• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Bitz & Giggles
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • Holidays
  • DIY & Cleaning
  • Shop
  • About
    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • Holidays
    • DIY & Cleaning
    • Shop
    • About
    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » DIY & Cleaning » DIY » Family Fun

    Make Your Own Lava Lamp

    Posted: May 12, 2014 · Updated: May 2, 2024 by Sara · This post may contain affiliate links. · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Lava Lamp - Bitz & Giggles

    Want to Save This Recipe?

    Enter your email below & we'll send it to your inbox. Plus get great new recipes from us every week!

    Did everyone enjoy Mother's Day weekend? I sure did! Our weekend was filled with long days in the sun, four-wheeler rides, family meals, bike-riding and bubbles. I know I've been complaining about the weather the past couple months, but this weekend was absolutely beautiful. Now that spring has finally arrived, the entire family is eager to spend every possible second. . . outside.

    Today I'm going to show you how to make your own Lava Lamp! This is a great outside project and one the kids are sure to enjoy. I ran across this post from S.L. Smith Photography and knew this was something I had to try with the kids. I changed the project up just slightly and used baby oil in place of vegetable oil so the lamps remained clear instead of yellow. Here's what you'll need to make your own:

    Materials:

    • Water bottle (I used a glass Voss water bottle I found at Walmart)
    • Baby oil or Vegetable oil
    • Water
    • Food coloring (10 drops)
    • Antacid tablets (I used the generic form of Alka Seltzer)
    Lava Lamp Materials

    You want to begin with the empty water bottle and fill it ¾ full with baby oil or vegetable oil.

    Lava Lamp1

    Then take some water and fill it up the rest of the way - leaving about an inch at the top.

    Lava Lamp2

    Here's the fun part! Add your food coloring. We used neon because we love the bright colors.

    Lava Lamp3

    Break one of the antacid tablets into quarters.

    Lava Lamp Tablets

    Here's where the big brother comes and takes the tablets to try the project out first. Will they ever learn the concept of sharing and taking turns? Of course they will, but it's still a bit rough right now. We're working through it!

    Drop one of the pieces of the tablet into the bottle. Only drop one at a time or the water will get very cloudy and you will be at risk for an eruption. When children are around, this is bound to happen so as I said before - this is a great OUTDOOR project. Be ready for your lava lamp to turn into a volcano in the blink of an eye.

    Lava Lamp4

    Here it comes!

    Lava Lamp Bubble

    All the commotion got the attention of the neighbor girls and they needed to try it too!

    Lava Lamp5

    Whenever you're dropping the tablets into the bottle, keep the cover off - otherwise the pressure inside the bottle won't have anywhere to escape and the bottle could burst. Not a good idea. I would recommend supervision during the project especially with smaller children.

    If you're wondering how many times you can keep dropping tablets in, we had to have dropped at least 10 or so, and the oil mixture continued to return to its original clarity.

    Once you're done with the tablets, you can put the cover back on and play with it more by tipping it upside down and then right-side up again to watch the bubbles suspended in the liquid slowly drop to the bottom. Have fun trying this out on your own!

    Lava Lamp6
    Print
    No ratings yet

    Make Your Own Lava Lamp

    Author: Sara

    Materials

    • Water bottle
    • Baby oil or Vegetable oil
    • Water
    • 10 drops Food coloring
    • Antacid tablets

    Instructions

    • You want to begin with the empty water bottle and fill it ¾ full with baby oil or vegetable oil.
    • Then take some water and fill it up the rest of the way - leaving about an inch at the top.
    • Here's the fun part! Add your food coloring. We used neon because we love the bright colors.
    • Break one of the antacid tablets into quarters.
    • Drop one of the pieces of the tablet into the bottle. Only drop one at a time, or the water will get very cloudy and you will be at risk for an eruption.

