cola volcano experiment

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How to Make a Soda Bottle Volcano

Last Updated: July 18, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Bess Ruff, MA . Bess Ruff is a Geography PhD student at Florida State University. She received her MA in Environmental Science and Management from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2016. She has conducted survey work for marine spatial planning projects in the Caribbean and provided research support as a graduate fellow for the Sustainable Fisheries Group. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 982,126 times.

Making a soda-bottle volcano is a classic science experiment that doubles as a great excuse to make an explosive mess. There are multiple combinations of materials that will lead to a fun explosion. Two of the classic soda-bottle volcanos are made with soda and Mentos candy mints(which can produce eruptions of up to 18 feet if done correctly) or a combination of baking soda and vinegar. Gathering a few household items can lead to a fun afternoon of volcanic explosions in the backyard.

Designing the Volcano

• If you’re working with scrap material, consider decorating the base to look like a flat landscape. You may want to paint it, cover it with moss, apply green felt to indicate grass, attach miniature trees, etc.

• A caramel-colored soda will probably look the most like lava when your volcano erupts, so avoid clear drinks. Both diet and regular soda work for this experiment, but diet soda erupts higher.
• If gluing the bottle, let the bottle reach room temperature. A cold, sweating soda bottle will never glue properly. Avoid using hot glue, which might melt the bottle and make a mess.
• If you’re doing a vinegar and baking soda volcano, you will attach an empty bottle to the board.

• Avoid covering the cap of the bottle or you won’t be able to activate the volcano. Ensure you have access to the opening so you can add Mentos or baking soda for the eruption!

• You may even want to press pebbles, dirt, and moss into the surface to give it a more natural appearance.

Using the Soda and Mentos Method

• This experiment is best done outside, but if you must be inside, lay down a large plastic tarp first.

• Warn any spectators to stand back.

• Method 1: Make a paper tube with the same width as the bottle neck. It should be long enough to fit the number of Mentos you want to put inside. Place an index card over the bottle mouth, place the tube over the hole, and fill it with Mentos. When you are ready to erupt, you will slide the card out, releasing the Mentos into the bottle. [4] X Research source
• Method 2: Loosely scotch tape the entire roll of Mentos together. When it’s time, you will drop the taped chain directly into the open bottle.
• Method 3: Insert into the bottle a funnel with a mouth that is wide enough to allow the Mentos to pass, but small enough to fit inside the neck of the bottle. You will drop the Mentos through the funnel and remove the funnel once the Mentos are in the bottle.

• If using the paper tube method, remove the card holding the Mentos in place and let them all slide into the bottle at one time.
• If using the tape method, simply drop the piece of taped-together Mentos into the mouth of the bottle.
• If using the funnel, drop all the Mentos into the funnel at the same time. Remove the funnel once they’re all in and run back.

Using the Baking Soda and Vinegar Method

• Do a little experimentation to find the proper amounts of each material to get the size of eruption you want.
• Use red-wine vinegar for the best lava coloring. Alternatively, you can also add red or orange food coloring to white vinegar.
• You can use a smaller plastic bottle, but will have to adjust the ingredients accordingly.

• If the weather is agreeable, place the volcano outside.

Community Q&A

• If you drink soda and then eat Mentos, do not worry at all; the acid in your mouth and stomach will stop it from reacting with the soda in your belly. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Don't use a 3- or 1-liter bottle, as the neck-to volume-ratio is too large. A 3-liter bottle results in about a 6-inch tall fountain and a 1-liter bottle it will just foam over the top. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Stay away from the immediate area after starting the volcano. It will get messy. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Things You'll Need

Volcano and Base

• Scrap wood or cutting board for a base
• Play dough or clay
• Chicken wire
• Strips of paper
• White craft glue
• Acrylic paint

Soda and Mentos Method

• 2-liter bottle of soda (diet is preferable)
• Roll or box of Mentos (mint works best)
• A funnel, one index card, or scotch tape

Baking Soda and Vinegar Method

• Empty 2-liter bottle
• Baking soda
• Red-wine vinegar
• Food coloring

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/learn/project/make-a-volcano/
• ↑ https://www.weatherwizkids.com/experiments-volcano-soda-bottle.htm
• ↑ https://www.sciencefun.org/kidszone/experiments/how-to-make-a-volcano/
• ↑ https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/how-to-make-a-volcano.html

About This Article

To make a soda bottle volcano, first combine 2 parts vinegar, 1 part water, and a squirt of dishwashing liquid. Then, put the mixture in an empty 2-liter soda bottle and add a spoonful of baking soda, which will react with the vinegar to make your volcano erupt. Alternately, you can drop Mentos candies into a 2-liter bottle of cola. You can then watch the eruption, which happens when the candies react with the carbon dioxide in the soda to push the liquid out of the bottle. Just be sure to move away quickly, since the eruption can make quite a mess! To learn from our Scientist reviewer how to get all the Mentos into your soda bottle at the same time, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Volcano Experiment – Baking Soda Volcano

March 20, 2018 By Emma Vanstone 1 Comment

When you think of great science experiments for kids one of the first that springs to mind is probably a baking soda volcano and vinegar volcano. I remember making one with my little brother in the kitchen when he was about 4 or 5. Baking soda volcanoes and coke floats were our favourite summer activities.

You might also like our 10 science experiments every child should try at least once with a free printable checklist to work through.

A baking soda volcano eruption is a fantastic first demonstration of a chemical reaction as the ingredients are safe ( although do wear safety glasses to protect your eyes from vinegar )

Why does a baking soda and vinegar reaction happen?

If you combine an acid and an alkali they react together to neutralise each other. Vinegar is an acid and bicarbonate of soda is  an alkali.

The reaction releases carbon dioxide gas, which is the bubbles you see. If you add washing up liquid ( dish soap ) to your eruption mix the bubbles make the washing up liquid bubble up, giving the appearance of lava erupting from a volcano .

How to make a baking soda volcano

What you need to make a baking soda volcano.

Basically you need the ingredients for the volcano eruption , a jar or small bottle for the eruption to happen in and something to use as the volcano part.

