Lava lamps are mesmerizing.There’s something about watching those globs of color bubbles gather at the bottom and float to the top. Real lava lamps are electrically operated and can cost a pretty penny.  For instant satisfaction, create you own with a few supplies you have in your home already! This project is simple to create and will provide hours of entertainment for kids (and adults too).

Supplies

• tall glass bottles with tops
  
• food coloring
  
• baby oil
  
• water
  
• effervescent tablets
• funnel (optional)

Fill the bottles about 1/4 to 1/3 of the way with water.

Put several drops of food coloring into the water.

Fill the rest of the way up the bottle with the oil. Leave at least 1-2 inches of spaces at the top. You can use vegetable oil if you want, but the overall color will have a yellow haze. The oil and water will mix briefly, but will eventually separate.

Break the effervescent tables in four pieces. Drop a quarter at a time into the bottle and watch the magic happen.

Only put in a quarter piece of tablet at a time. Adding too many pieces at once can cause the mixture to bubble up and flow over the top of the bottle. Plus, the goal is to have slower moving bubbles for a calming effect.