MILK MARBLING

Today we have done one of the simplest science experiments for younger children – milk marbling! If you haven’t done this before, you should give it a try! It’s really easy to set up and effects are amazing!

Supplies to Prepare for Milk Marbling Experiment

If you have never done milk marbling before this is what you’ll need:

1. shallow bowl (we used glass rectangular casserole baker)
2. liquid food color
3. toothpicks or q-tips
4. milk (we used whole milk)
5. a bit of dish soap.

You can see the set up on the picture:

As you can see, we placed a towel under the bowls just in case some of the milk would end outside of the bowls.

How to Experiment with Milk Marbling?

Simply add milk in a bowl to cover the bottom, then:

• invite kids to add few drops of food color,
• let them dip a q-tip or toothpick in a dish soap,
• and ask them stick in a milk.
• Watch the magic!

Girls had lots of fun playing with q-tips and watching color escaping and mixing.

As I mentioned we had to fill in our bowls 3 times with milk and do this experiment again because, after some time, all the colors would blend in a greenish-blue shade.

Of course, this wouldn’t be a full experience if my daughters wouldn’t dip their hands into colored milk and see if they could mix the colors with their hands.

For an end, my older daughter came with an idea to freeze this mixture but we’ll get to that some other time…

Would you try milk marbling? Or have you done it before?

Extend the Play with a Book – Learn about mixing colors

One day three white mice discover three jars of paint–red, blue, and yellow. But what happens when they splash in the colors, mixing the red and blue? Or dance in the blue and yellow? This playful introduction to colors will appeal to any budding artist or curious preschooler. Find Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh here: United States | Canada | United Kingdom

Little Blue and Little Yellow are best friends, but one day they can’t find each other. When they finally do, they give each other such a big hug that they turn green! How they find their true colors again concludes a wonderfully satisfying story told with colorful pieces of torn paper and very few words. Find Little Blue and Little Yellow by Leo Lionni here: United States | Canada | United Kingdom

What to Try Next?

• Volcano and Dinosaurs – Science Meets Play
• Shaving Cream Color Mixing Sensory Bag
• 5 Easy Bottle Cap Busy Bags for Toddlers

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