Volcano – sand, snow, modroc etc

Small jar or bottle

Red food colouring

Baking soda

Volcano Instructions

I don’t usually measure an exact amount of each, but a good dollop of baking soda, a squirt of dish soap and a bit of red food colouring mixed with a little water should give you a good eruption. If it doesn’t, add a bit more baking soda.

If you want to make a very quick and easy baking soda volcano a  sand volcano is a good option, or a snow volcano !

Volcano Experiment Extension Ideas

What happens if you don’t use the dish soap? Can you predict what might happen before trying it?

What happens if you add extra dish soap?

Volcano Experiment Extra Challenge s

Can you think of an acidic fruit you could use to make an baking soda volcano eruption without adding vinegar?

Create a papier mache volcano ? We love this version from Red Ted Art.

Design a multicoloured volcano? We split our jar in half and poured yellow food colouring into one half and red into the other for this.

What’s your favourite baking soda volcano to make?

What is a volcano?

A volcano is a mountain that contains a magma ( rock so hot it has turned into a liquid ) chamber. The magma chamber is filled with liquid rock. If enough pressure builds inside the chamber the volcano can explode shooting the magma from the top! When magma is on the surface of the Earth we call it lava! This is a volcanic eruption and can cause a lot

Make a model of a famous volcano

Another idea is to make a model of a famous volcano. In my book This Is Rocket Science one of the activities is to make a baking soda Olympus Mons . It’s a great way to learn about chemical reactions, volcanoes and Mars!!

Contains affiliate links

Last Updated on March 2, 2021 by Emma Vanstone

Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

Reader Interactions

March 21, 2018 at 2:44 pm

My kids just love making erupting volcanoes – they are really fascinated by them. Love your challenges and extension ideas – will defo give them a try!

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How to Make a Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano at Home

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Building a baking soda volcano in your kitchen is a fun science project with the added "wow" factor of an explosion (without really having anything explode).

It's great for a rainy day, a summer afternoon, or any time you're trying to show your kids just how cool science can be. Here's how it's done:

What You'll Need

Ingredients/materials.

• 3 to 7 cups Warm water
• Red food coloring
• 5 drops Dishwashing detergent
• 2 tbsp Baking soda
• 2 cups White vinegar

Supplies/Tools

• Empty soda bottle (2-liter or 20-ounce depending on how big you want your volcano)
• Baking pan or large tray

Instructions

Create your baking soda volcano.

Place the plastic bottle inside a baking pan or large tray and mold your volcano around it.

For a quick and easy alternative, reach for play dough and let the kids use their creativity to mold the volcano. If you have more time—or would like to keep the kids entertained longer—use paper-mache or clay (try making these fun materials using dryer lint ), or make your play dough with a few simple ingredients.

Simple DIY Play Dough Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 cups of flour
• 2 cups of salt
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 cups lukewarm water

Mix all ingredients together until you get a moldable consistency—smooth and firm.

Keep in mind that clay and paper-mache will need time to dry, but they should create a sturdy structure that will also be fun to paint.

Whichever technique you choose to create your volcanic cone, be sure to keep the bottle opening free of material. Use the bottle cap or cover the opening with tape to prevent any material from getting in the bottle.

Load Your Baking Soda Volcano

Using the funnel, fill the bottle two-thirds full with warm water and a few drops of food coloring.

Add the dishwashing detergent and baking soda to the liquid in the bottle and give it a gentle stir.

Prepare for the Explosion

Before adding the final ingredient, ensure you're wearing protection over your eyes. Keep your face away from the volcano as the mixture may shoot up quite a bit, especially if you use a smaller bottle.

As precisely as possible (without using the funnel), pour the vinegar into the bottle and prepare for your miniature-sized volcanic eruption.

Baking soda and vinegar mixed together produce carbon dioxide gas , which bubbles up (with the help of detergent) and forces the "lava" to erupt.

Variations of the Baking Soda Volcano

The same ingredients can be used for a few versions of this volcanic experiment.

In this simple variation, you'll mix the baking soda with water to make a slurry which will be added at the end (you'll need a clean plastic cup and a spoon to mix it).

You'll also use a smaller bottle, so the explosion will seem bigger. Be sure to place your volcano in a large tray to contain the mess or make this an outdoor activity. Eye protection is especially important.

• Mold your volcano around a 20-ounce soda bottle. (Follow step 1 above to create your volcano structure.)
• Mix 1 cup of vinegar, 1 cup of warm water, a teaspoon of dishwashing detergent, and a few drops of food coloring. Add this mixture to the bottle in your volcano.
• In a clean plastic cup, combine 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of water. Use a spoon to mix the slurry thoroughly.
• As quickly as possible, add your baking soda slurry to the bottle and watch your volcano explode.

Give these two homemade volcano experiments a try and see which one creates a cooler explosion! To turn this experience into a complete science lesson, check out Why Do Volcanoes Erupt?

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Mentos and Coke Experiment – How to Do It! [Full Guide]

Have you ever taken a can of soda, shook it up, and given it to your friend?

What happens?

Well, it’s probably not pretty. And you may not have a friend for a day or two until they forgive you.

But making soda explode is fun. And there is a way to make it really go boom if you have a few pennies and a bit of time on your hands.

Note – be sure to only try this experiment with a responsible adult!

It really only takes a few minutes to setup the mentos and coke volcano experiment. And it’s a great way to learn about chemical reactions.

It’s also a lot less work than your classic paper mache volcano. So, if you want some quick and easy fun, get some paper towels because we’re about to make a sweet mess.

What Will I Need For The Mentos And Coke Volcano?

There really aren’t that many supplies you need to make a mentos and coke volcano.

But here’s the list:

An outdoor area with no ceiling or roof

One roll of Mentos candies

A two-liter bottle of diet soda (diet soda makes for a much better reaction, but you can use regular soda if you like. It just won’t be nearly as awesome.)

A tube the width of the Mentos . It needs to be wide enough to use as loader for the Mentos

An index card (picture below)

The Mentos And Coke Volcano Experiment

Now it’s time to actually run the experiment, but first, we need to make a hypothesis.

The Hypothesis

The scientific method is an important way scientists make observations and come to conclusions.

Part of the scientific method is making a prediction called a hypothesis .

Write down what you think will happen when placing the Mentos in the soda bottles.

