How To Make Lava Goo For A Project

You absolutely wouldn't want to handle real lava – especially considering that it's so hot it easily melts rock. However, you can utilize several different recipes to make lava goo that you can play with or use during projects. One of them you can even eat, though we can't guarantee it would taste very good!

1. Measure and Pour Your Ingredients

Measure one cup of cornstarch and place it in your mixing bowl. Measure approximately half a cup of water. Slowly add the water to the cornstarch, mixing well. Continue to trickle the water into the cornstarch mixture until it has a sticky consistency similar to that of glue.

2. Add Your Food Coloring

Next, add a few drops of red food coloring and mix well. Continue to add a few drops at a time until you reach your desired shade of red. Another option is to separate your lava into two containers and use red dye for half and orange dye for the other half. Now your lava is ready to use!

Please note: this experiment requires some cooking and heating of ingredients. Please seek the assistance of a parent or guardian!

1. Measure and Combine Your Ingredients

Add two cups of water to your saucepan (do not heat yet). Measure three heaping tablespoons of tapioca flour or tapioca starch and pour it into the water. Stir until the tapioca has completely dissolved.

2. Add Food Coloring

Before heating your mixture, add in your food coloring. Begin with just a few drops and stir thoroughly. Continue to add food coloring a few drops at a time until the mixture has reached the desired color.

3. Heat Your Lava

Have an adult assist you with this step. Place the saucepan on a stove burner at medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring at a constant rate. Once the liquid begins to boil, lower the temperature and continue to cook for an additional five to ten minutes. Make sure to scrape the mixture off the bottom and sides of the saucepan as it thickens.

4. Let Your Lava Cool

Once your lava has finished cooking, remove it from the heat and pour it into a heat-safe bowl. You should let the lava cool for several hours. Once the lava has cooled fully, it is ready for use! Try pouring the lava over a model volcano and watch it ooze down the sides.

1. Assemble Your Volcano

Use hot glue to adhere the empty soda bottle to the middle of your baking sheet. Allow the hot glue to dry. While it dries, mix the plaster of Paris according to the instructions on the container.

Crumple up newspaper and assemble it around the base of the soda bottle. Use plaster of Paris to form the newspaper and hold it in place, then add additional newspaper atop your base and repeat the process. Continue adding chunks of newspaper and plaster of Paris until you have created a volcano-like shape around the soda bottle. Be careful not to get any of the mixture inside of the soda bottle. Decorate as desired.

2. Create Lava Mixture

In a plastic cup, mix 1/4 cup vinegar, one squirt of dish soap, a few drops of water, and a few drops of red food dye. Using your funnel, place one teaspoon of baking soda into the soda bottle, and then quickly pour your vinegar mixture into the bottle and remove the funnel. Enjoy your erupting volcano!