Science is fun

Today we decided to make a volcano. Zack has been wanting to do this for a while, so I finally gave in. Actually, I didn't tell them what we were doing, they had to figure it out for themselves.
They first guessed cookies, then bread, and even pretzels(all that salt!). Once we stated molding it I thought for sure they would get it. It wasn't until we added the red food coloring and the dish soap that they realized it wasn't edible! Kelsey finally figured it out and Zack was SOOO excited!
It is such an easy recipe to follow and really only takes a few minutes. They great thing is, all of the ingredients are things you already have in the pantry.

You will need an empty plastic bottle. I just used a water bottle.
6 cups of flour
2 cups salt
4 TBLS cooking oil
2 1/2 cups water (more if needed.)
Mix together until smooth and firm. (I sprayed my kids hands with PAM and let them knead it with their hands)

Put the water bottle in the center of a cake pan and mold the dough around it, shaping it like a volcano. Be sure not to get any dough in the center (Hole) of the bottle.
Fill the bottle about 3/4 full of WARM water and add a few drops of red food coloring.
Then add 6 drops of liquid dish detergent and 2 TBLS baking soda.
Slowly pour in vinegar and watch it ERUPT!

My kids kept adding the baking soda and vinegar with different colors of food coloring. The blue was really cool looking.

When you are finished, pour out the liquid and let the volcano dry. You can use it again later!
FUN, FUN, FUN. And not too messy either!