Do a little bit of research about the ingredients of Mentos and soda.

This will help you make an informed guess as to what will happen.

Now You Test The Hypothesis

In an experiment, you have two groups: an experimental group, and a control group.

Open the soda bottle, set it down and write down what you observe about it.

This will count as your control group. It’s what happens when you put nothing in the soda.

Now take the Mentos in your tube loader.

Put the index card on top of the tube loader and turn the tube upside down.

The candy should not fall out.

Be ready. The reaction happens fast, so don’t have your face over the bottle.

Place the index card and candies over the mouth of the bottle. Make sure the candies are in line with the mouth of the bottle.

You want the candies going in the bottle and not falling over the side.

Now remove the index card and let candies fall in and step away from the Mentos and coke volcano.

Write down what happened when you dropped the Mentos in the coke.

Did what you hypothesize happen? Compare your notes on the experiment to the control group.

Let us know what you observed in your science experiment!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION

1. can i use any type of mentos candy for the experiment.

Yes, you can use any type of Mentos candy for the experiment. The most commonly used Mentos candies are the original mint-flavored ones, but you can also use fruit-flavored or other varieties. The key factor is the rough surface of the Mentos candy, which helps to create nucleation sites for the carbon dioxide bubbles in the Coke. This happens because Coke contains dissolved carbon dioxide gas.

2. What happens if I use diet Coke instead of regular Coke?

If you use cold diet Coke instead of regular Coke in the Mentos experiment, you can still expect an explosive reaction. However, the reaction may not be as vigorous as with regular Coke. Diet Coke contains artificial sweeteners like aspartame, which may slightly affect the reaction. Nonetheless, the combination of Mentos and diet Coke can still produce a notable geyser, so it’s worth giving it a try. SO it will be the mentos geyser experiment.

3. Is the Mentos and Coke experiment suitable for children to try at home?

The Coke and Mentos experiment can be a fun and engaging activity for children to try at home. However, ensuring proper adult supervision and following safety precautions is important. Conducting the mentos experiment outdoors or in a well-ventilated area is recommended to avoid any potential mess or accidental spills. Additionally, remind children not to consume the Coke or Mentos mixture, as it is unsafe for ingestion. By taking these precautions, the Coke and Mentos experiment can provide children an educational and entertaining experience.

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How To Make a Volcano for Kids

Want To See A Volcano Erupt Up Close? Make Volcanoes Erupt In Your Backyard With The Volcano Science Experiment . The best way to help your child learn puzzling acids and base concepts is by conducting a simple volcano experiment for kids at home. A baking soda vinegar volcano is the best way to teach children about the chemical reaction between acids and bases. Help your child learn how to make a volcano for kids.

• Things You Need For The Volcano Science Project

A Step-By-Step Guide On How to Make A Volcano For Kids

The science behind the volcano eruption experiment, 5 creative ways to make a volcano at home.

A volcano science experiment is a great way to help children understand the lesson on acids and bases. Help your child understand the chemical reaction between acids and bases using this simple science experiment for kids at home. 

Things You Need For The Volcano Science Project 

Making a volcano at home is an easy and fun project to do with your kids. Here is a list of things you need to perform the volcano science project. Most of the materials on the list are inexpensive and easily available. In fact, you might even find them in your pantry.

Things You’ll Need For Volcano Experiment For Kids:

• 100 ml of warm water
• 10 ml of dish soap
• 400 ml of white vinegar
• Empty 2-litre soda bottle
• 2 drops of red food coloring
• Baking soda slurry ( ½ cup baking soda and ½ cup water)

Wondering how to make a homemade volcano? It’s pretty simple. Here is a step-by-step guide to performing the volcano science experiment with your kids.

• Step 1: Mix the dish soap, water, white vinegar, and food coloring and pour it into the empty soda bottle.
• Step 2: Make a baking soda slurry with ½ cup baking soda and ½ cup water. Mix it thoroughly with a spoon, until it’s completely dissolved.
• Step 3: Now, it’s eruption time! Quickly but carefully pour this slurry into the bottle and step back.  Now, watch the volcano erupt and spill out red lava!

Download How To Make Volcano Printable

The volcano science experiment will leave your kids in awe as the homemade volcano erupts and spills out red lava. Help them understand the science behind the experiment by asking them questions and giving them hints. Here is a list of questions to help you start.

• What did you learn from the volcano eruption experiment? 
• Why do you think the liquid in the soda bottle erupted when you added the baking soda slurry to it?
• How does the volcano science project work?

The homemade volcano erupts because of a chemical reaction between an acid and a base. The acetic acid present in the vinegar reacts with the sodium hydrogen carbonate in the baking soda and produces carbon dioxide. The base (sodium hydrogen carbonate) undergoes a decomposing reaction when it is exposed to the acid. This produces a gas called carbon dioxide, which causes the homemade volcano to “erupt!” The dish soap becomes foamy and the bubbles and spill out like lava.

Do you know there are several ways to make a volcano at home? Now that you know the science behind volcano eruptions, here are 5 more ways to make a volcano at home!

Tape Volcano

Things you need:

• Tall plastic container
• Baking soda
• Acrylic paints
• Plastic plate

Instructions:  

• Step 1: For this baking soda vinegar volcano, tape the top of your tall plastic container to the side of your plastic plate. The plate serves as the base for your volcano. Continue to add tape around your container in this fashion. 
• Step 2: Paint your ‘volcano’ with acrylic paint. (We recommend using brown paint) 
• Step 3: Once you’re done making your volcano, add a few drops of baking soda and vinegar inside the volcano and watch it erupt! You can add some red food coloring to make the volcano look more realistic with red lava spilling out.

Ice Volcano

• Plastic wrap
• Small bowls
• Step 1: To build an ice volcano, place a ball (that doesn’t float) at the bottom of each bowl. Line each of these bowls with plastic wrap. 
• Step 2: Next, add a mixture of baking soda, water, and food coloring to these bowls so that they completely cover the ball underneath. 
• Step 3: Place these bowls in the freezer for some time. 
• Step 4: Once they’re frozen, pry out your ‘volcano’ from the bowls and add a few drops of vinegar into it. Your ice volcano will erupt as soon as the vinegar touches it!

