DIY Lava Lamp
Make a simple lava lamp using household supplies! This activity is not only a feast for the eyes but also a terrific science experiment that explores the concepts of density and chemical interactions.
Materials
Directions
Fill a clean and empty jar or plastic bottle with water about 1/3 of the way full.
Once the water is in the jar, ask your child to add a few drops of food coloring and stir.
Help your child add cooking oil until it's almost at the top of the jar. Allow the water and oil to settle into place a little. Talk about why the oil and water don't mix. Explain that the oil floats on top because the water has a higher density (it's heavier) than the oil.
Break an Alka-Seltzer tablet into four pieces then let your child drop each piece, one at a time, into the jar. Ask your child to describe what's happening. Notice the bubbles rising to the top. Why do the bubbles push through to the surface? Explain that the Alka-Seltzer tablets create a gas called carbon dioxide when mixed with water and that gas forms the bubbles.
Activity idea by: Caroline Gravino has four children and is also a crafter, video producer and content designer. For several years, Caroline wrote about project ideas for the whole family and encouraging creativity in kids in her former blog, SalsaPie.
Science