Homemade Lava Lamp
Oil, water, food colouring and an effervescent tablet in a bottle create a bubbling lava-lamp effect.
Thinking
5–11 years
10–20 min
Calm
Some mess
At home
What you need
- Clear plastic bottle
- Vegetable oil
- Water
- Food colouring
- Effervescent vitamin C or antacid tablet
Setup
- Fill the bottle about a quarter with water and top up the rest with oil
- Add a few drops of food colouring and let it settle
- Break the tablet into pieces and drop one in at a time
Play prompts
- Why do you think the oil and water don't mix?
- What happens when you drop in the tablet?
- Can you keep the bubbling going by adding another piece?
Ways to change it up
- Shine a torch through the bottle in a dark room for a lava-lamp glow
- Try different food colour combinations for the next bottle
Safety notes
- Keep tablets out of reach of toddlers, they are not for eating
- Cap the bottle tightly before shaking, if shaking
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