Sand Volcano

• 1 tbsp baking soda
• 2 cups vinegar
• Empty plastic bottle
• Red/orange food coloring

Instructions: Want to build a sand volcano in your backyard? Here’s how you can do it. 

• Step 1: First, place an empty plastic bottle in a mound of sand. 
• Step 2: Use a funnel to add some baking soda to the bottle. 
• Step 3: Mix some food coloring and vinegar together and pour this mixture inside the bottle and watch your volcano erupt!

Mini Volcanoes

• Red, blue, green, yellow, orange and pink food coloring

Instructions: Here’s how to make a volcano for kids using an egg carton. 

• Step 1: Cut out the bottom of each egg holder in your egg carton and flip it over. You’ll notice that each slot now looks like a mini volcano. 
• Step 2: Pour some baking soda into each slot. 
• Step 3: Then, add some colored vinegar solution (vinegar + food coloring) into the slot. You can create several different colored eruptions in this way. The colorful eruptions will leave your child in awe.

Newspaper Volcano

• Large plastic bottle
• Cellulose adhesive

Instructions: Make a volcano at home using newspaper! 

• Step 1: First, place a bottle in the middle of your cardboard base. Apply the adhesive paste all over the cardboard and glue the crumpled newspaper over it. 
• Step 2: Then, glue the newspaper around your bottle too, and paint the entire structure to ensure it looks like a volcano. Set it aside and allow it to dry for a couple of hours or days. 
• Step 3: When it’s ready, ask your child to pour the baking soda, vinegar, and food coloring into the bottle to make the volcano erupt.

We hope you enjoy making these volcano science projects with your little one. These experiments hone their understanding of science and instill in them a sense of creativity and imagination. 

For more fun kids learning games and activities, check the rest of our website!

Frequently Asked Questions on How To Make a Volcano for Kids

What are the materials used for making a volcano for kids.

The materials used for making a volcano for kids are luke warm water, white vinegar, soda bottle, dish soap, red coloring solution, and baking soda slurry.

How To Make a Volcano for Kids?

To make volcano for kids, firstly take a soda bottle and mix water, dish soap, food coloring and white vinegar. Then, make baking soda slurry and add slowly to this solution. Let the children watch the volcano erupt and understand the concept of eruption properly.

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Preschool Inspirations

Preschool Activities and Learning

Easy Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano Eruption for Kids

May 28, 2014 by Katie T. Christiansen 5 Comments

Need a super simple baking soda and vinegar volcano recipe? This one takes about three minutes to prep (and the kids get to help). It uses six common ingredients,  and there is no mess to clean up afterward! If simple and no cleaning is music to your ears, you’re in the right place. We’ve made this five times in the past two weeks, so it’s definitely a loved activity here.

I have always loved making volcanoes with my kids, but they can be time-consuming and require lots of prep. Well, “lots” may be stretching it, but in my world, if it’s not simple, it doesn’t usually happen. The sad truth is that while I’ve thought about making a volcano tons of times, I’ve only made it happen a few. I wanted to change that by making it a super easy process. I hope you absolutely love it!

And if you love these types of science experiments, you can see even more baking soda and vinegar experiments that are simple and so fun! They are also an awesome addition to a preschool curriculum .

Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano

How do you make the easiest volcano recipe in the world?

Ingredients

• Plastic cup (We tried a water bottle, but the plastic cup worked much better)
• 3-4 Tbs of baking soda at least (we usually do 4-6 which makes it extra foamy and will do 2-3 eruptions)
• 1 tsp of dish soap
• 1 cup (8 oz) of Vinegar to start with per eruption…then they’ll be asking for more 🙂

Location: an area with pea gravel, sand, or dirt

While you mix the base ingredients, have the kiddos make a mound out of pea gravel (or you could certainly do this with dirt). Once you have a mound, put the cup on top of it, and turn it into a mountain.  How easy is that!

We give it a good stir just before adding the last ingredient. Now it’s time for the eruption! Pour in the vinegar until it starts foaming over, pouring it’s lava all over the rocks.

The pictures really don’t do this justice, but our pea gravel mountain was just under a foot tall (30 cm).

Here’s our bubbly red lava taking over the rocks. In the background here, I’ve been hearing “there she blows!”

It is also super fun to mix up the colors a little bit! We can pour the vinegar in about three times before we need to add more baking soda to our solution.

Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano Video

Want to see it in action? Here’s the video!

Since we can’t get enough of this, here are some more snapshots of our other volcano eruptions.

 What does it look like afterward? Here’s a picture of ours once we took away the plastic cup. You can hardly even tell we did anything, and the rocks must be nice and clean with the baking soda and vinegar. If the washable paint doesn’t come off the rocks right away, it will within a few days or the next rain.

If you want to see what this looks like with dirt, check out these fun volcano posts!

Easy Backyard Volcano by Mom with a Lesson Plan

Erupting Volcanoes in Preschool by Teach Preschool

Or if you have the time to make it a little fancier, here are some more great ideas:

Build, Paint, and Erupt Volcano by Fun at Home With Kids

Erupting Volcano Dinosaur Printable from Fun at Home With Kids

Comparing Homemade Volcano Recipes by Still Playing School

How to Build a Volcano by Kids Activities Blog

Ice Volcanoes by Reading Confetti

Messy Play Fun with Shaving Cream from Fun-A-Day!

Erupting an Easy Homemade Volcano by Mom to 2 Posh Lil’ Divas

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September 13, 2016 at 8:32 am

My son tried this Has lots of fun!

February 28, 2018 at 4:38 pm

I like the idea I have to try it thank you Katie from preschool inspirations I love it and it looks fun and cool because I have a science fair at Edison elementary and I think it would be cool thanks

April 29, 2018 at 5:51 pm

Can you do this without the paint too?

May 2, 2018 at 9:19 am

Hi Amanda, it works without paint. It just won’t be colored. Have fun!

