How to Build a Volcano

My boys have been obsessed with volcanoes for awhile. I think it all started on our road trips between Dallas and Colorado several times a year.

Just off the highway in Capulin, NM is a volcano.

Capulin, NM is interesting because it is the only “hill” for MILES and MILES.   It is in the middle of nowhere.   The Capulin volcano hasn’t erupted in years ¦58,000 to be exact.

I thought it would be fun to make a homemade volcano. So, we put together our supplies and got to work! Read on to learn how to make a volcano yourself.

How To Build a Volcano

Here’s what you need to build a volcano:

• Red or orange  food coloring
• Funnel
• Empty plastic bottle
• 1 Tbsp Baking soda
• 2 cups Vinegar
• Sand/dirt

Use the dirt to build a mound around your plastic bottle. Add the baking soda to your bottle using the funnel.

Add a couple of drops of food coloring to the vinegar, then pour it into your bottle and watch the reaction happen!

You could also do this fun activity outside!

Rhett (age 5) created a volcanic mountain of dirt  burying the bottle. If your helper is a small child, I suggest replacing the bottle cap during this process so that dirt doesn’t become part of your eventual lava.

It is pretty awesome to discover what happens when vinegar and baking soda hang out together.

Did you know? We wrote a science book!

Our book, The 101 Coolest Simple Science Experiments, features tons of awesome activities just like this one that will keep your kids engaged while they learn. How awesome is that?!