Kid-Safe Colourful Chemistry!
There’s something magical about watching colours swirl, bubble, and float … and even more so when children are at the center of the discovery. We love exploring a simple but powerful science experiment using baby oil and coloured water. Why? Awe, curiosity, and lots of learning!
How to do it:
Fill a base with baby oil, then slowly added drops of water tinted with food dye. The children watched with wide eyes as the colourful drops danced and bobbed through the oil before sinking and slowly blending together.
What It Teaches:
This experiment is a beautiful introduction to two big scientific ideas: immiscible liquids and colour mixing.
Mixing Elements: Oil and water don’t mix, a concept that sparks great conversation even with little ones. It shows children that some elements stay separate, no matter how much you stir. They begin to see that the world is made up of different materials that behave in unique ways.
Mixing Colours: As more coloured water was added, children saw red and blue make purple, yellow and blue make green, an early hands-on lesson in primary and secondary colours. It’s sensory learning at its best: visual, engaging, and wonderfully messy.
Why It Matters:
Experiments like this one offer more than just fun, they help children build the foundation for scientific thinking. Observation, prediction, and cause-and-effect understanding are all being practiced while they play. And for us grown-ups? It’s a reminder that learning doesn’t have to be complicated to be meaningful.
If you try this at home, remember to tag us! We want to see! @sweetsensoryplay