[…] sort of guided activity during my break time. For example some fun science experiments. Making a baking soda and vinegar volcano is super easy and fun. It doesn’t take too long either so you can easily do this with your […]

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Fun with Mama

Toddler and preschool activities

Written by Nadia T • Feb 8, 2024 • 8 Comments

FUN Baking Soda Volcano Experiment For Kids

Have you ever tried the Baking Soda volcano experiment? This has been amongst my children’s FAVORITE activities ever. It is simple to put together and you probably already have everything you need in your kitchen. (Minus the sand.) Read on to see how you can create a volcano science experiment for kids

Volcano Science Experiment

Have you ever tried the baking soda volcano for kids? Watching the volcano explore is truly one of the most surprising and exciting moments for a young child. I love that it can be a science experiment for 3-year-olds all the way to 13-year-olds. It doesn’t lose its excitement. I have started doing science experiments for kids from the time my children were 2 years old. The vinegar and baking soda science experiments are always so easy to put together and definitely have that wow factor!

Related : Lemon Volcano Science Experiment for Kids

If you would prefer to purchase a Volcano set you can do that, but it is also very easy to do with materials you probably already have at home. (We’ve done it both ways… at home and purchased, both equally as amazing to see.)

Please note that affiliate links may be used in this post. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.

Volcano Experiment Ingredients:

• Sand (it’s in the red dish),
• A glass bottle for the volcano
• Beaker for pouring
• or plastic bottles (I used 1 glass bottle and one pouring cup)
• Red food coloring
• Bicarbonate of soda
• Paper plate or tray –  Basically something just to catch the liquid to prevent mess.

You can always find my favorite kids activity supplies here.

Please note: To make the sand mold to your required shape, mix in a little bit of water.

How to make a volcano science experiment

You can watch the video we created to show you how the experiment works.

First, we will learn how to build the volcano

Mix some red food coloring with vinegar.

Then place damp sand (add some water to the sand to make it moldable) on a tray or paper plate around an empty glass bottle/jar/beaker.

Add some bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) to the empty glass bottle using a funnel.

Now you’re baking soda volcano is ready for eruption.

DIY Volcano

Now you are going to learn how to make a volcano erupt.

Pour the red-colored vinegar into the bottle (use a funnel if you need it).

Watch the magic unfold.

When vinegar mixes with baking soda you get the eruption.

Now you have a homemade volcano eruption

Let’s learn the science behind the volcano project

The baking soda and vinegar experiment demonstrates a simple chemical reaction between an acid (vinegar, which contains acetic acid) and a base (baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate). When the two substances are combined, they react to produce carbon dioxide gas, water, and a salt.

Here’s the chemical equation for the reaction:

• Vinegar (acetic acid): CH3COOH
• Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate): NaHCO3

When vinegar (acetic acid) reacts with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), it produces:

CH3COOH + NaHCO3 -> CH3COONa (sodium acetate) + H2O (water) + CO2 (carbon dioxide gas)

The carbon dioxide gas is what causes the fizzing and bubbling reaction you observe in the experiment. The reaction between the acid and the base releases the carbon dioxide gas, which creates bubbles and pushes the mixture upward, resembling an eruption.

This baking soda volcano is one of our favorite science activities for toddlers and preschoolers. It would be wonderful to add to a Dinosaur Theme Activities month.

I hope you learned how to make a volcano erupt with baking soda and that you try it at home or in your classroom.

The baking soda volcano activity makes a great science project for kids at home and should definitely be added to your at home science bucket list.

The volcano science experiment can also be adapted to many different themes and activities. Instead of doing a volcano theme you can incorporate the baking soda and vinegar and do Fizzing Easter Egg Dyeing .

You can find all of our Science Experiments for kids here.

Do you have a science loving kid? Here are more of my favorite science activities for kids:

• Easy Elephant Toothpaste Experiment
• Halloween Science Witch’s Brew Potions
• Pop Rocks and Soda Experiment

Have you tried the Volcano Experiment for kids before? Were your students or children as amazed as mine?

More Fun Baking Soda Science Experiments

The lemon volcano experiment is FUN!

Fizzing Heart Eruptions

Check out this colorful Baking soda and vinegar reaction experiment

Check out the fizzing ice cubes .

Nadia is a mom of 4, with a passion for making childhood education fun through play. She encourages parents to spend quality time with their kids through fun kids activities and enjoys art, traveling, and doing activities with her children.

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Reader Interactions

August 29, 2009 at 2:33 am

I shouldn't let the kids read over my shoulder – now they want to make one too.

August 29, 2009 at 8:51 am

This looks like so much fun! 🙂 I'll have to try it with my son!

August 29, 2009 at 10:39 am

Such a good mama to do some experimenting with your little. All I think about is M-E-S-S! That is my control freak nature, but I'm trying to get over that.

That 5th picture of your son is priceless! You can't beat that!!

August 29, 2009 at 10:59 am

that really cool!

August 31, 2009 at 2:00 pm

Fun, Fun Fun!!!

September 2, 2009 at 2:20 pm

Ooh, the famous soda and vinegar thing. That's what made me want study chemistry – too bad my parents were dead set against it. I read that this project is simpler (and less messy :)) with play-doh, but I haven't tried it out myself yet.

September 7, 2009 at 11:21 am

my son is gonna sqeal with delight if he gets to make this!

[…] in and you might see it on GMSA @ 9 a.m.!Here’s what you’ll need:This activity is courtesy of Fun with Mama.Copyright 2021 by KSAT – All rights reserved.Kaiti Blake is a child […]

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Science Fun

Baking Soda And Vinegar Volcano Kitchen Science Experiment

In this fun and easy kitchen science experiment for kids, we’re going to use baking soda and vinegar to create an erupting volcano. 

• Measuring cup
• Baking soda
• Liquid dish soap
• Red food coloring
• Baking pan or plastic bin
• Plastic water bottle

Instructions:

• Fill the plastic water bottle about halfway full with baking soda.
• Add a squirt or two of dish soap to the bottle. 
• Pile the sand up around the plastic water bottle to make it look like a volcano. Be sure to leave the mouth of the bottle open and unobstructed.
• Measure out ½ cup of vinegar.
• Add a drop or two of red food coloring to the vinegar.
• Pour the vinegar into the plastic water bottle and observe.

EXPLORE AWESOME SCIENCE EXPERIMENT VIDEOS!

