Say goodbye to summer and hello to autumn with this fun walking water experiment! Using water, food coloring, and paper towels, kids can create an exciting science experiment that explores scientific processes, capillary, and critical thinking skills.
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Grab Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn here to read before the water experiment!
What You’ll Need For This Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn Walking Water Experiment
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How To Set Up This Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn Walking Water Experiment
1. Fill three clear cups with water, about three-quarters full.
2. Add green food coloring to the first cup, yellow food coloring to the second cup, and red food coloring to the third cup.
3. Line up the cups in a row, with the green cup on one end, the yellow cup in the middle, and the red cup on the other end.
4. Cut two strips of paper towel long enough to reach from one cup to the next.
5. Fold each paper towel strip lengthwise to make a narrow strip.
6. Place one end of the first paper towel into the green cup and the other end into the yellow cup.
7. Place one end of the second paper towel into the yellow cup and the other end into the red cup.
8. Watch as the colored water slowly travels up the paper towels and moves into the neighboring cups. Observe how the water levels and colors change over time.
Benefits Of This Walking Water Experiment
- Scientific observation: Encourages children to watch closely and describe changes over time.
- Understanding capillary action: Demonstrates how water moves through the tiny spaces between paper towel fibers.
- Critical thinking: Encourages children to make predictions and compare their results with what they expected.
- Patience and curiosity: Teaches children that some scientific processes take time to unfold.
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PrintGoodbye Summer, Hello Autumn Walking Water Experiment
This colorful experiment celebrates the changing colors of fall leaves while introducing children to the wonders of science!
- Prep Time: 10
- Total Time: 10
- Category: DIY, STEM
- Method: Step-by-Step
Materials
- 3 clear plastic cups
- Water
- Green, yellow, and red food coloring
- Paper towels
- Scissors
Instructions
- Fill three clear cups with water, about three-quarters full.
- Add green food coloring to the first cup, yellow food coloring to the second cup, and red food coloring to the third cup.
- Line up the cups in a row, with the green cup on one end, the yellow cup in the middle, and the red cup on the other end.
- Cut two strips of paper towel long enough to reach from one cup to the next.
- Fold each paper towel strip lengthwise to make a narrow strip.
- Place one end of the first paper towel into the green cup and the other end into the yellow cup.
- Place one end of the second paper towel into the yellow cup and the other end into the red cup.
- Watch as the colored water slowly travels up the paper towels and moves into the neighboring cups. Observe how the water levels and colors change over time.
