This simple oil and water science activity helps kids see how oil and water separate from each other. It also includes food coloring, which is always a big thrill for my little ones! This week, we dyed some water and experimented with how it behaved in a bowl of oil. This activity works best with a clear oil such as baby oil or mineral oil.
We dyed water in all three primary colors and then used an infant medicine dropper to drip it into the oil. From the top, it was fun to watch the colors in the water mix, but the side provided the best view. Here we could really see the water bead up inside the oil and then watch the beads “pop” as they joined together.
The effect was similar to watching one of these bubble timers — very mesmerizing! If your kids are already familiar with these, you can try this activity to explain how they work!
After we were done adding water to the oil, we also used the droppers to pull up a little of the mixture and watched how it separated inside the tube.
Similar oil and water science activities to check out include making a color-mixing sensory jar, making a sensory jar with “ice berg” beads, and the classic “magic milk” demonstration to explore how soap makes oil and water mix. Any of these projects pose great opportunities to talk to your kids about why oil and water don’t mix and why it is important to use soap when we wash our hands and clean our dishes.
Pingback:Science Activity: Oil, Water, and Color Mixing • This Home School
Pingback:Oil and Water Science Activity: "Iceberg" Bottle • This Home School