Volcanoes Facts for Kids

Molten rock is called magma when it's underground, but once it reaches the surface it's called lava.

The Kawah Ijen volcano in Indonesia glows electric blue at night because of burning sulfur gases.

Major volcanic eruptions can create stunningly colourful sunsets around the world because the ash particles scatter sunlight.

Pumice is a volcanic rock so full of air bubbles that it can float on water.

Mount Etna in Sicily, Italy, is Europe's tallest and most active volcano, standing over 10,900 feet tall.

Volcanic eruptions near or under the ocean can trigger massive tsunamis — waves that travel hundreds of miles per hour.

A lahar is a deadly mudflow made of volcanic ash and water that can race down a volcano at 40 miles per hour.

There are three main types of volcanoes: shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes, and cinder cones, each with a different shape.

Obsidian is natural volcanic glass formed when lava cools so fast that crystals don't have time to grow.

Geysers like Old Faithful in Yellowstone shoot boiling water into the air because of underground volcanic heat.