Homemade Volcano

Now i'm sure most everyone reading this has either seen or made a baking soda volcano. Most of us probably did them as a science project in elementary school. They haven't gotten any more difficult to make and a 4 year old will probably enjoy making it more than someone doing homework.  As with anything I write here let this be the idea, you can change most anything about it to fit your childs idea of a volcano. Ours was a  huge success and my daughter is constantly wanting to make lava now.

Making the Volcano

 This can range from the plain to really over the top and life like. You can use anything from play dough or clay to dirt for your volcano. We used paper mache with chicken wire for ours. I began by forming the general shape out of chicken wire fitting it around a dixie cup. The dixie cup is not needed but you will need something to put the baking soda and vinegar into. Once the basic form is complete make your glue for paper mache and start layering on the paper. Let the volcano dry completely before continuing.

Decoration

If this were a science project you would be making this as life like as possible. Well ours wasn't made for that reason so it was time to unleash the 4 year old with paint. There are few things my child enjoys more than using every possible color to decorate something.  Get creative, you can use spray glue and dirt for a textured feel, you can even build a village around the volcano and watch the lava run through town.

 

Eruption

There are many different recipes for creating the lava.  We used baking soda and vinegar in about a 1-1 ratio. There are certainly more precise recipes but that seemed to work perfect for us. Make sure to include a couple drops of food coloring in your color of choice for the lava. A couple of drops of soap helps the effects of the lava as well. Place the baking soda in the cup or container in the center of the volcano then add the colored vinegar. I would recommend doing this either on a metal cookie sheet or better yet outside.

Volcano Fun Facts

•  The volcanic rock pumice is the only rock that can float in water. It is usually gray and full of bubbly holes, which form when hot gases jet furiously out of the rock as it cools.
•  The simplest type of volcano is a cinder cone, which forms as gas-charged lava is thrown into the air, breaks into smaller pieces called cinders and falls around a volcanic vent, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
•  The Pacific Ring of Fire is home to 452 volcanoes that's 75 percent of the world's active and dormant volcanoes.
•  More than 80% of the earth's surface is volcanic in origin. The sea floor and some mountains were formed by countless volcanic eruptions. Gaseous emissions from volcano formed the earth's atmosphere.
•  Volcanic eruptions can send ash high into the air, over 30km (17 miles) above the Earth’s surface.
•  The word volcano originally comes from the name of the Roman god of fire, Vulcan.

Recipes and Helpful Links

Paper Mache Glue

• 4 parts water
• 1 part flour
• 1 pinch of salt (optional,helps with potential of mold)

Heat water then to a boil then mix in the flour and salt. "cook" for 2-3 min or until it resembles the paste you remember using a child.  You may need to add some water if it becomes too think or clunky.

Yeast and Peroxide Lava

http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistryhowtoguide/ht/volcano.htm

Baking Soda and Vinegar

http://chemistry.about.com/cs/howtos/ht/buildavolcano.htm

Volcano information for the slightly older and more curious child.

http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-volcano.htm