Amaze your kids with this SIMPLE grow a rainbow activity! This spring science experiment allows preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd graders to learn about capillary action with a beautiful walking water science experiment. This kindergarten science experiment explores capillary action for kids with a few simple materials and only takes 5 minutes!
Grow a Rainbow
I love science activities for kindergarten that WOW without a lot of fuss. Young students tend to get easily distracted so doing a grow a rainbow experiment that only takes about 5 minutes is perfect for this age group! Try this rainbow experiment with toddlers, preschoolers, kindergartners, grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3 students to learn with a capillary action experiment. This spring science experiment is perfect for rainbow or weather themes at home or in the classroom.
Grow a Rainbow Experiment
All you need to try this easy science experient for kindergartners are a few simple materials you already have on hand:
- 2 glasses
- water
- washable markers
- paper towel
Capillary Action Experiment
Now you are going to make a block of each color, in rainbow order as shown above, on each side of the paper towel. You want it to be a solid block in the same order as the other side, so color it in well. But the middle section is all white.
HINT: The markers must be washable markers. In other words they are water based and will move when they come into contact with water for our experiment. Permenent markers will NOT work for this experiment.
Rainbow Experiment
Now you will need two glasses filled at least 1/2 full with water. You want to space them so that your paper towel reaches both sides. The colors should just barely touch the water. If you put too much of the colors in the water the colors will move to the water instead of flowing towards the other side of the rainbow.
Walking Water Science Experiment
Almost immediately you will notice the colrs are starting to move towards each other.
Spring Science Activities for Preschoolers
Continue to watch as the walking water experiment continues to unfold very quickly in front of your eyes. As the water travels up the paper towel, it will take the colors with it.
Spring Science Experiment
Right before your eyes you will have grown a rainbow! Not only is this a pretty science experiment perfect for spring or summer, but it teaches a scientific principal too!
Capillary Action for Kids
This simple, beautiful experiment teaches the principal of capillary action. Capillary action is the name of the process that moves liquids up through a solid (paper towel). This moving of water is how plants drink. In our experient the moving water took the washable dye molecules with it because they are water based and dispersed in the water. Water molecules are considered cohesive (sticky to each other) and they adhere (stick) to the paper towel. As one water molecule moves up the paper towel it pulls the other molecules with it. The molecules pull each other along like a drawstring.
Kindergarten science experiment
This pretty science experiment takes less than 5 minutes and is super quick to clean-up. Simply throughout the paper towel (or dry it outside for a pretty decoration). Dump the water down the drain or outside on the lawn and wash out the canning jars.
Science activities for kindergarten
We had our paper towels too far in the water this time we did this experiment. Although it still worked, while the water molecules were traveling up with the dye, the dye under the wtaer was also dispersing and coloring the water. Ideally just put the tip of the paper towel touching the water for the best, quickest, and most reliable results with this colorful science experiments.
Rainbow Activities for Kids
Looking for more fun rainbow activity ideas? Check these out!
- How to Grow Rainbow Crystals EASILY at Home – Spring Science Activity
- Beautiful Rainbow Slime Activity for Kids
- Yarn Wrapped Rainbow Craft for Kids
- Paper Plate Rainbow Craft for Preschoolers
- Rainbow in a Jar Density Experiments
- Simply Rainbow Density Experiment for springtime
- Grow a Rainbow – Capillary Action Experiment for Kids
- Delicious Rainbow Stem scienc with jelly beans
- Rainbow Handprint Craft
- Easy Tissue Paper Rainbow Craft for Spring
- Rainbow Toast makes a yummy snack!
- Super cute Rainbow Math with a DIY abacus activity
- Rainbow Painting with Cars Activity
- Free printable Rainbow Color Matching Game
- Craft Stick Rainbow Craft
- Rainbow Rhyming Activity for Kindergarten
- Rainbow Worksheets for kids
- Free Connect the Dot Rainbow Printable for Preschoolers
- Hands-on Rainbow Math Activities for Preschoolers
- Rainbow Playdough Shape Mat
- Lots of fun ideas in this Rainbow Preschool Theme
- Rainbow Read, Rhyme and Dab St Patricks Day Activity
Summer Fun
Looking for more outdoor activities for kids and things to do in the summer? Your toddler, preschool, pre k, kindergarten, and elementary age kids will love these fun ideas to keep them busy all summer long:
- Marshmallow Shooters – go over 30 feet!
- 2 ingredient Easy Slime Recipe
- How to Make a Lava Lamp – it’s super EASY!
- Kids will no nuts over this simple Pop Rock Experiment
- Handprint Strawberry Craft for Summer
- Grow Your Own Crystals
- Water Balloon Experiment – exploring densit with an EPIC summer activity for kids
- Amazing Bubble Painting
- Mind Blowing Color Changing Playdough
- Easy Lemon Volcano Summer Experiment
- Simple Ketchup Volcano!
Summer Activities for Kids
- Egg Shell DIY Chia Pet Craft – Silly Spring / Summer Activities for Kids
- Grass Head Craft for Kids
- Blow GIANT bubbles with this Homemade Bubble Solution
- Outrageously FUN Bubble Painting
- Magnet Experiments for Kids
- Bleeding Tissue Paper Fireworks Craft
- Beautiful Flower Suncatcher Craft
- 30 Fun June Crafts for Kids
- Must try Lego Zipline
- Exploding Watermelon Science Experiment
- Homemade Chalk Recipe
- 75+ FUN Scavenger Hunts for Kids
- Find activities by month with our June Crafts for kids or our June Activities for Kids!
Fun Summer Activities for Kids
- Ice Cream Edible Playdough
- Whip up a batch of Kool Aid Playdough – it smells amazing!
- I Spy DIY Bottles are quick, easy and FUN!
- Amazing Tin Foil Art Project for Kids of all Ages
- Vinegar and Baking Soda Rocket Science Experiment for Kids
- Summer Bucket List Printable with Ice Cream Theme
- How to Make Ice Cream in a Bag
- Ice Cream Playdough Patterns
- Head to the zoo with this FREE Zoo Scavenger Hunt – lots of choices for all ages!
- Make your favorite animal with one of these 100 animal crafts
- Try one of these fun Animal I Spy Printables
- Epic Squirt Gun Painting
- Play with your food using this goldfish counting activity
- After seeing the frogs at the pond, grab this free life cycle of a frog worksheet
- Avoid the summer learning loss by practicing math with these crack the code worksheets
- First Day of Summer Craft
- Create this gorgeous stained glass art for kids
- 107 Epic Summer Activities for Kids
- Water Balloon Painitng Summer Activity for Kids