Time for some toddler science! While I have adapted this activity to suit children from ages 3-5, it can be modified to challenge older age groups too. The main concept of this casual lesson is to firstly, introduce the little ones to the concept of science, but the learning doesn't end there. During this experiment the young students will get to learn about colors and how they change when mixed. They will be encouraged to problem solve and use their senses too.

This is also an excellent way to cool down on a hot summers day! If you are a teacher, you can plan this activity for the kids in your class, or if you are a parent, well, get ready for some holiday fun! The materials required are basic (and affordable) and the set up is easy (clean up time might be a bit of a mission, but you can get the little critters involved here too)! Here goes!

Colour Laboratory

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Get ready for some good, "clean" and educational fun! The first thing you need to do before prepping the colour lab is to make sure you have a warm and sunny day ahead of you, since this bit of fun is best done outdoors.

Here's what you will need:

• A table, kids height
• Dish soap, shampoo or hand soap
• A variety of pump bottles, syringes, spray bottles, medicine droppers etc.
• Ice trays, preferably clear or white
• Spoons
• Measuring spoons
• A mixture of tupperware
• Water
• Different colours of food colouring

Instructions:

1. Prepare the laboratory by filling up the pump and spray bottles with water, some of the liquid soap and a dash of food colouring.
2. Let the kids loose!

The experiment:

The kids can go crazy with their lab and set up. Allow them to squirt, shake, spray and stir the coloured water. Let them mix different coloured water and show them how new colours can be made. Let them practice motor skills by heaving the bottles, adjusting nozzles, opening caps and squirting sprayers.

Tiny hands will figure out how to grasp and carry wet, slippery and bulky containers,  without spilling or dropping them.   Through trial and error, they’re learning out how to pour the correct amount to fill a container, controlling their motions. 

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Add to the fun by placing some bubble blowers in the mix too and the preschoolers can blow bubbles with their coloured soapy water. There's tons of things you can add to this activity and like I mentioned above, it can be adapted to be more challenging for older kids.

Source link: https://happyhooligans.ca/colour-laboratory/

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I am not too sure where you live, but here in South Africa we are in the middle of summer and games like this are ideal for the little ones at the moment. Instead of plonking the kids in front of the fan and TV, send them outside to cool while having fun with science!

Much love - @sweetpea

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