cup – same result just doesn’t look like a volcano

No matter how you design the volcano topper, ensure you have enough room in the center to place the glass cup/beaker that will hold the ingredients for the explosion.

Set up your scene by placing the dish on a flat surface.

Add the cup and cover with the volcano topper.

Add a squirt of Dawn Platinum Advanced dishwashing liquid.

Then add a few spoonfuls of Baking Soda.

Add the food coloring.

To create the exploding volcano reaction, pour the vinegar into the volcano cup and watch the chemical reaction!

For this exploding volcano experiment, the details matter, like the ingredients!

The secret ingredient to the Exploding Volcano experiment is the Dawn Platinum Advanced dishwashing liquid. It traps the carbon dioxide as it tries to escape. Which causes for a greater reaction and explosion of bubbles!

Honestly, it is just such a fun experiment.

When you are finished, simply rinse dump the explosion mess down the drain. Rinse the cups and volcano off. And then you can do it all over again! Make sure to try different colors!

Also take a moment to admire the cup left over inside the volcano to see the fun separation after the chemical reaction!

Honestly, we have to do this exploding volcano experiment multiple times every time we do it! The kids just love to see it in action.

And they all have to take a turn to pour in the vinegar to create the explosion.

Can you see why I always have to buy Dawn Platinum Advanced Power dishwashing liquid in the large container from Costco? We go through it way too fast with all the fun science experiments we do. Plus using it for washing dishes too!

Dawn Platinum Advanced dishwashing liquid also helps to make the best stain remover, but that is another post for another day.

What are you best Back to school money saving tips?

What do you think of this simple exploding volcano experiment, how do you keep your kids entertained these last few summer days.

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How to Make a Volcano at Home in 3 Easy Steps

By: Author Teresa

Posted on Last updated: May 26, 2021

Categories Kids Games & Activities , STEM

If you’re like me you might be a little intimidated about doing science experiments for kids at home. But it’s easier than you think. Your kids will love this simple volcano science experiment.

Follow along and learn how to make a volcano at home with baking soda and vinegar in this step by step guide. An easy Stem activity for kids when their home in summer or during school shutdowns. They will want to do it over and over again.

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases . If you choose to buy something using my link, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, see my disclaimer here .

Volcano Materials & Ingredients You’ll Need

• You will need something to mix up your volcano. I suggest something clear so the kids can see the full impact of the exploding volcano. We used a spaghetti sauce jar but you could also use a clear plastic cup, water bottle or anything else you have at home.

Tip: Pick something you can throw away afterward to make clean up easy.

• A foil tray or newspaper to put under your jar. This way when the volcano explodes you have easy clean up. You could also do this out in your yard and spray it down after with a hose.

Ingredients

• Water – Fill up your container 2/3 full
• 4-5 Tbs of Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Dish Soap
• 5-6 Drops of Food Dye – any color you like
• 8 oz (1 cup) Vinegar

Step by Step Guide to Making a Volcano

Fill up your container 2/3 full of water

Add to the water – 4-5 tbs Baking Soda, 1 tsp Dish Soap and last 4-5 drops of Food Dye then stir together.

Tips: Give the kids a minute to watch the food dye mix into the water before you stir it all together. It’s pretty cool to watch the food dye in the jar.

Get the kids ready to see the explosion in this last step. Add in the 8oz of Vinegar and step back.

Yes, it’s that easy to do! When it settles pour out the mixture and do it again with a second food dye color. Kids will love watching it over and over again.

Are you ready now to do this fun Stem activity for kids at your house? Learning how to make a volcano at home is so easy and a great way to mix fun and education for your kids.

More STEM Activities

Looking for more fun STEM experiments at home? Here are some of our reader’s favorites.

Dinosaurs Frozen in Ice . It’s a simple at-home experiment with balloons, water, and small dinosaur figures. Kids will love figuring out how to melt the ice to discover the dinosaurs.

Rain Clouds in a Jar – Teach kids how rain comes from clouds with shaving cream, food dye, and water. Super easy and really cool to watch.

Ice Balloons – Cool Colored Ice Gems kids can explore. Do a fun Salt and Water Melting experiment or add them to their snow castle outdoors.

DIY Cardboard Marble Run  – Make a cool Marble run with an old box and paper towel rolls for a fun STEM project at home.

