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Walking Water Science Experiment for Kids

Walking Water Science Experiment for Kids

Let's get set up for walking water with a few quick and easy steps the kids can definitely be a part of! We used test tubes for three sets of primary colors. You can use less as long as you have enough to go around with all the colors mixing. First, add red, yellow, and blue food coloring (one color per test tube) in order. Give each test tube a little stir (搅拌) to evenly distribute the color. Try to put the same amount of food coloring in each container. Cut thin strips of white paper towel to fit in the test tubes. Place them into the test tubes. There will be two ends in each tube. Wait and watch what happens. At this point, you can set up a stopwatch to make notes of how long it takes for the colors to meet and mix。

Before you insert the strips, you have the perfect opportunity to make some predictions about what will happen. Have your kids come up with a prediction for their experiment? Will the water walk? You can start the conversation with "What do you think will happen when we put the towels into the water?"

The whole process starts pretty quickly, but it does take a while for the colors to begin to mix with each other. Extend the science activity： pull out the watercolors and do some color mixing art while you wait. Make sure to check on your walking water science experiment every once in a while to see the changes that are constantly taking place. The kids will be amazed at how the water seems to fight against gravity! As the paper towels absorb the colored water, the water travels up the towel strip. It meets up with the other colored water that has traveled up the neighboring strip. Where the primary colors interact, they turn into the secondary colors. Both colors will continue to travel as long as the towel fibers absorb the water.

The experiment is colorful and simple to do! Plus, it is interesting for multiple ages. Older kids should be able to set it up all by themselves and can also use our science journal page to record their results.