How to Make a Homemade Clay Volcano Explode

Show how a volcano works using common kitchen products.

A homemade volcano is an exciting arts and crafts project to create at home, especially for young children since you can make it explode after you make it. You can also make a clay volcano and bring it to your school's science fair to show the judges how the inside of the volcano explodes. The mixture of ingredients you place inside the volcano creates an explosion and comes from ingredients you likely have in your kitchen cupboards. Does this Spark an idea?

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Cardboard box
Plastic bottle
Red food coloring
Yellow food coloring
Baking soda
Dish soap
Vinegar

Instructions

- 1
  
  Place your clay volcano in a cardboard box to capture any mess.
- 2
  
  Insert a small plastic container, such as a soda bottle with the top cut off, into the center of the clay volcano.
- 3
  
  Add 2 tablespoons of baking soda to the bottle and 1 tablespoon of dish soap.
- 4
  
  Color the mixture with 5 drops of red food coloring and 5 drops of yellow food coloring to make orange lava.
- 5
  
  Make the volcano erupt by adding an ounce of vinegar to the baking soda and dish soap mixture. If you want to test the results without ruining the volcano, add the ingredients to a test bottle beforehand and experiment over your kitchen sink or outdoors.