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Friends Art Lab / Blog / Lemon Volcanoes – Sizzling Science Experiment

Lemon Volcanoes – Sizzling Science Experiment

Author: Kristian Klebofski    Published: 02/09/2023     Updated: 02/14/2025

Lemon volcanoes are sizzling with Science fun for all ages! One of my college students first introduced this project to me years ago and I about fell out of my chair. It’s the BEST!

Lemons cut in half are covered in liquid watercolors and bubble from being mixed with baking soda.
Table of Contents:
  1. The day I learned about lemon volcanoes was when my life truly began
  2. Tip Befriend someone with a lemon tree so that you can make lemon volcanoes 24/7
  3. Materials
  4. How to make lemon volcanoes
  5. What makes a lemon volcano erupt?
  6. Do I have to hold the lemon volcanoes in my hand?
  7. Lemon volcanoes live up to the hype
  8. Frequently Asked Questions

The day I learned about lemon volcanoes was when my life truly began

A tad dramatic, yes, but once you try these, too, your life will also truly begin. 😂

They have ALL the wow factor, ALL the sensory goodness, ALL the easy-to-follow-and-can’t-mess-them-up steps, and ALL the squishy, colorful, bubbly magic you’d want from a science project.

And the very best part: they’re so, so easy. Lemon volcanoes don’t need expensive, specialty materials. I’ve now made three bazillion lemon volcanoes and I am just as flabbergasted at how fun these are as I was the day I first saw them.

🍋 Related: Looking for more Science activities for kids? Our online Virtual Preschool has fantastic Science demonstrations and more!

A lemon half is covered in red, green, and purple liquid watercolors.

Tip: Befriend someone with a lemon tree so that you can make lemon volcanoes 24/7

I joke that when we interview prospective families for our preschool, I tell Miss Michelle to ask them if they have a lemon tree. If they do, they’re in!

While I’m teasing, because we love to do so, so many lemon projects, our preschool families and my college students still regularly bring us buckets and bags of lemons.

We never run out of ideas for them. Our preschoolers could do lemon volcanoes for days and days in a row alone.

🍋 Looking for more fun lemon activities? Let me “lemon-aid” you:

  • Lemon Stamp Art
  • Lemon and Watercolor Science
  • Lemon Oobleck
  • Edible Paint for Kids
Materials for the project: baking soda, dish soap, coloring, lemons, and popsicle sticks.

Materials

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  • Lemons
  • Baking soda
  • Dish soap
  • Coloring – liquid watercolors or food coloring (note: both will stain hands temporarily, but food dye stains for much longer than liquid watercolors)
  • Popsicle sticks
  • Shallow trays – the ones here are discontinued and these colorful plastic trays are our new faves
Kristian holds a lemon half and sprinkles on baking soda while smiling at the camera. She has on a light purple shirt and matching headband.

How to make lemon volcanoes

  1. Cut lemons in half and have your dish soap, baking soda, coloring, and popsicle sticks accessible to your child.
  1. Invite your child to hold a lemon half in their hand and to add dish soap, baking soda, and coloring to the freshly cut part of the lemon. There is no correct order to add them. Baking soda followed by soap followed by color? Great! Color followed by baking soda followed by soap? Superb!
  1. Use the popsicle stick to squish and poke the lemon and watch the fizzy, colorful, science magic!

🍋 The fact that kids can add the ingredients in any order and in any amount is part of what makes this project so unique. There are so many opportunities to experiment!

A close up of a lemon volcano with cool colored liquid watercolors on it. Behind it is a lemon half covered in orange liquid watercolors.

What makes a lemon volcano erupt?

You know how baking soda and vinegar bubble and foam when mixed together? In this experiment, the lemon juice creates the same effect as the vinegar.

Why? Because of a chemical reaction!

🍋 The lemon juice is an acid, and the baking soda is a base. When an acid and a base mix, they create a gas called carbon dioxide.

When doing this experiment (and other science experiments!) with kids, introduce these words while you work. Hearing young scientists say, “I am mixing an acid and a base together” is the good stuff, friends.

A blue tray holds the materials for the project (baking soda, dish soap, popsicle sticks, and coloring) and 6 lemon halves sit in the tray.

Do I have to hold the lemon volcanoes in my hand?

Nope! We invite our kids to hold the lemons in their hands or to do the experiment while the lemon sits on the table.

While they always have the options, without prompting, hand-holding the lemons always becomes the clear preference, though. But, like always, do what’s best for you!

A lemon half is covered in orange liquid watercolors and sits in a messy, colorful tray.

Lemon volcanoes live up to the hype

These are in regular rotation around these parts, and once you try them, you’ll understand why.

And as you continue in your travels, remember to befriend people with lemon trees. 😉

Kristian holds a lemon volcano that is erupting as she pokes it with a popsicle stick.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use lemons?

Actually, no! This will also work with other citrus, such as limes and oranges.

Is this a sensory activity?

YES! Kids can use all senses in this project (hearing, touching, seeing, smelling, and maybe even tasting!)

Where is that blue tray from?

It’s from Target’s back-to-school section that they have in the Fall, but we LOVE these trays, too.

What age is this recommended for?

Any that can safely use the materials.

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Lemon Oobleck Sensory Play

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  • A hand squeezes a lemon half above a paper painted with colorful watercolors. Next to the paper sits more watercolors and several lemons cut in half ready for lemon and watercolor science.
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  • A purple tray sits on a table and is filled with lemon oobleck and lemon slices. A jar of water, a small jar of coloring, a lemon half, and a box of cornstarch sit next to the tray.
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  • A close up of hulled-out lemon halves floating in a blue bin filled with water for lemon boats. In the boats are small, colorful people figurines.
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Kristian

Hi, I’m Kristian!

I have spent over 15 years in the preschool classroom, I have a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education, and I was a college professor of education for eight years. My passion is sharing creative learning activities for children and I'm so happy you're here.

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