You may have seen a flat handprint letter V for volcano. Also, look at my page How to Homeschool Preschool for more letter activities. And look at my page Volcano Unit Study and Fun Apple Volcano.
But have you ever seen a standing model one? I can’t wait to show you how to make your own today.
When teaching letters to younger children, incorporating fun hands-on activities goes a long way in helping them remember what they have learned.
This one is inexpensive and easier than you might think.
You can make a handprint volcano model to help your child identify the different parts of the volcano.
Also, use it as an art project and for a neat keepsake.
But don’t stop there with just one activity.
Check out my volcano facts and activity ideas to create a simple study for your child while they learn about V with a science theme.
There are volcanoes all over the world, and they come in all different shapes and sizes.
Some volcanoes are tall and pointy, while others are short and wide.
Some volcanoes are covered in snow and ice, while others are surrounded by lush forests.
Kids love to learn about the powerful volcanoes and there is so much to learn about them, no matter what they look like, volcanoes are amazing natural wonders.
Books for Kids About Volcanoes
First, look at some of these volcano books.
12 Volcano Books & Resources
Add one or two of these books to learn about volcanoes and add some hands-on ideas to learn about the types of volcanoes.
Did you know there are four main types of volcanoes? Or that volcanoes are classified as active, dormant, or extinct? The Devil’s Tower in Wyoming is an extinct volcano. It’s about 40.5 million years old!
Simple explanation of how an island is formed. B/ W sketch illustrations.
As Dawn breaks, mount kahlualualuau is spewing its fiery lava down onto meepleville. The natives are frantically trying to escape the rivers of lava and remain on safe ground. Whoever’s tribe survives the eruption with the most Meeples shall be the winner!
In this extraordinary photographic essay, Patricia Lauber details the Mount St. Helens eruption and the years following in Volcano: Eruption and Healing of Mt. St. Helen's.Through this clear accurate account, readers of all ages will share the awe of the scientists who witnessed both the power of the volcano and the resiliency of life.
Science is vital for every inhabitant of today’s world, and being scientifically informed and literate is a crucial part of any child’s education. Science can seem daunting –- especially as scientific knowledge advances so quickly –- and this volume is the perfect purchase for any family. It will bear repeated use by all the family from 10+ through the teenage years.
Conditions on Earth are becoming more and more extreme and kids want to learn about it!
Is it true that, at any given time, about 20 volcanoes are erupting somewhere on Earth? Yes! Sometimes volcanoes erupt with a big, dangerous bang. Other times they spit out lava so slowly that you could walk faster than it flows.
‘[An] irresistible account of a child’s imaginary 8,000-mile journey through the earth to discover what’s inside. Facts about the composition of the earth are conveyed painlessly and memorably.’ —SLJ. ‘An exciting adventure. . . . Illustrations [by Caldecott Medal winner Marc Simont] explode with color and action.’ —CS.
The cool story of volcanoes will intrigue kids and adults alike. Hot melted rock from the middle of our planet forces its way up through cracks in the Earth’s crusts, exploding violently and sometimes unexpectedly in volcanic fury that can terrorize populations for months, even years.
Kids will burst with excitement as they learn all about the science and wonder of volcanoes in this new National Geographic Kids Reader.
UNFORGETTABLE SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS – This is a great hands-on experiment kit for any science fair; the updated mold and instructions make it easy to assemble a sturdy volcano form and realistic paint colors give the volcano a lifelike look.
This set of 48 cards features a colorful illustration on one side and informational facts on the other side.
MIX YOUR OWN LAVA: Use the included mixture to form your own “lava” and experiment with explosions by making your own volcano erupt!
Volcano Facts
- Volcanoes are like big mountains, but they’re special because they have a secret inside. Deep down, volcanoes are filled with hot, melted rock called magma.
- Sometimes, the magma gets too hot and it has to find a way to escape. It bursts out of the top of the volcano and flows down the sides, just like when you squeeze toothpaste out of a tube and it has to come out and flow over.
- When magma comes out of a volcano, it’s called lava. Lava is really hot, so it can be dangerous. It can burn things and even destroy houses. But volcanoes can also be beautiful. When lava flows out at night, it can look just like a river of fire.
- Volcanoes can also make loud noises and sometimes they even shake the ground. That’s because when magma comes out of the volcano, it can create a lot of pressure. The pressure can cause the ground to shake and make a loud boom.
Volcanoes are a part of nature, and they’re not always dangerous.
In fact, they can even be helpful. The lava from volcanoes can make new land, and it also helps to fertilize the soil.
Letter V For Volcano Activities
- Practice pre-writing skills by giving your child a couple of craft sticks and teaching them to form it into the letter ‘V’.
Of course reading a great science book about Volcanoes like Gail Gibbons’ books is a wonderful activity for developing language skills, listening skills, and learning science facts
Take some of the ideas from my Celebrate National Vinegar Day With A Hands-on Study of Volcanoes and create your own mini unit perfect for a younger child.
Recreate this Volcano Blow Art page at home for a unique project that turns out different every time you do it
Watch Volcanoes for Kids| How Volcanoes Work as an entertaining way to teach volcano facts.
Letter V For Volcano Handprint Craft
We are going to create a volcano handprint craft that is out of the ordinary and will really capture your child’s imagination.
Once they make it, they can continue to enjoy it by using it alongside their dinosaur toys, as a display on the shelf, or use it to create a larger scene from craft foam.
You will need:
- Craft foam in assorted colors
- Craft paint- red, yellow, and/or orange
- Hot glue gun/glue sticks
- Little willing hands
First, twist brown craft foam into a funnel shape.
It needs to be narrow on one end and wide at the other, overlapping it about ¼”
Run hot glue down the inside seam and hold in place until it hardens.
Be sure you leave the opening at the top about 1 ½” in diameter so your ‘lava’ will fit inside.
Use scissors to trim the top and bottom off to make it straighter.
Trace a small hand onto at least two colors of craft foam, like red and orange.
Cut the handprints out.
Glue the bottom of the hands inside the volcano so it looks like lava spewing out the top.
Secure the base of the volcano on a square of green craft foam to help it stay up, use hot glue and hold it in place until set.
To really give it a flowing colorful effect and some texture you can also drip some paint down the volcano as well to create lava flow rather than just explosion.
