Science experiments have been popular in this house lately so when my 6 year old asked to do yet another one we set out to the library to see if we could find something interesting there. We ended finding the book “How to Make a Liquid Rainbow” by Lori Shores. The best part about this experiment is that we already had everything we needed at home!
What you need: Large jar, food coloring, corn syrup, blue dish soap, water, olive oil (or any other yellow oil), rubbing alcohol, measuring cup, cups for mixing
What to do:
- Purple: 1/2 c corn syrup + 2 drops red food coloring + 1 drop blue food coloring. Pour into bottom of jar.
- Blue: 1/2 c blue dish soap. Pour slowly on top of corn syrup.
- Green: 1/2 c water + 2 drops green food coloring. Again, pour super slow on top of blue!
- Yellow: 1/2 c olive oil. Add to jar.
- Red: 1/2 c rubbing alcohol + 2 drops red food coloring. Pour on top!
Although they are all liquids, the various densities in each color layer keep them from mixing together! Remember to add each color layer slowly so they don’t blend together. I took these pictures after we picked up, turned around, and carried the jar several times so there was some mixing… yours will hopefully look a little better then this!
After observing the liquid rainbow my oldest wondered if frozen, would the layers mix together? There was only one way to find out… we set the jar outside overnight and were amazed at what we saw the next day!
Parents are the First Teachers 