Oil and Water Science for Kids

This easy science experiment for kids is so much fun! It produces visually stunning results with common pantry items.

I loved this experiment because we had everything on hand. Within a few moments I had the area ready and both kids were ready to get involved. If you don't have pipettes, you could use a medicine dropper, or even a straw.

Supplies:

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Vegetable Oil

Food Coloring

Water

A Few Small Dishes

Pipettes

I added 3 drops of food coloring to each bowl of water. We decided to try green and blue.

I gave the kids a few pipettes. I asked them what they thought would happen if they added the color to the oil. Harp said it would be like paint. Rolf said it would turn the same color.

They began dropping the watercolor into the oil.

They discovered that the color didn't mix, it just formed little balls of color in the oil.

We added more food coloring to see if that affected it.

We added more water to the food coloring.

It still didn't change the way the oil and water color didn't mix.

This project was completely visually stunning. Both of the kids were hooked!

I was pretty impressed too. I thought this was a great experiment for the kids!

I am glad I got photos as it was basically a form of liquid art!

This is a great way to explore common household items with kids, and see how they react to each other. This is a very economical experiment too; only pennies to complete!

I loved that with this super easy project we could encourage the inner scientist that lives in every curious kid. 

Tropical Fruit Boats

Making food interesting to a picky eater takes patience and creativity. My son Roo is going through the phase of eating only specific foods (chicken fingers, applesauce, yogurt, cheese quesadillas). I am trying to help him experience a variety of food and enjoy eating it... Which hasn't gone well... If he lays eyes on cucumbers, he will hide. When I eat carrots, he cries for me to stop...

I am taking the approach of healthy eating to a new level by making food fun.

What could be more fun and appealing than this Tropical Fruit Boat?

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 3/4 cup blueberry or grape juice
• 2 bananas
• 1/2 cup watermelon cubes (1/2-inch)
• 1/2 cup pineapple cubes (1/2-inch)
• 1 cup mango cubes (1/2 inch)
• 2 fruit roll-up sheets, any flavor
• 4 thin pretzel sticks, each 4 inches long

Directions:

1. In each of 4 shallow bowls, place ½-cup blueberries and 3 tablespoons juice.
2. Cut each banana in half crosswise on a diagonal, then split halves lengthwise.
3. In the center of each bowl, arrange 2 banana slices to form the sides of the “boat.”
4. Evenly divide the watermelon, pineapple and mango in the banana boats.
5. To make the boat “sails,”: on a cutting board, lay one fruit roll-up sheet over the other and press together; cut the double layer into 4 triangles.
6. Make 3 small cuts along one edge of each triangle; thread onto pretzel sticks.
7. Push the pretzel sail into a fruit cube.
8. Serve immediately.

Thanks to my pals at the Blueberry Council for supplying the recipe and image.