Dyed Ice

Kids are enthralled by the mixture of colors. Likewise, they are often intrigued by watching things melt, such as ice or snow. This science activity allows kids to combine these interests and learn more about them both! Through it, they will discover how mixing two colors can create a third and how ice melts in the heat.

Activity Instructions

Cover your dining room table with newspaper to protect against any food coloring spills. Likewise, have your kids wear clothes that can get stained.

Have your child help you measure and pour a half a cup of water into each of the three bowls.

Next, place the bowls on the table, along with the pan and the food coloring. Put a couple of ice cubes into the pan and have your kids sit around the table.

Place a few drops of each color into the bowls. This should result in red, yellow, and blue water. Add as much color as your kids want, creating a vibrant hue.

With an eyedropper, pick up some of the colored water and drop it onto one of the ice cubes. Talk to your little ones about how the food coloring reacts to the cube. Next, show them how to use the eyedropper and allow them to mix the colors on the ice cubes. Discuss how the primary colors can create new colors through a variety of combinations.

Print out our free Basic Colors Worksheet to teach about the color combining.

Materials

• Ice Cubes
• Eyedropper
• Newspaper
• Pan
• Three Bowls
• Red, Yellow, and Blue food coloring
• Basic Colors Worksheet

Outcome

This fun activity will help your kids develop motor skills, identify colors, and learn why certain colors mix well. Additionally, it will show them the melting process.