Lava Lamp

My over active toddler boys do really well with a structured schedule. With a schedule, the boys are less likely to climb the counters to get the M&Ms or use the chair as a trampoline. I'm also happy with a schedule because it reminds me of an actual job, and I get to be creative and come up with easy 'special' projects. Today's project was a lava lamp.

"I know, I know, I'll be careful," my 5-year replied to me as he was pouring oil into an empty water bottle with no funnel. As he was being careful I was recalling the time I dropped the open oil bottle on the floor and it splattered all over the kitchen. Well, it turns out my 5-year old has better cordination than I do because he didn't spill anything. He even added water and food coloring to top it off without spilling.

The last step to this science experiment was to add Alka Seltzer. I broke the tablet into four pieces to add it to the concoction. The best part about this experiment was watching the tablet pieces shoot the water and food coloring around the bottle giving off carbon dioxide. When all the bubbles settled we put the cap on tight.

The boys had fun shaking the bottle around and watching the water food coloring globules separate than form back into lava. Putting the flashlights around the bottle was really fun for them too even though they don't know what a lava lamp is.

As we were doing the experiment I explained that oil and water don't like each other, but the water and food coloring do like each other. I also explained that the fizzy tablet (Alka Seltzer) made the water and food coloring stick tightly together. This seemed like an acceptable explanation because they could see the proof in the bottle.

After this experiment my 5-year old said to me, "You need to teach us what we want."  And off he went to play with the lava lamp. I'm so thankful he wants to learn and I can teach him.