TV star Stacey Solomon has shared how to safely make a lava lamp at home - and it's the perfect way to keep kids entertained during lockdown.
Like many parents around the world, the mum-of-three is on the hunt for fun and educational activities for her little ones during quarantine.
Sharing a sweet video of her seven-year-old son Leighton making the colourful creation, the former X-Factor contestant enthused: "They go for AGES, so quick and easy to make... and the boys LOVE THEM & could watch them all day."
The DIY lava lamps - made with kitchen ingredients - are a safe project for children.
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Anne Helmensine, who has a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Tennessee and co-writes the online science resource Sciencenotes.org, says that while "lava lamps that you buy use high heat and toxic chemicals, you can make a lava lamp at home using safe kitchen ingredients".
Using store cupboard ingredients such as Alka Seltzer tablets, natural oils and food colouring - as recommended in Stacey's how-to guide - "results in a non-toxic lava lamp that is safe for kids to make and use."
You will need:
- An empty glass bottle
- Food colouring
- Milton tablet or Alka Seltzer tablet
- Baby Oil or Vegetable Oil
Step-by-step:
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1. Start by taking a label off an empty glass bottle. Stacey wrote that "the easiest way to do this I've found is by pouring hot water into it and leaving it for a while until it's cooled down. The warm water melts the glue & it peels straight off."
2. Next, "fill the bottle just over halfway with baby oil and topped with a bit of water".
3. Now, add a few drops of food colouring. Kids can select their favourite colours - Stacey's son Leighton chose orange and yellow.
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4. Lastly, add in a broken Milton tablet (or an Alka Seltzer tablet) and watch the magic happen.
Stacey's final clip shows Leighton's yellow-coloured lava lamp bubbling away, with globs of bright colour drifting to the surface.
Simple, cost-effective and hours of fizzy fun.
Featured Image Credit: Instagram / @staceysolomonTopics: lockdown, Mum, Kids, Home, Celebrity, Life