This activity was a big success filled with giggles and faces of amazement. It is definitely a must-try for the whole family. It’s the perfect mess to keep little ones entertained and fascinating enough for the older kids to stick around and play. Make sure you use lots of food coloring, listen for “oohs” and “ahhs” and above all, enjoy some time with your family! #FamilyFriday

 

What You’ll Need:

Milk

Food Coloring

Dish Soap

Cotton swabs

Small Bowl

Plate

 

Once you have a clean table and all the materials together, here’s how it’s done:

 

Pour the milk (just enough to cover the top. You’ll be doing this several times and I’m sure you don’t want to use the whole gallon.)

 

Add a generous amount of food coloring on top of the milk. It works well if you drip the colors on top of each other.

 

Pour a small amount of dish detergent into a bowl. Dip a cotton swap into the detergent.

 

Put cotton swab in the milk right on top of the food coloring. Hold it there for a little while; there will usually be more than one reaction (but as you can see in the video the younger kids will want to just swirl the colors around.)

 

One of the best parts of this activity is that it can be a fun science lesson for all ages. You can explain to your kids that the fat in the milk is extremely sensitive to changes, so by adding a solution with harsh chemicals, like dish soap, breaks up the fat and causes the colors in the milk to race. The first reaction is explosive and fast because there is plenty of space for the fat to go to “get away” from the added chemicals. As the milk balances, the streams become slower until there is nowhere for the fat and soap to go.

 

If you try this activity, share it with us! Post pictures or videos to Instagram and Facebook and use the hashtag #FamilyFriday and #FamilyStrongCV!