Sometimes it feels like we’ve done all the science. Sooooo many science experiments over the years and it can sometimes feel like there aren’t any of those fun little things left to do. We’ve done some more advanced ones lately, but since we’ve needed some things where we can learn in shorter bursts, we’ve enjoyed finding some of the little fun ones again.
This one involved using clear nail polish dropped on the top of water. With the tips of your fingers, (don’t let them put their whole hand in or they will get a lot of sticky stuff on them that’s difficult to get off without nail varnish remover scrubbing), you then place some black paper on top. When you take the paper out you are left with lovely rainbow patters and each one is different so it’s fun to experiment. It’s a cheap and easy one, but does have a certain wow factor. We did this outside so it was very well ventilated.
It’s all about how the light hits the polish. Different thicknesses of polish produce the different colours. Boston children’s museum has a video on it here.
The Messy Old Fashioned Home School Kitchen 