1 • 1st grade • 2nd grade • 3rd grade • 4th grade • 5th grade • 6th grade • Kids Activities • Kindergarten • Science • Science Experiments

How to Make a Lava Lamp with FREE Experiment Worksheet

July 10, 2021
Add Comment
by Beth Gorden

Kids will be amazed with this DIY Lava Lamp that is really fun and EASY to make! I will show you how to make a lava lamp in just 5 minutes for a truly memorable chemistry experiments for kids. This homemade lava lamp is a fun oil and water experiment for kids from toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th gradeers, and up! Lots of pictures and ideas for a lava lamp experiment.  Simply print lava lamp experiment worksheet pdf and you are ready to play and learn with this really cool diy lava lamp for kids.Kids will be amazed with this DIY Lava Lamp that is really fun and EASY to make! I will show you how to make a lava lamp in just 5 minutes for a truly memorable chemistry experiments for kids. This homemade lava lamp is a fun oil and water experiment for kids from toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th gradeers, and up! Lots of pictures and ideas for a lava lamp experiment.  Simply print lava lamp experiment worksheet pdf and you are ready to play and learn with this really cool diy lava lamp for kids.

How to Make a Lava Lamp

I am always eager to find creative, new, and  fun things for kids. As part of our summer bucket list we decided to make a lava lamp. It was a really fun summer science activity that was so EASY I knew you’d want to know how to make a lava lamp for kids. This lava lamp experiment is so simple and uses everyday materials you probabaly already have on hand! Try this preschool science experiments with parents, teachers, grandparents, planning for Vacation Bible School, working on a science Summer camp, daycare, or planning a science birthday party . This is a MUST TRY science activities for preschoolers, toddlers, kindergartners, grade 1, grade 2, grade 3, grade 4, and up!

Lava lamp experiment worksheet

Start by scrolling to the bottom of the post, under the terms of use, and click on the text link that says >> _____ <<. The lava lamp science pdf file will open in a new window for you to save the freebie and print the template.

for this easy science experiment you need oil, clear bottle, food coloring, and alka seltzer tablets

DIY Lava Lamp

To make this easy science experiment you will need the following supplies:

  • Empty bottle – clear pastic bottle like a water bottle, soda bottle, etc.
  • oil – any kind will work. I suggest getting oil that is as clear as possible for it not to affect the coloring. Being stuck at home we used darker yellow oil when we recentrly redid one of our favorite science experiments
  • food coloring – any color you like such as blue, yellow, red, green, etc.
  • Funnel to minimize the less
  •  Alka Seltzer Antacid Tablet (you will need 1 tablet per bottle you make)

pour water and oil into recycled plastic container using a funnel

Lava lamp experiment

Start out by pouring water about 1/3 of the distance up your recycled plastic container using a funnel to avoid mess. Now add cooking oil (vegetable oil, walnut oil, canola oil, etc.) the rest of the way to go just 2″ from filling your container.

I love crafts, science projects, and activities that reuse items we have laying around the house! For this project, you probably have everything you need to make it laying around your house!

use this oil and water experient to explain to kids why these 2 substances don't mix

Lava lamp experiment for kids

Children will be fascinated by how the oil & water didn’t mix! They can shake up the jar and watch as the two substances will go back to oil at the top and water at the bottom. You can give them this simple explanation on why oil and water don’t mix:

Oil molecules are only attracted to other oil molecules and water molecules are attracted to water molecules. So they don’t mix together. The reason the oil floats on top is because the oil is less dense than water.

put in 4-5 drops of food coloring into the oil and water bottles

DIY lava lamp for kids

Add 4-5 drops food coloring. It really doesn’t matter how much food coloring you use – you can add as much as you want to get the desired color at the bottom of the jar.

HINT: You can even have children explore mixing colors. Have kids add yellow and red drops to make, orange, blue and yellow to make green, blue and red to make purple, etc.

Watch how the red food coloring goes straight through the oil with out mixing. Use this step to work on color mixing with kids

lava lamp for kids

Notice how the food coloring falls through the oil in balls without mixing at all. Once it gets to the water section it will mix.

fun science project to make with toddler, preschool, pre k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, 6th grade students

how to make lava lamps

Start at the beginning to prepare any other bottles so your other children can enjoy this fun science projects too! We opted to try different colors so we neded up with a homemade lava lamp for all the primary colors – red, blue, and yellow.

drop 1 alka seltzer antacid tablet into your science project

how to make a lava lamp for kids

Next add 1 tablet Alka Seltzer Antacid Tab, broke up into several pieces, into the jar.

step by step directions for making your own DIY Lava Lamp

homemade lava lamp

It will start to bubble and and create a lava lamp. You will be amazed as the chemical reaction of the water and antacid tab bubbles and shoots the bubbles of colored water up through the oil.

