Hey there! I just had to share this super cool STEM activity I tried out with my preschoolers recently—it was an absolute blast! We dove into the world of colors and explored mixing them up using just a few simple household items. Try this color mixing preschool STEM activity next time you are teaching about primary colors!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see my full disclosure for further information.
I started my lesson by reading the book, “Mouse Paint” by Ellen Stoll Walsh. This book adorably illustrates the concept of combining primary colors to create a new color. It was the perfect introduction for our coloring mixing preschool STEM activity! We made predictions throughout the book on what color we thought the mice would make when they splashed into different colors. After the story, we got into creating our own color mixing experiment.
🌈Here’s what we did step by step
- Gather Supplies: First things first, I gathered up the essentials. We needed some milk, food coloring (a variety of colors works best), a little dish soap, cookie cutters, 3 containers, and some trusty q-tips.
- Set the Stage: I poured some milk into a shallow container and placed a cookie cutter right in the middle. The cookie cutter acted like a boundary to hold our colors in place.
- Add the Magic: Here’s where the fun began! I dropped one color of food coloring inside the cookie cutter and then added a different color just outside of it. This part alone had the kids totally intrigued.
- The Secret Ingredient: Next up, the magic ingredient—dish soap! We dipped a q-tip into the soap and then gently touched the food coloring inside the cookie cutter. And bam! The colors burst out and dispersed in the milk, creating a beautiful display.
- Exploration Time: Once the colors spread out, we removed the cookie cutter. This was the moment of truth! The kids were so excited to see how the colors had mixed and spread.
- Mix it Up: But wait, there’s more! We took it a step further and used our q-tips to swirl and mix the colors together. Watching new colors form right before our eyes was absolutely mesmerizing.
It was such a fantastic way to explore colors, talk about mixing, and even learn a little science along the way. Plus, the kids were thrilled to see how different colors combined to create something entirely new. One of my containers started leaking, so it made a little mess, but the kids still loved the whole experiment!
This color mixing preschool STEM activity was not only loads of fun but also a great way to encourage curiosity and experimentation. And the best part? It was super easy to set up with basic household items!
Give it a try with your little ones—it’s a guaranteed hit and a wonderful way to spend some creative time together. Trust me, the joy on their faces as the colors swirl and blend is absolutely priceless!