How it Works:

The baking soda is a base and the vinegar is an acid. When the acid and base combine, an endothermic reaction occurs and releases carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide gas rushes toward the bottle opening and also causes the dish soap to foam. The gas and foam quickly fill the bottle an erupt from the top and causes a cool looking “lava flow” down the side of your volcano. 

Make This A Science Project:

Try different amounts of vinegar. Try different amounts of baking soda. Try different sized and shaped bottles. 

EXPLORE TONS OF FUN AND EASY SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS!

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How to Make Your Own Coke and Mentos Volcano With Kids

By: Author Susanne Williams

Posted on Published: December 5, 2020  - Last updated: December 29, 2023

Which child doesn’t like a good explosion?

Then try this fun DIY coke volcano science experiment with your kids.

They will love their explosive STEM project!

All you need are two ingredients for a lot of fun.

Let’s get right into it!

There are affiliate links in this post, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will be compensated if you click through and take action. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

How Do You Make a Volcano With Coke and Mentos?

Before we start with our coke and mentos volcano instruction, let’s find out which supplies we will need.

Materials You Will Need for the Mentos and Coke Volcano

We used regular coke for the first time for this mentos volcano experiment but then found out that diet soda actually gets you better results.

The larger the coke bottle you choose the bigger your explosion will be. So why not choose a 2L bottle for our mentos soda volcano?

Are you interested in more kid’s activities and arts & crafts? Subscribe to our newsletter now and never miss an update! Click here

Coke and Mentos Volcano Instructions

If you follow our easy step-by-step soda mentos volcano a great explosion will be guaranteed!

Step 1: Prepare your Soda

Open your bottle of soda carefully and position it on even ground so it can not tip over!

Step 2: Prepare Mentos

Now unwrap a roll of mentos.

Step 3: Add Mentos

The goal is to drop the mentos in the bottle at the same time. Which can be tricky!

Once all the mentos are dropped it is time to move out of the way as quickly as possible!

We used our hands to drop the mentos in at once but another method is to roll a piece of paper into a tube big enough to hold the loose Mentos.

Place a card or paper under the roll and put it on top of the bottle opening.

Then you can pull the card and the mentos will drop at the same time into your soda.

Step 4: Eruption

Quickly after all mentos are dropped you can watch your coke explode like a volcano!

Diet Coke Mentos Volcano Tips

• Make sure to try this experiment only together with an adult!
• Be aware that it’s a mess and think carefully about a location where you can place the coke! I recommend doing it outside in an open space with no ceiling or roof!
• The more mentos you use, the better the explosion will be.

The Science Behind Volcanos Out of Coke and Mentos

Before we start any experiment my children and I always talk about our project and I let them make their hypotheses.

After the actual experiment, we talked about their observation and if their hypotheses came true, why or why not that is and the science behind it.

So let’s find out why mentos make soda explode.

When the mentos sink into the coke bottle it creates rising bubbles, while at the same time, the candy forms carbon dioxide bubbles all over their surfaces.

As this happens the rising bubbles react with the carbon dioxide that is still dissolved in the soda and cause more carbon dioxide and bubbles to be freed with the result of a fun eruption.

Did you know STEM Education has many benefits? Read all about them here. Your kids also might enjoy our popular Sherbet Experiment , explore this classic Skittle Experiment , or enjoy this magical Dishsoap Experiment .

Do you want to see the Coke and Mentos volcano experiment in action? Watch this video!

Pin Our Fun Coke Mentos Volcano Experiment

Don’t forget to save our Mentos Coke volcano science experiment on Pinterest for later! Be sure you are following along with Lil Tigers  here .

How did your kids enjoy their own Coke volcano with Mentos candy? Did it work for you? Either way, let me know by leaving a comment below right now. I’d love to hear from you!

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Baking Soda Volcano

This classic baking soda volcano science experiment is a fun way to learn about the baking soda and vinegar reaction. Add an additional educational twist by making a color mixing experiment with it!

RELATED : Baking Soda & Vinegar Experiment

Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano

Kids love doing this easy science experiment. Not only is it a fun activity but it’s a great learning exercise too. They can also learn about color mixing if you mix some of the colors together!

To save a step, you can just add your favorite food coloring into the cups and do it that way too!

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.

Watch the Video Tutorial

Supplies needed to make a baking soda vinegar volcano.

• Baking Soda – we like this large 5 lb bag for activities since it’s more economical
• 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
• Dish Soap – any kind should work
• A Popsicle Stick or Spoon
• A Tray – we like these plastic white serving trays for messy experiments or sensory play

How to Make a Baking Soda Volcano

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

Make 1 bowl for each color you want to do.

2. Add a drop of food coloring into a tablespoon of water.

We made red, yellow and blue primary colors so we could mix them together to make secondary colors.

3. Add the food colored water to your baking soda and mix.

4. Add a spoonful of two colors into a cup for the experiment.

We did red and yellow, blue and yellow, and red and blue to mix primary colors to make secondary colors.

If you don’t want to do color mixing, you can use whatever color you’d like by following the same steps!

Note: Purple will come out more of a dark red color when mixing.

5. Add a drop of dish soap on top.

6. 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. Squeeze a little bit of the vinegar and water mixture into the cup (not enough for it to start exploding out).

Then use a popsicle stick or spoon to mix the two colors together. You should now start to see the new color forming – green, orange or purple.

8. 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. Add more baking soda in and continue the experiment!

You can also repeat the experiment by trying all of the color mixing options.

To make it look more like a volcano, you can use red or orange coloring and bury the cup in some sand outside.

More Science Experiments

Try this fun and easy Grow a Rainbow Experiment . You only need washable markers and paper towel!

For another fun experiment, make some oobleck! 

Try a rainbow rain cloud in the jar experiment!

More Science for Kids

Fluffy Slime Recipe

Ice Cream in a Bag

Oil and Water Experiment

Walking Water Experiment

Related ideas:.

How to Make Slime With Contact Solution

How to Make Oobleck

Grow a Rainbow Experiment

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How to Make a Baking Soda Volcano

Step-By-Step Instructions for a Classic Science Fair Project

busypix / Getty Images

• Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
• B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College

The baking soda and vinegar volcano is a classic science project that can help kids learn about chemical reactions and what happens when a volcano erupts . While it's obviously not the real  thing, this kitchen equivalent is cool all the same! The baking soda volcano is also non-toxic, which adds to its appeal—and it only takes about 30 minutes to complete.

