Volcanic Eruption

6 cups flour

2 cups salt

4 tablespoons cooking oil

2 cups of warm water

2 tablespoons baking soda

¼ cup vinegar (up to a cup for larger bottles)

Large bowl 

1- or 2-liter soda bottle

Baking pan

Red food coloring (or 1 tablespoon of cherry gelatin powder for

chunkier lava)

Tissue paper

Funnel

Making the salt dough volcano

1. Mix 6 cups flour, 2 cups salt, 4 tablespoons cooking oil, and 2 cups of water in a large bowl.
2. Work the ingredients with your hands until smooth and firm. Add more water to the mixture if needed.
3. Stand the soda bottle in the baking pan. Mold the salt dough around the bottle, making sure you don't cover up the bottle mouth or drop any dough into the bottle.
4. You have the option of making your volcano erupt right away or waiting 2 days for the dough to completely dry to turn your volcano into a paintable (and reusable) model.

 

Making your volcano erupt

1. Fill the bottle about 2/3 full with very warm water and add the vinegar to the bottle.
2. Mix the baking soda and enough food coloring together to make the mixture a light pink. For chunkier lava, replace food coloring with 1 tablespoon of cherry flavored gelatin powder.
3. When ready for your eruption, add the baking soda mixture to the vinegar all at once, using either the funnel or by bundling the mixture into tissue paper and dropping it in.
4. Stand back and watch the “fireworks!”

 

NOTE: The reaction can be quite fast. Add the soda mix quickly and stand back, so you can get a good look!