How to Make a Clay Volcano
Round up the ingredients for the volcano from the kitchen., Pour the salt, flour, and oil into the mixing bowl., Pour the water into a large mixing bowl, adding 2-3 drops of food coloring if wanted., Mix and kneed the ingredients with your hands...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Round up the ingredients for the volcano from the kitchen.
You'll be making a simple dough, much like Play-Doh.
You'll need: 6 cups of flour 2 cups of water 4 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil 2 Cups of Salt An old plastic water bottle, cut in half.
Food Coloring (optional) -
Step 2: Pour the salt
Through all of the ingredients into the same bowl so that you can mix them up.
It can help to pre-sift the flour with a whisk, sift, or fork to get break up big chunks. , Adding the food coloring to the water will help it distribute evenly, meaning your whole volcano will be the same color, not streaky.
If you don't want to add food color, you can paint the volcano with acrylic poster colors after setting up the clay. , Mix and then knead until a dough is formed.
Get squishy, molding and mixing until you have a bit yellow ball of dough.
You can use a rubber spatula to help get it off the sides of the bowl, but use your hands to form a nice, consistent ball.Make sure the clay is neither too watery nor too dry.
It should be in a format which allows us to shape it.
If the dough is dry as you work, add a tablespoon or so of water.
If it is wet, through in a little more flour. , You want it to be wet enough to work with, but not so dry that it crumbles or falls apart.
You can always add a touch more water if need be, but try to be sparing. , Lay down a sheet of wax paper, a thick layer of newspaper, or a box or tray which you can line with tinfoil. , This container will be the center of your volcano.
You can use lots of different containers like soda cans, mason jars, plastic bottles, and so on. , Starting from the bottom and working your way up, place your clay around the volcano to form the outside.
Try to make it lumpy and uneven, since volcanoes rarely look like perfect cones! , Shape your volcano first and then let the dough set.
As this is technically playdough (rather than clay), you will want to let it set for about 24 hrs to get dry and hard before completing your project.
If you're in a hurry, put it in the oven for about an hour on low heat to dry it out quicker.
Do not forget to paint your volcano when done!,, Add red food coloring to the vinegar.
Mix in a tablespoon of dish washing soap to add an extra bubbly final effect! , Using a funnel might make this easier. , The toilet paper will dissolve, exposing the baking soda to the vinegar.
This will cause the volcano to erupt! -
Step 3: and oil into the mixing bowl.
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Step 4: Pour the water into a large mixing bowl
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Step 5: adding 2-3 drops of food coloring if wanted.
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Step 6: Mix and kneed the ingredients with your hands.
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Step 7: Let the dough dry for 1-2 hours before shaping.
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Step 8: Create a protective surface.
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Step 9: Get your lava container.
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Step 10: Shape your clay.
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Step 11: Allow the volcano to dry overnight
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Step 12: or cook it for one hour at 225F.
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Step 13: Put the baking soda in the volcano.
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Step 14: Prepare some vinegar.
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Step 15: Add the vinegar mixture into the container.
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Step 16: Run away!
Detailed Guide
You'll be making a simple dough, much like Play-Doh.
You'll need: 6 cups of flour 2 cups of water 4 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil 2 Cups of Salt An old plastic water bottle, cut in half.
Food Coloring (optional)
Through all of the ingredients into the same bowl so that you can mix them up.
It can help to pre-sift the flour with a whisk, sift, or fork to get break up big chunks. , Adding the food coloring to the water will help it distribute evenly, meaning your whole volcano will be the same color, not streaky.
If you don't want to add food color, you can paint the volcano with acrylic poster colors after setting up the clay. , Mix and then knead until a dough is formed.
Get squishy, molding and mixing until you have a bit yellow ball of dough.
You can use a rubber spatula to help get it off the sides of the bowl, but use your hands to form a nice, consistent ball.Make sure the clay is neither too watery nor too dry.
It should be in a format which allows us to shape it.
If the dough is dry as you work, add a tablespoon or so of water.
If it is wet, through in a little more flour. , You want it to be wet enough to work with, but not so dry that it crumbles or falls apart.
You can always add a touch more water if need be, but try to be sparing. , Lay down a sheet of wax paper, a thick layer of newspaper, or a box or tray which you can line with tinfoil. , This container will be the center of your volcano.
You can use lots of different containers like soda cans, mason jars, plastic bottles, and so on. , Starting from the bottom and working your way up, place your clay around the volcano to form the outside.
Try to make it lumpy and uneven, since volcanoes rarely look like perfect cones! , Shape your volcano first and then let the dough set.
As this is technically playdough (rather than clay), you will want to let it set for about 24 hrs to get dry and hard before completing your project.
If you're in a hurry, put it in the oven for about an hour on low heat to dry it out quicker.
Do not forget to paint your volcano when done!,, Add red food coloring to the vinegar.
Mix in a tablespoon of dish washing soap to add an extra bubbly final effect! , Using a funnel might make this easier. , The toilet paper will dissolve, exposing the baking soda to the vinegar.
This will cause the volcano to erupt!
About the Author
Douglas Hill
Writer and educator with a focus on practical cooking knowledge.
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