Did You Know?

• The cool red lava is the result of a chemical reaction between the baking soda and vinegar.
• In this reaction, carbon dioxide gas is produced, which is also present in real volcanoes.
• As the carbon dioxide gas is produced, pressure builds up inside the plastic bottle, until—thanks to the detergent—the gas bubbles out of the mouth of the volcano.

Volcano Science Project Materials

• 6 cups flour
• 2 cups salt
• 4 tablespoons cooking oil
• plastic soda bottle
• dishwashing detergent
• food coloring
• baking dish or another pan
• 2 tablespoons baking soda

Make the Chemical Volcano

• Start by making the cone of your baking soda volcano by mixing 6 cups flour, 2 cups salt, 4 tablespoons cooking oil, and 2 cups of water. The resulting mixture should be smooth and firm (add more water if needed).
• Stand the soda bottle in the baking pan and mold the dough around it to form a volcano shape. Be sure not to cover the hole or drop dough inside the bottle.
• Fill the bottle most of the way full with warm water and a bit of red food coloring. (You can do this prior to sculpting the cone as long as you don't take so long that the water gets cold.)
• Add 6 drops of detergent to the contents of the bottle. The detergent helps trap bubbles produced by the chemical reaction so you get better lava.
• Add 2 tablespoons baking soda to the liquid in the bottle.
• Slowly pour vinegar into the bottle, and then watch out...It's eruption time!

Experiment With the Volcano

While it's fine for young explorers to tackle a simple model volcano, if you want to make the volcano a better science project, you'll want to add the scientific method . Here are some ideas for different ways to experiment with a baking soda volcano:

• Make a prediction about what happens if you change the amount of baking soda or vinegar. Record and analyze the effect, if any.
• Can you think of ways to change the volcano to make the eruption go higher or last longer? This might involve changing the chemicals or the shape of the volcano. It helps to record numerical data, such as the volume of liquid, the height of the "lava," or the duration of the eruption.
• Does it affect your volcano if you use a different kind of chemical to color the volcano? You could use tempera paint powder.
• Try using tonic water instead of regular water to get a volcano that glows under black light.
• What happens if you substitute other acids instead of vinegar or other bases instead of baking soda? (Examples of acids include lemon juice or ketchup; examples of bases include laundry detergent and household ammonia.) Use caution if you decide to substitute chemicals because some mixtures can be dangerous and may produce hazardous gasses. Never experiment with bleach or bathroom cleaners.
• Adding a bit of food coloring will result in red-orange lava! Orange seems to work best. Add some red, yellow, and even purple, for a bright display.
• Take Your Volcano Science Project to the Next Level
• Baking Soda and Vinegar Chemical Volcano
• Fizzy Sparkling Lemonade Made With Science
• 5 Types of Science Fair Projects
• Fizzy Sherbet Powder Candy Recipe
• Middle School Science Fair Project Ideas
• Elementary School Science Fair Projects
• Chemistry Science Fair Project Ideas
• You've Got Ingredients for a Chemical Volcano
• Ketchup and Baking Soda Volcano
• Equation for the Reaction Between Baking Soda and Vinegar
• Lemon Fizz Science Project
• How to Make a Homemade Volcano That Smokes
• How to Make a Volcano Using Pop Rocks
• 8th Grade Science Fair Project Ideas

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

Get Your Free 21st Century Timeline Poster ✨

16 Red-Hot Volcano Science Experiments and Kits For Classrooms or Science Fairs

Kids will erupt with excitement!

Is there any school science project more classic than the exploding volcano? Every generation of kids loves this explosive (and messy!) experiment, which is usually a take on acid-base reactions. Here are our favorite volcano science experiments and projects, along with some well-reviewed DIY kits that make the process easier.

(Just a heads up—WeAreTeachers may collect a small share of sales from links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves!)

1. Classic Baking Soda Volcano Experiment

This classic experiment teaches kids about simple chemical reactions and physical properties. The best part? It’s easy to do and uses only a few basic ingredients. Check out the link below for a step-by-step guide and free printable student recording sheet.

Learn more: Baking Soda Volcano Experiment

2. Papier-mâché Volcano Experiment

Here it is, the original papier-mâché volcano! The volcano is built around a jar inside that holds the vinegar and baking soda for the eruption itself. Add a little dish soap to make the “lava” foamier and more impressive.

Learn more: Craft Cue

3. Salt Dough Volcano Experiment

Salt dough is a little easier to work with than papier-mâché, and you can make your volcano pretty realistic looking. Otherwise, the process is the same, and so is the fun!

Learn more: Teach Beside Me

4. National Geographic Ultimate Volcano Kit

Make things easier by getting all the supplies you need in a volcano science experiments kit. This one has thousands of positive reviews on Amazon and comes with a volcano mold you can use again and again.

Learn more: National Geographic Ultimate Volcano Kit/Amazon

5. Playdough Volcano Experiment

Want a quick version of the volcano experiment? Use playdough to build a volcano around a small beaker, then create the baking soda and vinegar reaction. Fast and fun!

Learn more: Life Over Cs

6. Snow Volcano Experiment

Volcano science experiments can be messy, there’s no doubt about it. That’s why this snow volcano is so brilliant! Take the mess outside and let nature help with cleanup.

Learn more: Science Sparks

7. Playz Volcanic Eruption & Lava Lab Science Kit

This volcano science kit comes with not one but two erupting volcanoes! There are enough supplies for multiple eruptions too.

Learn more: Playz Volcanic Eruption & Lava Lab Science Kit/Amazon

8. Lemon Volcano Science Experiment

Lemon juice is full of acid, so this fruit is the perfect material for volcano science experiments. Just add a little dish soap (and food coloring for fun). Then top with baking soda and watch the fizzy eruption! Enjoy this one? Try it with apples too!

Learn more: Lemon Volcano/Beyond the Playroom

9. Learning Resources Beaker Creatures Bubbling Volcano Kit

This kit is perfect for the younger crowd. It includes several different fizzing experiments, including a “reactor pod” that you drop into your volcano to reveal a collectible little Beaker Creature.

