What You Need

Clear containers - Clear glasses, clear plastic cups or clear small bowl, at least four clear containers.

Food coloring – red, blue and yellow

Either a straw or a dropper or both

Where to get droppers

Medicine droppers - Many over the counter liquid medicines for children contain droppers. After the medicine is used, wash droppers thoroughly in soapy hot water and use for this activity and other science and art activities for preschoolers.

Science Supply Stores or Catalogues - You can also buy droppers at science supply stores or drug stores. Also you can order droppers from science catalogues or science supply websites.

Science Lab Set Up for Mixing Colors

1. Prepare Colored Water - Fill three of the glasses with water. Add red food coloring to one glass, blue food coloring to another glass and yellow food coloring to another glass.

2. Set Out Empty Containers – The empty containers will be used for preschoolers to perform their mixing experiments.

3. Set Out Tools – Place the straw(s) or the dropper(s) or both next to the containers.

How to Mix the Colors

With a Dropper – Many preschoolers won't understand how to use droppers at first. Preschoolers must place the end of the dropper under the colored water and then squeeze the dropper bulb and release. Preschoolers can use the empty clear containers to combine different colors of water for mixing.

With a Straw – Preschoolers can also "lift" colored water into the straws by inserting the straw in colored water and then holding their finger over the top end of the straw. While holding the top of the straw, preschoolers can move the straw to the empty container and lift their finger off the straw hole. The colored water in the straw will flow out of the bottom of the straw. If preschoolers are not able to use one hand to transfer colored water with the straw, show them how to use two hands – one to hold the straw and the other to cover the top hole in the straw.

Straw Caution - If you set out a straw, make sure to tell preschooler's that this science experiment isn't for drinking the colored water out of the straw. Although food dye won't hurt preschoolers most adults don't want the extra food coloring dye ingested. But be assured that if preschoolers do drink the colored water, it isn't toxic to typical preschoolers. When a preschooler has a sensitive allergy to food dyes, use extra supervision.

How Droppers and Straw Transfer Helps Fine Motor Skills

Pincer Grasp – When preschoolers squeeze the dropper bulb, tiny muscles in the hand are getting a great fitness workout. This type of squeezing action develops the pincer grasp in the hand.

Fine Motor Control – When preschoolers have to hold a straw and hold one finger over the top, they must use the small muscles in their hands in a new way – a way that develops muscle control in the hand.

Extra Thoughts

Easter Egg Dye - This is a great use for Easter egg dye after you've dyed all of the eggs.

Science exploration activities for preschoolers are not about getting experiments "right" but rather about exploring in a way that makes sense to young children. Preschoolers learn best when adults simply set up the environment for learning and let preschoolers take the lead.

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Helpful Tips for Parents

• Fine motor and gross motor development support each other. Children who move well also develop hand strength and coordination more effectively.

• Dance is one of the most complete physical activities for preschoolers: it develops bilateral coordination, rhythm, balance, spatial awareness, and emotional expression simultaneously.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does physical activity affect my preschooler's sleep?

Physical activity is one of the strongest positive predictors of sleep quality and duration in preschoolers. Children who have sufficient vigorous physical activity during the day fall asleep faster, sleep more deeply, and wake less frequently than sedentary peers. The timing matters: vigorous activity in the late afternoon or evening (within 1–2 hours of bedtime) can delay sleep for some children — schedule the most vigorous play before 5pm when possible.

Related reading: See also our outdoor chalk activities and our obstacle course guide for more ideas on this topic.

🎓 Skills Your Child Will Develop

• ⚖️ Balance & Coordination — Activities that challenge balance — hopping on one foot, walking a line, navigating obstacles — develop the vestibular and proprioceptive systems that underlie all coordinated physical movement.
• ❤️ Cardiovascular Health — Vigorous physical activity that elevates heart rate and quickens breathing builds cardiovascular fitness — and active preschoolers develop not just physical health but the energy, sleep quality, and mood that support learning.
• 🤸 Flexibility & Agility — Stretching, bending, and quick direction changes develop flexibility and agility — the physical qualities that support athletic movement, injury prevention, and the body confidence that active children carry through life.
• 🤝 Social Skills & Teamwork — Physical games with partners or groups teach children to cooperate, cheer for others, follow a leader, and recover from competitive disappointment — the social-emotional skills that classroom cooperation requires.

by Kelly Pfeiffer

Preschoolers will keep busy exploring simple science concepts with this fine motor activity that uses items from around the house. When preschoolers are allowed to explore on their own in a playful way, they learn how science works. This hands-on science exploration activity for preschoolers develops fine motor fitness for the small muscles in the hand and demonstrates real world science concepts. This science activity about mixing colors with "science lab tools" from around the house works well for either a home setting or preschool classroom.