Oh goodness, this took forever to perfect.  I have made so many versions of giant volcanoes over the last few weeks, but I can tell you THIS, this is THE volcano, folks.

First you build it.  I built this one, but a kid could totally build it if you weren't super picky on how straight it was, etc.  Once it's built, let it dry overnight (you can let it dry for several days if you'd rather).

Next you paint it!  We used eyedroppers full of liquid watercolors (of course), but you could use diluted food coloring if you'd like.  We are on a painting jag after our Salt Sculptures.  The volcano will take color well, but you want to paint it right before you erupt it.  Unlike our Salt Sculptures, the volcano will flake off the color if you allow it to dry for several hours, so it's not meant to be a long-lasting sculpture.

I got to help a little - it's a lot of fun to paint.

Once it's painted - add some dish soap to the middle, add some vinegar and watch 'er blowwww!!!!

It's a good idea to put it in a container.  :)

Isn't it pretty?

It lasts for several eruptions.  Doesn't it look kind of cool in between?  It holds its structure quite well.

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To make your own, you'll need:

Baking Soda

Water

Vinegar

Dish Soap (aka Washing up Liquid)

Liquid Watercolors (or Diluted Food Coloring)

Eye Droppers

To make the "dough" for the volcano, mix (every) 1 cup of baking soda with 3 Tablespoons of water.  I think I used 6 cups of baking soda here, but you can certainly make smaller (or larger!) volcanoes.  Make sure that you have thoroughly mixed the water and the baking soda.  A good test is making a fist around some of the wet baking soda - if it holds, you've added enough water.  If you need to add a little extra water to make it easier to mold, that's fine, just allow some extra time to dry.

As I explained above, plan to paint and erupt the volcano at the same time.  Just before you are ready to erupt the volcano with vinegar, add about 1 teaspoon of dish soap (it's not necessary to measure - just to give you an idea of how much).  Then add vinegar to your heart's content!  We like adding vinegar with squeezy bottles.  

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All activities here are activities I feel are safe for my own children.  As your child's parents/guardians, you will need to decide what you feel is safe for your family.  I always encourage contacting your child's pediatrician for guidance if you are not sure about the safety/age appropriateness of an activity. All activities on this blog are intended to be performed with adult supervision.  Appropriate and reasonable caution should be used when activities call for the use of materials that could potentially be harmful, such as scissors, or items that could present a choking risk (small items), or a drowning risk (water activities), and with introducing a new food/ingredient to a child (allergies).  Observe caution and safety at all times.  The author and blog disclaim liability for any damage, mishap, or injury that may occur from engaging in any of these activities on this blog.