Making model volcanoes can be fun for anyone in the family and there are many different ways that they can be made. Whether you are an adult making it just for the sake of a bog eruption explosion or a kid making it for the learning, there are many fun ways to make a model volcano. Here is an example of a safe and fun way to make a model volcano with younger children.
This model volcano starts with some good preparation because it takes some time to prepare well. There are some things that you need to prepare in advance so that your younger children can have fun making the volcano. This volcano model should be easier for children to make because it involves a material they are probably already used to and have experience with – play dough. You can buy play dough for the model, but it won’t be as fun or as customizable as play dough you make from home. To make your own play dough you will need to gather all the ingredients and determine how many batches you need to prepare for all of the volcanoes you will make. For one batch of play dough you will need 6 cups of flour, 2 cups of salt, 4 tablespoons cooking oil, 2 cups of water, and food coloring. This should make enough play dough to make one average size volcano or a few smaller ones. If you are going to be using this at a birthday party or similar event, then you will need more batches. They play dough is the most important ingredient of this project so it is important that it be prepared correctly. You should mix all of the ingredients together except the food coloring by hand. Using a mixing machine will make the dough crumble and this will not work for molding the model.
After you have made the play dough, you will need to gather the remaining materials as well. Get a tray or large container that will hold the volcano and the lava once you cause the eruption. You’ll also need a paper cup, tin foil, and scissors. Begin by putting the paper cup in the middle of the container and cover it on the outside with the tin foil. Then cover the lip of the cup and form the foil into the shape of a mountain. It may take several pieces of foil to make this work properly and to give you the shape you want. Then roll out the play dough with a rolling pin to make it flat and easy to work with. Place it over the foil understructure and over the rim of the cup. It may take several sections of rolled dough to give you the shape and form you want for the volcano. Then you can decorate the volcano with trees, animals and buildings if you want. Some people choose to make little lava beds where they want the lava to flow. Adding additional colors can also give more life and variety to the volcano. Then you will need to have the lava mixture prepared. It consists of 3 teaspoons baking soda, red food coloring and vinegar. The more lava mixture you have available, the more times you will be able to make it erupt. When you are ready to cause the eruption, pour the baking soda into the paper cup in the middle of the volcano and then combine the food coloring with the vinegar. Pour the vinegar into the cup and watch the chemical reaction with the baking soda that will cause the eruption of your model volcano. You can make this part even more exciting and interesting if you use a different color for the mixture.
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