We love incorporating hands on experiments with learning and fine motor development! This milk and food coloring experiment is always a big hit with kiddos, and can be used to target so many different goals.
Recently one of our OTs incorporated this activity into a session to challenge the child’s fine motor skills working on strength and stability with pouring, squeezing the food coloring dropper, and grasping the Q-tip. It is also a great activity to work on task sequencing, memory, and following directions. You can even try putting soap on fingers instead of Q-tips to get some sensory involvement as well.
Right now this experiment can have the added visualization of the importance of hand washing in relation to coronavirus. You can use the food coloring to represent germs and watch how the soap pushes the germs away. Plus, science experiments are always a fun way to spark natural curiosity!
Supplies Needed:
Small bowl or dish
Milk
Food Coloring
Dish Soap
Q-tips
Step 1: Fill small bowl or dish with milk. For an extra fine motor challenge let your child fill the bowl by scooping milk in with a spoon, or using an eye dropper.
Step 2: Add one drop of food coloring to the center of the milk, being careful not to mix.
Step 3: Dip Q-tip into dish soap
Step 4: Dip soap coated Q-tip into the center of the food coloring and watch what happens!
Step 5: Repeat experiment in a different bowl with another color, or try adding more than one color at a time. For an extra challenge have your child try to remember the direction steps after the first trial to work on memory and task sequencing.
How does this work? Great question! Milk contains fat molecules, and the food coloring floats on top of the fat. The oil found in the dish soap breaks the bonds within the fat causing the molecules to separate, and moves the color away. Because of the roll fat plays in this experiment whole milk and 2% milk work best. Happy Experimenting!!!
