Snow Volcano

This snow volcano is a fun science experiment during the winter months! And it’s a perfect activity for a snow day too!

RELATED: Baking soda volcano

Snow Volcano Experiment

This snow volcano experiment is a fun science experiment to try in the winter! Kids will love making their own volcanoes outside. And it’s a blast to see them erupt on the snow!

The Science

What happens when you mix vinegar and baking soda?

You see the bubbling and foaming but what is causing this reaction? The baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a base while the vinegar (acetic acid) is an acid and what you are seeing is an acid/base reaction. Initially, the reaction makes carbonic acid which is unstable and breaks down into carbon dioxide (CO2) and water which is what creates all of the fizzing and bubbles as the gas leaves the water.

Supplies Needed to Make a Snow Volcano

– Baking Soda – we like this large 5 lb bag for activities since it’s more economical

– Small Cup

– Concentrated Food Coloring – red, yellow, blue – or you can choose any color you’d like. We like to use this liquid food coloring gel since it’s concentrated and makes the colors really vibrant

– Squeeze Bottle

– Water

– Vinegar

– Dish Soap – any kind should work

– A Popsicle Stick or Spoon (for mixing)

– Snow (make sure you have enough snow outside!)

Watch the Video Tutorial Here

How to Make a Snow Volcano

1. Add 1/4 cup of baking soda to a plastic cup.

Make 1 cup for each color you want to do.

2. Add a little bit of water into the cup.

No need to measure but you want approximately 1-2 tablespoons of water.

3. Add a few drops of food coloring into the cup.

4. Mix the baking soda, water and food coloring.

5. Add a drop of dish soap on top.

6. Make a vinegar mixture.

Add half vinegar and half water into a squeeze bottle. You can use full vinegar also but we like to mix with some water so we don’t have to use as much.

If you don’t have a squeeze bottle, you can use a pouring cup instead.

7. Make a hole for the cup in the snow.

Then build a volcano around the hole by digging out around where the cup is and making the volcano shape.

8. Pour the vinegar mixture into the cup to make your volcano!

Keep adding the water and vinegar mixture into the cup to make the whole mixture foam and erupt out of the cup like a volcano.

Kids can continue to squeeze more of the vinegar and water mixture until it no longer erupts. Once it stops erupting you can add more baking soda in and continue the experiment!

You can also repeat the experiment by trying different colors.

For more volcano science, see how to make these lemon volcanoes and color mixing volcanoes!