Learn more: Learning Resources Beaker Creatures Bubbling Volcano Kit/Amazon

10. Pop Rocks Volcano

Watch a volcano video and you’ll hear all sorts of popping and cracking sounds. You can recreate that effect in your DIY experiment by adding Pop Rocks candy to make a sound volcano!

Learn more: Growing a Jeweled Rose

11. Stemclas Volcano Science Kit

If you’re looking for a truly basic volcano kit, this is the one. No frills, no extras—just a model volcano and the materials you need to make it erupt.

Learn more: Stemclas Volcano Science Kit/Amazon

12. Rainbow Volcano Experiment

Lava can take on different colors depending on the temperature and chemical composition. So make a rainbow of fizzing “lava” of your own using food coloring!

Learn more: Green Kids Crafts

13. Underwater Volcano Experiment

Not all volcanos erupt on land—some are found underwater. This experiment uses the different densities of hot and cold water to make the volcano “erupt.”

Learn more: Mombrite

14. Fizzing Volcano Lava Slime

Volcanoes plus slime? It’s every kid’s dream! Mix up some fizzing lava slime that’s much safer to play with than real molten lava! (Make this project even easier by getting all the supplies you need in the Volcano Slime Kit from KiwiCo .)

Learn more: Little Bins for Little Hands

15. Look Inside a Volcano Experiment

This volcano science experiment digs deeper, laying out items like the magma chamber, crater, and central and secondary vents. The eruption is impressive, and now you can see how happens!

Learn more: 123Homeschool4Me

16. Pumpkin Volcano Experiment

When is a pumpkin not a pumpkin? When it’s a volcano! This is an awesome project to take out onto the playground on a sunny fall day.

Learn more: Hillary’s Teaching Adventures

Want more hands-on science fun? Try these Incredible Electricity Experiments .

Plus, get all the latest teaching tips and tricks straight to your inbox when you sign up for our newsletters , you might also like.

How To Make a Baking Soda Volcano With Free Observation Sheet

This experiment will have kids erupting with applause! Continue Reading

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Meg Ryan on Writing and Directing Her First Rom-Com, Trio of Upcoming Projects and Life in Hollywood After 60: ‘I Am the Luckiest Person’

By Christopher Vourlias

Christopher Vourlias

• Noomi Rapace Teases ‘Punk Rock’ Portrayal of Mother Teresa in Upcoming Film ‘Mother’: ‘She Was No Saint’ (EXCLUSIVE) 1 day ago
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• Meg Ryan on Writing and Directing Her First Rom-Com, Trio of Upcoming Projects and Life in Hollywood After 60: ‘I Am the Luckiest Person’ 2 days ago

Rom-com queen Meg Ryan charmed a packed house during an appearance at the Sarajevo Film Festival on Tuesday, reprising some of her iconic roles in movies including “ When Harry Met Sally ” and “You’ve Got Mail” while also opening up about her life and career in the movie business since turning 60.

“I don’t look at the downside very often. I am the luckiest person you’re ever going to meet,” she said. “I don’t have feelings like I’m being denied anything. I have a charmed existence and I work with incredible people.”

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Tuesday’s masterclass, moderated by Academy Award-winning Bosnian director Danis Tanović (“No Man’s Land”), opened with a clip of the iconic deli scene in “When Harry Met Sally,” which drew no less an enthusiastic response from the Sarajevo audience as it has throughout the 35 years since its release.

Insisting that she “[hadn’t] heard that in so long,” Ryan described co-star Billy Crystal as “the perfect person to fake an orgasm with” and deadpanned, “What a crazy thing to be famous for.”

The actor recalled getting her start in the ’80s on the long-running soap opera “As the World Turns” — a gig she took to help pay her way through NYU — before a scene-stealing turn across from Tom Cruise in the 1986 blockbuster “ Top Gun ” propelled her into the mainstream.

“She made the set like a dinner party at her house. It was so fun,” she said. “She’d have cook-offs and taste-offs. Everyone on the set was interesting to talk to. It was like a dinner party you never wanted to leave.” Returning to her star-making scene in a New York deli, she added: “That’s just great writing. And that’s Nora Ephron. And you almost never get writing like that.”

“ What Happens Later ” marks Ryan’s second directorial effort following the 2015 film “Ithaca,” in which she directed and starred alongside her son, Jack Quaid, and reunited on-screen with Tom Hanks for the fourth time. The Bleecker Street Media release is her first time directing and writing a romantic comedy.

Based on Steven Dietz’s play “Shooting Star,” the film follows two old flames who, after bumping into each other when their flights get snowed in, spend the night in an airport reliving the past.

Ryan, who returns to the screen for the first time in eight years , said the film — shot in three weeks on a $3 million budget — had a “very high bar of difficulty,” but added that the challenge was part of what inspired her to make it.

“How fully can you see your limitations as opportunities? We didn’t have a big budget. We shot in 21 nights. The movie had to have scope,” she said. “We ended up shooting in a museum in Arkansas. We couldn’t control the extras — we had to use real people. All of those things were fun to try to figure out in this limited time on this limited budget.”

Recalling some of her memorable performances on the big screen, Ryan described taking terse instructions from director Tony Scott on the set of “Top Gun” (“In this scene, you’re happy”; “In this scene, you’re sad”), boning up on the works of Carl Jung to play three different women in “Joe Versus the Volcano,” and struggling to get into character when tasked to play a drunk in “When a Man Loves a Woman.” She also discussed a role she famously turned down, for “Silence of the Lambs,” noting that Jodie Foster was “the right person” to play FBI trainee Clarice Starling, while adding: “I don’t see it as a comedy.”

Asked about the opportunities for older women in Hollywood, Ryan admitted there were certain limitations for women after a certain age, but added that those limitations spurred her to push her career in new directions.

“There’s no doubt that for anybody older, roles are limited — for an actor,” she said. “But those limits don’t exist for a director, or a producer. And at a certain point you just want to say what you mean. And sometimes, that’s not about being an actor.”

Ryan teased a trio of upcoming projects, one in which she has a starring role, one of which she’s attached to direct, and a third that she plans to direct and produce.

The Sarajevo Film Festival runs Aug. 16 – 23.

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