How to Make a Homemade Newspaper Volcano

Secure the bottom of the plastic bottle to the center of the box or pie tin with masking tape so that the bottle stands upright. Make sure the bottle is attached well, as this will serve as the base for the rest of the volcano. Keep the bottle capped while you̵7;re constructing the volcano so the inside stays clean.

Crumple several sheets of newspaper into loose balls. Use these to create a rough volcano shape around the bottle. Use masking tape to provide additional structure and keep the newspaper balls in place. Don̵7;t worry if the base for your volcano is rough or uneven̵2;the imperfections will help your newspaper volcano look more realistic once it̵7;s finished.

Mix 1 cup of flour with enough water to form a paste that resembles the consistency of craft glue. Add more water or flour to the mixture as needed. (Feel free to substitute the flour/water combination with another papier mache recipe, if desired.)

Dip a strip of newspaper in the flour mixture and squeeze off the excess with your fingers.

Lay the strips on the volcano form. Repeat this process until you̵7;ve fully covered the structure with several layers of paper.

Let the volcano dry overnight or until the paper is completely dry to the touch.

Decorate your newspaper volcano with paint, markers and construction paper. Or, glue twigs, moss and other natural materials to give it a lifelike look.

Take your volcano outside or set the structure on a towel or leftover newspaper sheets.

Unscrew the cap from the bottle and funnel 3 tablespoons to 4 tablespoons of baking soda inside. Pour in 1/2 cup of warm water and a few drops of dish soap. Add red food coloring and glitter, if desired.

Pour about 1/2 cup of vinegar into the bottle. Stand back immediately, as the eruption begins as soon as the vinegar touches the baking soda.