Lemon Volcano Experiment * ages 3-8

You can make lemon volcanoes at home in just a few steps! Super easy and colorful too.

How to Make Lemon Volcanoes

The entire experiment is a lot less messy than a baking soda and vinegar explosion, and it teaches chemical reactions all the same.

Supplies:

For this experiment, you need:

  • lemons
  • food coloring
  • dish soap
  • baking soda
  • craft sticks (or something similar)

Directions:

  1. Start by cutting the ends off the lemons so they will stand up.
  2. Then cut the lemons in half.
  3. Add a few drops of food coloring, a bit of dish soap, a sprinkle of baking soda and the fun can begin!
  4. Have the kids start stabbing the lemon with the craft stick and the lemon juice will mix with the baking soda creating the volcano effect. 👍🏻

Lemon Volcano Video

Here is a video we made of the kids making their own lemon volcanoes. As you can see, using food coloring makes the entire experiment a lot more fun!

What It Teaches

This experiment teaches kids a few things:

  • Chemical reactions – what is reacting to make the reaction?
  • Colors – as the colors blend, what new colors form?
  • Acid – a lemon is acidic. What does that mean?
  • Gross motor skills – poking the lemons takes a certain amount of strength.

Lemon Volcano Tips

Here are some things I learned after doing this experiment with 3 boys at once.

  • Give each boy their own bowl – They were kinda crowded around the dish, but it still worked out pretty well.
  • Don’t use sharp objects – the lemons slip around the dish, so a sharp object might cut a child. We used popsicle sticks without points and I’m so glad we did.
  • Slice the lemons – they will slide less if they have a firmer base.

 

 

More Volcano Experiments

Want more explosive fun? Here are some more volcanoes we have made before, give them a try!