What a fizzer!

It started one morning when we were reading a book about Planet Earth, and the section about volcanoes was of particular interest - how they build up over time and then erupt! … with flowing lava that cools to form volcanic rock.
It was quite exciting to discover this together. We decided we could build our own volcano and follow the instructions in the book.

Fill the bottle ¾ full with warm water, add two tablespoons of baking soda and a drop of food colouring.

Standing the bottle in the baking tray, we moulded the clay around it, making sure we didn’t cover the neck. This bit was messy fun… flattening the clay and moulding it around the bottle. We giggled trying to pad it out so it looked like a mountain rather than a bottle covered in clay…. it was a bit challenging, as the drink bottle plastic we used was flimsy.

We realised we needed more clay, so after a quick trip to the shops we ended up with a two-tone volcano!

I did wonder if, once it was dried out, we could use it again…

I enjoyed watching Master 4 concentrate on scooping and getting the baking soda into the neck of the bottle. He decided the funnel was “very useful”.

Scooping the baking soda into the ‘very useful’ funnel

I was also thinking there is a lot of water in this ‘recipe’. I wondered if the reaction between the baking soda and vinegar would take effect. But I let my son lead the way as I read the next step.

Add a few drops of vinegar and stand back!

Well, a few drops of vinegar turned into pouring a small jug, and still no fizz… but what was delighting Master 4 was the clay, water and vinegar making a sloppy, wet, slippery mixture. This felt nice on his hands.

We did eventually get the fizzing effect, which was so delightful, but as we fizzed again and again — adding more baking soda and vinegar — the volcano walls started to fall away.

The erosion became the best part, as Master 4 squished the clay mixture and said, “this is so fun!”.

Pouring the vinegar into the bottle with baking soda inside. The fizzing volcano!

Our gloopy eroding volcano.

The volcano making didn’t go to ‘plan’, certainly not the plan laid out in the instructions, and we were certainly not able to use the volcano again…but it was a joyful adventure of discovery together.

The delayed gratification of the volcano not fizzing straight away helped us find another path. The delight, the giggles, the wonder, and being outside in the fresh air were all we needed for the morning.

Our gloopy clay tray sat outside in the rain for many weeks until one day we decided to do another activity. Dinosaur egg excavation…

What you’ll need to make a fizzing volcano

How to Make a Fizzing Volcano

A simple activity to try at home - best enjoyed outside.

Gather these items:

• An empty bottle

• Baking soda

• Vinegar

• Spoon

• Funnel (optional, but very useful)

• Baking tray

• Red food colouring (optional)

• Dropper

• Air dry clay, wet sand or dirt could work as well to form the volcano shape around the bottle.

What to do:

• Add 2 tablespoons of baking soda and a drop of food colouring inside the bottle.

• Place the bottle on a tray and mould clay around it to form a volcano (leave the opening clear).

• Slowly add vinegar and watch what happens. Add more baking soda and vinegar to continue the fizz!

And remember - it doesn’t have to go to plan. That might just be the best part.