The DIY Lava Lamp with be in constant motion as bubbles keep moving up and down through the oil, but notice how the colored water and oil don’t mix! Kid will be amazed and impressed by this science experiment!

after you've followed direction on How to Make a Lava Lamp, try shaking the bottle to see what happens to the water molecules

lava lamp diy

You can cause your colored water molecules (think size of balls) to be bigger or smaller molecules by shaking the bottle to break apart the molecules. You can also impact the size of the colored bubbles by trying to putting a smaller portion of the antacid tab in at a time.

this science experiment for kids is great for summer learning, a rainy days, or kids activity any time

homemade lava lamp for kids

This easy-to-make kids lava lamp is sure to be a project kids remember for year to come!

When the antacid tablet is no longer causing the lava lamp effect you can repeat the process.  If your child shakes the jar violently and the oil, water, and food coloring appear to have made one big colored mess – don’t throw it out. Give it a couple hours and you will see the oil & colored water separate again. Then go ahead and repeat the science experiment again.

scientific method

lava lamp science project

Minnie wanted to make a multi colored lava lamp. Instead of explaining why it wouldn’t work (the colors would all mix together in the water to make black) I decided to just let her test her hypothesis. We added several different colored drops and tested it out. While her hypothesis was incorrect, the lava lamp effect was just as cool in black.

fun activities for kids where they will learn about chemical reactions, color mixing, and density of oil and water while having fun

how to make a homemade lava lamp

This is a MUST try kids activity for sure! I love when kids can learn while having FUN! This activity will help kids learn about chemical reactions, color mixing, and density of oil and water all while doing a (sh, don’t tell them) educational activity for preschoolers, toddlers, kindergartners, first graders, grade 2, grade 3, grade 4, grade 5, and grade 6. For older children use this as a springboard into one of those topics and dive deeper reading some scientific texts to supplement your project.

30 EPIC projects to explore simple machines for kids! These are such fun, hands on science projects for kids of all ages #simplemachines #scienceproject #scienceisfun This fun hands-on human body for kids project is such a fun way to learn about our amazing bodies! These Human Body Playdough Mats are a fun way for kids of all ages to learn about what is inside our body. Learn about human body parts for kids by completing the free printable playdouh mats. Children will learn about body systems for kids as they make bones, skeletal system, muscles, organs, and more! Use these playdough mats as part of a study of anatomy making human body model for kids from toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd grade students. Simply print the playdoh mats and learn about my body parts for kids with a hands-on science activity. capillary-action-science-experiment-for-kids 100 Amazing Food Experiments for Kids - so many clever edible science projects for kids of all ages to explore chemistry, biology, physics, and earth science! #scienceexperiment #scienceproject #kidsactivities

Fun Science Experiments

Here are some of our most popular lessons and activities or see all our science for kids conveniently sorted!

Make teaching kids about weather fun and EASY with this free weather unit. These Weather Worksheets help kids explore a variety of weather topics as well as some weather themed worksheet for early math and literacy too. Use these free weather printables as preschool, 1st grade, 2nd, grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade and kindergarten weather worksheets. Simply print pdf file with weather worksheets for kids and you are ready to learn! Look-Inside-a-Volcano-Activity  Hands-on activity to learn about constellations using pipe cleaners, beads, and constellation flashcards for an engaging STEM activity! Use to teach preschool, pre k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade and more about stars, solar system, astronomy or as a fun, educational science activity Get ready to WOW your kids with a super EASY science experiment for kids!  This simple rising water experiment uses common household items to demonstrate a couple scientifc principles such as fire and oxygen as well as air pressure for kids. This burning candle in water experiment is fun for preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and  6th graders. Olders students will benefit using the free printable burning Candle in Water Experiment Worksheets as they explore why does the water rise in the candle experiment.

Science Exeriments for Kids

Looking for lots more fun, science experiments for kids? You’ve GOT to try some of these outrageously fun science experiments for kids! We have so many fun, creative and easy science experiments for elementary age children:

Learn how energy is transfered from one object to another in this newton's cradle activity. For this physics experiments for kids, you will make a newton's pendulum to explore how what happens when two objects colide. This newton cradle project is fun for all ages from preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and 4th grade students. With a few simple materials I will show you how to make a newton's cradle; this is a SUPER cool and easy science experiment. This vinegar and baking soda rocket is an out-of-this-world fun AND educational summer activity for kids! Preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th grade students will enjoy making the baking soda rocket. This how to make a bottle rocket project is one of those really cool science projects your kids will remember forever! Learn about the Parts of the Brain for Kids with this fun brain activity for kids and handy brain worksheets! Children will learn about the functions of the brain for kids as part of our human body lesson. Use this brain project with elementary age students in first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th garde students. Simply print pdf file with brain diagram for kids and you are ready to play and learn with hands-on human body activities for kids! Looking for a super cool kids activity that combines art and science? This super cool drawbot is as fun to make as it is to play with. The scribble bot is quick and simple to put together with things you have laying around the house.  Then make some really cool art projects with the help of your scribble robot. This electronics experient is fun for kids of all ages from preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th graders too. We've included instructions to make this summer activity for kids or use it in your school as an electricity experiment for kids.

