Quick and easy science demonstration! We have done a few oil and water science activities recently, but here’s an easy way to add a color-mixing element as well. Simply substitute olive oil and combine with water and a little blue or red food coloring. Give it a good shake to mix the colors, then watch as they quickly separate back out into primaries. You can also add glitter glue, beads, or other small elements to make a cool sensory jar, and you can use your oil and water jar as an activity timer. Whatever you do, just make sure that lid is on tight!



For any project like this (and we do a lot of food coloring projects!), I always use Wilton’s food coloring because they are just gorgeous! I’m not brand loyal on many points, but this is one where I won’t compromise. You can also use Wilton’s candy coloring to color oils for more oil and water science activities and art projects.


Similar oil and water science activities to check out include making “bubbles” of water in oil, 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.



Science Activity: Oil, Water, and Color Mixing
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