Notes for adults

Age 4 · 15 min · Easy

Watch colored water travel along paper towels from one cup to another. Children predict, observe, and draw what happens.

Learning objectives

• Predict where the water will go.
• Observe and describe where the colored water appears.
• Draw what they predicted and what they observed.

What you need

• Printed activity page
• Colored pencils or crayons
• 3 identical clear cups
• Water
• Blue and yellow food coloring
• 2 folded strips of paper towel, long enough to connect the cups
• A tray or towel to protect the table

Safety notes

An adult should supervise the use of water and food coloring. Do not drink the experiment water. Clean up spills to prevent slips, and wash hands afterward.

How to do it

1. Place the three cups in a row on the tray.
2. Fill the two end cups halfway with water. Leave the middle cup empty.
3. Add a few drops of blue food coloring to one cup of water and yellow to the other.
4. Invite the child to draw what they think will happen when the paper connects the cups.
5. Show the child how to put one end of a strip in the blue water and the other end in the empty cup.
6. Help the child connect the yellow water to the empty cup with the second strip.
7. Look at the paper right away. Return after 30 to 60 minutes, or longer, to look for changes.
8. Invite the child to draw what they saw and compare it with their prediction.

Teaching suggestions

• Ask, “What do you think will happen?” Accept all predictions.
• To offer support, point to each cup and ask where the child would like to draw the water.
• If the paper does not reach the water, adjust the ends so they are submerged. Keep the ends in the middle cup near the bottom.
• In a group, let children take turns setting up and sharing their observations.
• Compare the wet paper to a towel that absorbs water after drying hands.

Variations

• Easier: Make the prediction aloud and help the child draw the cups and paper.
• Harder: Ask the child to predict the color of the water in the middle cup and explain their idea.
• Extend: Look again later and talk about what has changed since the first visit.

Talk about it

• What do you think will happen to the water?
• Where is the water going?
• What changed in the paper and the middle cup?
• How was what you saw like what you imagined?

What to look for

• The child makes a prediction using words, gestures, or a drawing.
• The child points to or describes a change in the paper or a cup.
• The child records what they observed and compares it with their prediction.