Erupting Cross-Section Volcano Model: Let the lava flow

I played with the Erupting Cross-Section Volcano Model (Learning Resources). This set comes with an 11-inch model volcano.

On the outside, the volcano has bright red and yellow colors demonstrating lava erupting from a volcano. The volcano is made of plastic and is super lightweight. It has a bumpy texture on the outside, but the inside is smooth. Open the volcano from the center and see all the parts of a volcano. The tray included gets placed underneath the volcano so you don’t make a mess. Things you need to make the volcano erupt include baking soda, vinegar, red food coloring and dish soap.

This toy is fun and easy to use. All you have to do is get the ingredients and pour them into the lava tube (and have a parent to supervise). First put in baking soda. After you mix all the other ingredients and add them to the tube, stand back and watch the volcano erupt. Even if you’re not into science stuff, it is fascinating to watch the “lava” erupt from the volcano.

I experimented with different food colorings to get different-colored lava. It is a very good idea to use this as a science fair project because you can quiz people and interact with your audience by having them guess the answers. Another thing you can do is provide your audience with fun facts about volcanos. If you just want to know about the different layers in a volcano and what they mean, there is a glossary on the back of the instructions. This is an awesome toy!

Ages: 6 and older

Rating: 4 smiles out of 5