Easy Science Experiments

Explore our science projects based on all science for kids, types of free science lessons, or seasonal science experiments.

Nothing says summer like a big juicy watermelon! We whipped up a bath of this gorgeous watermelon playdough for our upcoming watermelon theme! This homemade playdoh recipe is super easy-to-make, soft, and such a fun watermelon activity! Use this summer activities for preschoolers, toddlers, kindergartners, grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3 students. Are your kids as crazy about slime as mine are? My kids love playing with slime and trying different types of slime. In our experimenting, we came up with this cool baking soda slime. This slime uses baking soda as the activator for a wonderful sheen and flow without being sticky at all! And with the first day fo sCome see how to make slime with baking soda and get playing with your preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd graders. Ready? Set. GO! This really fun car activity for kids is sure to be a hit. Whether you race your cars outside as a summer activity or indoors as a rainy day activity for kids - this is EPIC! This pool noodle activity is fun for toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd graders, and up. Just grab a pool noodle, duct tape, and our free printable to create a cool hot wheels race tarck in just 5 minutes! You are going to love this simple-to-make and creative art project for kids. You can create abstract art or art projects based on famous artists. We opted to make a starry night for kids tin foil project. I love the dimmension this technique gave to our van gogh art project. This aluminum foil art makes a great summer activity for kids of all ages from preschool, pre-k, kinderagrten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, 6th graders, and up!

Kids Activities

Looking for more fun kids activities and other ideas to keep kids engaged, learning, and having fun? Check out these:

You will love this outrageously fun painting with cars activity where kids will make a cheery rainbow painting using hotwheel vehicles. This rainbow painting for kids is a silly rainbow painting ideas that your kids will LOVE! Use this for a rainbow theme, car theme, spring theme, or just a fun play ativity with kids. Try this car activities for kids with toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, and first grade students.  Fun summer activity for bucket list Making a DIY foosball table is a really fun STEM project for kids of all ages to make together and loads of fun to play with too! The diy games for kids is the project for a rainy day or as a summer bucket list idea.  Try this homemade games for kids with preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and 4th graders too. This EPIC kids activity is sure to be a hit with your kids. Looking for a fun summer activity for kids? You are going to love blowing colorful snake bubble. This sock bubbles activity is super simple and such an easy summer activity idea for toddlder, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd graders too. It takes blowing bakcyard bubles to a new level making long, colorful snakes with a simple technique using a sock and a plastic bottle. You've got to try this bubble snake experiment.

Things to Do with Kids

This vinegar and baking soda rocket is an out-of-this-world fun AND educational summer activity for kids! Preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th grade students will enjoy making the baking soda rocket. This how to make a bottle rocket project is one of those really cool science projects your kids will remember forever! Have you ever heard of a lemon volcano? Kids are going to love this fun, creative,volcano experiment that screams summer! This simple lemon volcano experiment is perfect for curious kids from toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd graders too. All you need are a few simple materials to make some amazing erupting lemon volcanos! The goal of an amazing science experiment for kids is to grab kids attention and make them wonder why did that happen, how could that work, and I want to try that! This leak proof bag is such a simple science experiment for kids that explores polymers. What's best is this amazing science experiment with everyday materials! Try this water experiment with kids of all ages from toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and 4th graders too. Kids are going to love this really fun Frozen Rainbow Eruptions science activity where kids will make beautiful rainbows as they create a chemical reaction! This baking soda and vinegar experiment! This rainbow activities for preschoolers usese a couple simple materials for a mesmerizing, colorful preschool summer activity! Use this rainbow science with toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd graders.

Summer Science

There are so many fun ways to play and teach kids about chemical reactions using a baking soda and vinegar reaction. Here are some of our favorite baking soda and vinegar activities.

 

lava lamp experment worksheet

Lava lamp experiment worksheet pdf

By using resources from my site you agree to the following:

    • This is for personal or personal classroom use only
    • This may NOT be sold, hosted, reproduced, or stored on any other site (including blog, Facebook, Dropbox, etc.)
    • All materials provided are copyright protected. Please see Terms of Use.
    • Graphics Purchased and used with permission
    • I offer free printables to bless my readers AND to provide for my family. Your frequent visits to my blog & support purchasing through affiliates links and ads keep the lights on so to speak. Thanks you!

>> Lava Lamp Experiment Worksheet <<

You may also like

About the author

Beth Gorden

Beth Gorden is the creative multi-tasking creator of 123 Homeschool 4 Me. As a busy homeschooling mother of six, she strives to create hands-on learning activities and worksheets that kids will love to make learning FUN! She has created over 1 million pages of printables to help teach kids ABCs, science, English grammar, history, math, and so much more! Beth is also the creator of 2 additional sites with even more educational activities and FREE printables - www.kindergartenworksheetsandgames.com and www.preschoolplayandlearn.com

View all posts

Leave a Comment