Today my kiddo and I got messy! Well, we get messy most days! Once again, I raided our cupboards in search of distractions, I really couldn't stand watching The Lion King for like the 100th time. Luckily some cornstarch and food coloring came to my rescue and bought us about 20 minutes of educational fun!
Before I get into the activity/lesson planning, I highly recommend that this fun "trick" is done outdoors, otherwise you might just get sticky white starch all over your home, like we did!
Toddler Science: Cornstarch Suspension
While I say this is a toddler activity, it really is quite intriguing enough for all ages to enjoy. With older kids you could go in depth and explain surface tension etc.
Here's what you will need:
- A box of cornstarch
- Water
- A basin or bucket
- Food coloring (optional)
Instructions:
- Lay out all of your apparatus.
- Discuss the solid state of the cornstarch with the kids and let them feel the dry powder.
- Place about 2 cups of cornstarch to your basin and then slowly add water.
- Add the water and stir until you have a thick pancake-like batter.
- Add food coloring at this point and stir in to your "batter".
- Allow the kids to touch and feel the cornstarch.
Things You Can Do With The Cornstarch
- Let the kids stick their hands in the mixture, ask them what it feels like.
- Roll a ball with them and then lay it down. Discuss what happens.
- Pat the mixture with your hands and observe.
A mixture of cornstarch and water make what is known as a suspension. When you squeeze a
Cornstarch Suspension it really feels like a solid because its molecules line up. But it looks like a
liquid and acts like a liquid when no one is pressing on it because the molecules relax. This is
another state of matter, called a suspension (It can act like a liquid, or, when pressed like a solid.). - http://www.kidzone.ws/plans/view.asp?i=480
Apart from being an exploration of science, this activity also allows the opportunity for sensory play, which is very important for the development of little minds. Don't you just love it when you discover an idea that the kids love but is also educational and extremely affordable? I know I do!