How to Make a Baking Soda Volcano That Actually Erupts

Create an exciting erupting volcano with your kids using simple household ingredients for a fun science experiment.

  1. Gather Your Materials. You'll need: a small plastic bottle (water or soda bottle works great), modeling clay or playdough, baking soda, white vinegar, liquid dish soap, red food coloring, a funnel, and a large tray or disposable pan to catch the eruption. Optional extras include yellow food coloring and glitter for more dramatic effects. Make sure you have paper towels nearby for cleanup.
  2. Build the Volcano Structure. Place your plastic bottle in the center of your tray. Use modeling clay or playdough to build a mountain shape around the bottle, leaving the opening at the top clear. Make sure the clay is pressed firmly against the bottle so liquid won't leak out the sides. Shape it to look like a real volcano with slopes leading down to the base. The clay should come up to about an inch below the bottle's rim.
  3. Prepare the Eruption Mix. Using your funnel, pour 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda into the bottle. Add a few drops of red food coloring and a squirt of dish soap. The soap helps create more foam for a better eruption effect. If you want orange lava, add a tiny bit of yellow coloring too. Have your vinegar ready in a measuring cup - you'll need about 1/2 cup for a good eruption.
  4. Make It Erupt. When everyone is ready and watching, quickly pour the vinegar into the bottle through the funnel. Step back immediately and enjoy the show! The mixture will foam up and overflow, creating your volcanic eruption. The reaction happens fast, so have your camera ready. You can repeat the eruption by cleaning out the bottle and starting over with fresh ingredients.
  5. Clean Up and Extend the Learning. Clean up is easy since all ingredients are safe and non-toxic. Rinse everything with water and wipe down surfaces. Talk with your kids about what happened - the baking soda and vinegar created a chemical reaction that produced carbon dioxide gas, which caused the foaming eruption. You can experiment with different amounts of ingredients to see how it changes the eruption.