Color Mixing - Part 1

  Over the last couple of weeks, we have been experimenting with color mixing in the toddler classroom. These are the materials we used and what we noticed:

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

1. Water, Watercolors, and Droppers:

We began our exploration of color mixing with red and blue watercolor, using droppers to drop the watercolor into jars of tap water. We discussed what colors were on the table. M said “red and blue.” T, M, and watched as the drops of watercolor slowly dispersed into the water.

  

When the girls were finished, we had a jar of red-colored water, one jar of blue-colored water, and two jars that were very dark looking. I took one of the jars and put it up to the light to see the color better. They observed the water for a moment, then M exclaimed, “purple!”

                                       

                                         

2. Cornstarch, Watercolors, and Droppers:

Next we explored watercolors in cornstarch. I again chose two primary colors to offer Cohort 3, yellow and blue. T, M, and S were a bit apprehensive at first. Then S dipped her dropper in her lid filled with blue watercolor, and sprinkled the watercolor on top of the cornstarch. T and M quickly followed. Then M poured all of her blue and yellow paint in. We observed the cornstarch and watercolor for a moment, noticing the small hard balls that formed where the watercolor touched the cornstarch. T and S were then done, but M continued to experiment.

       

Adding Salt and Water: 

M then added salt to the cornstarch mixture, observing it closely each time she sprinkled some in the bowl. She then began to pour a small pitcher of water into the bowl, asking, “Can I pour all of it?” After replying, “Yes,” she poured the rest of the water in. She then began exploring the mixture with her hands, grabbing hard chunks of cornstarch, watercolor, and water that formed in various places. We discussed the texture of the mixture, noticing some of it was runny, some was powder, and some was hard. We then talked about the different colors in the bowl. M exclaimed, “It's green,” as she continued to dig her fingertips into the mixture.

 

 3. Coffee Filters, Watercolors, and Droppers:

 Our final color mixing experiment using watercolor also included droppers and white coffee filters. This time we used red and yellow watercolor, placed in two separate lids for each child. S filled up her dropper with as much red watercolor as possible, squeezing it all out onto her coffee filter in a puddle. J also went straight for the red watercolor, squeezing a small amount into the tip of his dropper and releasing the watercolor onto his filter. M dipped her dropper in the yellow watercolor, then the red watercolor before dropping the watercolor onto her filter. T dropped a couple drops of yellow watercolor onto her filter, then in a different spot she dropped a few drops of red watercolor.

                         

When everyone was done, each child's coffee filter was different. We talked about what we noticed about the watercolors on the coffee filters. We talked about the colors we used and what happens when yellow and red watercolor mix together. M noticed she had some “orange” on her coffee filter.

 

                                         Through thoughtful exploration of color mixing with watercolors, Cohort 3 are figuring out the scientific properties of watercolor and various substances, they are learning about colors, including primary colors and what happens when watercolors are mixed together, they are strengthening their fine motor skills, and they are building their language around colors and art materials.

                                                                

Next... Color mixing with tempura paint!!