When conducting science experiments with preschoolers, it’s essential to focus on activities that are safe, engaging, and encourage exploration and discovery. Here’s a simple and fun experiment that preschoolers can enjoy:
Walking Water Experiment:
Objective: To demonstrate capillary action and color mixing using water and paper towels.
Materials Needed:
- Six clear cups or jars
- Water
- Food coloring (red, blue, and yellow)
- Paper towels
- Dropper or small spoon
Instructions:
- Set-Up: Arrange the cups or jars in a row. Fill the first and third cups with water, leaving some space at the top. Add a few drops of red food coloring to the water in the first cup, blue food coloring to the water in the third cup, and leave the second, fourth, fifth, and sixth cups empty.
- Prepare Paper Towels: Fold each paper towel in half lengthwise, and then fold it in half again. You should have a long strip.
- Create Bridges: Place one end of each paper towel strip into the cups containing colored water (first and third cups), making sure the other end hangs over into the empty cups (second, fourth, fifth, and sixth cups).
- Observe and Wait: Encourage the children to observe what happens over time. They should notice that the water begins to “walk” along the paper towels from the cups with colored water into the empty cups.
- Color Mixing: As the water travels along the paper towels, it will start to mix with the colors in the adjacent cups. For example, the water from the cup with red food coloring will mix with the water in the cup with blue food coloring, creating purple where they meet.
- Discussion: After some time, gather the children to discuss what they observed. Ask questions like: “What happened to the water?”, “Why did the colors mix?”, and “What do you think made the water move from one cup to another?”
This experiment is not only educational but also allows preschoolers to engage their senses and develop critical thinking skills as they observe, predict, and discuss their findings. Make sure to supervise closely, especially when handling water and food coloring, to ensure safety at all times.