Looking to keep your little one busy through simple science? Dive into this delightful Skittles experiment! It’s ideal for introducing little ones to the concept of diffusion…
… And apart from super cool science, it’s an opportunity to view a mesmerising rainbow swirl — whatever the weather!
What you need
- Skittles sweets (1 bag)
- Plate
- Warm water
Follow these easy-peasy steps!
- Line up the Skittles in a circle along the plate’s outer edge.
- Gently pour warm water into the plate’s centre so that the sweets are half-submerged.
- See how the candy colours move, creating a stunning rainbow swirl!
How does it work?
When you add warm water, the candy's colourful dyes (and its sugar) dissolve and move. These dyes move towards the parts of the plate that contain less dye and less sugar (the centre). This movement is called diffusion.
Temperature tests
Under careful supervision, allow your little one to experiment with different water temperatures, and together observe changes in the rainbow’s appearance and the speed of diffusion.
A note for grown-ups: Your mini scientists should experience the best results with warm water. This allows the experiment to last a few minutes (from water-pouring to rainbow-forming), meaning that your little one can easily see how the colours diffuse.
Further experimentation
Allow your little scientist to test different ideas — it’s vital for maintaining their curiosity! For example, what happens when they repeat the experiment with a tablespoon of sugar in the centre of the plate?
Note: Be sure not to pour the warm water directly onto the sugar!
Your little one should notice that, as the colour starts to spread, the diffusion will significantly slow down because of the sugar in the middle of the plate. This is because diffusion is the movement of particles from a space of higher concentration (the Skittles on the outer curve of the plate) to a place of lower concentration (the middle of the plate) — but since a tablespoon of sugar has been placed in the plate’s centre, the sugary dye won’t move there as quickly!
By changing one of the experiment’s variables, budding scientists will soon learn that altering even the smallest of details can have an interesting impact on their results!
Keep them curious
We hope your little one will enjoy the sense of accomplishment that comes from experimenting and testing their ideas.
At toucanBox, we understand how important this is for a child’s development. Our range of craft kits are designed to inspire, educate, and empower children to not only observe cause and effect, but to subsequently follow their own lines of enquiry too.
Keen to explore more? Visit our shop for a diverse range of craft ideas designed with child development in mind. Or better yet, join our Subscription Craft Club to receive monthly boxes brimming with inspiration.
Let the hands-on fun begin!
Edited by James Hickman
Primary school teacher and educational writer