    Notes

    1. Choosing the Right Oil: When making your own lava lamp, opt for baby oil or vegetable oil as they are both denser than water, creating the necessary density contrast for the lava lamp effect. Baby oil typically produces clearer results compared to vegetable oil, but either option works well for this project. Ensure that the water bottle is filled about ¾ full with the chosen oil before proceeding to the next step.
    2. Experiment with Food Coloring: Get creative with the colors of your lava lamp by using different shades of food coloring. Bright and vibrant colors, such as neon hues, can create striking visual effects that enhance the overall appeal of the lava lamp. Add about 10 drops of food coloring to the oil in the water bottle, adjusting the amount based on your preferences for color intensity.
    3. Controlled Tablet Dropping: Break an antacid tablet into quarters before dropping one piece into the water bottle. Be cautious not to drop multiple pieces at once, as this can cause the water to become cloudy and may result in an overflow or eruption. Add one piece of the tablet at a time to maintain control over the reaction and achieve the desired lava lamp effect. Enjoy watching the mesmerizing bubbles and movement as the tablet reacts with the water and creates a captivating display.
    3768 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jeannene

      August 06, 2017 at 1:46 pm

      How long do the bubbles last? An hour day, week? I am making sensory bottles for my classroom and I don't want to have to change it very often? How many tablets did you use? If you use less are there less bubbles?

      Reply
      • Sara

        August 08, 2017 at 10:23 pm

        The bubbles don't last very long. They appear when you drop the pieces of the tablet in. Start with pieces from one tablet only - otherwise it could overflow.

        Reply
    2. Michelle from Weekend Craft

      May 19, 2014 at 2:03 pm

      How fun! I think I have all those materials too!

      Thanks for stopping by Creative Sparks Link Party. Make sure to stop back on Wednesday!

      Reply
    3. Danielle

      May 16, 2014 at 12:22 pm

      What a fun activity for this sumer! Thanks for linking up to The Feature Friday Linky Party!

      Reply
    4. Naush

      May 13, 2014 at 3:06 pm

      Looks like a lot of fun ! Have pinned it to my pinerest board 🙂

      Reply
      • Sara

        May 13, 2014 at 10:20 pm

        Thank you for pinning, Naush!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Sara Zenner, blogger at Bitz N Giggles

    welcome!

    Hey, I’m Sara!

     Born and raised in Wisconsin, where family and fun are at the heart of it all - I inherited a deep appreciation for home cooking and family traditions. I’m all about quick and easy recipes, tidying up, and laid back “up north” living.

    Read more!

    Popular Recipes

    • A piece of Poor Man’s Lobster showcasing the flaky, buttery cod fillet served with broccoli and lemon.
      Poor Man's Lobster
    • A green cocktail garnished with pineapple and a cherry.
      Green Hawaiian Cocktail
    • California Blend Vegetable Casserole
    • Air fryer corn on the cob on serving dish with butter.
      Air Fryer Corn on the Cob
    • No Bake Cherry Dump Cake - An easy, no-bake cherry trifle dessert with layers of angel food cake, sour cream, pudding, cherry pie filling and whipped topping.
      No Bake Cherry Dump Cake
    • Pouring caramel sauce over salted caramel kentucky butter cake.
      Salted Caramel Kentucky Butter Cake Recipe

    Thanksgiving Recipes

    • A heaping plate filled with colorful veggie casserole.
      Veggie Casserole Recipe
    • Piece of apple pie with ice cream on a white plate.
      Sheet Pan Apple Pie
    • A bowl of soup filled with carrots, potatoes and turkey
      Turkey Noodle Soup Recipe
    • side view of a piece of pumpkin pie
      Praline Pumpkin Pie
    • piece of pumpkin poke cake garnished with cinnamon
      Pumpkin Poke Cake
    • stack of stuffing balls on a white platter
      Thanksgiving Stuffing Balls

    Footer

    Featured on:

    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility Policy
    • ↑ back to top
    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest

    Copyright © 2025 - As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required