If you looking for more fun STEM experiences at home we love the monthly Tech kits from Creation Crate . Each month you get all the components to create a new electronic project with video & paper instructions.

Our kids look forward to Creation Crate’s arrival every month !

Need More Fun Activities for Kids at Home?

At Happy Mom Hacks we have tons of  Kids Activities  for both indoors and outdoors to fend off hearing kids say the dreaded I’m Bored. Here are a few Reader Favorite Activities:

Fun Outdoor Activities for Kids with Water Toys – Cool Water Toys for Your Backyard for Toddler to 10-Year-olds.

Minute to Win It Games for Kids  – Kids can play these by themselves racing the clock or against family and friends.

Fun Rainy Day Indoor Activities for Kids  – Fun games to play when your stuck indoors for the day.

60 Fun & Free Things to Do with Kids Screen-Free  – Entertaining activities for kids at home and in their local community.

Easy Coffee Filter Butterflies Kids Craft – Simple at-home craft for kids.

Fun Sidewalk Chalk Drawing Ideas & Shadow Art for Kids – The kids will love this fun outdoor art activity

Summer Camp at Home

Don’t stress about keeping the kids busy this summer! Plan a fun  Summer Camp at Home . It’s easier than you think with our complete  Summer Camp Planner . 30+ printable pages with 8 weeks of pre-planned themes, activities, schedules & more. Check it out and be ready for an unforgettable summer.

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How to make a "Volcano Experiment" Easy and Fun

How to Make a Volcano

Making a volcano experiment can be easy and fun if you have all the supplies you need on hand and teach kids how to make a model that's relatively quick. This allows them to get to the fun part of the experiment sooner. This project works for a classroom demonstration or a group project. Kids can work in teams on the volcano experiment or each can build an individual model.

Show pictures or videos of real volcanoes. Discuss the purpose of the experiment, such as explaining how a volcano erupts . The lava for the experiment works because of the chemical reaction between vinegar's acid and the base baking soda.

Prepare for the mess. Conduct the experiment outside, if weather permits. Alternatively, cover a table with plastic, such as a drop cloth or cut-open garbage bag and cover the plastic with newspaper.

Place cardboard inside a cookie tray for each volcano experiment. This provides a support for the model and the cookie baking sheet catches the lava flow from the eruption.

Make a modeling clay volcano. This version is more durable than paper mache or homemade clay volcanoes and it's ready to erupt as soon as it's built, without the drying stages and extra time to paint the model that can be frustrating for kids.

Show the kids how to glue the base of a 16-oz soda bottle in the center of the cardboard base. Direct them to form the shape of the volcano by smoothing balls of modeling clay around the base of the bottle and tapering the shape of the volcano as they add more clay up to the top of the bottle.

Guide the kids through creating the lava mixture. A 16-oz. soda bottle in the middle of the volcano model works well for a lava tube. Direct the kids to pour 1 cup of vinegar, 1 tablespoon of dish soap, eight drops of red food coloring and three drops of yellow food coloring into the bottle, and then to add 2 tbsp. of baking soda in a twist of tissue to set off the eruption.

Let the kids repeat the volcano experiment multiple times for the fun of making the volcano erupt.

Things You'll Need

Wear old clothes to avoid the risk of staining good clothes with the food coloring. Cut the top off the plastic bottle for the lava tube at an angle to resemble the natural opening of a volcano. Use a scissors to carefully poke a hole through the plastic 1 inch or more below the neck of the bottle and cut the top off at a 30 degree or greater angle. For a group project, prepare all the bottles in advance, both for safety and to save time.

Avoid using glass bottles of food coloring to prevent the risk of broken glass and spills. The small kits of food coloring that come with multiple small plastic bottles make it easy for kids to squeeze drops of color for the lava mixture without the risk of spills or injuries. Put the caps back on the food coloring and remove the bottles from the work table when you're finished with them.

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• Montana Tech: Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology; Let's Make a Volcano

About the Author

Gryphon Adams began publishing in 1985. He contributed to the "San Francisco Chronicle" and "Dark Voices." Adams writes about a variety of topics, including teaching, floral design, landscaping and home furnishings. Adams is a certified health educator and a massage practitioner. He received his Master of Fine Arts at San Francisco State University.

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