Preschool Science Lava Lamps

A big hit with the kids were homemade lava lamps. Here's what you need to make your own:

• empty water bottle (with a lid)


• vegetable oil


• water


• food coloring


• alka seltzer tablets (the generic Walmart brand is about $2 for 36 tablets, each child used about 1 whole tablet)

Pour several inches of oil in the bottom of a water bottle. Then pour several inches of water on top. Put in several drops of food coloring. Let kids watch the food coloring for a bit. It slowly sinks through the oil. Place small pieces of alka seltzer tablets and watch the action!! Once done put the lid tightly back on and they can be fun to observe the oil water mixture. Open up again and again and put more alka seltzer in to see your lava lamp in action!